Drink around the world (EPCOT)
Walt Disney World: Should Disney be encouraging this sort of behaviour?
Last year my girlfriend and i went to Florida and did all the parks. While at EPCOT i got talking to a guy in "England" and he was surprised we werent doing it. To be honest i hadnt heard of it before. So this year when we went back, along with my sister and mum we decided to give it a go.
We made it all the way round from Canada to Mexico having a beer in each land.
As we stopped in Japan for lunch we had Sake and a pint of Kirin. When we got to Mexico we had to have a well earned Margarita
We did go back to Canada to have another Moose Head beer which we thought was the best beer on offer throughout our "Expedition"
Has anyone else done this ?
TH Creative's got to have a story here.
Or, you could read his comment on the cast member stories thread from a few weeks back.
At the beginning of 2008, I made a New Year's Resolution to write a manuscript. Never had any dreams of becoming J.K. Rowling just wanted to see if I could complete a novel from beginning to end.
So I wrote about people who worked at WDW. It's titled 'Name Tags.' And one of the early chapters related my experience at the CM pre-opening event at EPCOT Center through a character named Dennis who was employed through the Magic Kingdom College Program (MKCP).
When EPCOT Center first opened they had this cool guide media. It was like a sort of greeting card with a wheel you would turn to locate different attractions, shops and restaurants. And there was a section called "Dining Around the World" -- providing information related to the restaurants in World Showcase (as well as The Good Turn -- the original name of the restaurant in The Land Pavilion (DRAT! I should have saved that for 'Disney Jeopardy').
Since we were all college students (and the Florida drinking age at the time was still 19) most of the MKCP CMs at the pre-opening visited the original Future World attractions then ended up out in World Showcase getting liquored-up. We were classified as Casual Temporary Employees making about four bucks and change an hour (minus rent for our rooms at [real name] Snow White Trailer Park).
Parodying the "Dining Around the World" section in the guidebook we dubbed the activity "Drinking Around the World." In 'Name Tags' one of the characters gives that title to the activity while drinking Guinness Stout at the Rose & Crown Pub.
Anyway, considering the term was coined at a pre-opening event, it's probably where the concept comes from.
Disney doesn't "encourage" this behaviour. Disney does not endorse it...
... but I do! Can't wait for August.
I cannot imagine anyone actually doing this in one day... If you start in Mexico, debilitating intoxication usually stops your little adventure by the time you get to France, if your bank account or credit limit hasn't stopped you first.
But the stories of people trying!
Any gathering of cast members eventually will turn to three topics of conversation:
1. The stupidest things you've seen guests do.
2. Epic downtimes
3. The time (_____) tried to drink around the world at Epcot.
This is law. There is no avoiding it.
For the uninitiated, we're talking drinks in Mexico, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, France and the UK. (I'm not aware of booze options in Norway, the US or Morocco.) You'll have to hit sit-down restaurants to drink in a couple countries, and most folks just end up getting buzzed in Mexico, then plastered in Germany... and then calling it a day.
Starting in the UK, then going to France and Japan is just suicide, given the order of drinks you'll consume in that direction. No one makes it past Japan on that route.
Actually Robert, it's really not THAT difficult. Especially if you start at lunch. A beer at Canada, a beer at the UK, wine in France, beer in Morocco, plumb wine (delicious) in Japan, another beer in the USA, wine in Italy, beer in Germany, Tsing Tao (beer) in China, whatever goat-made alcohol in Norway and a Dos Equis in Mexico.
You start at noon and spend nine hours in the park ... easy-peezy. Especially sweating it off in the summer.
As for Mr. Counsil's assertion Disney does not "encourage" that much consumption, I do have to say this: While Disney does not include a "Drink Around The World" section in its guide media (see previous post) I can tell you that there are a HECKUVA lot more food and beverage outlets that are slinging booze now than there were at EPCOT Center's opening.
And I mean a HECKUVA lot!
I don't think it would be too hard to do, it all depends on what you can handle. I know my limits as far as what I can drink is concerned and I wouldn't go over that, especially not in a family environment such as a theme park.
However, looking at the drinks that are on offer in each country I think I'd make it round EPCOT and might try it next time I visit.
It's all about knowing your limits. How often have you seen someone stumbling drunk around EPCOT? I don't think I ever have and I don't think I ever will. As long as this continues and people continue to behave responsibly with their drink at EPCOT I'm sure Disney will not try to prevent people for doing it.
Let's keep in mind that alcohol consumption and 90+ degree temps with 100+ degree heat indexes are not a safe mix. No need to give Disney's Health Services folks more work than they already have, or need.
Its more or less done during the Food and Wine Festival, but pace yourself!
TH Creative, theory and practice are two very different things in DATW. Yes, if you stick to that plan, you might make it. But few do, especially among 20-something cast members, IMHE.
Well me (6ft 7" beer monster) my girlfriend and sister did manage it.. Although the girls shared a drink at each place i went all out and had a beer (even if just from a street vendor) in each country. Also as i said Sake in japan at Tokyo Dining..
Im not saying i wasnt drunk because i was lol.. VERY VERY.. but its a fun challenge all the same :-)
It's only 11 drinks over the span of a day. I'm a hefty guy, so that would be a nice buzz, but not anywhere near drunk, especially if it's over a nine hour period.
Then again, I just finished college ... I'll let you know how it goes in August.
Steve Ward is my hero.
EPCOT does have this wine tasting deal that lets you try three glasses of wine in two of the following three: France, Italy, and Germany
When I was there with my parents and brother in May, we sort of did that -- we got a layered margarita in Mexico, a plum wine smoothie in China (they changed it so it's not as good anymore), this insanely good lemonade and cherry liquor drink in Germany, a Grand Marnier slushie in France, and cider in England.
