Tilework in Morocco Pavilion Revealed with New Watered-Down Designs

Portions of the new tilework in the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT have been uncovered, revealing simple designs.

Morocco Pavilion Tilework Revealed

Visitors walk past a construction barrier in the Morocco Pavilion, featuring ornate buildings adorned with vibrant Moroccan tiles, towers, and arches under a clear blue sky.

Construction walls in the Morocco Pavilion in EPCOT have shifted, revealing a newly-retiled planter in the courtyard.

A raised rectangular flower bed with a blue and white Moroccan tile border holds bright red flowers. Three people walk by in the background. A table and chairs are against a wall, and a trash can is visible to the right.

The updated tile design is made up of primarily square tiles creating checkerboard-like designs in blues, white, and yellow. The designs are outlined in rectangular blue tiles.

A tiled planter box with a geometric blue and yellow Moroccan pattern filled with red flowers is situated against a stucco building. A person is partially visible in the background.

The design differs between the sides and the tops of the planter. The sides feature medium-sized teal tiles surrounded by smaller blue tiles and rectangular white tiles. They are bordered by rectangular blue times and a yellow and blue tile pattern.

A V-shaped tiled seating area adorned with a vibrant mosaic pattern in blue, white, yellow, and green tiles reminiscent of Morocco is adjacent to a flower bed brimming with red and orange flowers.

The tops of the planters have a teal and white checkered print, bordered by yellow tiles of the same size. What’s notable about the new tile design is that it’s far less detailed and much more simple than the elaborate designs found in the area before the refurbishment.

A small decorative garden with colorful mosaic tiles, reminiscent of Morocco, features potted plants and flowers adjacent to a seating area in a paved courtyard. A green block step is placed next to the garden.

Here’s a look at what a planter in this area looked like before. This geometric design was far more intricately done than what had been laid down in its stead.

Colorful Moroccan tiles border a concrete planter. Some tiles are missing or damaged, revealing areas of plain cement. Small green plants fill the planter, and a few fallen leaves are scattered on the ground.

The tile inarguably needed major restoration, however, the new design is lacking in authentic color and design.

A courtyard with a central fountain featuring intricate Moroccan tiles and surrounded by greenery, framed by architectural archways and walls with detailed patterns.

Much of the Morocco Pavilion remains behind construction walls, including the central fountain and left planter in the above photo, taken before the construction began. The left planter will likely mirror the one on the right. As the upper portion of the fountain shared similar design elements as the planters flanking it, we’d imagine its new iteration will be a similarly watered-down reinterpretation.

The pavilion’s new look comes after Disney took over ownership of the Morocco Pavilion, which was previously operated independently from Disney, in 2020. This change was due to legal disputes with Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, LLC, former operators of the food and merchandise locations within the pavilion. The construction of the pavilion, sponsored by the Moroccan government, included hand-tiling done by native Moroccan craftspeople. The pavilion opened in 1984. Despite the change, the Moroccan Embassy and Morocco Tourism Board are still involved as cultural consultants.

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