Drinking Around the World Showcase at Epcot
Our guide to Drinking Around the World in Epcot at Walt Disney World, covers our tips, and top picks for the best beers, wine, and mixed drinks. There’s also plenty of strategy for conquering this worldly task without climbing up the side of Mexico pavilion and holding up a Duffy plush Lion King style for all of World Showcase to see.
Since most of us probably won’t be able to haphazardly spend thousands of dollars to fly to Paris at a moment’s notice for some artisan cheeses or brave a winter in Canada just for some fine brews anytime soon, Epcot’s World Showcase offers us the next best option: sampling many alcoholic beverages and decadent desserts of the world in authentic-looking environments all while on vacation at Walt Disney World.
Of course, whose bucket list doesn’t also include having a drink in 10 different countries in a single day? No? Well, now you can add it to your list and cross it off. With our advice, those can actually be good drinks rather than a bunch of brightly colored, frozen concoctions that’ll leave you with more of a sugar rush than an a buzz…
The premise is simple: start out at one end of World Showcase, and continue through the countries, sampling a drink and/or dessert in each country. As there are 11 countries in the World Showcase, this is easier said than done. It’s even more difficult during Food & Wine Festival, when Epcot adds lots of kiosks that serve additional drinks.
If you’re looking to complete this drinking event then, check out our Guide to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival for additional tips & info. With even more drinking options, expect Drinking Around the World during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival to be a lot of fun…albeit perhaps not for your liver.
First, we will start with our tips and strategies for Drinking Around the World Showcase, generally, followed by specific drink recommendations….
General Epcot Drinking Strategy
Value for Money – If you have a Tables in Wonderland card, keep in mind that it’s valid for a discount on alcohol at Table Service restaurants, but not at kiosks or counter service spots. If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, you won’t be able to use any credits for alcohol as you drink around the world
Snack Around the World – Food soaks up alcohol, enabling you to drink more. That’s just science. We have a separate, companion article to this title Snacking Around the World Showcase that offers snacking tips for each country. The non-drinkers and anyone who wants to enjoy more than just drinks should check that out. If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, it’s a good idea to use some snack credits as you wander the World Showcase. Check out our article on Maximizing Snack Credit Value on the Dining Plan or, if you’re traveling during Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival (in the fall), check out our article on the Best Food & Wine Festival Snacks.
Make it an All-Day Affair – Yes, a day in a Disney theme park does cost a lot of money, but if done correctly, Drinking Around the World can be some of the most fun you’ll ever have. Starting around 11 am still gives you time to hit the big Future World attractions, such as Soarin’ and Test Track first thing in the morning, or even rope dropping Frozen Ever After. Plus, spreading the drinking out over the course of the day is always a good idea.
Be Respectful – Drinking Around the World at Epcot has proliferated in popularity in recent years. Some would say it’s gotten to the point where it’s a problem. On a given day in Epcot, you will see multiple drinking “teams” replete with matching shirts and obnoxious attitudes. Never forget that Epcot is a family theme park, and while Drinking Around the World Showcase can be a ton of fun, that fun should not occur at the expense of your fellow park guests.
Explore the Pavilions – You’re limited in which attractions you can visit with a drink in hand, so take some time to explore the wonderful details in the pavilions themselves. Morocco, Germany, Italy, and Canada, among others, all have great depth to explore. You’ll be surprised how fun it is to simply wander around deep in each pavilion and see the architecture and hidden details.
Share Drinks – Drinking in moderation is key to maximizing your fun while Drinking Around the ‘World. Split drinks when necessary to avoid over-consumption, and sample one another’s drinks to experience the different flavors of the ‘World. Additionally, not every pavilion has a stellar option for both the beer drinkers and mixed drink fans in your party. Although beer selection is improving at Walt Disney World, it’s still weak in some countries. We have an article on Finding Good Beers at Walt Disney World, and our friends over at Beers and Ears have some great apps for finding beers at Walt Disney World that might further assist with finding good beers while drinking around the world!
Enjoy Attractions Between Drinks – World Showcase is not known for rides, with the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico and Frozen Ever After in Norway Arendelle being the main options. The films in France, Canada, and China plus the American Adventure are other great options. After a couple of drinks, you might weep uncontrollably at the emotional power of the American Adventure…or you might just fall asleep. Check out our full Epcot Ride Guide for ratings and reviews of every attraction in Epcot.
Recommended Drinks by Country
We used to recommend starting in Mexico, but if you’re a beer drinker, due to recent changes in Canada, you are now better suited to start in Canada. Mixed drink or tequila fans should still start in Mexico. If you start in Mexico, this list is in order by country. If you start in Canada, it’s in reverse order.
