The red-roofed skyline that has defined the Germany World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT for decades is starting to change. The work now visible on the Das Kaufhaus building confirms that the pavilion’s familiar appearance is being dismantled piece by piece.
The Red Shingles Are Gone
WDWNT reported on July 28 that roof work had begun on the Das Kaufhaus merchandise location in the Germany World Showcase Pavilion. The distinctive red shingles on the slanted roof and at least one tower above the building have been stripped away and replaced with brown scrim fabric covering the bare structure beneath.
The roofwork represents the most significant visible change yet in a construction effort underway at the Germany Pavilion since June. Scaffolding, rolling planters, scrim fabric, and other barriers gradually appeared around the Stein Haus merchandise location first, followed by the closure of the Germany Pavilion bathrooms for separate refurbishment two weeks ago.
A construction permit filed by Walt Disney World Resort for “general construction” in the area listed a third-party roofing company as the contractor — a detail that now reads as a clear preview of what’s underway on the Das Kaufhaus roofline.
Das Kaufhaus remains open throughout the work, though some entrances may be temporarily closed when active construction is happening directly above. Stein Haus also remains accessible through its Weinkeller entrance, despite the scaffolding and scrim still surrounding its facade.
A Pavilion-Wide Transformation in the Making
Whether the roofwork will spread beyond Das Kaufhaus to other Germany Pavilion buildings hasn’t been officially confirmed — but the visual evidence across the pavilion makes expansion seem likely. Several surrounding structures show clear signs of age, including sun fading, wear, and visible deterioration on multiple rooflines.
Walt Disney World Resort typically replaces aging infrastructure across a cohesive area in sequence rather than one building at a time, in part to avoid the jarring visual contrast between brand-new and decades-old materials sitting side by side. The scaffolding still surrounding the Stein Haus facade suggests that the building is already being staged for similar attention.
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