How do you think it would have affected Animal Kingdom if Epcot had built the Equatorial Africa pavilion?
When Epcot opened in 1982, one of its planned pavilions was Equatorial Africa. Located between China and Germany, it would have been a combination of Congo (Zaire) and Kenya, showcasing the cultures of sub-Saharan Africa
Among the attractions were planned to be The Heartbeat of Africa, a percussion show; Africa Rediscovered, narrated by Alex Haley; a treehouse with an animal diorama; and a soundscape safari
However, the project fell through due to budgetary issues. Epcot's sponsorship system required a company or government to sponsor or financially contribute to their respective country's pavilion, and Africa is not the most economically or politically stable continent. Only a few African countries showed interest, and the only one capable of funding it was apartheid South Africa
That's how that much-publicized area was ultimately canceled, and in its place is a meager "Outpost" drink stand in the planned area between China and Germany
But in 1998, Animal Kingdom opened, and it not only showcased real African animals on a safari, but also included Harambe, a fictional African village that served as backstory for its Africa zone. This also featured live percussion entertainment, Tam Tam Drummers, similar to The Heartbeat of Africa planned for Epcot
What I was wondering is, what if Equatorial Africa had never been canceled, or at least not entirely? I mean, Epcot claims to be a world fair, but it's seriously lacking in representation, since most of the pavilions belong to developed first-world countries, while cultures like those of sub-Saharan Africa or India are relegated to Animal Kingdom
I imagine that perhaps the pavilion was mostly built, although elements like the animal displays were omitted to make room for AK
