Vive La France at Walt Disney World's Epcot
Written: Jun 23 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great food, fun & romantic atmosphere
Cons: Children may not be too interested
The Bottom Line: Great food, wine and well, what else can I say, it's French!
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| BeastieGirl's Full Review: Walt Disney World Epcot - France |
Epcot to many people is that big golf ball thingy. To me, it’s all about the World Showcase. The World Showcase is, essentially, mini representations of different countries from around the world. Including a restaurant or two featuring foods native to a particular country, shops selling unique items and other interesting, country specific items can be found in each country pavilion. “France” is one of my favorite stops along our way through the back side of Epcot at Walt Disney World.
We usually stay at either the Swan or Dolphin hotel and walk to Epcot. Using a sneaky rear entrance, most of the time, we end up spending quite a bit more time at Epcot than any other park at Walt Disney World. The first “country” tin the World Showcase that we see when using the rear entrance is France. Once my home country, the Tour Eiffel represents all that is good, fun, and French in this world. Expect no less at Epcot, where a replica one tenth the size of the real Eiffel Tower waits for me- it looks good in a photo, but is only for show- no stair climbing or elevator-ascending here. Additional buildings make me feel like I could just as easily be on the streets of Paris as I am in Orlando, Florida. Even the embankment of the canal that links the man-made lake at Epcot to the lake by the Epcot resort hotels looks like the edge of the River Seine.
Aside from the throngs of people crowding the “streets”, Disney has definitely done a good job capturing the quintessential essence of much of what is French. A normal day at Epcot for us begins at the Boulangerie-Patisserie, where a cafe au lait and a frozen coffee drink start us off for the day. They also serve wonderful cookies and pastries like pain au chocolat and oatmeal cookies. The France Pavilion is a great stop any time of day, but I enjoy making it our first stop, even though the World Showcase area doesn’t usually open until 11am.
Who doesn’t think of France and not think of food? Yummy cheese, delicious wines, desserts, rich, buttery main courses of duck or undercooked steak- if you aren’t counting calories and really want to eat good food, look no further. Unless you want a light pastry snack at the café, reservations will most likely be necessary to eat at either Bistro de Chefs (the higher end restaurant) or Les Chefs de France, the two main restaurants in the France Pavilion. I have eaten at the Les Chefs de France several times and every time I go, I have the hardest time making a decision because everything on the menu is so good. This is definitely one of my top ten favorite places to eat at Walt Disney World. The Bistro de Chefs is more intimate and more multi-course options compared to Les Chefs de France restaurant, although the menus seem to be more often alike, from my experience. Still, neither restaurant is cheap. If you plan on an appetizer, main course, dessert and a drink, you’ll be upwards of at least $50 per person. At least it’s fifty dollars and not Euros!
Also located in the France Pavilion are some really cool shops. They have a perfume and make-up store that smells a little too strong for me, but has some nice scents. And what would France be without its famous artists? There is plenty of artwork to be found here and if you are staying at a Disney property hotel, you can actually have your purchases sent back to your hotel, so you don’t have to carry bags and packages around the park with you. My favorite shop though is Les Vins de France. You can taste wines here, find some unique vintages and spend a lot of money!
For a true appreciation of the beautiful French countryside, take a break and stop by the Impressions de France, a twenty minute long film with relaxing images and music. Somewhat hidden near the rear of the France Pavilion is the theatre complete with air conditioning to provide a reprieve from the Florida heat. Ornately designed to replicate 19th century architecture, the theatre alone is a nice experience. You will be greeted by a French native introducing you to the show. Rarely is this attraction overcrowded, making it a nice and relaxing getaway from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the Walt Disney parks.
What would the France Pavilion be without a Disney character meet and greet? Characters from Beauty and the Beast, Belle and the Beast, are often present in the France Pavilion. My daughter is scared of the Beast, but for those into the Disney Princesses, this is a marvel treat. Other than the character meet and greet, there really isn’t much for children at the France Pavilion. Of course, it is still family friendly, as anything Disney related would be, however it may not be first on your children’s list of things to do at Disney World. The classically French accordion music plays lightly in the background and in the evening, with the lights up, enjoy a glass of wine and sit next to the water fountain in the center of the pavilion and enjoy the romantic and lovely atmosphere of France, Disney style.
Here are a few details on other Epcot World Showcase Pavilions:
Canada Pavilion
Le Cellier Steakhouse in Canada
Mexico Pavilion
United Kingdom Pavilion
This review on Epcot's France Pavilion is in honor of Barbara's write-off:
French & English Write-Off, celebrating her 500th review. Congratulations!!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Dec - Feb
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