The original design of the pavilion called for a boat ride along the Rhine river. At the time of designing and constructing the pavilion in the mid- to late-1970s and early 1980s, Germany was split into West and East Germany, therefore the pavilion was intended to focus on shared Germanic traditions and folklore, not focusing on one nation or the other, in a similar manner to Norway's Maelstrom. According to the Walt Disney Company's 1976 annual report, the ride was to be "... a cruise down Germany's most famous rivers — the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr, and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks will also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral." Additionally, although not necessarily meant to accompany the Rhine cruise, the other idea for a ride at the Germany pavilion was the Matterhorn Bobsleds just like at Disneyland. Though the pavilion itself was built, Disney never constructed the ride section behind it. It was announced to be part of a future expansion, but never received the funding. Remains are the ride entrance gate and foyer which are now also used as a dining area. A mural covered wall closes off the small space behind it, originally for the ride load and unload areas, which is now used for storage, a workshop, and as a cast member rehearsal space.
Layout
The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a German town, but with architecture from different eras and regions. The Platz is decorated with a statue of St. George and the Dragon inspired by the statue in the medieval Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and a clock tower. The Biergarten, at the rear of the courtyard, sells traditional German food. The pavilion also has numerous small shops selling German goods, including dolls and cuckoo clocks. The area near the pavilion is decorated by an extensive model village with working model trains. Characters from the Walt Disney animated feature "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", which was inspired by the version of the tale attributed to the Brothers Grimm, make appearances in and around the pavilion.
Biergarten Restaurant, a buffet restaurant designed to look as though Oktoberfest is being celebrated there. The restaurant is styled as a typical Bavarian village, replete with the flags of every German state, numerous facades, and a running watermill. The table features long communal benches for seating, as well as a band playing German folk music. The restaurant is buffet-style, offering such dishes as schnitzel, bratwurst, kielbasa, rouladen, spatzle, sauerkraut, sauerbraten, cucumber salad, and strudel and beer served in one liter steins. The dining hall is actually in the entrance area for the never built boat cruise down the Rhine.
