Why Disney Cancelled the Israel Pavilion at EPCOT…

EPCOT center at Walt Disney World Resort is known for many things. Among them is the World Showcase, which displays attractions, restaurants, and shops representing various countries around the globe.

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These include nations such as China, Mexico, Canada, Morocco, Italy, Japan, and many others. Throughout the years, there have been many plans to include additional countries, but these often fell through.

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The Planned Israel Pavilion in EPCOT

One of the most controversial ones was an Israel Pavilion. In the 1980s, Walt Disney World Resort looked at adding many new countries to the World Showcase.

In 1981, the addition of Israel was announced. It would have been located between the Morocco and Japan Pavilions.

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According to The Orlando Sentinel, the Israel Pavilion at EPCOT would have included an attraction called “Journey to Jerusalem.” This show would take Disney Park guests through the history of the city.

Why Was it Cancelled?

There was pushback over the topic of Jerusalem.

Most countries in EPCOT (at least initially) financed their respective Pavilions.

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The contributions to the pavilions often gave the country leaders a say in how their history, culture, and country were represented. In the case of Israel, the Israeli Foreign Ministry contributed $1.8 million to the EPCOT pavilion.

As such, Israel was under the impression that the Walt Disney World Resort would declare Jerusalem to be the capital of the country.

Many other nations in the Middle East opposed this claim back then (and still do today).

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The opponents cite the Six Day War of 1967, between Israel and neighboring Arab countries, in which the borders changed. The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has been an issue of tension ever since.

Meeting with Arab Leaders

According to a New York Times article from 1999, the Walt Disney Company met with Arab leaders, assuring them “there is no reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel within the exhibit.”

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The New York Times also spoke with Hussein Ibish, an anti-discrimination activist in Washington, D.C. He confirmed that while the Israel Pavilion at Walt Disney World would not call Jerusalem the capital, it still didn’t recognize the Arab view that the eastern portion of the city is occupied illegally by the Israelis.

By 1984, Walt Disney World Resort removed billboards promoting the new Israeli Pavilion, and the project was soon canceled. The Walt Disney Company allegedly became concerned over potential security issues.

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Aftermath

However, a mini-exhibit dedicated to Israel was housed at the Millennium Village Pavilion. This area was located between Canada and the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2001. It did include a short film titled “Journey to Jerusalem.”

However, any additional plans to include an Israel Pavilion at the EPCOT World Showcase never came to fruition. Its inclusion in a Walt Disney World theme park during the current conflict would likely still be just as controversial.