TIPS:
Pace Yourself: with 11 countries, you need to take your time. The basic hours of the World Showcase are 11am-9pm. This gives you 10 hours to conquer the “world” without being tempted to climb a temple in Mexico. Go in with the mindset that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and it will help. Take your time, and enjoy the shops and attractions. There’s more to do than just drink!
Share drinks and dishes: My plan is based on sharing drinks and food. This will help you consume less so you don’t feel as full and can try more. This will also help your wallet! Drinks run from $6-$16 each. You can blow your budget pretty quickly just on the alcohol, but you will need to eat too.
Hydrate: Not to state the obvious, but Florida is HOT! That can lead to dehydration. Alcohol can also lead to dehydration, making your feel the effects very quickly. No one wants to see you blitzed, and you don’t want to be sleeping it off in your resort before the torches are lit for Illuminations.
Start Early: This plan starts when the World Showcase opens at 11am. It factors in some rides, a dinner and entertainment.
Be Respectful: Drinking Around the World has almost become an adult past-time at Walt Disney World. You can see “teams” with matching shirts, bachelor/bachelorette parties loudly proclaiming victory, and many guests have been seen taking things a little too far. Remember- Epcot is still a family theme park. You can still enjoy yourself and be respectful of others.
MEXICO
The best location to start is Mexico, then work your way around to Canada. The food and drinks seem to make a natural progression from light to heavy going in this direction.
* Skip the kiosk outside with the pre-mixed, sticky sweet Margaritas. Head inside to La Cava Del Tequila and grab a margarita to share. The Blood Orange, Avocado, and Jalapeño Margaritas are recommended. Skip the tequila flights – shots will have you taking a siesta before your reach Italy.
* Grab some chips and salsa to enjoy with your margarita. Tell your server that you follow @CavaDelTequila on twitter and you might receive a special offer.
* Ask your server for a glass of water here. Make sure you finish it before you leave the table.
* Enjoy the Gran Fiesta Tour starring The Three Caballeros, as it has a wait under 20 minutes. Take your time visiting the shops in the air conditioning.
NORWAY
* Grab a Carlsberg from the kiosk. While it’s not actually from Norway (it’s actually from Denmark), it’s still a good beer. Avoid the Linie Aquavit Glacier shot – not just because it’s a shot, but because it’s awful! It’s a potato alcohol and reminds me of dill pickles – not in a good way.
* Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is a snack highlight. The school bread is the obvious choice and a favorite among guests. It’s also cheap.
* Ask at the bakery for another free glass of water. See if you can get it to go so you can sip it while you’re looking around Norway.
* The obvious attraction here is Frozen Ever After. You will need to get a fastpass or you will lose your touring momentum. Aim for a 11:30-12:30 window. This will give you time before or after to get your drink and dish.
CHINA
* The Joy of Tea stand in China has some of the most refreshing cocktails in the World Showcase. They are tea-based and a little light on the alcohol side. The Canto Loopy is light and really tastes like cantaloupe.
* After eating nachos and school bread, along with a poor snack selection of snack food, I would skip food here.
* Purchase a bottle of water at Joy of Tea. Sipping it over the next couple of countries will really help you feel better as you continue on your quest to conquer the countries.
* After you grab a victory picture in front of China’s pagoda, head inside to sip your beverages while looking at the clay army. Enjoy the Reflections of China in the air conditioning. If you want a personal souvenir, Good Fortunes Gifts next to the Joy of Tea will add your name in Chinese, free of charge, to a fan or parasol.
OUTPOST
This isn’t a country – skip it! It doesn’t count as an official stop on a Drinking Around the World tour. Don’t be fooled by the “exclusive” Walt Disney World Safari Amber, it’s a boring Anheuser-Busch brew.
GERMANY
* Beer Here! So many great beers to choose from. Most will go for the Schofferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefewizen. This beer is refreshing on a hot day. I prefer a glass of Riesling from the Sommerfest kiosk.
* Karamell-Küche is a wonderful sweet shop. The salted caramel is delicious but hard to share. The caramel popcorn is nothing special. Go for a cupcake! Since the shop is usually busy, they are very fresh.
* Keep sipping on that bottle of water you bought in China
* Stop at Kunstarbeit in Krystal and see the beautiful Swarovski Crystal figurines, especially the beautiful Cinderella’s Castle! Grab a pickle – a glass one – for your Christmas Tree. It’s a great tradition to start with your family.
Checkpoint: remember you have 10 hours for the tour. If you are pacing yourself, checking out the attractions and shopping, you should be about 3.5 hours in, making the time about 2:30pm (unless you got derailed at Frozen).
ITALY
* Italy is known for great wine. You can opt for a red or white wine flight in La Bottaga Italiana. The pours are very small, so I prefer going to Gelati and getting the Sangria or a Bellini. The drinks here are some of my favorites, so grab a drink for each of you to split; we’ll make up for it at the next stop.
