Millennium Village

Former celebration centerpiece at Epcot
the UN Millennium Villages Project

The Millennium Village was located in Epcot and was the centerpiece of Disney's Millennium Celebration. The pavilion opened up its doors to the public on October 1, 1999, and was closed down on January 1, 2001. It is, however, used on occasion. Along with the Odyssey Restaurant, the Millennium Village (now named World Showplace) is utilized during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

Brazil's display would allow guests a view into the Amazon Rain Forest where guests could experience the native sounds of a rain forest. Guests could also play a game that showed why Brazilians view soccer as their national sport. It also gave guests an overview of Carnaval, one of the largest and colorful celebrations.

At the Eritrea display, guests would be involved in the historic and traditional coffee ceremony that was done in the Horn of Africa nation. Eritrea is a premium coffee grower and has a rich history in coffee.

The Expo 2000 Projects was a display of eight exhibits from the World's Fair 2000 in Hannover, Germany. The project showed how the eight nations help each other improve the quality of life for their population. Ethiopia, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Namibia, New Zealand, India and South Africa were involved.

The entrance to the Israel display was paved with real stones from the streets of Jerusalem. Also at the display, guests could take a virtual trip through 3,000 years of Jerusalem's history. Guests could also send a message to the Western Wall by computer. Guests could also see a demonstration of a pen that could translate Hebrew into English. It also included a simulator ride known as the "Time Elevator" that simulated a historic ride throughout Israel and Jerusalem

Saudi Arabia's display would take guests on a virtual reality tour of the country and its population. The ambassadors would also tell stories about how the kingdom is both modern and traditional. Guests could also play interactive games that gave them a fun way to learn about the country.

Scotland's display allowed guests to play a round of miniature golf where they would also learn about Scottish inventions as they played. Guests would learn about Scottish inventions like anesthesia to breakthroughs in lasers. Guests could also take a virtual tour of Scotland voiced by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet. Tartans that the ambassadors would wear were designed for the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia which is now in Scotland.

At the Swedish display, there were four 27 feet (8 m) eggs that represented each of the four seasons in Sweden. The final egg which represented winter had an actual snowman in it. Around the eggs were interactive displays about modern Sweden and Swedish inventions such as the computer mouse and pacemaker. This display was also at the 1998 World's Fair in Lisbon.

The Village Green allowed guests to follow plants from seeds, growth, harvest, use, mulching and fertilization. The display would allow guests to understand renewability.

The Millennium Village cafe, called The Gift of Cuisine featured culinary creations from all the continents of the earth. Eight regional kitchens were represented, featuring special recipes and dishes typical of many countries of the world, from the subtle tastes of the Orient to spicy Africa, from favorites of Latin America to Europe's continental cuisine and the bold and color tastes representing the Caribbean. The Food Court contributed to the main purpose of the Village by sharing one's culture through "the breaking of bread".