The Other World of Disney. EPCOT Center May Take You On A Trip Around The World, But Who's World? by Jennifer Robbins In the land where a mouse rules as king and millions of tourists flock to candy-colored theme parks every year, hundreds of thousands walk through the gates of EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) in Orlando, Florida, to experience Disney's vision of diversity and the world. The park's major component, the "World Showcase," features 11 pavilions designed to take you on a tour around the world. Except it attempts to do so with just a few countries and by leaving entire continents out. ___________________________ South America and Australia were left entirely off the map, and all of Africa, excluding Morocco, is represented by a sorry excuse of a refreshment stand. ___________________________ Like those skewed, ethnocentric maps that depict the U.S. as huge and all other places diminutive in size, Disney's ode to diversity perpetuates the primacy of Anglo-Saxon culture while neglecting to represent most of the world. And by purporting to be both educational and fun, EPCOT hooks both parents and kids with their slanted geographic vision. South America and Australia were left entirely off the map, and all of Africa, excluding Morocco, is represented by a sorry excuse of a refreshment stand. Asia is boiled down to China and Japan, and forget that the South Pacific even exists. So who was able to snag a coveted spot in EPCOT's World Showcase? Evidently, the countries with the richest visitors' bureaus. Each pavilion is a shameless campaign to convince Disney guests to come and spend their tourist dollars by traveling to the real thing next year. Participating countries eagerly supply propaganda-laden films rife with beautiful vistas and stunning landscapes. Each pavilion is stocked with bubbly cast members indigenous to that particular country who aggressively peddle their overpriced "native" goods in shopping areas (wool sweaters in Norway, beer steins in Germany) and reel patrons into mediocre and outrageously expensive restaurants. Sadly enough, for too many people, EPCOT is as close as they'll ever get to most of those countries, thus making the skewed presentation even more sinister. Admittedly, Disney's set designs are fantastic, and details like native vegetation and indigenous architecture are included, but it's near impossible to sum up any country (especially within the size of a city block) without inevitably falling into the same, time-honored stereotypes. The exhibits end up being about as abbreviated as EPCOT's representation of the world itself. ___________________________ Most of the pavilions don't even make the slightest effort to teach, featuring ample shopping and restaurant facilities, with nary an educational exhibit. ___________________________ Mexico's entry is housed in an elaborate Aztec temple. On El Rio del Tiempo (The River of Time), you glide through a condensed vision of Mexican history (skipping the revolution), which includes a Native-American utopia and a drunken fiesta complete with piñatas. In Germany, celebrate Oktoberfest with men in leider-hosen and plenty of beer. Drink tea in the UK and then be served sushi by a kimono-clad girl in Japan. Most of the pavilions don't even make the slightest effort to teach, featuring ample shopping and restaurant facilities, with nary an educational exhibit. Italy's miniature replication of St. Mark's Square doesn't present much to look at or learn from, and funnels you (surprise!) directly into the overpriced restaurant and shop. But Disney's representation (or lack thereof) of the African continent is perhaps its most glaring blunder. Squeezed between Germany and China is The Outpost -- a diminutive refreshment stand intended to represent all the rich cultural and geographic diversity of an entire continent. A bongo tent and camouflage jeep are all the "African" atmosphere Disney could muster. Is this omission deliberate? African tourist boards likely don't have the financial wherewithal to fund an exhibit here, but this doesn't compensate for leaving out an entire continent in what's called a "World Showcase." Disney certainly focuses on Africa in other parks, namely-Animal Kingdom, but even there African culture is lumped into one, homogenous entity. The United States, predictably, is the centerpiece. The largest, most elaborate pavilion combines patriotism with a healthy dose of commercialism. Housed in an immense brick edifice constructed to represent 18th-century Colonial architecture, you'd think that this pavilion might take even a cursory stab at representing the diversity within its home country. Sadly, you'll find nothing more than kitschy Americana and fast food. "The American Adventure," narrated by an animatronic Mark Twain and Ben Franklin presents a thoroughly Disneyfied version of U.S. history -- negative and/or contentious events are curiously left unmentioned. The PR puff represented in EPCOT's World Showcase nullifies any educational benefit derived from otherwise entertaining exhibitions. By positioning itself as an educational resource and theme park, EPCOT reels in hundreds of thousands each year, not only to misinform, but to support a Eurocentric vision of our world. A passionate Mousketeer and lifelong Disney acolyte, Jen Robbins is a freelance writer based in San Francisco, CA. Her previous jobs have included senior editor for an online city guide and covering Orlando for a tourism publishing company. She currently writes and edits for a corporation in Silicon Valley. This website: Copyright © 2000 Dream World Media / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed in Urban Mozaik Magazine are not necessarily those of Urban Mozaik Magazine and the publisher cannot be held responsible for them. This website/publication, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.