Day 4 of our vacation is the most anticipated day because we'll be visiting EPCOT, our favorite park at WDW. This day is also anticipated because Donna and I will make our first attempt at "Drinking Around the World" (DAW) as we tour the World Showcase. Our day will start a bit later than it has been during this trip. Given our plan, the extra hour of sleep may not look like a lot but we believe it will make a difference.
Breakfast with the "Big" Dog!!!
So, the plan calls for an 8:30am reservation at our favorite character meal "Cape May Cafe with Goofy" at the Beach Club resort. This is the breakfast we "do not" miss! This will also be the 2nd of 3 planned character meals with my dog Goofy. Now as of the writing of this article there is some question as to whether this character meal will happen on this day. Because of how we want to travel to HS on Wednesday (the adventure trip) we could change our breakfast reservation at the Cape May to Wednesday to accommodate our travel plans on that day.........
Whew that's a lot to say.............suffice it to say I will update these plans as we get closer to the big day.
Let's spend the morning Soaring!
During our May 2013 trip we didn't get a chance to fly on "Soar'in". This was because of (1) poor planning and (2) bigger crowds at EPCOT when we visited. With our trip timing for the lower crowd period in September and the advent of FastPass+ we will "not" miss Soar'in this time around. The big decision here is when to schedule the ride. Do we Soar right after breakfast (where ever it is....) or do we wait until just before lunch? As of right now I have it in at 10am, which I'm a bit sketchy about given we'll just be coming off breakfast. So this timing is very open, who knows if we get lucky maybe 2 rides on Soar'in!!!
As you've already guessed our morning will be spent in Future World. So with the decision regarding Soar'in made we've got our morning wide open. The one ride that both Donna and I want to get on is Test Track. TT has been updated since our last time on it (we also missed riding TT during our May 2013 trip...........poor planning again) Because both Soar'in and Test Track are in the same FP+ group we don't anticipate being able to schedule a ride, however given our September timing we also don't anticipate huge crowds at the park either.
Planning for crowds
Understanding the crowd expectations for our trip is one of my most important planning tools. I accomplish this by using "Touringplans.com" to access historical data and anticipated data regarding crowds during our visit. Keep in mind there is a fee for this site but it's worth it in my opinion. Not only do you get access to the historical and anticipated crowd data but you can then down load their app to your phone and get great info on wait times, restaurant menus, and touring plans for each park at WDW. I may have written this in previous posts but it's an important point one that can really help.
Under the Sea..........for lunch
Because of our main plan of DAW we're looking at a later than usual lunch........which also lines up with our later than usual breakfast. Originally I was thinking of counter service for lunch but once Donna read up on the "Coral Reef" restaurant she was sold...............so our plan is for a late lunch at the Coral Reef. I had dinner with my children at the Coral Reef back in 1998 during our first trip to Epcot. For the kids it was quite an experience. Not only did they get to see the huge "fish tank" with a Shark during their dinner but we were also treated to humans swimming with the fishes too!
Back in 1998 the food at the Coral Reef was nothing special. And in many reviews I've read, that still could be the case in 2014. While I grew up on the Jersey Shore I've never been a big seafood person however Donna loves seafood. She really wants to visit this restaurant so our hope is the food will be good. Sometimes you have to take a chance, and it will be fun to watch the fishes.
The real EPCOT adventure begins - Drinking Around the World
After filling up at lunch our EPCOT adventure begins. Now it's pretty obvious that DAW is a purely ADULT activity, so if you have children under 21 you'll need to plan your visit to the World Showcase a bit differently.
To begin we're at the Coral Reef restaurant when the adventure starts the big question is which way to start..........do we walk Southeast past Spaceship Earth then South through the center of Future World and finally to the West (right).....or.........move Southeast past Spaceship Earth and then South through the center of Future World to the East(left). If we go west our DAW adventure begins in Canada and if we go East we'll start in Mexico. What do we do? Well our path is dictated by our dinner plans. We'll be starting off by moving EAST to Mexico. (So have you guessed where dinner will be?)
Some planning thoughts before we start
There's great planning info on the internet regarding this adventure. One that I particularly liked, although the title leaves a bit to be desired, is good and isn't that old, is this link from "EasyWDW" http://www.easywdw.com/adults/drink-around-the-world-at-epcot-world-showcase-disney-world/
While DAW sounds like a lot of fun, it's important to keep in mind that this is alcohol. You must know your limitations. There's no award for completing this in all 11 countries (although that is the goal). Know yourself.
