The American Adventure Pavilion is an area in Epcot theme park where Guests of all ages can enjoy experiences that celebrate American history and tradition. Celebrate America at the majestic Colonial-style structure with elements inspired by Independence Hall, Boston's Old State House, Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg. Inside the rotunda you'll find numerous paintings as well as famous quotations from well-known Americans such as Walt Disney, Charles A. Lindbergh, Herman Melville, Ayn Rand, Thomas Wolfe and many others.
The pavilion is a single large building designed in the Colonial style. It contains the American Adventure show and the Hall of Flags exhibit, a display of the different flags throughout U.S. history. It also contains the Liberty Inn restaurant which serves American fare, such as cheeseburgers and hot dogs. There is a small gift shop, Heritage Manor Gifts, selling American items.
As you enter World Showcase from Future World, The American Adventure is directly across the Lagoon. It is the center-most pavilion in the World Showcase and is flanked by Italy on the east and Japan on the west. It is actually the southernmost point of Epcot.
The architecture of the building is done in classic English Georgian style. Elements in the Disney building were inspired by Independence Hall, Boston's Old State House, Monticello, and Colonial Williamsburg. The structure's 110,000 bricks are handmade from Georgian clay, which were then colored and aged to make them look authentic. The roof is made of slate, and the floor of marble and copper.
Paintings and quotations line the walls of the Main Hall, the West Hall, and the Upper Lobby of the attraction's building. The quotes are from Walt Disney, Samuel Walter Foss, Althea Gibson, Charles A. Lindbergh, Archibald MacLeish, George Magar Markikian, Herman Melville, Ayn Rand, Wendell Lewis Willkie, and Thomas Wolfe.
Attractions
Enjoy a truly American adventure with live musical performances, rousing patriotic entertainment, wonderful exhibits and a fantastic theatrical show at the American Adventure Pavilion.
The American Adventure
The American Adventure takes guests on a trip through America's history. It is narrated by figures of Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain (both of whom had lived almost 100 years apart). The show is presented in a theater-like auditorium, with sets and characters rising out from the stage floor to represent scenes from different historical periods. The characters provide insight into American life of the past through conversations in which they discuss the current events of their time. Periods include the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 (representing American industrialization), and the Great Depression. The presentation culminates with a musical film montage representing famous moments and people in American history from post-World War II to the present.
The theme song for The American Adventure is "Golden Dream". The music was written by Robert Moline and the lyrics were written by show producer Randy Bright. The song gets its biggest push at the end of the attraction, during the Montage sequence of famous Americans. The melody has been heard in Epcot's entrance plaza since opening day.
The Voices of Liberty
The Voices of Liberty is an eight-member a cappella group that hosts patriotic choral performances in the pavilion rotunda throughout the day, often as a pre-show to the next scheduled performance of the main presentation. Be inspired by this 8-part a capella group that harmonizes under the acoustically pure dome in the glorious rotunda of the American Adventure Pavilion. Enjoy such classics as "Ol' Man River," "Yankee Doodle" and "Amazing Grace." The group also performs in year-round events including the Candlelight Processional and other special events.
America Gardens Theater
Across from the pavilion is the America Gardens Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater. The America Gardens Theatre hosts concerts, singers, and bands from around the world. Many entertainment acts from around the world perform on this stage.
The America Gardens Theatre has hosted numerous amount of shows since it was built. Over the years some of the more famous shows include Blast! and Barrage. During the park's two major festivals, the International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring, and the International Food and Wine Festival in the fall-musical groups from the 1960s and 1970s perform as part of each festival's concert series ("Flower Power" in the spring, and "Eat to the Beat" in the fall). Originally designed as an open-air theater, partial cover and backstage dressing and show equipment areas were added during a refurbishment that was completed before the inception of the "Magical World of Barbie" stage show.
