Experience Great Shopping and Grab a Pint at Epcot’s United Kingdom Pavilion

The next time you're making your way through World Showcase, take some time to stop and stroll through the merry streets of the United Kingdom pavilion, as it's a rather unique place to visit.

Enjoy the Gardens and Architecture of England

On one side of the pavilion you'll find High Street beginning with a Cotswold cottage with a thatched roof. It is meant to be reminiscent of Anne Hathaway's cottage in Stratford-Upon-Avon. (No, not the Oscar winner Anne Hathaway, we're talking about Anne Hathaway the wife of William Shakespeare!). The quaint cottage is surrounded by gardens and the inside of the cottage is the Tea Caddy.

Outside the cottage guests might be lucky enough to meet Mary Poppins or Alice from Alice in Wonderland.

Twinings Tea Caddy Cottage

As you continue up High Street to Tudor Lane (we love that the streets in the pavilion actually have names!), your journey takes you through different periods of architecture including Elizabethan, Tudor, and Victorian. The gardens also change throughout the pavilion with landscaping representing rural England, a park fashioned after Hyde Park, where you'll often find the British Revolution band playing, and a maze that is reminiscent of the Somerleyton Hall Maze from 1864.

Another thing we love about the pavilion is that you can start your tour of the shops and never once step into the street (although we do love walking outside and admiring the architecture). In each shop you'll find an incredible array of British-themed merchandise including toys, clothing, candy, tea, fine china, and more.

Fun Merchandise Celebrates the United Kingdom

As you explore the shops merchandise, be sure to stop and admire the "extras" too. If you look at the upstairs window of The Queen's Table (where you can buy fine china and porcelain) you'll find the heraldry of the four major schools in the United Kingdom - Oxford, Cambridge, Eton, and Edinburgh. Inside the Crown & Crest you'll notice suits of armor, shields, and swords.

And if you're wondering - yes, there are two castles represented in the pavilion, King Henry's Hampton Court and Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford House.

Heraldic Detail Inside the UK Pavilion Shops

The United Kingdom pavilion is a great place to meet some fun characters too. We've already mentioned that you can often meet Mary Poppins and Alice, and if you visit The Toy Solider be sure to walk toward the back of the shop where you'll find the Kidcot Fun Stop and a wonderful spot to meet Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger. While you're in The Toy Solider be sure to spend some time looking at the decor near the meet-and-greet area, it's rather whimsical.

Meet and Greet With Some Classic Disney Friends

No trip the United Kingdom pavilion would be complete with food and drink. If you're looking for one of the best quick service locations in all of Epcot, you'll find it at Yorkshire County Fish and Chips. There's usually a line and that's because it's so good!

Yorkshire County Fish Shop

If you're looking for a chance to sit down and grab a pint, stop in the Rose and Crown Pub. The design of the Pub represents some of the basic pub designs in the UK, including the street pub, the waterfront pub, and the country pub. The outside of the Rose and Crown is fashioned after the 16th century Elizabethan period while the interior represents the Victorian architecture from the late 1800s.

Guests can choose to eat in the pub or you can make a reservation for the dining room area. The outside patio is one of the most sought after locations for dining during IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, so be prepared for that. Food options include traditional fare like Bangers and Mash, Cottage Pie, and Fish and Chips. Our friends at the Disney Food Blog have a great review of the Rose and Crown!

Rose & Crown Pub Exterior

Overall the United Kingdom pavilion is a quaint stop on your tour of the World Showcase and one that can't be missed. Great shopping, good food, and pints of ale! What's not to love?

Thanks so much to our regular contributor Traci C. for another great guest post. Is the UK Pavilion one of your favorite World Showcase Stops? Leave a comment below and tell us what you love most!