When most people think of Disney World, they think of roller coasters, castles, and of course, Mickey and Minnie. That's all I knew of up until recently, when I discovered the magical land of Epcot, a theme park within Disney that focuses on the various cultures of mankind. If you are visiting Disney and by chance are of legal drinking age, I highly recommend taking a stroll through this park and participating in what many call "Drinking Around the World" - aka getting a drink in each of Epcot's eleven countries.
Now, conquering eleven different drinks in a reasonable amount of time is not an easy feat. Here are some guidelines and suggestions to help make your experience free of mishap.
Use a buddy system. Tackle this adventure with a friend who shares your taste in alcoholic beverages, that way you can split each drink and save yourself from overindulging.
Make dinner reservations. The restaurants in these "countries" are always very crowded. The only way to assure that you will be able to get a nice, filling dinner (to help absorb some of that alcohol) is to make reservations in advance.
Take your time. Give yourself at least five hours to complete this mission. Otherwise, you'll get too drunk too quickly, which could end badly. Additionally, taking time to look at the various attractions and gift shops each country has to offer will allow you to drink at a slower pace and actually relax.
Alright, now that that's out of the way, here are (in my opinion) the best drinks you can get in each country.
Mexico: If you're going through the countries in order, you'll start in Mexico. I recommend going inside and checking out the drinks at Cava Del Tequila. Cava has pretty great tequila samples, but if you want a full drink, go for the jalapeno margarita.
Norway: This is the place to go for all Frozen fans, and rumor has it they are opening up a Frozen-themed ride here sometime this year. The drinks aren't anything spectacular but I had a Carlsberg beer. Good in my opinion, but this is coming from someone whose drinks normally vary between Bud Light and Natty, so that might not be valid.
China: This is my personal favorite. There's a cute little tea stand that has various cocktails. I went with the Canto Loopy, which basically tasted like liquid cantaloupe.
Germany: Despite being the country known best for its beer, there was nothing spectacular here. I had the Altenmunster Oktoberfest, which like the beer in Norway, was fine for me.
Italy: Head to the back of Italy where you'll find a little window on the left side that sells pizza and booze. I went with Bellini, which is peach puree and sparkling wine. Probably my second favorite, behind China. I guess I like fruity drinks...surprise, surprise.
Japan: Here is where you get sake. Now, I was bold and went with the hot sake. It kind of tasted like tea, kind of tasted like pee. I wasn't a huge fan but I could totally see knocking back one of these with some sushi.
Morocco: Go inside and find the little cafe right next to the restaurant. Order any of the coffee cocktails - I liked them all. Great way to wake yourself up if you're starting to get sleepy.
France: This is where I decided to take a long break and have dinner. I had reservations at Chefs de France, where I not only had a great meal but also a nice glass of their champagne.
UK: As you start to lose momentum, head to the UK's Rose & Crown Pub for a beer. I recommend getting one of the pub blends.
Canada: Finally, you've made it to Canada. Go to the kiosk outside the restaurant and pick up a La Fin Du Monde beer. I will warn you, however, that they sometimes run out of this early on due to its popularity. If you can get your hands on it, enjoy it while watching Disney's fireworks over the lake, as I presume that it will be almost time for the park to close (that's how freaking long this whole thing takes).
That's the best I can give to you. Good luck, be safe, and enjoy! (of course, only if you are, ahem, 21+).
