Epcot

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a character dining location inside Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. Its name and design come from Akershus Fortress, a 13th-century medieval castle and fortress in the Norwegian capital city of Oslo. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

The Bab Boujouloud (or Blue Gate) can be found in Epcot separating the Morocco Pavilion’s old city from the new city. This city gate is a replica of the real Bab Boujouloud found in the city of Fez, Morocco. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

This minaret (a mosque’s tower used to announce the call to prayer) near the back of Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion is a replica of the one found in the Chellah Necropolis in Morocco’s capital city of Rabat. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Epcot’s Clock of the Abu Inania Medersa is a replica of what remains of the real clock hanging above the marketplace in Fez, Morocco. Found just to the left of the entrance to Restaurant Marrakesh, Epcot’s version is an idealized one: what the clock may have looked like when it was in working order, back in the heyday of water clocks. This location is mentioned in our blog post: Treasures of Morocco: Finding Epcot’s Real-Life Landmarks Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Just like the real ones in Italy, Epcot’s scale replicas of The Columns of San Marco (Saint Mark) and San Todaro (Saint Theodore) stand guard in front of it’s own version of Doge’s Palace. Also like the real ones, these two statues overlook a lagoon. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Epcot’s version of the Eiffel Tower is a 1/10th scale replica of the real one in Paris, France. The forced-perspective-structure sits atop the Impressions de France show building, giving the impression that the tower is off in the distance. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Just touching the World Showcase Lagoon in Epcot’s Japan Pavilion sits a traditional, vermilion-hued torii gate. This magnificent structure was inspired by the design and location of a real gate in Japan: Itsukushima’s Floating Torii Gate, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Frozen Ever After is an attraction in Epcot’s World Showcase, replacing Maelstrom in 2016. You can find tributes to Maelstrom along the queue of the nearby Meet Anna and Elsa at Royal Sommerhus. The Frozen version of this ride was inspired by scenes from Disney’s 2013 animated film Frozen as well as the 2015 short Frozen Fever and includes songs from the original film. The ride’s entrance facade was inspired by a real Norwegian landmark called Haakon’s Hall (or Håkonshallen in Norwegian). The ride exits into a gift shop called The Fjording, a WanderDisney location. This location is mentioned in our blog post: A Perfect Disney Day In Bergen, Norway Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

This statue of world-famous champion marathoner Grete Waitz stands (err, runs?) proudly in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion, near the Stave Church Gallery. Originally sculpted in 1984 by Norwegian artist Nils Aas, the statue was first installed outside of Bislett Stadium, in Waitz’s hometown of Oslo, Norway. Later, a copy of the statue was presented to Walt Disney World to honor Waitz’s lifelong career. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Il Bel Cristallo (Italian for “The Beautiful Crystal”) and La Gemma Elegante (Italian for “The Elegant Gem”) are merchandise locations in Epcot’s Italy Pavilion that share a building. The pink, white, and greatly columned facade of these shops is intended as a scale reproduction of Doge’s Palace in Venice. Just like the real palace, statues stand watch over the building’s sides. The La Gemma Elegante side of the shop celebrates the art of Giorgio Iurcotta, who relocated to Orlando from Venice, Italy in 2001 to represent his family’s business, Balocoloc Artisans of Venice, by creating beautiful and intricate papier-mâché masks available for purchase. Along with the masks, the shop sells a number of authentic Italian souvenirs, such as wooden toys and Disney-exclusive Murano glass items. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

The most recognizable feature of Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion is its scale replica of the Koutoubia Minaret. The real version can be found attached to Koutoubia Mosque, a 12th-century tower in the heart of Marrakesh, Morocco. Besides the scale, the biggest difference between the real sandstone minaret and this one a missing flagpole at the top of Epcot’s version. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com

Le Cellier is a signature dining location in Epcot’s Canada Pavilion. The restaurant is located in the “wine cellar” of the fictional Hotel du Canada. The building’s French Gothic Revival Châteauesque style facade is modeled after the historic Château Laurier hotel in Ottawa, Canada. Official Information: WaltDisneyWorld.com