Our plan is to drink primarily beer........in some countries a small beer (as small as I can get). Now we may try wine in countries like France but for the most part we're trying to avoid mixing. If and that's a big "IF" mixing occurs it will be early in the adventure (Mexico has the best shot.....pun intended)
We're starting with full bellies which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the volume of alcohol. However keeping hydrated during this will be vital during the DAW and help avoid a hangover the next day. So in between countries we plan on large amounts of water. We also will be having small snacks from about Italy moving on.........just to keep from getting too inebriated. The point of this, for Donna and I is the taste the different beers in each country........to get a flavor for the culture through their beer. It is not to get "fall down" drunk..........been there done that...........can't do it any longer.
Finally, you need to consider and plan for the cost of DAW because it could be substantial. If you consider $10 per drink (minimum) as your price point, for 2 people that's $220 total for the entire endeavor and that's probably on the short side..........although "Sharing" is not out of the question in some countries. For our trip I'm setting aside $300 for DAW, this is a separate savings only done for this portion of the trip, and it doesn't include our dinner.
Begin at the Beginning
The plan is to begin our adventure sometime around 2:30pm in Mexico. If there's a spot where alcohol other than beer could be consumed it's here. Margarita's and Tequila are Mexican staples.........if we go with that we'll be slowing down in the next several countries. However Mexico is the home of Corona!!
Norway and China
Our expectation at both Norway and China is trying a local beer. In Norway that would be Carlsberg, something we've tried before. We're less familiar with Chinese beer but we know it exists so that's probably how we'll role.............but this is just the plan. Nothing set in stone.
Guten Tag....welcome to Germany!
In Germany we're most definitely partaking in a BEER! I prefer lighter beers so that's where I'll be concentrating. Donna is a fan of the heartier stout style beers and this is the place for that style. The one thing we don't have to worry about is variety..........this is GERMANY where BEER is King! Also we both love this country and we'll more than likely spend a bit of extra time here shopping.
Italia............wine will probably be the choice
As we enter Italy we're about at the half way point in our journey. Our hope is to hit Italy around 4:30/4:45 or so. This is another place where we may choose to move away from beer and to wine. It's also a good place to take a checkpoint on how you feel. Your only half way thru..........so the check point here allows you to adjust your timing and future alcohol consumption.............but always remember the water to keep hydrated!
USA! USA! USA!
At the start of the second half of the adventure we begin in the USA. My guess is this will be a beer stop and also another opportunity to shop. Short but sweet........USA! USA! USA!
Off on the road to Japan?.........and then Morocco
Entering Japan you might be thinking "Sake".........but I'm thinking Japanese beer. The beer is unexpectedly good at this stop. (at least I liked it during past visit). Reading up on Japan.......it was explained that Sake is a "liquor similar to beer" (see the linked internet article identified at the start of this section). Sorry but I'm sticking with regular beer...........my bet is Donna will try the Sake.
As for Morocco, we haven't a clue, mostly because we really haven't spent a lot of time at this pavilion. This will give us an opportunity to look around a bit more. So we'll have to see what happens. Surprises can be fun..........right?
Bon Jour, welcome to France
If its France it must be time for wine...........right? That's what we're thinking. Again having not spent a ton of time at the France pavilion during previous visits to Epcot I'm not quite sure how much or what will be offered but in my readings wine should be aplenty along with champagne.........and even beer! If we get here before 6:30 or so there could even be some time for shopping.
If its England.......then a decision must be made?
So did you guess right.........we're planning dinner in England. Specifically at the Rose & Crown Pub. Given dinner is here, we can save our beer for dinner. However that means we do have 1 pavilion left we haven't yet visited...........Canada! We're looking at (hoping for...) a 7:30pm reservation at the R&C so we can eat and watch Illuminations (looking for a patio seat for this). So if we arrive in the UK before 7pm................we'll walk through to..................
O'Canada
Unfortunately because Canada will be last on our adventure it will be short changed in terms of visit time, that's just inevitable. If we get to the UK before 7pm we'll walk right through and into Canada for a quick beer. I'm looking for a Moosehead myself..........a great before dinner beer! Not sure how Donna will go but this visit will be quick.......if before dinner.
If we can't make Canada before dinner then will be there right after Illuminations and on our way out. It won't be that bad for Canada as we're planning a trip to Ontario in August of this year. So Canada will get its props!
Summing it up.........an eventful day!
With dinner and fireworks from the Rose & Crown we end (see above for the caveat) our day on a high note..........and hopefully on our feet! I'm exhausted just writing about it! Keep in mind the Epcot park hours will have an impact on how the day ends. Hopefully we'll have an 11pm closing time. No matter what, I would imagine it will be a crowded bus back to the Wilderness Lodge. That won't be bad though unless..............well you know what I mean :-)
You'll note this plan has the most detail of any I've written about to date. Knowing that, I would imagine that it will be the most apt to change over time. Also note that timing will be important but it won't, nor should it stop the fun. Our DAW plan is just that a plan..........if we don't do it this time.........there most definitely will be another. It's about having fun and being smart!
