The Moroccan pavilion was once home to some of the most vibrant experiences at EPCOT. It fell on hard times, however, in 2020 and hasn’t been able to bounce back from the Covid-19 closures. The pavilions restaurants took out a PPP loan to stay afloat but that didn’t seem to be enough to help the struggling restaurant group. In fact, Disney sued the pavilion’s restaurant owners over unpaid debts they owed.
Now it seems one of those restaurants may be gone forever. Restaurant Marrakesh, one of the most authentic restaurants at Walt Disney World, will soon become a lounge sponsored by Florida Blue Medicare. This change is confirmed by signage spotted outside the restaurant by theme park enthusiast and content creator @ExpThemePark.
The reaction on Twitter to this change is pretty unanimous- everyone hates it. One user, @holland_rj, stated, “when I think about how much work went into that space I could cry”.
The restaurant once served up authentic Moroccan cuisine while belly dancers entertained diners. It was easy to suspend reality and imagine you were actually in a Moroccan palace as part of a royal banquet.
It’s not currently known whether this change is temporary or permanent. We hope it is temporary, this space is too beautiful not to be open to the public! However, it has been 2 years since Disney reopened after their closure for Covid-19 and this restaurant has remained shuttered which doesn’t bode well for its eventual return.
In January of this year permits were filed for construction in the space.The work permits seemed to indicate electrical work was being done inside the restaurant. Hopes were high that it meant Restaurant Marrakesh would soon return, or at least a replacement restaurant. Now, however, it seems those permits may have just been work to convert the space into the new lounge.
Time will tell if this lounge is here to stay or simply a way to utilize the space while plans for its permanent use are finalized. As always, we’ll keep you updated on developments as they happen.