Fun Facts About the Mexican Pavilion at Epcot

When you first enter World Showcase in Epcot, you have the choice to head left or right. For most guests, heading left is the obvious choice, as you’ll arrive straight at the Mexico pavilion. This pavilion is one of the most popular in the park, thanks to its incredible dining and drinking opportunities and its immersive attraction. The next time you are visiting Epcot for the day, take your time to wander around the pavilion and enjoy soaking in the atmosphere. To enhance your next visit, today we’re going to share some little-known facts about the Mexico pavilion at Epcot.

1. The Pyramid Structure

The Mexico pavilion is home to one of the most iconic structures in the park and is designed to resemble a Mesoamerican pyramid. These structures have flat tops and stairs ascending up their sides, which sets them apart from Egyptian pyramids. This pyramid is 36 feet tall and is based on the Aztec Temple of the Feathered Serpent, which was found in Mexico in the ancient city of Teotihuacán. You’ll enter the pavilion through a few steps leading up to the front door, where you can start your exploration with the artwork display. This area is currently themed to incorporate characters from Coco, the popular Disney Pixar movie.

2. Plaza de los Amigos

The main plaza is called the Plaza de los Amigos, and it’s an open marketplace with plenty to explore. Here you can meet talented artists and watch them carry out their work or enjoy shopping for piñatas, ceramics, foods from Mexico, and sombreros. This indoor area is themed to look like a twilight-lit Mexican village, and it’s the ideal place to cool off on a hot day in the park. In the distance, you’ll be able to see another pyramid with an erupting volcano.

3. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

Grand Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros is a dark boat ride that you’ll board inside the pavilion. It was the first attraction in World Showcase to incorporate Disney characters into an already existing attraction when it opened in 2007. The previous attraction, El Rio del Tiempo (The River of Time), had been an opening-day attraction for Epcot. The new attraction still features many of the previous settings and props from the original attraction but now has an updated storyline where Jose and Panchito travel across Mexico in search of Donald Duck.

4. Fireworks Control Booth

If you’ve ever wondered how the team at Disney controls their nightly fireworks show, the secret technical office is hidden in the Mexico pavilion. Throughout the run of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, the show was controlled from a small office at the top of the pyramid. It was placed here due to the height of the building and the location of the pavilion, offering the team an excellent view of the whole of the World Showcase Lagoon.

5. San Angel Inn Restaurante

The Mexico pavilion is home to a whole host of dining options, with table-service restaurants, quick-service dining, and dedicated bars. The San Angel Inn Restaurante is an indoor table-service restaurant which is located in the center of the pavilion. Guests overlook the boats sailing past the attraction with the backdrop of the volcano. This dining location is the sibling restaurant of a Mexico City restaurant of the same name, which first opened all the way back in 1692.

6. Showcasing the Diversity of the Country

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit Mexico, you might know how diverse the landscapes of this country are. Inside the pavilion, the scenery reflects the tropics, with jungles, lagoons, plans, and trees located throughout the pavilion. Outside, where you’ll find the quick-service restaurant La Cantina de San Angel, you’ll find an area based on Mexico’s deserts. You’ll see a different aesthetic represented by the architecture in this restaurant and native plants on display.

7. La Cava del Tequila

One of the more recent additions to the Mexico pavilion’s food and beverage options is La Cava del Tequila. The bar offers over 200 different tequilas and has some of the best cocktails on property. You can also sample Mexican beer and wine here if you prefer, but most guests return time and again for their margaritas and tequila flights. You’ll find many unique drinks on offer here, which can’t be found elsewhere on property. La Cava Avocado is one of our top picks and features fresh avocado, lime juice, melon liqueur, and Tromba blanco tequila.

P.S. This is a crucial stop if you plan to ‘Drink around the world‘.

8. Mexico Folk Art Gallery

Many guests in the park are often in such a rush to get to the attraction or their dining reservation that they rush through the entryway to the pavilion. The Mexico Folk Art Gallery currently celebrates Dia de Muertos and features exhibits from Mexican artists and pieces inspired by the Disney Pixar movie Coco. The heritage of Mexico is showcased in this area, and it’s one of the best galleries in the park. Each time you return, you might see that the artwork has changed, as they are always looking to showcase new pieces. It’s a great way to immerse your children in the history and culture of the Mexico pavilion, as they’ll love seeing their favorite characters from Coco at the same time. The Mexico pavilion in Epcot is somewhere you can’t miss exploring on your next day in the park.

 

While you will likely head straight to the attraction on your visit, we encourage you to spend time exploring inside the pyramid. When it comes to lunch or dinner time, you’ll find a wide selection of great dining and drinking options in the pavilion, which cater to adults and children. Each time you visit the area, you’ll find new pieces of artwork on display, and we encourage you to spend some time exploring the smaller details of the pavilion that the Imagineers put so much time and effort into. To finish off your day, grab a margarita from the outdoor stand, and toast to another fantastic day here in Epcot.

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