Mexico – Outside the Mexico pavilion you can get Margaritas that are pre-mixed, extremely sugary and are sure to upset your stomach. Avoid these, instead go inside to La Cava Del Tequila, which serves some excellent drinks, notably the Blood Orange Margarita, Avocado Margarita, and Jalapeno Margarita, and tequila flights. There’s even a special offer if you show your server that you follow @CavaDelTequila on Twitter. La Cava Del Tequila is far and away the best place for mixed drinks in World Showcase, which is why we recommend starting here…but just make sure you leave!
Get a Carlsberg in Norway – Carlsberg isn’t amazing, but it’s a solid beer…despite not actually being from Norway. Hey, it’ll fit right in with the Frozen attraction! This is a lesser-of-all-evils situation.
The one thing you want to make sure you avoid is the aquavit shot. Unless the idea of a shot of potato alcohol that tastes like it’s mixed with fire and dill pickles sounds appealing. (I’m not kidding, that’s about what it tastes like.)
Don’t Miss the Tea Stand in China – Names can be deceiving! Featuring some of the most unique cocktails in World Showcase, the Mango Gingerita, Canto Loopy, Peach Snap! or Green Tea Plum Slush is the way to go here. Tsing Tao on draft is a rare sight, but it’s not better than the cocktails. Some readers have indicated they are a fan of the Plum Wine here, but it’s not my…ahem…cup of tea.
Skip the “African” Outpost – Way back in the 1980s, this was where the African pavilion was to be. Now it’s just a filler area. It doesn’t count as a country, and thus is not an official stop on a Drinking Around the World tour. It’s fun for buzzed photos at the drums, but you do not need to stop for a drink here. Don’t be fooled by the Safari Amber that’s “exclusive” to Walt Disney World. It’s just a boring Anheuser-Busch InBev brew.
Avoid the Crowd in Germany – Due to the actual country’s reputation, the beer kiosk near the front in Germany typically has long lines. Avoid these by heading deeper into the pavilion. The beers offered here typically include Spaten, Altenmunster Oktoberfest, Lowenbrau, Radeberger, and others I can’t type or pronounce.
There are also Jägermeister shots. I know Germany is a favorite beer country for many, but I find most of these beers to be good, not great. You should definitely get something here, but I think the real winners are in Canada. My pick here would be the Altenmunster Oktoberfest.
Stop at Via Napoli in Italy – You’re almost halfway through, so now is a good point for a relaxing air-conditioned break. Head inside Via Napoli and get a Moretti La Rossa, a malty beer with a big nutty flavor. The pizza is also pretty good if you’re in the mood for something filling.
Moretti is now available outside. It’s also available at Tutto Gusto, the Italian wine cellar, where you can get beer flights as well. The kiosks outside also have margaritas (not recommended), wines (some decent choices), and dessert wines. Despite Italy being known for wines rather than beers, I’d stick with the beer here.
Craft Beers in America – Finally! Our long national nightmare is over! The American Adventure used to be an awful spot for drinks, but that has all changed. Regal Eagle Smokehouse & Craft Drafts just opened, and has a walk-up drink window that serves Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider, Bell’s Oberon, Tennessee Lemonade, and more.
Additionally, Block & Hans is a small kiosk to the far side of the pavilion that opened last year, and it serves a variety of American craft beers. These rotate to some degree, but I’ve noticed something excellent from Bell’s is there most of the time, which is a popular choice from my hometown in Michigan. (Almost everything Bell’s brews is fantastic–get whatever they have!)
Experiment in Japan – Japan offers a couple good options: plum wine and hot or cold sake. The Kirin Ichiban beer is nice and smooth, too. These may not be things you’d normally drink, but give them a try anyway.
My recommendation here would be the hot sake, which I think goes down pretty well. Whatever you do, don’t get the beer–especially the Frozen Ichiban. It will be tempting because it’s such a novel concept, but this is just an unpleasant drink.
Try a Mixed Drink or Sangria in Morocco – Casa Beer is the only Moroccan-themed beer offered (something tells me this fairly mild drink isn’t what they were pouring at Rick’s Cafe Americain) and it’s alright. The mixed drinks and sangria are also good options, especially the Sultan, but I highly doubt any of them are any more Moroccan than a can of SPAM.
There’s also a bar in the Tangierine Café where you can get coffee infused with liquor. Perfect late afternoon pick-me-up if you need one. Honestly, this might be a country to skip if you need a mind-tour break.
$$$ in France – The Grand Marnier & Grey Goose Orange Slush, and the Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slush are crazy expensive, but they’re also pretty good. They don’t have much alcohol and are terrible values, but they still aren’t bad options.