* While you’re at Gelati, grab some gelato. You get 2 scoops to share!
* Make sure you get some water. If the kiosk won’t give you a cup, the sparkling Italian water could hit the spot.
* Relax and catch a street show in the piazza and a picture in front of the wonderful statues.
AMERICA
* I recommend a break in America, especially if you got that extra one in Italy. However, Block & Hans has some American crafts beers that are worth a try. Try the Angry Orchard Hard Cider.
* It’s America – Funnel Cake! There is nothing more to say….
* You can refill your purchased water bottle at the water fountains outside the bathrooms in the back of the pavilion.
* Enjoy the air conditioning inside while you watch the amazing Voices of Liberty performers. I may or may not have grabbed a power nap in the American Adventure theater. Rejoice that you have made it almost half way and your still going strong!
JAPAN
* Time to be adventurous! Head to the back of the Mitsukoshi Department Store to the Sake bar. The hot sake goes down easily. While the Ichiban beer (especially the frozen) sounds tempting, it’s bland and not very appealing.
* After that funnel cake, you’re probably feeling a bit full. There isn’t much in Japan as far as “snacks” go. A guest favorite is Kaki-Gori, which is like a sno-cone.
* San! Ni! Ichi! Participate in the pick a pearl ceremony before heading to the Bitutsu-Kan Gallery, which is filled with wonderful Japanese art. Maybe you’ll be in time to catch the Matsuriza drums.
MOROCCO
* Stop into the Tangierine Café for a coffee infused with liquor. It’s a great afternoon pick-me-up.
* Share some hummus and enjoy the air conditioning with your coffee.
* Ask for a free cup of water with your coffee and hummus.
* After you enjoy the architecture and colorful tiles in the Marketplace labyrinth, head back toward the front of the pavilion to Souk-al-Magreb for henna.
Checkpoint: Coffee and a nap! You should be feeling good! You should be 3.5 to 4 hours past the last check point. It’s around 6:30pm, so let’s grab some dinner!!
FRANCE
* The best drink in the World Showcase is the Grand Marnier & Grey Goose Orange Slush! The Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slush and Kir Royale are also divine, so grab a drink for each of you to share.
* Before you get your drink, get some dinner, and more importantly, dessert. Head to Boulangerie Pâtisserie les Halles. Try the Bisque de Homard (lobster bisque) and Brie Aux Pommes- brie with apples and cranberries on multi grain bread. There are so many selections for dessert; it’s hard to pick just one! From the excellent Fraises Tart (strawberry tart), to the macaron collection, to the chocolate mousse, there is something wonderful for everyone.
* You can get a free cup of water at the Pâtisserie. Ask for it at check out.
* Check the schedule to see when Serveur Amusant is performing. These French acrobats are so fun to watch as they defy gravity. You can also find Belle by the lake.
ENGLAND
* There are several good beers on tap at Rose and Crown. Try one of the pub blends like the Bumblebee (Boddingtons and Guinness), Blank & Tan (Bass and Guinness) or the Golden Fox (Boddington and Bass).
* Grab some Victoria Sponge Cake from Yorkshire Country Fish Shop. The light sponge is filled with jam and butter cream and is delicious. If you’re still feeling pretty full from your desserts in France, head into the Teas Caddy and get some Shortbread Cookies.
* You can get a free cup of water with your Victoria Sponge Cake.
* Take your beer and treat to the back of the pavilion. Across from Toy Soldier is a band stand. Sit and enjoy the band as they play covers of some of the best British bands, like the Beatles and the Who. Stop in the Crown and Crest to see your coat of arms and pick up a Doctor Who or Sherlock tee.
CANADA
* To get the really good beers in Canada, you used to need a reservation at Le Cellier. Now there is a kiosk where you can grab some of the better beers on the World Tour. La Fin Du Monde is a robust Abbey Trioel that is considered to be one of the best beers in the world, not just World Showcase.
* There isn’t much in the way of Canadian snacks, but you can get some yummy popcorn and receive a special souvenir bucket.
* Ask for a cup of water with your popcorn.
* By now it’s the end of the evening. Find a bench or spot by the lake and enjoy Illuminations. It’s one of the great Disney nighttime shows. With the fireworks, lasers, and soaring music, it’s a great way to end your day.
Touring the countries this way can help you cover World Showcase and see all it has to offer. For regular Disney travelers, this could be a fun way to experience the park in a new way. For new Disney vacationers, this gives you an opportunity to experience every country, not just a few.
Stay tuned to the Upon A Star Travel & Concierge Blog and follow me on social media as my husband, Chris and I, tour the World Showcase and test this out in September. I’d love to hear your results and feedback when you give this a try. Cheers!!
You can find out more about agent Carrie at http://uponastartravel.com/agents/#/carrie/
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Carrie@uponastartravel.com
