{"id":241823,"date":"2026-04-22T13:41:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:41:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/241823\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:41:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:41:11","slug":"epcot-alleyways-contain-history-shopping-snacking-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/241823\/","title":{"rendered":"Epcot alleyways contain history, shopping, snacking options"},"content":{"rendered":"

Of all of Orlando\u2019s theme parks, I think Epcot<\/a> sports the most nooks and crannies, areas of exploration.\u00a0Walt Disney World\u2019s<\/a> second-oldest park has sort of shaken the original criticism of \u201conly eating and shopping\u201d and added more rides and characters.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re only drinking around the world or spinning through the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster, you\u2019re missing some quality browsing. And reading is fundamental, even at Epcot, which presents history if you just slow down for a second.<\/p>\n

Here are five just-off-the-beaten-path places to absorb at Epcot.<\/p>\n

\"CapybaraCapybara pens are some of the animal-based merchandise sold at House of Good Fortune at Epcot. (Dewayne Bevil\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nYour Good Fortune<\/p>\n

I sometimes wonder about theme park souvenirs and whether modern merchandising trends, such as online shopping, are taking a toll. Yet the stores inside the attractions look pretty busy. You still overhear parental budgeting lessons like \u201cyou can get one big thing or two smaller things\u201d and \u201cI don\u2019t think that will fit in your suitcase, bud.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initial steps into House of Good Fortune, a store in Epcot\u2019s China pavilion, have expected fare such as traditional clothing and jewelry. Around the corner, I bumped into an unexpected item for sale: capybara ink pens. Turns out the South American semiaquatic mammal has a following in China, including a Capybara Cafe.<\/p>\n

Animals overall are popular with Good Fortune shoppers, but pandas lead the way on merchandise, from Yin-Yang-inspired T-shirts, to handbags, bucket hats, keychains, bobble heads and the plush toys known as Shoulderkins.<\/p>\n

Other surprises: your name on chopsticks, almost Shanghai Stuckey\u2019s style, and those 6-foot-wide folding fans are actually for sale. I don\u2019t think those will fit in your suitcase, bud.<\/p>\n

\"EpcotEpcot visitors wander through the Morocco pavilion of World Showcase. (Dewayne Bevil\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nDesert isle<\/p>\n

In some ways, the Morocco pavilion is the anti-Epcot. It\u2019s quiet and not too crowded, and the back half has an emphasis on tiled foundations, bare walls and peeks at the sky. It\u2019s peaceful, but surprisingly, you can get sangria and Mediterranean beer back there. Exhale.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a museum of sorts, dubbed the Gallery of Arts and History<\/a>, that delves into Sahara-related topics, including Marathon of the Sands, a six-day race in the desert. There are relics such as loaned-out trophies. Does Touda Didi wonder where she left her award for winning in 2008?<\/p>\n

\"AA figure of a Seeress sits inside the stave at the front of the Norway pavilion at Epcot. (Dewayne Bevil\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nHidden idols<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a sign outside the Stave Church Gallery<\/a> at the Norway pavilion touting a Viking exhibit, but it\u2019s easy to miss. Inside are carvings of ancient gods Thor, Odin, Loki and Freya, and naturally, Disney must make a passing Marvel reference on its website.<\/p>\n

Also on hand is a large display for the Seeress, who represents women who performed rituals inspired by Norse poetry.<\/p>\n

Nearby is a new permanent grass-topped kiosk that serves the pavilion\u2019s famed school bread, a sweet roll with custard and dipped in coconut. The menu also offers beverages with alcohol, including a frozen Troll Krem (cranberry, vanilla, dragonberry rum) and Mickey ice cream bars, which cost a buck more than the school bread.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe exit of Test Track incorporates a showroom of Chevrolet and other General Motors vehicles. (Dewayne Bevil\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nTank talk<\/p>\n

Go in the exit of the Test Track<\/a> attraction to see what I\u2019d call the showroom of the future, although it features 11 current vehicles. It is an interesting placement as people seem in a hurry to get out, but many folks do point and discuss the General Motors models on display.<\/p>\n

Missing from the showroom: Coffee in styrofoam cups. But when a visitor asked to see inside a car, a worker was quick to get the key. Driving out of that showroom would be \u2026 a challenge.<\/p>\n

\"EpcotEpcot visitors watch manatees eat in the Seabase Aquarium tank in the World Nature section of the theme park. (Dewayne Bevil\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nTank talk too<\/p>\n

It\u2019s kind of wacky to refer to the Seabase Aquarium<\/a> as being in a nook or cranny. This place is enormous, but I often see online posts saying, \u201cDid you know Epcot has an aquarium?\u201d Let\u2019s go with Big Ol\u2019 Hidden Gem just behind the Nemo ride.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s big but with little rooms and tanks for various sea life. But among the big draws are a bilevel viewing (and feeding) area for manatees, plus the space is air-conditioned, making it a Big Ol\u2019 Climate Controlled Hidden Gem, I guess.<\/p>\n

This vibe is that this space runs between subdued and Field Trip Gone Wild. You\u2019ve been warned.<\/p>\n

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com\/newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Of all of Orlando\u2019s theme parks, I think Epcot sports the most nooks and crannies, areas of exploration.\u00a0Walt…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":241824,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[558,2659,104,28,4451,9571,114,266,1335,139,141,140,11384,687,109,76686,76687,76688,76689,2411,106,1316,107],"class_list":{"0":"post-241823","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-orlando","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-disney-world","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-florida","12":"tag-food-drink","13":"tag-lake-buena-vista","14":"tag-latest-headlines","15":"tag-local-news","16":"tag-orange-county","17":"tag-orlando","18":"tag-orlando-headlines","19":"tag-orlando-news","20":"tag-pets-and-animals","21":"tag-restaurants","22":"tag-social","23":"tag-social-business","24":"tag-social-entertainment","25":"tag-social-theme-parks","26":"tag-social-travel","27":"tag-theme-parks","28":"tag-things-to-do","29":"tag-tourism","30":"tag-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241823"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241823\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/241824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}