EPCOT is known for its drinking culture. There are a variety of opinions on this. Some see EPCOT as the Disney park made for adults and that drinking in the parks is just part of the culture. Meanwhile, others argue that it’s still a Disney park, made for families. This debate is sparking up again with the announcement of the new Drinking Around the World Competition at EPCOT.
This is a continuation of the controversy over drinking at EPCOT. In fact, last year when we reported here that Disney may lower the drinking age to 18, we saw strong reactions on both sides. It’s clear that anytime alcohol comes up in a conversation, there will be proponents for it as well as people against it. The Drinking Around the World Competition encourages excessive drinking and is getting a lot of attention.
What is the Drinking Around the World Competition?
The Drinking Around the World Competition at EPCOT combines drinking with physical fitness. Essentially, guests will race around World Showcase while having a drink in each country. The person who does this the fastest wins. The winner will get a $200 Disney gift card. Not only do you need to be able to drink a lot to win, but you also need to be physically fit in order to be the fastest to win the competition.
Each day, Disney will host one Drinking Around the World Competition. Guests can sign up ahead of time on Disney’s website or at the Port of Entry at the beginning of World Showcase. Booking online guarantees participation as it’s expected this event will fill up fast every day. It will cost guests $50 to participate in the event, which is actually a great deal. This is far cheaper than it would be to buy a drink in the 11 different countries. In fact, it averages out to less than $5 per drink. This is part of the reason the competition will likely sell out every day.
The competition will start at 5:00 PM every day. Participants will gather at the Port of Entry and be handed a punch card. They are allowed to start in Mexico or Canada. Upon arriving at a country, there will be a special booth for the competition. Cast Members will hand them the drink for the competition and punch their card as soon as the drink is finished. This prevents someone from just dumping it out and moving on. The first person to get all 11 punches on their card and back to the Port of Entry will win a $200 gift card.
Drinking Around the World Competition Concerns
Many people are excited for this new competition at EPCOT, however, it’s drawing a lot of criticism online. People are concerned for the health and safety of the guests participating as well as normal parkgoers. Many state that drinking around the world with friends is one thing, however, doing it as a competition creates far more issues.
There is a lot of concern for the health and safety of those participating in the competitors. In fact, we reached out to a world-renowned doctor who shared some big concerns. They said this promotes excessive drinking in a short period of time. Also, World Showcase is over one mile long and it’s typically very hot in Florida at this time of day. These factors all combined make it extremely unsafe for the participants. In fact, the doctor fears that many competitors will suffer injuries because of this, some even life-threatening. The good news is Disney will have extra medical staff on hand just in case.
On the other hand, guests are worried about their safety. They fear that people running from country to country, while under the influence, puts their safety at risk. There are so many things that can go wrong, especially when the park is crowded. The competition is set up so the fastest person wins, which means people will be running, thus putting others at risk of injury. However, many guests are excited for this. They see it as a fun way to enjoy drinks from around the world at EPCOT, with the chance to win a great prize.
What do you think of the Drinking Around the World Competition coming to EPCOT? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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