The Morocco Pavilion refurbishment continues in EPCOT on both Tangierine Café and Nejjarine fountain replica.
Tangierine Café Roof Refurbishment
Beige tarps cover some sections of the Tangierine Café roof and Gallery of Arts & History roof.
The tarps were placed a week ago, and we haven’t noticed construction since then.
However, there are white spots peeking out from under the tarp where the plaster has crumbled or been removed.
The Tangierine Café is currently serving as a Marketplace Food Booth for EPCOT’s seasonal festivals. It is still fully operational despite the roof construction.
Construction is likely happening at night when the park is closed.
Nejjarine Fountain Construction
At the back of the Morocco Pavilion, the Nejjarine fountain replica has been blocked by rolling planters for over a month. A black tarp is draped over an orange bloom lift.
Something else is covered in a beige tarp.
It’s not clear what work is happening here, but the lift implies more roof refurbishment.
The original Nejjarine Fountain is located in Fez, a city in Morocco, as part of the Funduq al-Najjarin, a traditional rest house built in the 18th century as part of the city’s Medina old town. Having been in constant use since its construction, it’s designated as a landmark in Morocco. The Funduq al-Najjarin has since been transformed into the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts, welcoming visitors to Fez and introducing the history of traditional carpentry in Morocco.
Morocco Pavilion Takeover
Back in 2020, Disney took over ownership of the Morocco Pavilion following a legal dispute with the pavilion’s operators, who ran the food and merchandise outlets within including Restaurant Marrakesh. In April 2020, Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, LLC. filed for a PPP loan of $1-2 million in order to retain 260 jobs through the funds acquired. In September, Walt Disney World filed a UCC Financing Statement, or a type of lien with the state, claiming collateral against “All goods, inventory, the Furnishings, and all other items of personal property belonging to Debtor which are or may be put into the Facilities and all proceeds of the foregoing.” With Walt Disney World poised to take over the pavilion in case of a default or bankruptcy, things seem to be going downhill internally.
Finally, the company took operation of the pavilion entirely, which until then was one of the few independently operated World Showcase pavilions. The Moroccan Embassy and Morocco Tourism Board have continued their involvement with the pavilion as cultural consultants.
Since then, there have been various construction projects throughout the Morocco Pavilion. A certain suggestive photo spot was removed. The central courtyard and fountain were refurbished with new pavement in 2021.
Spice Road Table received new decorations and a revamped menu. Last summer, a permit was filed for Restaurant Marrakesh, which is next to the Nejjarine fountain replica. It was most recently open as a seating area back in July of 2021. Restaurant operations have been closed since March 2020.
Souk-Al-Magreb went through a series of strange closures, finally reopening in May 2022. It originally reopened with “Aladdin” merchandise in December 2020, then closed for another refurbishment in October 2021. It was slated to reopen in February 2022 but was ultimately delayed to May 2022.
For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.