A Friday Visit with Jim Korkis: The Rose & Crown Pub at Epcot

By Dave Shute

Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians and author of Jim’s Gems in The easy Guide, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.

THE ROSE & CROWN AT EPCOT

By Jim Korkis

In the United Kingdom, the “Rose & Crown” title is the twelfth most popular name for a pub, with over four hundred known different pubs having that same name. The origin of that combination of images goes back several centuries.

King Edward III used a golden rose as a personal badge, and two of his sons adapted it by changing the color: John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, used a red rose, and Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, used a white rose.

The dynastic conflicts between their descendants are collectively called the Wars of the Roses. In 1485 Henry Tudor, a descendant of Lancaster, defeated Richard III of the York dynasty and married Richard’s niece Elizabeth of York. Since then the combined red-and-white Tudor rose, often crowned, has been a symbol of the monarchy of England and demonstrates loyalty to the monarchy.

So, when Disney decided to create an authentic “public house” in the U.K. pavilion at Epcot, they selected that name but created their own distinct design of the two images that was reminiscent of the signs researchers had seen but still recognizably different.

The original sign concept for the Rose and Crown was developed through extensive research of the various signs located in numerous authentic and historic pubs throughout Great Britain.

After deciding on the number of signs required, refining the rough design and negotiating the projected budget, Bass Ale and Stout, the pub’s sponsor, gave its approval.

Color comps were produced and a rough working drawing was developed. Finally, after all the costs were computed, Imagineering decided to offer the job for doing the finished sign to an outside freelance illustrator.

“Originally, we were going to go outside,” stated Bruce McCurdy of WED Graphics, “but the Studio Sign Shop in Burbank showed an interest and when we saw Charles Opie’s original rendition, we loved it and went with his design.”

Underneath the image is the Latin motto ‘Otium Cum Dignitate’ that means “Leisure With Dignity”.

Disney based their version of a typical pub on four different styles of British pubs according to the publicity release when Epcot Center opened.

• The city or “street” pub dating back from the 1890’s Victorian city center features brick and wood paneling on the facade and relates to the interior mahogany bar, the etched glass and molded plaster ceiling and is the main entrance area.
• The Dickensian pub inspired by the Cheshire Cheese pub in London offers a brick walled flagstone terrace with covered tables, slate roof and half timbered Elizabethan styled exterior.
• The Waterfront or “River” pub, facing the World Showcase Lagoon, is represented by a facade with a modest stone building, clay tiled roof and decorative doorways, stone terrace with an iron fence lining the village inn-styled dining room. Nearby in the lagoon is a replica of the 137 mile long Grand Union Canal. The replica once had two locks, one at each end, which have since been removed.
• The Country pub from the suburbs of the 17th and 18th centuries is represented by a slate roof and plaster exterior with stone quoined corners.

There are authentic pints of British ales, lagers and stouts that are available including Bass, Harp, Guinness, Boddingtons and Strongbow. The menu offers traditional British specialties including Harry Ramsden’s Fish and Chips and Bangers & Mash (sausage and mashed potatoes).

In fact, guests were so anxious to get just the fish and chips that Disney eventually offered a separate cart for ordering that specialty and then built the quick serve Yorkshire County Fish Shop outside to satisfy that want.

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Thanks, Jim. Come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!

In the meantime, check out his books, including Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew, which reprints much material first written for this site, and The Vault of Walt: Volume 4, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.

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