EPCOT is my favorite park among all the Disney World Resort theme parks. People make a point to try drinks around the world—that’s 11 stops. In all honesty, there were some countries I didn’t care too much about. I’d rather triple fist in France and double in Italy because the selections better suit my taste buds.
Check out my EPCOT experience from a year ago!
France
For a girl who hates sandwiches, I was obsessed with the Jambon Beurre from Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. It’s a simple French sandwich with ham, brie cheese, and Dijon mustard over a demi-baguette. It is simple, but delicious. Of course, I had to pair this order with Malard champagne. Absolute chef’s kiss.
The Champagne Bar is another hidden gem – it is not Le Vins des Chefs de France. It’s indoors where you can order champagne, wine, and beer. I am absolutely in love with the champagne selections, including Veuve Clicquot, Nicolas Feuillatte, Moet & Chandon, and even Dom Perignon. I rolled with my second glass here and enjoyed some Veuve Clicquot. This was where I realized higher quality of bubbles is the way to go.
We also closed out the night with dinner at Chefs de France. Disney does a phenomenal job of hiring cast members from specific regions. We had the cutest server who spoke perfect French. Steph and I took French in high school, but the cute server outschooled us. We shared the Ratatouille Provençale – and it was phenomenal. Now I know what to expect when I serve this dish. I ordered the Boeuf Bourguignon, but substituted the pasta with mashed potatoes, as recommended by the server. Boy, this dish did NOT disappoint.
America
If you love the famous Disney Mint Julep, you will love the Frozen Mint Julep from America. Just add Jim Bean and blend it up. We definitely tasted the alcohol in this and had to take a break.
Italy
I found a GORGEOUS silk scarf in Italy. I totally skipped the drinks here because I double-fisted at the Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar the day before. Make sure to order the espresso martini here.
Japan
Japan is probably my favorite, architecture-wise. China was the second closest. I ordered the Tokyo Sunset last year and forgot that it was a fairly weak drink. If you’re looking for something light with coconut rum, peach, banana liqueur, and pineapple juice, this is perfect. If you’re looking for something harder, go for the sake. However, considering what we just went through with America, this was a good segue back.
There is a Japanese store within that was giving Little Tokyo. There were Japanese trinkets like Funko Pops, jewelry, oyster shucking (for pearls), kimonos, and more. I was desperate for a snack and opted for the seaweed snacks. It was great until I had to carry it around.
Mexico
You HAVE to check out La Cava del Tequila. This bar has over 200 tequilas to choose from. Last year, we had the Avocado Margarita, which was great. I wasn’t feeling it this year and opted for the Highland Coffee Margarita. Honestly, this was a better alternative than the espresso martini from Italy (at the time). It was a hot day, the drink was refreshing, and you could barely taste the tequila.
However, my absolute favorite snack from Mexico was the mini churros. Disneyland’s (California) churros are better by far. But if you’re in Florida, EPCOT has you covered. I didn’t bother dipping them with the accompanying sauce. It was enjoyed as-is.
EPCOT Fireworks
The best place to view fireworks is in front of Italy or France. The goal is to see the island in the middle. If you start crossing the bridge from France to the United Kingdom, cross it entirely for a better view. A huge tree next to the bridge obstructs your view. I loved the firework show SO MUCH.
