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Germany was a bit of a surprise for us. We've traveled quite a lot in Germany (the actual country), and weren't expecting to find much in the Germany pavilion that impressed us, but a quick walk through reminded us why we like Epcot in the first place.
While there's no ride in Germany like there are in many of the other "countries," you can still get a good sense of the German culture by looking over the products as you browse your way through the various shops. The architecture is true to Germany as well. The country of Germany is a kaleidoscope of new and old building styles, but the Germany pavilion focuses on some of the more classic, old styles of buildings that you find as you make your way through the German countryside or wander the historical districts of the larger cities. While many of the buildings were destroyed during World War II, many remain.
The beer selection isn't bad either, and it's handy. Located almost halfway around World Showcase, you're probably ready for a refreshment by the time you get there.
So, let's get to it. Here are some of our impressions of the Germany pavilion at Epcot:
One of many caramel treats you will find in Karamell-Küche. Photo by Bonnie Fink.
Many—if not most—of the offerings in this display case at Karamell-Küche are based at least in part on caramel. Makes sense given the name of the shop. Photo by Donald Fink.
And by the way, for those who are wondering what Karamell-Küche means, it's the name of a candy store in the Germany pavilion. The word Karamell is as you would expect; it means caramel. Küche is German for kitchen.
Looking for a German beer stein? The Stein Haus has a large selection. Photo by Donald Fink.
Kunstarbeit in Kristall has a great selection of crystal art work. Photo by Donald Fink.
A Dirndl is based on a traditional Bavarian Alps farm girl or peasant dress, consisting of a gathered skirt, a bodice, apron, and puffed sleeves. The summer outfit is usually more revealing along the neckline. Of course, the modern Dirndl is anything but a "peasant" outfit, often made from the finest silk, and almost always made with bold colors.
Today, the Dirndl is sometimes worn as everyday clothing by older women in Bavaria ,but is often worn by younger women in various traditional and even formal settings, like Oktoberfest.
Legend has it that the placement of the knot on the apron indicates a woman's marital status or availability. When tied towards the left, she is single. Tying the knot to the right indicates that she is married, engaged, or otherwise not interested. We're assuming that left and right in this case means left and right from the perspective of the wearer, but if it's relevant, you might want to get that straight.
We've been told Schöfferhofer grapefruit beer is quite good. Photo by Donald Fink.
Schöfferhofer grapefruit beer is not a fad or novelty drink. It's produced by the Binding-Brauerei AG, a brewery in Frankfurt, Germany. The name Schöfferhofer is a tribute to Peter Schöffer, who was a German printer in 1451 and apprenticed under Guttenburg. Hofer simply means company. The beer you get in the Germany pavilion is draft, but if you found a bottled version, you would see a picture of Peter Schöffer on the label.
During our visits to Germany for this article, there was no live entertainment scheduled at the pavilion, which is unusual. There's usually a German band of some kind performing several times a day. We did stop and spend some time visiting Snow White, since on one visit we had family with us and had at least one "princess" in the crowd. Snow White appears almost daily with times posted in the area.
Germany isn't a big land at Epcot in terms of things to do. Unlike Norway, France, or Canada, it doesn't have a ride, nor does it have a large restaurant. It does have a quick service restaurant and a table service restaurant, but doesn't carry the reputation of France, Canada, or Mexico for their outstanding cuisine.
Still, there's good beer, great pretzels, and authentic German goods and clothing that's fun to browse and shop. During most times of the year there is live entertainment, and during festivals, like the International Food and Wine Festival, you can count on an expanded and vibrant Biergarten, with interesting and sometimes just plain strange beers.
For many folks, Germany is a great half way point along their trek around World Showcase, and a good stop to have some refreshments along the way.
 
Comments
Two thoughts...
1. Although immensely popular, the Train tracks were created for one of the early Flower and Garden Festivals and were never meant to be permanent. They were so popular that Disney decided to keep the trains as an attraction. The guy who manages it keeps it consistent with what is happening, meaning the decorations change to mimic Food and Wine, or Flower and Garden or the Holidays. However, it is also sitting on a piece of land that would be used as a new pavilion, so depending on how Disney wants to stage their expansion (I believe there are 3 expansion plots available), it could go away.
2. In general, I always feel the country pavilions could use either some explanatory placards or a "ask me" type castmember who would explain what I'm looking at. The atmosphere in all of these pavilions is so rich but unless you're familiar with the country or have taken the behind the scenes tour (which I highly recommend) you're at a bit of a loss understanding why you're looking at what you're looking at.