Throughout the year, Walt Disney World is host to many different conventions and festivals. Recently the World was overrun by cheerleaders for a national competition. In April Magic Kingdom will play host to Grad Nite! a celebration for local High School seniors to celebrate their accomplishments. In the fall Epcot hosts its most popular festival, the Wine and Food Festival. The spring offers Epcot's second most popular festival, the International Flower and Garden Festival. This year it will run from March 3rd to May 16th.
Disney's horticulture team pulls out all the stops during these few months transforming Epcot into a blossoming wonderland. Millions of blooming flowers are placed throughout the park along side hundreds of Disney-themed topiaries. A butterfly garden completes this celebration of spring-time.
One of the best parts about this festival is the fact that it is included in the price of your admission ticket.
Strolling through the various flowers inspires guests to participate in one of Epcot's most famous attractions: Drinking Around the World. Though expensive at times, Drinking Around the World is a rite of passage for most guests. Though this is not part of any guide-map you get in Disney, there is a large following complete with a set of rules... well... more like guidelines.
1. All drinking must take place in the designated country.
2. Excursions will always take place in a counter-clockwise direction.
2a. (corollary) No breaks will be allowed unless predetermined locations are agreed upon.
3. The specialty of the country will be ordered.
As I said, and Jack Sparrow says, these are more like guidelines rather than rules.
So with sneakers tied tight and wallets at the ready, let's start our tour.
Leaving Future World we head towards the left crossing a bridge and entering World Showcase. The first stop on this libation excursion is Mexico. The specialty of this country is of course the margarita. This frozen concoction is the favorite of Parrot Heads everywhere and is a fantastic start.
Sipping our 'ritas we leave Mexico and find our way into the mysterious country of Norway. Beer is the drink of choice here, and a nice Carlsburg will tickle your taste buds.
A frosty beverage never lasts long while touring Epcot, and coming upon China rice wine or a Tsing Tao Beer is the next stop on our drinking tour. Unfortunately the Chinese can make a lot of fantastic products and food but beer is just not one of the things they do right. Peach oolong schnapps would be my drink of choice.
Depending on the pace and the heat of the day, the next stop might be a welcomed site. Crossing a bridge (which has a story of its own) we enter the dark continent of Africa. There is nothing to sample here from Africa, but that's okay, a nice water would do for now.
The mecca for beer is the next stop on this adventure. Germany has many options for drinks and believe me, they are all fantastic. Germany also offers a wide selection of foods. But remember... this is Drinking Around the World. Eating Around the World is a whole different adventure.
Nothing says Italy like creepy guys serving you grappa! For those of you keeping count this is stop number five, or stop number "woah these lights are like... umm... bright."
Moving from Italy the sound of fifes and field drums rise from ahead. The smell of burgers and fries fill the air. This means one thing, The United States. Some argue that this is not a stop since we are already in the US. Personally I never give up the chance for more beer. Sam Adams is available at the outdoor kiosk and like they say... always a good choice.
At this point we are halfway to the final stop of Canada... and possibly being in the bag as well.
Japan, Morocco, The United Kingdom, and Canada round off the second half of this experience. Japan has various sakes, beer, or plumb wine. Morocco has a wide variety of frozen drinks, beers, wines, and straight liquor. The UK offers a nice yard of Bass Ale while Canada bar tenders will be glad to sling a Molson to you.
There you have it. You have just made 11 stops to rub elbows with 11 countries. That means you just had 11 alcoholic beverages! Assuming of course you make it to Canada. Unfortunately there are some people that just can't handle making it around the world and it is inevitable they do something stupid. World Showcase is where a lot of Disney Security is posted. You won't see them because they will be dressed as tourists, but believe me they are there.
Now I realize that this is not going to be a possibility on our trip, lets face it, my wallet can't take that kind of punishment. I wanted to show you a side of Disney that might not be showcased on the Travel Channel. I do suggest making a few stops for drinks that are not common around our area. France offers a Grand Marnier slushie that is absolutely perfect.
THIS WEEK IN DISNEY HISTORY:
1939 - Walt Disney receives a special Academy Award for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The award features 7 miniature statuettes to represent the Dwarfs.
1965 - Mary Poppins is nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
1985 - The Disney Clothiers shop opens in Magic Kingdom.
1993 - Pleasure Island's 3rd annual Mardi Gras Celebration kicks off for 2 days.
2002 - The Legend of the Lion King has has its final curtain call after 75,000 perfomances.
2003 - Bag checks at all parks are now standard as a result of 9/11.
2006 - The Timekeeper officially closes. It has not operated in almost a year.
2009 - WALL-E wins the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film at the 81st annual Academy Awards.
2009 - Disney's Animal Programs team releases Bock, a manatee, back to the St. John's River.
2010 - ESPN Wide World of Sports complex is officially relaunched.
DAYS UNTIL OUR VACATION: 65
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