Next up..............Day 5, our Final day.........and our visit to Animal Kingdom!
Breakfast with the "Big" Dog!!!
So, the plan calls for an 8:30am reservation at our favorite character meal "Cape May Cafe with Goofy" at the Beach Club resort. This is the breakfast we "do not" miss! This will also be the 2nd of 3 planned character meals with my dog Goofy. Now as of the writing of this article there is some question as to whether this character meal will happen on this day. Because of how we want to travel to HS on Wednesday (the adventure trip) we could change our breakfast reservation at the Cape May to Wednesday to accommodate our travel plans on that day.........
Whew that's a lot to say.............suffice it to say I will update these plans as we get closer to the big day.
Let's spend the morning Soaring!
During our May 2013 trip we didn't get a chance to fly on "Soar'in". This was because of (1) poor planning and (2) bigger crowds at EPCOT when we visited. With our trip timing for the lower crowd period in September and the advent of FastPass+ we will "not" miss Soar'in this time around. The big decision here is when to schedule the ride. Do we Soar right after breakfast (where ever it is....) or do we wait until just before lunch? As of right now I have it in at 10am, which I'm a bit sketchy about given we'll just be coming off breakfast. So this timing is very open, who knows if we get lucky maybe 2 rides on Soar'in!!!
As you've already guessed our morning will be spent in Future World. So with the decision regarding Soar'in made we've got our morning wide open. The one ride that both Donna and I want to get on is Test Track. TT has been updated since our last time on it (we also missed riding TT during our May 2013 trip...........poor planning again) Because both Soar'in and Test Track are in the same FP+ group we don't anticipate being able to schedule a ride, however given our September timing we also don't anticipate huge crowds at the park either.
Planning for crowds
Understanding the crowd expectations for our trip is one of my most important planning tools. I accomplish this by using "Touringplans.com" to access historical data and anticipated data regarding crowds during our visit. Keep in mind there is a fee for this site but it's worth it in my opinion. Not only do you get access to the historical and anticipated crowd data but you can then down load their app to your phone and get great info on wait times, restaurant menus, and touring plans for each park at WDW. I may have written this in previous posts but it's an important point one that can really help.
Under the Sea..........for lunch
Because of our main plan of DAW we're looking at a later than usual lunch........which also lines up with our later than usual breakfast. Originally I was thinking of counter service for lunch but once Donna read up on the "Coral Reef" restaurant she was sold...............so our plan is for a late lunch at the Coral Reef. I had dinner with my children at the Coral Reef back in 1998 during our first trip to Epcot. For the kids it was quite an experience. Not only did they get to see the huge "fish tank" with a Shark during their dinner but we were also treated to humans swimming with the fishes too!
Back in 1998 the food at the Coral Reef was nothing special. And in many reviews I've read, that still could be the case in 2014. While I grew up on the Jersey Shore I've never been a big seafood person however Donna loves seafood. She really wants to visit this restaurant so our hope is the food will be good. Sometimes you have to take a chance, and it will be fun to watch the fishes.
The real EPCOT adventure begins - Drinking Around the World
After filling up at lunch our EPCOT adventure begins. Now it's pretty obvious that DAW is a purely ADULT activity, so if you have children under 21 you'll need to plan your visit to the World Showcase a bit differently.
To begin we're at the Coral Reef restaurant when the adventure starts the big question is which way to start..........do we walk Southeast past Spaceship Earth then South through the center of Future World and finally to the West (right).....or.........move Southeast past Spaceship Earth and then South through the center of Future World to the East(left). If we go west our DAW adventure begins in Canada and if we go East we'll start in Mexico. What do we do? Well our path is dictated by our dinner plans. We'll be starting off by moving EAST to Mexico. (So have you guessed where dinner will be?)
Some planning thoughts before we start
There's great planning info on the internet regarding this adventure. One that I particularly liked, although the title leaves a bit to be desired, is good and isn't that old, is this link from "EasyWDW" http://www.easywdw.com/adults/drink-around-the-world-at-epcot-world-showcase-disney-world/
While DAW sounds like a lot of fun, it's important to keep in mind that this is alcohol. You must know your limitations. There's no award for completing this in all 11 countries (although that is the goal). Know yourself.
Our plan is to drink primarily beer........in some countries a small beer (as small as I can get). Now we may try wine in countries like France but for the most part we're trying to avoid mixing. If and that's a big "IF" mixing occurs it will be early in the adventure (Mexico has the best shot.....pun intended)
We're starting with full bellies which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the volume of alcohol. However keeping hydrated during this will be vital during the DAW and help avoid a hangover the next day. So in between countries we plan on large amounts of water. We also will be having small snacks from about Italy moving on.........just to keep from getting too inebriated. The point of this, for Donna and I is the taste the different beers in each country........to get a flavor for the culture through their beer. It is not to get "fall down" drunk..........been there done that...........can't do it any longer.
