My job takes me to Disney World a LOT — and sometimes that means drinking around EPCOT for work.
Drinking Around the World at EPCOT is a famous challenge where guests head to World Showcase and aim to have one alcoholic beverage in every country. I’ve done it for work several times and this is the absolute BEST way to Drink Around the World at EPCOT.
What’s my job that has me drinking around EPCOT, you ask? I make YouTube videos to help show you the experience. You can see it right here!
But, let’s dive in to how to Drink Around the World right!
Safety Talk
First things first, let’s talk safety. There are 11 pavilions in EPCOT and that means 11 drinks. It can be very easy for that to get out of hand if you’re not taking steps to stay safe and comfy.
One thing I opt to do a lot is split most or all of the drinks. That way, at the end you’ve gone through about five and a half drinks instead of 11. This is especially important if you’re trying to drink around the world quickly. Sure, if you’ve got the whole day to meander, you might be able to safely drink more, but if you’ve got other priorities (like riding some rides), then it might be a good idea to share.
The bartenders around EPCOT will be happy to give you an extra cup and some may even split the cocktails for you! Just make sure that everyone who is drinking is of age and has an ID.
You also want to follow the water rule! For every drink, you should have a full cup of water. This is especially important when drinking around EPCOT because you’ll be out in the heat, walking a ton, and sweating which is a recipe for dehydration without alcohol.
Something fun that I like to do is a reverse drinking game while drinking around the world. Whenever you see a princess — everyone has to drink a whole cup of water (on top of the ones you’re already drinking at each stop).
You should eat too! There’s some amazing food around World Showcase, and Drinking Around the World can be a great opportunity to try out some tasty eats (and also help keep your stomach happy while you’re drinking). I recommend grabbing a snack every two to three countries and stopping in the middle for a bigger lunch — like at Spice Road Table in Morocco or Regal Eagle Smokehouse in The American Adventure.
This next one is hopefully obvious but do not drive — no matter how you’re feeling. This is super easy if you’re staying at a Disney World hotel because you can just take the free Disney transportation, but budget in and plan to rideshare if you are staying off-property. Another option is to have someone in your party be a designated driver! You can see in the video above that there are plenty of cool non-alcoholic drinks to try as well.
Finally, be courteous to other guests and Cast Members. EPCOT is still Disney World and there are families who have spent thousands of dollars to bring their kids to the Most Magical Place on Earth. Make sure you’re not getting so rowdy as to disturb other guests or be rude to Cast Members. Have fun — just be smart and kind, too.
The Timing and Budget
Drinking Around the World takes a lot of time and money. If you’re planning to embark on the challenge during your trip, I recommend dedicating a full park day to the challenge. You can assume you’ll have wiggle rooms for some rides, but that way you don’t feel rushed as you make your way around World Showcase.
It took us about eight hours to do the whole circuit — without taking any breaks for rides. We were just enjoying our drinks, exploring the pavilions, and having fun with each other!
As for the budget, this can get expensive. Drinks in EPCOT range from around $8 to around $25 (with some spiking even higher). If you intend to get a drink in every country, you should plan to budget $150 to $200 for the experience — another great reason to split drinks.
Where To Start
Perhaps the most contentious debate about EPCOT is whether to go left or right when you start making your way around the World Showcase. This is mostly a matter of preference, but the big thing to keep in mind is what drink you’ll be starting and ending with.
Going left (my preference) means starting in Mexico (with margaritas, most likely) and ending in Canada (with beer, most likely). I always think of the age-old adage, “Beer before liquor, never been sicker.” However, some folks like to finish with a bang in Mexico, so it’s really up to you!
Regardless of where you start and where you end, I highly recommend using your Drink Around the World time to really explore each pavilion. Stroll through the shops, check out the theming, even play the DuckTales World Adventures game on the Play Disney app — there’s a lot to love about World Showcase and it can be easy to miss if you don’t take your time.
The Drinks
Finally, let’s talk about the drinks. There are a lot of options around World Showcase — more in some countries than others. Sure, there are the iconic Drink Around the World options (You can see them in the above video!), but you might want to branch out a bit too.
Each country has interesting cocktails that you may want to choose. You can even ask Cast Members what options are the most authentic if that’s the way you want to play things! I recommend making a list in advance of the drinks you want and where to find them — but be flexible! We ended up changing up our plan for some drinks that sounded more interesting or exciting when we got to the pavilions.
One thing I also like to note is you don’t have to stick to the most iconic or exciting drinks. The countries typically offer a beer or wine option so if you’re looking to do a beer Drink Around the World, you do you!
When in doubt, ask a Cast Member where the best place to get drinks is and what drinks to get. They’ll be happy to help! You can also follow our path if you want to have some pretty amazing drinks.
All in all, Drinking Around the World can be incredibly fun but it takes some planning, some money, and a focus on staying safe!
Click here to learn more about Drinking Around the World at EPCOT World Showcase!
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Got questions about Drink Around the World? Ask in the comments!Â
It’s a free country. You want to get blasted in EPCOT have at it mate. See you at the pub
Last year, my wife and I were visiting Epcot one evening. We could hardly believe the number of people we saw drunk and obnoxious. Even couples with children. One guy vomited on my wife’s shoe. My wife ended up sticking her foot in the France water feature just to rinse it off.
Wish they’d just quit selling alcohol in the parks. Drunks are not my favorite people. Too often, they’re very inconsiderate of others. Stopping the sale of alcohol might also help the over-crowded park problem.
Hear, hear!!