Germany in Epcot's World Showcase

INTRODUCTION

Fantasy, folklore and festivity abound as you step into a German village where the sounds of Oktoberfest fill the air. In the center of the square is a statue of St. George and the dragon, which, according to legend, he slayed while on a pilgrimage to the Middle East. Monuments to St. George, the patron saint of soldiers, are common throughout Bavaria. The Biergarten reflects the 16th century town of Rothenberg.

ATTRACTIONS

The shops and food areas are the featured attractions in Germany.

Epcot Attractions At A Glance

DINING

Biergarten - An indoor German "courtyard" featuring a German Oktoberfest buffet. Items include a variety of German sausages, sauerbraten, and red cabbage. At mealtime, yodelers, dancers and other lederhosen-clad musicians perform an Oktoberfest dinner show.

Sommerfest - Counter service serving bratwurst, pretzels, beer, etc.

Epcot Restaurants At A Glance
Menus From Around the World
Vegetarian and Other Special Diets

ENTERTAINMENT

Atmosphere entertainment is the German band, Oktoberfest Musikanten which plays in the Biergarten.

For more information on Epcot Live Entertainment, visit Steve Soares WDW Entertainment Website.

TOURING TIPS

Be sure to visit the shops full of Hummel and Goebel collectibles, as well as Arribas Brothers crystal. You can sometimes find an artisan working on Goebel or Hummel figures.

Wine tastings are available in Germany.

Visit the shops to see German steins and cuckoo clocks.

If you like geraniums you'll find hundreds throughout the pavilion.

Check out the Clock Tower on the hour. As the clock strikes the bell, two Hummel figurines come out (like the famous Glockenspiel in Munich).

A special Oktoberfest Celebration takes place each October in Epcot's Germany.

Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival - The garden railway and geraniums in bloom are Germany's highlights.

Holidays from Around the World features storytellers in each country. In Germany, St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) makes appearances throughout the afternoon.

Assistive Listening Devices from Guest Services can be used in the Biergarten.

KIDS AND CHARACTERS

There is an absolutely wonderful miniature German train and village scene just outside the building. There's a foot bridge that goes across it for those who want to view it from the middle. My older son and one of his cousins (both near 3 years old at the time) spent a full hour running from one side of the bridge to the other watching those trains. Even after all that time, my son was not pleased when we told him it was time to go.

From an adult standpoint, the scene is quite detailed and beautiful to look at. They did a great job on all of the details. And, if you have a train loving young one with you, there's a bench right across from the footbridge where, unless it's particularly crowded, you can have a seat and rest while your child is in a reasonably confined area, totally fascinated. (Our best photos from the trip were at this location. We all ended up with various photos of the two boys with their synchronized head turning and totally rapt expressions.) (Jane O'Brien)

Look for Snow White and perhaps her Prince at Snow White's Wishing Well.

Each of the World Showcase countries has a special "KIDCOT" area that provides an opportunity for your child to interact with a native of the country you are visiting.

Epcot PassPorts are great fun for kids as they have them stamped at each pavilion around World Showcase.

Epcot Characters At A Glance
Character Meet and Greet FAQ!

SHOPPING

Der Bucherwurm - Steins, glassware, hand-painted eggs, and sundries.
Der Teddybar - German toys, dolls, bears.
Die Weihnachts Ecke - German Christmas items.
Karamell-Küche - Hand crafted caramel treats.
Kunstarbeit In Kristall - German glassware, crystal.
Weinkeller - Assorted German wines and accessories. Wine tasting - cost includes souvenir wine glass.
Süssigkeiten - Wines and steins (Shop name to be changing soon).
Volkskunst - Hand-painted eggs, cuckoo clocks.

(Excerpt from Shopping Around the World) On to Germany, where the Imagineers were inspired by Bavaria and the Rhine regions. The German pavilion has many small shops with such diverse items as beer steins, hand-painted eggs, bears, Christmas goodies, Hummel and Goebel collectibles, crystal, cookies -- there's even wine tasting.

The special Goebel artist signing Mickey and Friends handcrafted figurines tempted the Shoppers, but knowing that those collectibles would exceed our price limit, they delved deeper into the store.

The pick of most of the Shoppers was the green Pickle Ornament from the Die Weihnachts Ecke shop for $8.50. Pickle ornaments in Germany are considered very special and are generally the last item parents put on the tree on Christmas Eve. In fact, the pickle ornament is hidden from view amidst the tree branches, and as soon as the children are allowed to see the tree, the hunt begins. The lucky finder of the special pickle ornament receives an extra gift from St. Nicholas for being the most observant child.

Other SouvenEARS that earned high marks: other handmade Christmas Ornaments like nutcracker characters and cuckoo clocks ($20); German Finger Puppets ($7-$10); Chocolate Stein ($8.95); Mini Steins ($13-$16); Clip-on Candle Ornaments ($8).

INTERESTING FACTS

The architecture was inspired by the buildings of Bavaria and the Rhine region of Germany. Other details come from communities of the German north. Statue in the center of the plaza is of St. George, the patron saint of soldiers. A glockenspiel chimes to a melody specially composed for Epcot.

Rather than construct precise replicas of buildings found in Germany, the designers of the pavilion adapted German structures to fit the scale and needs of World Showcase. For example, the facade of Der Bucherwurm is modeled after the Kaufhaus, a medieval merchant's hall in Freiburg. However, there are 4 statues representing Hapsburg emperors in the hall in Freiburg, Der Bucherwurm, which is not large enough to support them all, has only three.

The facade of the art and book shop was inspired by the Kaufhaus, a 16th century merchants hall in Freiburg in the Black Forest.

Statues on the building recall the rule of the Hapsburg Emperors.

An exterior facade was copied from a 400-year old town hall in Romsburg Square in Frankfurt.

The high wall serving as the backdrop for the showcase was inspired by Eltz Castle on the Mosel River and Stahleck Castle on the Rhine.

The landscaping within the village itself is minimal. Red flowers, particularly geraniums and begonias, dominate the floral displays in the area. Window boxes coordinate with the baskets and fountain planting to carry the color throughout the scene. Here roses are used for their sweet-smelling scent rather than for their showy blooms.

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