EPCOT! 02/13/26

Morning all! Ash here and it’s EPCOT Day! Finally, I’m gonna drink around the world with Anth! I’ve been wanting to do this forever, and I can’t wait to get to the park. Now I forgot to mention this yesterday, but when we were traipsing around Disney Springs looking at pins, Anth asked me which one specifically I was looking for. Begrudgingly, I told him about the official pin. When we got back to the room he had a little wrapped gift for me…the boy did well.

He had ordered it before it sold out and brought it here. So it’s now the day before Valentine’s Day, we’re going to EPCOT for the Art Festival, and it’s Friday the 13th - what could go wrong??

For outfits I have on white golf shorts, a multicolored sweater, a Minnie multicolored purse with beats that step out, and a multicolored set of ears, all of which match the white mickey shirt with paint splotches on it that Anthony was wearing. It’s the Art Festival, gotta look the part!

Another quick coffee and burrito stop at Cafe Rix before hoping on the bus and getting in line to enter. I made a mistake, and it’s something I hope I can help you learn from. I guess earlier in the week I used my index finger on my left hand to gain entry into Hollywood Studios. I kept trying to use my right thumb to gain entry into EPCOT and the gate wouldn’t let me pass. It was a frustrating couple of minutes, and thankfully the gate attendants pulled up my previous scans, told me what I was doing wrong and helped us get through. I was so embarrassed for holding up the line. That being said, I hope you learn from me.

Whatever finger you use at your first park, you need to remember to use at all the parks for that trip. Sounds intuitive, but it’s also something you don’t think about. I hushed Anthony as he was making some joke about my blonde highlights.

Gameplan

Now, Frozen Ever After had just reopened up the day prior, leaving behind the 3D projections for animatronics. We had been following some of the Facebook posts about EPCOT and we overheard guests in the elevator at Wilderness Lodge, all talking about how the line to get into Frozen was over three hours long and stretched the whole way to Germany!

I told Anth that there was no way people would waste their entire day when there’s so much else to do, but he had a really good point - influencers and reporters were likely sent to ride that ride and that ride only so that it could be reported online. So note to self, and note to all, if a high profile ride is reopening, reconsider making that ride a priority if you’re planning on returning to Disney in the near future.

I went through that ramble because we were game planning our day. Should we rope drop Frozen? I didn’t want to do Guardians right away, and I bought Lightning Lanes for the day. We were standing in line, considering our options and we decided to just say, the heck with it. If we get a chance to ride Frozen, we’ll get around to it. So instead, we Rope Dropped Breakfast! We tore off for France, and honestly, it was nice to walk through the World Showcase that early in the morning and see only a few other guests. It was like an early morning walk through the park, just seeing a few others that were leisurely taking their time, staying away from the bustle over at Guardians or Test Track. 

World Showcase

France (Las Halles Boulangerie)

Our first drink of the day would be a mimosa at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patasseie. We walked up roughly around 8:15, and it was cold, very cold. A few other patrons were walking out of the shop, having been kicked out since they weren’t officially opened yet. A group of us all started a line, and while we waited the castmembers inside were nice enough to bring us some fresh brewed coffee and hot chocolate! Anth grabbed more caffeine while I took a hot chocolate, which warmed me right up. We split the mimosa and a ham, egg, and cheese croissant. Nothing too crazy, but country down!

Norway (Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe)

I love Viking Coffee. That’s all I’m going to say. I think I’d drink it every morning if I could. Anthony liked it, but said it was a little rich for him.

China (Joy of Tea)

Are we going out of order? Kind of. Truth be told, we didn’t just walk around the World Showcase and then over to the rest of the park for rides and attractions. It was a lot of back and forth, which is important if you want to drink around the world and not be a drunk nuisance. For here we had the Lychee Cha Cha. It was light and sweet, which was perfect after the heavy Viking Coffee.

Mexico (La Cava De Tequilla)

In the pyramid we went to La Cava De Tequilla and requested Dom’s specialty drink. You can order anything on the menu, but there are designer special drinks that rotate through, and I was not passing up the chance to try it. Key thing though, you need to tell them, “Dom sent me” or any other special phrase they have at the time. The drink was the La Artgarita. Let’s just say our morning was going very well at this point.