Don’t bother with the (one) lackluster beer in the France pavilion. I have no insight to the wines here, but hey, it’s France…maybe they’re good?
Blend It Up in the United Kingdom! – There are quite a few beers on tap in Rose & Crown, and they’re all pretty good, but the best options are the pub blends such as the Bumblebee (Boddingtons and Guinness), Black and Tan (Bass and Guinness), or the Golden Fox (Boddingtons and Bass). Tastes Great, more fulfilling!
Although this is one of the last stops on the list, we recommend trying to hit it earlier in the evening, as it gets really busy late at night. The restrooms here (picture above) are some of the busiest and loudest in Walt Disney World at night!
Canada Beer is the Best Beer (Here) – It used to be the case that you had to dine in Le Cellier, one of the most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World, to get the good stuff. Recently, Canada started serving a few varieties of Unibroue beers outside at the kiosk, as well! These include Éphémère and Trois Pistoles, but the real highlight is La Fin Du Monde. This is a robust Abbey Tripel that is arguably one of the best beers in the world. It scores a 99 on Ratebeer. (Just for reference, that’s over DOUBLE the score of the best beer in Germany.)
Not only is it delicious, but it’s a great value. You might be thinking that an $11 beer can’t possibly be a great value, but I purchased the bottle pictured above at a local beer store for $12. So, by Disney standards, there is minimal markup here and it’s a great value. The Trois Pistoles is also an excellent, excellent beer–the second best in World Showcase. I’m not a huge fan of Éphémère, but you could do worse. Be ashamed, be very ashamed, if you purchase a Moosehead or Labatt here. The Torontopolitan is also to be avoided.
Truthfully, I’m to the point now where the novelty of Drinking Around the World long ago wore off for me, and now I just grab a Unibroue in Canada on my way into World Showcase, backtrack to get another later, maybe stop for a Bell’s Oberon in America, then stop at La Cava Del Tequila on the way out. That’s more than enough booze and money spent, plus I’m actually getting drinks I like as opposed to drinking something in each country for the sake of trying it. Your mileage may vary, and I understand there’s a certain novelty to Drinking Around the World Showcase, but depending upon your tastes, you might be woefully underwhelmed by a lot of these options.
If you’re determined to complete this grueling drinking challenge, by following the simple tips and drink suggestions above, your day at Epcot Drinking Around the ‘World should be an excellent time. Remember to drink in moderation and be courteous to fellow guests during your trip, as Walt Disney World is a family vacation destination, not your local college dive bar!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts…
Have you tried Drinking Around the World at Epcot? Which drinks do you recommend? If you have any other tips, please share them in the comments! Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I just turned 21 last year and haven’t been to WDW since 2008. I can’t wait to take my girlfriend this May and both us will be going drinking around the world.
Thank you for your suggestions. It really helped.
Hi. Thanks for this. We drank around the world yesterday. Two things we learnt to our cost. Firstly, ensure you drink plenty of water. My head is currently POUNDING as I didn’t bother.
Secondly, if you are not US citizens like us, take your passport. We had a job getting served alcohol in about 4 countries as they said they wouldn’t accept out UK driving licences as forms of ID. Interesting to note though- this was only a problem at the alcohol stands and not in places where meals were served.
Happy drinking!
I LOVED this blog!! So fun to read, and I found the tips to be exactly my experience! On our last trip, we found personalized Drink Around the World Showcase passports online that just added to the fun. They were reasonable and had a place for a signature at each location. Can’t wait to try the beer in LeCellier on our next trip in November!
Hi Tom, Thank you SO much for this post! I am going to pull up the restaurant options also.
We are going Saturday (like…2 days away) for my friend’s Bachelorette party. None of us have ever been before, and since there are 11 of us, I am so happy to now have a more solid “agenda” for the day to share.
Quick question, though – is there a place online that you know of, that I can print a general map of the countries? Just wondering where each one is in relation to the others.
We’re going to have lunch before we leave the house (an early lunch) but will snack and have dinner at the park. Since it’s obiously too late to get reservatons at Le Cellier, just wondering what another decent option for an early dinner would be and how that would alter the world-order =)
Thanks again – this has been a HUGE help to us!
Google Epcot map and you’re sure to find a lot of images.
As for an alternate restaurant, Via Napoli is a good option.
So, I may be in the minority here… I am a female beer fanatic. Now having two small boys, I need to be quite picky in my consumption. My beer of choice is an IPA. Does anyone know where to get an IPA in Epcot (or Magic Kingdom)?
Thanks for the posts and your commitment to Disney travelers.
The only place to get beer at all in the Magic Kingdom is Be Our Guest Restaurant at dinner. They serve some excellent Belgian beers.
