7 Tips For Drinking Around the World at EPCOT

As someone who lives within driving distance of Disney, I take my proximity to the popular park for granted. I’ve heard of this unofficial challenge of “Drinking Around The World” at Epcot, and my friends and I decided to make a day of it. You can sample drinks from each of the 11 pavilions, and here is the best way to spend your day drinking around the world at EPCOT in Orlando, Florida.

Why Drinking Around The World at EPCOT?

EPCOT has a more relaxed atmosphere that is better suited for adults than the other parks. Unlike the crowded and busy atmosphere of Magic Kingdom, EPCOT has its open walk-around World Showcase lagoon, where you can sample international cuisines and beverages at your own pace. The park does not have as many rides and focuses more on dining, shopping, and exploring the World’s cultures.

What is “Drinking Around the World”?

The concept stemmed from social media and grew from there. People like to enjoy one alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage from each of EPCOT’s 11 country pavilions. While not an official Disney event, this challenge has become a tradition for many adult visitors.

Planning Your Route

The World Showcase has pavilions representing Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Most people start in either Mexico or Canada and work their way around.

Buying your ticket is just the entry to the park; you have to pay for the food and drinks along the way. We are Florida residents, so we opted for the Florida resident pass. Because we went on the weekend, it was essentially the same price as the regular ticket. They have different prices for different days/times of the year.

A strategic approach is recommended—the complete circuit is about 1.2 miles, and consuming 11 alcoholic beverages is a significant undertaking that should be approached responsibly. Many people say to start in Canada first because it eases you into the heavier types of drinks, and then end in Canada. My friends wanted to start in Mexico for this challenge, so that is what we did!

What to Bring With You to Drinking Around The World

We went on Saturday, the busiest day of the week, but the lines were not too bad. One thing you definitely need to bring is bug spray! As soon as we walked through the door, we were attacked by little flying bugs. Make sure you bring an empty refillable water bottle to refill your water with and stay hydrated. You can also pack electrolyte drinks in a backpack to help you stay hydrated throughout the challenge. Finally, a portable fan for those hotter days is necessary to keep you cool.

The Drinks I Tried by Country

Mexico: The margarita stand offers specialty margaritas, and I got the Margarita Special of the day. It was a mango flavor with spicy Tajin on the rim. If you want to cool off, head inside the pyramid to try La Cava del Tequila for premium tequilas and unique margarita flavors. The line was too long, so we enjoyed the outside stands.

Norway: Everyone was in line for the Viking Coffee with Baileys and coffee. I was not too sure about that, so I ended up getting a good strawberry beer, but I did not finish it all.

China: China had one of my favorite drinks of the day: the Dragon Butterfly. It was beautiful in color and included Butterfly Pea Flower Gin, Vodka, Green Tea, Lemonade, Soda Water, Hibiscus, and Dragon Fruit Syrup, topped off with Blueberry Boba. In China, we also stopped to eat! We needed some carbs, so I got the beef noodles and a vegetable pot sticker.

Germany: For Germany, I switched it up and got their apple sparkling wine drink. It was light and refreshing. We sat there for a bit and watched the live entertainment.

Italy: Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar offers an extensive selection of Italian wines for wine tastings. That line was long, so I opted for the limoncello spritzer. We sat under the pillar at the entrance to rest in the shade.

America: America was my least favorite country because there was nothing really new that I hadn’t tried. I enjoyed the indoor BBQ dining room with air conditioning, which was a nice respite from the sun. We stopped here to load up on some food, and I got the Stella Cider.

Japan: By Japan, I wanted to try something a little lighter. I heard that there were Saki flights here, but I felt like that would be going too hard since I still had four countries left. I got the plum wine and drank half of it. It was good but a little too sweet for me.

Morocco: In Morocco, I also took the lighter route and got a pomegranate mimosa. The mimosa was refreshing and flavorful. I enjoyed activities like getting Henna on my hands and exploring the shops inside.

France: My friend who has been on the “Drinking Around The World” challenge urged us to save room for Grand Marnier Orange Slush, which you can get a liquor topper on. I opted out of the topper, but the orange slush was refreshing. France had a lot of activities, like shopping in a vintage Louis Vuitton store. By this time, it was about 7:30 pm, and the park closes at 9.

We had two stops left, and my friends wanted to go on the Ratatouille ride. I opted out of the ride because we had two more stops left. My friends got stuck in the ride line for the rest of the night and missed the last two stops!

United Kingdom: The Rose & Crown Pub offered British ales, ciders, and specialty drinks. I wanted the Cider, but they had run out for the day. I got Sangria, which was weird because it is technically a Spanish drink. But it was good.

Canada: We finally made it to the last stop of Drinks Around The World, and I opted for the Ice Wine. It was good and a dessert for the final drink of the day. When we made it to Canada, it was time for the fireworks display at nine. It was the perfect way to close the day, and I felt great all around.

Tips for Drinking Around The World

I did my research on the Drinking Around The World challenge before doing it, so I could have a good day and not have any issues. The one thing I decided to do is minimize the drinks with a lot of hard liquor in them. I picked the ones that I really wanted to try, and then did mostly low alcoholic beverages for the rest. Here are some other tips to get you through the day:

• Pace yourself: Consider sharing drinks. I would bring an extra cup, because sometimes they can’t give you extra cups.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water between alcoholic beverages. Bring an electrolyte packet to put in your water.
• Eat throughout: Every country offers food options that complement their beverages. I got small appetizers at several stops.
• Know your limits: Although this is a challenge, listen to your body and don’t push yourself. Consider substituting the alcohol for a mocktail.
• Consider a passport: Create or purchase a drinking passport to track your progress. We got cute temporary tattoos to track our progress.
• Budget accordingly: Drinks typically cost $10 to $20 each, making this a potentially expensive challenge.
• Transportation plan: We opted for Uber. They have ride-sharing stands in front of the park.

You Can Still Participate in Drinks Around The World if You Don’t Drink Alcohol

Don’t worry if you do not drink alcohol, there are still many non-alcoholic beverages to try at each stop! A lot of the drinks can also be made with or without alcohol. These mocktails still complement each country you visit, and you can make your mocktail challenge along the way.