Japan (Sake Bar)

Maybe we were feeling the alchy. Maybe we were just tired from the previous days, either way, it took us awhile to find the Sake Bar. We thought, oh, a bar, it should be inside the pavilion, maybe by the pearls or back by the katanas. Something we had just overlooked the other times we’d been to Epcot. Nope. The Sake Bar is a small stand outside of the main pavilion. We ordered the Violet Sake, and Anthony loved it. He said it reminded him of church wine, but only it was good. It did have a rich cranberry taste, sweet enough to tingle the tastebuds but just tart enough to balance out the sweet. Definitely a great drink.

Morocco (Spice Road Table Bar)

I’ve heard great things about the Moroccan Mule, and I was excited to try one. We grabbed it and headed out to check out the Art pavilions that were available. Maybe it was the colors of the art, maybe it was the drinks, but everything seemed to pop after taking a few sips of the Mule. It was sooooo good. Don’t pass it up.

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Germany (Sommerfest)

Sometimes, the plan just needs changed. We are in Germany, and we should get a beer, but something that heavy doesn’t feel right as it’s now getting warm outside. I ditched my sweater as the steps, the sun, and the alchy were making me feel too hot. Now we did get the Pretzel Bread Pudding, which was absolutely amazing and I will get every time I come back to Germany, but as we wandered through we got to Weinkeller. They have their signature Mozart Chocolate Cream Liqueur shot. We both ordered one. Anth took the time to let the flavors sit on his tongue before downing it, me on the other hand, I simply wanted to get the drink out of the way! He said it was very rich, probably something he wouldn’t order again, but it was definitely worth trying. 

U.S.A (Regal Eagle)

Anthony here, taking over to talk about team USA. My wonderful sister brought me to Disney in 2023, and our first park was EPCOT. She taught me the ropes, one of them being, always get the Blackberry Moonshine. It’s at the Regal Eagle, the far left of the American Pavilion, and it’s amazing. The sweetness dissipates the alcohol, and it’s a drink you could start your day with. It is a staple for me at EPCOT, and I vow, God as my witness, that every time I come to EPCOT I will celebrate the memories of my first time (as an adult) with a Blackberry Moonshine.

Italy (Gelateria Toscana)

Alright, back to Ash. Anth really wanted to go back to France for the ice cream, but I told him it wasn’t on the itinerary! I had spiked gelato as our evening dessert! He understood the assignment and we went from America down to Italy. We got the Martini Mania, because I love an expresso martini. It was good, but I think at this point Anth was simply over chocolate.

Canada (Popcorn Canada)

The Ottawa Apple is now a mainstay for what we will get when coming to EPCOT. This beverage was simply delicious. Sour and strong, but the flavors  are instantly craving for more. I struggled to get it back from Anth once I gave it to him to taste!

United Kingdom (Rose & Crown Pub)

It was late at this point. Very Late. We had walked something like 32,000 steps between the World Showcase and the rides. A part of me wanted to forgo this last stop, but we were so close to drinking around the world. We sucked it up and made our way into the Rose & Crown, Anth nudging me forward to the bar. We got our Leaping Leprechaun and got out of the crowded pub and onto the streets. It was great, but we also feel like we didn’t give it a proper try since we were so tired and had drank all day. Gonna give it another shot next time we’re at the park.

Rankings

	Anth	Ash
1	Ottawa Apple	Viking Coffee
2	La Artgarita	Moroccan Mule
3	Blackberry Moonshine	Ottawa Apple
4	Moroccan Mule	La Artgarita
5	Violet Sake	Violet Sake
6	Leaping Leprechaun	Leaping Leprechaun
7	Lychee Cha Cha	Blackberry Moonshine
8	Viking Coffee	Mozart Chocolate Cream
9	Italian Gelato	Lychee Cha Cha
10	Mozart Chocolate Cream	Italian Gelato
11	Mimosa	Mimosa

Rides

Living with the Land

Anth here for the rides portion. We were over at The Land early in the day and jumped on one of the boats to see an EPCOT treasure. Seeing the innovations that are being made to increase food yield is always really cool to me because you recognize just how fragile everything is. We’re all hinging on what farmers are able to provide us, and to see other ways and means by which we create sustenance for all is pretty interesting to a nerd like me. Also, kuddo’s to the mom sitting in front of us who had one kid on either side and was pointing out things to her kids and helping stir their imaginations, learning and wonder. Might sound corny, but I don’t care. I respect good parenting when I see it. 

