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 drank around the world in early Dec., 2013. There were 11 stops at that time. I went counter clock-wise with the family, and it took about 6 hours (we started late). Good times. Here’s what I drank:
Canada: La Fin Du Monde
UK: Welsh Dragon (ended up drinking most of my wife’s as well. I don’t recommend this one. Too sugary)
France: Gray Goose Slushie
Morocco: Habibi Daiquiri
Japan: Tokyo Sunset
USA: Tea Breeze
Italy: Peach Bellini
Germany: Hovels
China: Canto Loopy Cocktail
Norway: Carlsberg Pilsner
Mexico: Classic Margarita
Pretty buzzed, but still went back to the offsite rental for some whiskey and cokes afterward. Wisconsinites go hard.
Thanks to Facebook for keeping this documented for me!
I find it interesting that you told viewers to try every place however when I got to Africa you said – nahh skip it. Now this is what you call subtle racism. A real critic would have told people the best beer to try and why – or at least told them to give it a try for them to try on their own. However you’d rather push white cultures instead of black African. You literally was negative/ subtle racists about the drums being loud – which is literally apart of African culture – however didn’t raise any upheaval about any other world’s music and said it was obnoxious. This is pathetic and the article needs to be edited to sounds less racist or I will post this all over twitter and reddit.
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’ve never been to Epcot, but as noted in the post, the Outpost is not a full World Showcase pavilion like the rest of the countries. Disney had plans to build a lavish Equatorial Africa pavilion here, but it was abandoned. What’s here now is literally just a stand that sells hotdogs, regular beer, and drinks.
We said nothing about the drums being loud and obnoxious, so I’m not sure why you’re saying that.
HIs focus was the drinks, not the cultures. Maybe point your vitriol at Disney for not providing any decent choices in their “outpost” – or better yet, focus on building something amazing in that space that represents Africa properly.
Great insight since I like to try different craft beers! I hope to visit Epcot soon , so this is very helpful. Thanks!
My family is a huge fan of Wine and Food fest. I used one of these lists on my last visit.
If you like sweet fruity drinks the Welsh Dragon at the Rose and Crown was my favorite.
But at the Smokehouse in the USA in March they had blackberry moonshine spiked frozen lemonade and everyone loved it. I wasn’t too sure about moonshine but it was GREAT!
I feel like this article was overall negative. Drinking around the world in EPCOT sounds like an awesome time, and I can’t wait to try it in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the opinions, but it would have been nice to be given a more positive presentation of the information 🙂
Just because it isn’t bubbly doesn’t mean it’s not truthful. I read this as I also plan on drinking around the world in the near future, and found many of the reviews of the drinks to be in line with what I have experienced in the past. As a beer lover, I can vouch for the great quality of La Fin du Monde and Oberon, and also the averageness of the Germany selections.
Why say “It’s the best thing ever, and a great use of your money!” if that’s not the case? I especially appreciated the multiple reminders to be courteous of others in the game plan. Hopefully it will help people keep that in the backs of their minds as they celebrate.
I hope you have a fun time when you get to go do it, though, and that you enjoy it for the experience’s sake, and not because it is the “smart” thing to do.
The green drink in the UK called the Welsh Dragon is the bomb!! Sweeter. Loved it, and is a staple every time we go there, along with their fish and chips. I also really enjoyed the Sangria from Morocco, and the Canto Loopy from China for sweeter cold drinks that are very enjoyable on a hot Florida day. Can’t wait to go back!
Canada was a joke. Ordered a glass of red. Gave us glasses size of a shot glass, regular price. Rip off. Cheap country
For sake, try the cold sake. Cold sake have much more delicate flavors. They come in a gamut from very dry (my personal favorite) to fairly sweet. There are over 1500 different sake in Japan. And interestingly, the further north the source, the drier they are. So a northern “sweet” sake will be drier than a southern “dry” one. Last time I was at EPCOT they had a wonderful dry sake from Akita prefecture. IMO, some of the best around.
Maybe a champagne option in France? I’m going NYE so I’ll let you know!!
Can you use Disney gift cards to pay for the drinks?
Can Disney gift cards be used to purchase alcoholic beverages?
We ended up going all over the place based on lines but it actually ended up working out pretty well!!! This place is just as magical as it was when I was a kid, but the drinking around the world aspect makes it even more fun as an adult.
We made these Epcot Passport Lanyards so every country we went to we were able to check off, and we wrote down what drink we consumed at each country (I never would have remembered!) Ha ha ha!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/506429197/drink-around-the-world-passport-lanyard?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=drink%20around%20the%20world%20passport&ref=sr_gallery_3
My 22 year old daughter and I just did this on Dec 13! We had a blast! VIKING COFFEE in Norway was AMAZING! So good we came home and purchased the liquor to go in it and have been making them. We tried SEVERAL Holiday Drinks, and my daughter had the Grapefuit Beer in Germany at the Beirgarten and loved it, of course that was our last drink. We skipped Germany until the end as we had dinner reservations there. Pace yourself and drink lots of water. OH AND DO NOT do the FROZEN drink in JAPAN it was AWFUL that is the only drink we did not FINISH. It was so nasty.
Japanese frozen drink? The sake snoball? That was amazing. Get out!
You definitely should have a drink in Africa! They have a drink called a brown elephant, which is a coke icee mixed with a South African liqueur that is a mix of vanilla and coconut. It is absolutely delicious and always a stop for me in EPCOT!
You should come to Montreal during summer: no snow and a lot of different microbrewery in the province of Quebec! There are a lot of great festivals and nice weather too! The Unibroue beers are, of course, a lot less expensive here than at EPCOT!
Thanks to my father who told me about this website, this weblog is genuinely awesome.
I love your updated beverage choices! We first found this post in 2013, and have returned several times since then with our personalized Drink Around the World Showcase passports from Adventures4FUNatics, who also must have read your post because they now offer a personalized Showcase Snacking passport, as well as a Hello Around the World Showcase for kids. Like you, we have experienced the novelty of completing all 11 countries (though, unlike you, we DO stop at the CoolPost for a beer), so now we usually complete the excursion over two days (we skip countries so we have more time to enjoy our beverages), and share drinks in the countries we don’t love.
Thanks for all the fun articles!!!
Toyko sunset was a favorite in Japan
I’m not sure if this is a permanent option or only offered during F&W, but a Magner’s pear cider in the UK is a great, crisp, refreshing option if you find yourself here in the middle of a hot afternoon!
Thanks! Going to give this a try this year. Though I have to disagree with you about Germany. Disney serves one of my favorites, Schofferhofer, a grapefruit wheat beer. Yes, I know how that sounds but it is bright, clean and fantastic on a hot day.