Candlelight Processional
During the holiday season, the theater hosts the Candlelight Processional. This show follows in the footsteps of the show first performed in Disneyland in 1958, and which was duplicated at the Magic Kingdom in 1971. The show relocated to Epcot's America Gardens Theater in 1994. The show includes an orchestra and massed choir that perform traditional holiday songs while a guest celebrity retells the biblical story of Christmas. Some of the celebrities who have taken part in the Processional over the years include John Stamos, Marlee Matlin, Corbin Bleu, Haley Joel Osment, Susan Lucci, Jim Caviezel, and, in 2011, Neil Patrick Harris. The Candlelight Processional is a major part of Epcot's Holidays Around the World celebration, running from the Friday after Thanksgiving until December 30 each year.
Touring Tips
- Take a nice 15 minute break, sit on the cool floor just inside the main doors and enjoy the Voices of Liberty! They sing at specific times throughout the day.
- The "Heritage Manor Gifts" shop is disappointingly small. You'll find a very limited selection of shirts, bags, and basic souvenirs (ironically, most of which is made in China.)
Dining
Liberty Inn - This is a counter service restaurant that features cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken strips and french fries. There is a large air-conditioned seating area inside and there is also seating area outside, with some umbrellas at the tables. This is basic fast food fare with a couple of lighter alternatives such as a Chicken Caesar Salad, Vegetarian Burger and Fruit Cup. As you face the building, the Liberty Inn is on the left side.
Funnel Cakes - For those seeking a fried dough treat don't miss the Funnel Cake kiosk to the right of the American Adventure Pavilion.
Fife & Drum - Turkey Legs, hot dogs and smoothies.
Shopping
Heritage Manor Gifts - Handcrafted goods, Americana items, and Coke items. Voices of Liberty CDs are sold here!
Kodak Kiosk - Accessories and drop-off for two-hour film processing. Pick up prints at Camera Center.
Pin Cart - If the pin trading craze has gotten you, here's another place in Epcot where you can see a wide variety of pins for purchase.
Facts
- The America Pavilion is all about patriotism, with the gardens planted in hues of red, white and blue. The roses all varieties named for U.S. Presidents.
- The lobby and halls are lined with quotations from notable Americans such as Walt Disney, Althea Gibson, Charles A. Lindbergh, Ayn Rand, Thomas Wolfe, Wendell Wilkie and Jane Addams. The artwork depicts the development of the United States.
- Take a look at the Clock Face. You will see a numeral IIII, instead of the IV. This was done to prevent confusion when viewing the clock from a distance.
- During Holidays From Around the World, the American Adventure is home to Santa's Bakeshop, a life-size Gingerbread House you'll want to see. It is made with real gingerbread, candies and icing.
History
When the decision was made to turn Walt Disney's city of Epcot into the theme park of Epcot Center, World Showcase was to have been the main park component. Plans for the showcase had all pavilions located within one semicircular building. When the plans changed to the present World Showcase Lagoon design, Imagineers did not even place the United States with the other pavilions. It was to be a two-story structure on stilts, between World Showcase and Future World. The attraction would be housed in the second story, and the first story would be used as a sort of tunneled gateway to World Showcase. Finally, it was decided to move the United States pavilion not only into the Showcase, but also into the center-most position across the lagoon, so that The American Adventure would play host to all the countries that surround it.
As the Host Nation and the centerpiece of World Showcase, The American Adventure is built at a slightly higher elevation than the surrounding pavilions. The landscaping here is the most structured of all the countries represented. The symmetrical planting and all-American plant material give it a feeling of Philadelphia formality.
Original plans for the attraction called for three hosts, one representing each century during which the United States has existed. Franklin was chosen as representative of the 18th century, and Twain for the 19th century. After suggesting possible figures, such as Will Rogers and Walter Cronkite, it was decided that guests were too familiar with the 20th century to easily be represented by one person. It was decided to execute the show with only two hosts.
The American Adventure has been renovated twice. Once in 1993, several changes, including the use of new audio-animatronic figures of Franklin and Twain and an update to the film montage were installed. The attraction was updated once again in June 2007, when the last 45 seconds of the film montaqe was updated.
Hidden Mickey
- In the foyer of the American Adventure, check out the three holes on the girder.
- In the pavilion lobby, look for the painting of wagon train heading west, above the front leg of the foremost oxen.
- During The American Adventure show when the Statue of Liberty is shown and the torch set rises, behind the torch the cloud of smoke forms a Mickey.