That was a good time.
You can get Free Drink Around the World Showcase passports (just pay S+H) at http://www.DrinkAroundTheWorldShowcase.com You can also get DAWS lanyards for $250 ea.
From J. Dana
Posted August 30, 2010 at 2:57 PM
I'll be doing it in October at the food and wine, which means I might be distracted with little wine offerings along the way...such a dilemma -- it may take me two attempts.
My husband and I did this last year during Food and Wine, we simply had a blast. One drink from each countries stall we ran across, we where feeling happy by the end of the day! I have to say my two favorites where the Frozen Grand Mariner at France and the Mead at Ireland.
Now to not sound like the lush that I am, it was nice to sample new things we normally wouldn't bother to try, needless to stay we'll be doing it again this year while we're down Sept-Oct. It's also very fun to picture text your co-workers who are slaving away in the freezing Pennsylvania Tundra while your on vacation going "Look, I'm drinking in Japan!". We made sure to take a picture of one of us with each drink at each country, it really made for some cool photos and a good memory.
Time for a shameless self-plug!
Check out my Drinking around the World report here!
I ordered my passport!
From sarah g
Posted September 1, 2010 at 8:10 AM
drinking in Norway - Kring La Bakery- Viking Coffee- baileys, kahlua and coffee- pefect on a rainy evening. or any evening, really. especially with their delicious cookies.
From steve lee
Posted September 1, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Don't be silly, Joshua. Ron already has the shameless self-plug covered.
I suppose he beat me to it. Who wants a lanyard, anyway? How many keys could you possibly have?
I don't think I could watch Illuminations without a glass of wine and a pastry from the Patisserie shop! Heaven!!
From Jennie Lea
Posted September 5, 2010 at 12:34 PM
The Cider and Black from The Rose and Crown was mucho disappointing. I did enjoy a frozen margarita though! Have never drunk around thee world showcase but might have a go next year when I visit. Maybe sharing drinks though as I'd like to remember the day!
From Rob P
Posted September 7, 2010 at 4:33 AM
You guys are real lightweights. I mean. Who goes into a watering hole and only has ONE beer.
There's usually at least 2 of you. Well that's a round each for a start. MINIMUM.
So you kick off in Canada for two Mooses before moving onto the Rose & Crown for a couple.
Then you amble over to France for a some glasses of vino. Give Morocco a miss and shtumble into Japan for 2 Kirins bfoer carrying your carcash over to Italy, or wherever. Who am I again ? . Anyway 2 large Peronis later you carry each other through the shrubbery towards Germany. Now thersh a place that loves a sherbert or two. So we do. 2 shte........2 sten.........2 shteins and off we go, whey hey, to whatisname ? Oh yes....China. Tsing Taos all round. Blimey I'm going now. Had enough. Oh. hold on .......there's our old friend Mexico. Got to go and have a bottle or two of Corona or Don Thingamy.............Too late...I'm falling down....wake me up before the fireworks won't you.
Well put, Rob, but you forgot to finish it off with a trip to Mars on Mission: Space, my favourite way to end my drinking day.
The house beer at Biergarten is terrific. The piña coladas in Mexico are also great. The wine in France can be very good. Tsing Tao, Moretti, Strongbow, Moosehead, and the various other ethnic beers/ciders, however, are widely available in my province and are not all that adventurous. Hell, Norway doesn't even serve a Scandinavian drink. Therefore, I recommend buying most of your drinks at Biergarten, the tequila bar in Mexico, and the Rose & Crown, but only if the hat lady is performing or if the bartenders have time for a chat.
From C Bayne
Posted September 8, 2010 at 2:12 PM
Group, The conversation is cracking me up as I am a chick and go every year, multiple times and drink around the world. For those of you that pointed out the heat factor, my boyfriend and I did it during the hot months is about 5 1/2 hours. Normally it takes us about 7 or 8 depending on the people and the weather. We usuallys start with a Moosehead in Canada; followed by a Snakebite (that's Cider and Stella mixed) in England; on to France for a nice glass of wine, then to Morocco for Sangria (Casablanca beer is another choice but doesn't go down as easy or taste as good; next it is Japan, which plum wine is the way to go; US is next with either a Sam Adams (seasonal usually) or a Bud-for those of you who aren't familiar it is the little hut in front or you can go inside to the food area; Italy has wonderful wine and is a great dinner spot with the new pizzeria; Germany follows, which really, I am sure you can guess there is plenty of beer; China, more plum wine or a Tsing Tao beer; Norway offers Carlsburg which is what I usually get or there are always the tasty coffee drinks (especially in the winter); and last we have Mexico, which if you haven't experienced the inside Tequila bar, check it out, and the new, outdoor area is set to open for the Food and Wine Fest. If you are going to F&W Fest, be sure to check out all the other stands with choices of mixed and frozen drinks, and DO NOT miss the lamb at the Australian tent... SO GOOD! :)
From Rob P
Posted September 9, 2010 at 2:00 AM
Joshua...you must have a cast iron stomach.....Mission : Space after a drinking session ???
It's me who's the lightweight now. I wouldn't even get on that the day AFTER !!!
Jungle Cruise maybe but not M:Space.
I've considered uploading the footage I took of my drinking around the world excursion. Rather than start in Canada or Mexico and make our way around, we visited countries based on what live entertainment was playing.
Mission: Space was an amazing way to top the day. The footage of us in the capsule is priceless.
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