Soarin

I don’t remember riding Soarin when I was a kid, so it was kind of a new experience for me. The ride is fun and cool, nothing over the top, but a good break away from everything. I of course love feeling like I’m going across the mountain tops or over the plains, and the wind rushing past is a nice touch.

Figment

He’s weird. It’s that simple. That being said, I appreciate this ride for the message, both for kids and for us adults that have forgotten how to imagine. We can accomplish so much if we lean into our imaginations. Don’t forsake your ability to remain youthful in your mind, keep imagining how great things can be. For us kids of the 90's, I guess we need to think back to Robin Williams saying Bang-A-Rang!

Spaceship Earth

Nerd Alert! You better believe it. I love this ride. Now, before we go forward, my Planning Queen Ashley did a good job today, and I need to give her kuddo’s. She did buy Lightning Lanes for today, only because she had so much on her itinerary between Drinking Around the World, rides, character meet and greets, and other activities. So she set a LL for Spaceship Earth at 10:30 in the morning. They let us scan in twenty minutes early, and while we were in line she pulled up the My Disney Experience App to see if Frozen was now active for LL’s, which it was. She booked us for a ride later that evening, which was perfect. We now didn’t have to wait for long queues, and were going to get our chance at the new Frozen experience. So note that when a ride like Frozen comes back into the fold, if you’ve already booked your LL’s for the day, after you burn your first one, see if that ride is available, or any others that you’re looking for. People switch up their LL’s and other reservations all the time, so keeping an eye on t0he My Disney App can give you an experience you were planning on but can make part of your trip.

Okay, back to Spaceship Earth. Great ride that just feels perfect every time. I’m a history and science nerd, and hearing Dame Judy Dench narrate is a gem. Maybe this ride is corny for some, but for me, it’s just a great time.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

This was the first ride I took at Disney as an adult, so this is special to me. Thinking back of riding it with my sister and my nephew, being awestruck by how the graphics and car made you feel like you were on the adventure were so much fun. They had just changed the ride away from the 3D graphics and pushed them into 2D, to which I must say, I’m sorry James Cameron, I never cared for 3D. Fun ride, and the “downgrade” to 2D actually made it better for me as I didn’t end up feeling nauseous.

Guardians of the Galaxy

I’ve always been weary of this ride. I love Tron, and we’ll get to that eventually, but all rides I have to be mindful of what I’m doing. I have chronic migraines, so lights and sounds have a tendency to set me off and cause kind of a mini-seizure (movie theaters are a struggle for me). So, yeah, I take it easy on the rides so I can function throughout the day. Well, I sucked it up because everyone raves about this one, and if I can handle Tron and Rockin, I’ll make it through this.

The pre-show is hilarious and fun. It’s well put together, and the ride itself, well it’s amazing. Flying backwards, Ash hanging onto me for dear life, and I’m yelling to go faster and faster. Circling around the moon while music is blasting behind your ears, the air rushing past your face - what an awesome experience. Definitely one of the best in all of Disney.

Frozen

Now Ash had gotten me to watch the movies a few weeks ago, and now i’m always wondering if someone wants to build a snowman? It’s a cute ride and the animatronics are really well done. I smiled when I saw Marshmallow and Olaf, and truly appreciate being in the Frozen world. I will say this, those songs are catchy, and those ladies have such powerful voices.

Activities

Ash back on the keys. I had plans. A lot of plans. Too many plans. I wanted to do the Sea Base Aquarium, the Art Wall, Disney on Broadway, Once upon a Stage Exhibit, the Animation Academy, the Lorcarna Card Quest, Moana Journey of Water in the evening, and all the character meet and greets. Almost none of these happened.

We got the free Lorcarna Cards, and we attempted to do the quest, but honestly, we were so focused elsewhere. We did meet Figment and did the Disney Visa Meet and Greet with Minnie and Pluto, but didn’t get to any other character meets.

The only other thing we did was Moana Journey of Water, which you see plenty of pictures of on the site. I’m so glad I got a new phone before we left, because those pictures are amazing (IPhone 17).

That was it. We did nothing else. After 36,000 steps, some of those being getting to the bus stop later in the evening, Anthony finding someone’s magic band and running back to security so that person could get it back, we simply couldn’t do it all.

We had an AMAZING day at EPCOT. We did so much, and we still feel like we could use another full day. Some people say EPCOT is a half day, and that might be true if you’re only here for the rides, but there’s so much more. Love this park!