As for a good IPA in Epcot, I’m drawing a blank right now. Check out http://beersandears.net. They might be able to steer you in the right direction!
Wow. Some good tips for when I make the attempt this October. I went at Christmas and didn’t drink much, though I can certainly vouch for the Aquavit. Also, another good option in Mexico is to go for a shot of Mezcal. I loved that.
Thanks for the tips!
Hi Tom, in this article you said you will have a post about snacks around the world. Are you still going to do that?? I’d love to read that one!
Yes! The problem is, whenever I sit down to write it, I think to myself, “gee, I really ought to include this snack that has a great reputation but we’ve yet to try,” and I delay the post, so we can try that snack on our next trip.
At this point, we’ve tried a lot of World Showcase snacks, so maybe it’s time to just sit down and write the thing!
You could always update the snack list as you try more! 🙂 Just get to it before September so I can have a good idea of what to get!
Does anyone know where you can get a I drank my way around Epcot t-shirt?????
We are planning our first trip to WDW this fall and I have been looking for something fun, relaxing for my husband and I to do for our date night. I think this is it!!! I am making notes! Thanks for the info.
This is our third year in a row and this year I have talked my hubby into this. thanks for the tips everyone. I have made notes and look forward to the adult side of epcot
YouTube videos are famous in whole globe, since it is the leading video sharing web site, and I turn out to be too cheerful by watching YouTube videos.
Such great tips! My DH and I love to drink around the world – especially on our adult only trips! We have our 1st adult only during food and wine coming up next week – loved all the ideas of different things we haven’t tried. I will offer my 2 cents on China – I had the cantaloopy on one of our last trips and while I can really hold my own – that drink put my right over the edge (we started in Mexico). All I can say is it made me quite loopy and quickly – though it was yummy! We do have a rule that we can’t leave the country until our drink is finished and we have to explore the country while we are there drinking. We also added the Hidden Mickey app to our iPhones a couple of adult trips ago and spend part of our time in the country working on the answers. Maybe we will try the passports this trip as I don’t have enough time to get shirts – I always think about it and then remember about a week out 🙂 Thanks again for the great info!!
We picked up Kidcot Passports before we started our around the world tour. We had each of the bartenders write in them then got them stamped at the Kidcot station. This made a great souvenir. Of course, there was the required picture of each drink!
I’m planning a vacation for next year and knew I wanted to do a “Drinking around the World” day and then you posted this! Very grateful for the tips (as well as the extra tips in all of the comments) since I do not go to Disney World very often.
Awesome post, Tom! You really captured the essence of the journey. A couple of thoughts. I wouldn’t be so quick to skip the Outpost. They have a tasty Safari Amber there. The challenge is timing. There is nothing to do there so next thing you know you’re in Germany. Need to find something to do while you enjoy it. I am also a huge fan of the Unibroue beers at Le Cellier. However you need to be careful finishing your adventure with them or run the risk of the La Cava Del Tequila syndrome. These beers are 8.5 – 9% ABV and may be too good to stop at just one! Love the article!!!!
Very good point about Unibroue. Why is it the most delicious drinks are at the two ends of the voyage?!
Great post! We love Epcot and I’ve picked up a few new places to go for drinks! Question: I’ve seen people that have had on T-shirts about Drinking Around the World and wondered if anyone knew how/where to get them? Thanks again for great info!
You can look locally for t-shirt shops, or even embroidery or logo places that will either design or print a design for you on the shirts! My family did that once and left a spot next to each country for someone from that country to sign once we’d had our drink! If you want more tips or help, you can contact me at [email protected] ! Or online at http://www.moremickeymagic.com !
I think they probably just make them and purchase via a site like CafePress or a local printer.
Great post as always Tom. I can’t wait to try out some of these tips next week in Epcot!
Cheers,
Alex Cenac
@ajcenac – twitter
Thanks, Alex. Have fun and be careful!
I was in Epcot in April with a bunch of girlfriends and we had the Margarita flight at La Cava. It was GREAT! We go the opportunity to try different flavors that way. Apparently they do not serve them on the weekends, which includes Friday. So on Friday, we each got a different flavor and shared each flavor. It was like we made our own flights!
You must try the Paloma at La Cava in Mexico. If you like Margarita’s you will really like this. It’s very refreshing and light.
I will add that to our list (not an actual list–only a mental list; an actual list might be a bit much ;))
Thanks for the tips and the great blog – can’t wait to soak it all in. Hubby and I are going to WDW in Sept to celebrate my BIG “50” and this sounds like a FUN thing to do! ….Counting the days! ~ Thanks!
Have fun on the trip! This is DEFINITELY a great way to celebrate!!!