Finally, you need to consider and plan for the cost of DAW because it could be substantial. If you consider $10 per drink (minimum) as your price point, for 2 people that's $220 total for the entire endeavor and that's probably on the short side..........although "Sharing" is not out of the question in some countries. For our trip I'm setting aside $300 for DAW, this is a separate savings only done for this portion of the trip, and it doesn't include our dinner.
Begin at the Beginning
The plan is to begin our adventure sometime around 2:30pm in Mexico. If there's a spot where alcohol other than beer could be consumed it's here. Margarita's and Tequila are Mexican staples.........if we go with that we'll be slowing down in the next several countries. However Mexico is the home of Corona!!
Norway and China
Our expectation at both Norway and China is trying a local beer. In Norway that would be Carlsberg, something we've tried before. We're less familiar with Chinese beer but we know it exists so that's probably how we'll role.............but this is just the plan. Nothing set in stone.
Guten Tag....welcome to Germany!
In Germany we're most definitely partaking in a BEER! I prefer lighter beers so that's where I'll be concentrating. Donna is a fan of the heartier stout style beers and this is the place for that style. The one thing we don't have to worry about is variety..........this is GERMANY where BEER is King! Also we both love this country and we'll more than likely spend a bit of extra time here shopping.
Italia............wine will probably be the choice
As we enter Italy we're about at the half way point in our journey. Our hope is to hit Italy around 4:30/4:45 or so. This is another place where we may choose to move away from beer and to wine. It's also a good place to take a checkpoint on how you feel. Your only half way thru..........so the check point here allows you to adjust your timing and future alcohol consumption.............but always remember the water to keep hydrated!
USA! USA! USA!
At the start of the second half of the adventure we begin in the USA. My guess is this will be a beer stop and also another opportunity to shop. Short but sweet........USA! USA! USA!
Off on the road to Japan?.........and then Morocco
Entering Japan you might be thinking "Sake".........but I'm thinking Japanese beer. The beer is unexpectedly good at this stop. (at least I liked it during past visit). Reading up on Japan.......it was explained that Sake is a "liquor similar to beer" (see the linked internet article identified at the start of this section). Sorry but I'm sticking with regular beer...........my bet is Donna will try the Sake.
As for Morocco, we haven't a clue, mostly because we really haven't spent a lot of time at this pavilion. This will give us an opportunity to look around a bit more. So we'll have to see what happens. Surprises can be fun..........right?
Bon Jour, welcome to France
If its France it must be time for wine...........right? That's what we're thinking. Again having not spent a ton of time at the France pavilion during previous visits to Epcot I'm not quite sure how much or what will be offered but in my readings wine should be aplenty along with champagne.........and even beer! If we get here before 6:30 or so there could even be some time for shopping.
If its England.......then a decision must be made?
So did you guess right.........we're planning dinner in England. Specifically at the Rose & Crown Pub. Given dinner is here, we can save our beer for dinner. However that means we do have 1 pavilion left we haven't yet visited...........Canada! We're looking at (hoping for...) a 7:30pm reservation at the R&C so we can eat and watch Illuminations (looking for a patio seat for this). So if we arrive in the UK before 7pm................we'll walk through to..................
O'Canada
Unfortunately because Canada will be last on our adventure it will be short changed in terms of visit time, that's just inevitable. If we get to the UK before 7pm we'll walk right through and into Canada for a quick beer. I'm looking for a Moosehead myself..........a great before dinner beer! Not sure how Donna will go but this visit will be quick.......if before dinner.
If we can't make Canada before dinner then will be there right after Illuminations and on our way out. It won't be that bad for Canada as we're planning a trip to Ontario in August of this year. So Canada will get its props!
Summing it up.........an eventful day!
With dinner and fireworks from the Rose & Crown we end (see above for the caveat) our day on a high note..........and hopefully on our feet! I'm exhausted just writing about it! Keep in mind the Epcot park hours will have an impact on how the day ends. Hopefully we'll have an 11pm closing time. No matter what, I would imagine it will be a crowded bus back to the Wilderness Lodge. That won't be bad though unless..............well you know what I mean :-)
You'll note this plan has the most detail of any I've written about to date. Knowing that, I would imagine that it will be the most apt to change over time. Also note that timing will be important but it won't, nor should it stop the fun. Our DAW plan is just that a plan..........if we don't do it this time.........there most definitely will be another. It's about having fun and being smart!
Next up..............Day 5, our Final day.........and our visit to Animal Kingdom!