Fangirls, this weekend I’m embarking on a trip down to Florida to meet up with my Ohana and do Disney together for the first time in 3 years. I’ve missed them all so much, and feel like there is so much to catch up on. People have gotten married, others engaged, more tattoos, lives have just changed. One thing that has (obviously) changed, is our age. All of us are now legal drinking age. In Walt Disney World, that gives us a couple new options; drinking at Gaston’s Tavern in the Magic Kingdom, and drinking around the world in EPCoT.
We’ve planned to drink around the world, and though I’m nervous, I feel ready. For the most part, I have a very high alcohol tolerance, and have drank quite a bit in one sitting before. I feel like this shouldn’t be too difficult, but I’ve also seen the aftermath of drinking around the world.
You see, Fangirls, I used to work at EPCoT. Seeing people staggering around the world was something I saw very often at work. I even remember one fellow who lived in the same complex as me riding the bus home after his friends ditched him when he decided to take a nap after drinking around the world. From everything I’ve heard and seen, it’s quite an experience.
I’ve gotten ahead of myself a bit. Drinking around the world is a task many twenty-something’s give themselves in EPCoT’s World Showcase. The World Showcase is a loop of countries in the back of EPCoT that immerses visitors in each location. There is Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In each of these immersive experiences, there are different alcohols, each from that country (ie: in France there is Champagne, Germany has beer, etc). Though the drinking isn’t the most interesting piece in the World Showcase, it’s an exciting one for people over 21.
So I’m excited. But also terrified. It’s a lot of drinking to do, and the drinks aren’t cheap. Luckily, my Ohana has decided to split drinks (not all six of us to one drink, but we’re pairing up); that way the expense and drunkenness will be slightly less. Like I said, I have a pretty high tolerance, but a very empty wallet.
So how the heck does one prepare for a trip to drink around the world? I think the most important part is knowing your limit, and making sure your knowledge of your limit is current. Before I “prepared” for this, the last time I drank to excess was last June. Not the most recent poll of my drinking. So I started day drinking on the weekends. Not a ton, at first, but enough to know how long it took me to get a buzz. That, and I walk a lot. The World Showcase isn’t too massive, but it’s pretty darn big, and I haven’t been around it in ages.
Another thing we did was research. We looked up the best drinks to get (and which direction to start from, Mexico or Canada; it’s Mexico) and we found this helpful site, with suggestions of what to drink in each country. The list was devised to let people know which drinks are available, and which order will make you the least sick. Good information when you’re all sharing a hotel bathroom.
So wish me luck, Fangirls. I’ll be doing my best to live tweet the experience, and can’t wait to share it with you, but who knows how well that’ll go. To all those who plan on drinking around the world; do so with caution. The aftermath can be very bad news, and it’s very very important to know your limits. And always remember: stay hydrated and eat a lot. The more water and food in your body, the faster your recovery will be.
All images and characters depicted are copyright of their respective owners.
