Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tip Tuesday: Club Cool

Club Cool

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

Right now it's hotter than hot all up and down the East Coast and this includes Walt Disney World. In a previous post, I talked about ways to get free cold water at the parks.

You might not be aware of a small store in Epcot where you can get free samples of Coke products from around the world. That's right! Free!

It's called Club Cool, and it's one of the best ways to stay cool in Epcot. You won't find it on a park map, though. Club Cool is located next to the Fountain View Ice Cream shop near the Epcot Character Spot.

Club Cool

Club Cool, sponsored by Coca-Cola (obviously), is a great way to stay cool, especially during these warmer months. Guests can walk right in and sample different Coke products from different countries around the world.

Currently the different flavors available are:

  • Krest Ginger Ale (from Mozambique)

  • Fanta Kolita (from Costa Rica)

  • Beverly (from Italy)

  • Vegeta Beta (from Japan)

  • Kinley Lemon (from Israel)

  • Lift Apple (from Mexico)

  • Smart Watermelon (from China)

  • Mezzo Mix (from Germany)

My kids and I make it a point to stop by Club Cool several times a day when we're in Epcot (and just about anytime we're passing during the summer). Each of the flavors is pretty unique. My personal favorite flavor is the Fanta from Costa Rica (my younger son also likes this one). My oldest son loves the Smart Watermelon while my daughter is a fan of the Mezzo Mix.

A bit of etiquette: Please don't just stand at a particular drink kiosk taking drink after drink after drink, especially if it's crowded. After sampling about three flavors, please make sure to let others have a chance to try some. You can go back and sample more.

From time to time, some flavors do run out. The last time I was at Epcot, the Mezzo Mix was out for several days. There are other items available for purchase here including frozen Cokes and various Cola-Cola merchandise.

WDW experts know that there are some flavors at Club Cool that are more "preferred" than others (Beverly, I'm talking about you...), but for the most part, every flavor is pretty good.

I'm a fan of Randy Pauch's Last Lecture (a must read book for any Imagineering fan), so I'm going to talk about the elephant in the room now -- and that's the Beverly drink from Italy. I'm not going to sugar coat it (actually it would be better with more sugar), it's a very bitter drink and I personally greatly dislike it. It's not at all what you'd expect from a soft drink. That being said, I know of some people who actually like Beverly.

So, here's a fun joke to pull on your friends, especially those who are WDW rookies. Take them to Club Cool and have them sample all the other flavors while singing the praises of the BEST one of all -- Beverly! Be sure to have a camera ready to get a shot of the look on their face when they discover what Beverly really tastes like.

What is your favorite flavor and have you braved the Beverly? Leave a comment and be sure to take our poll on the right side of this page!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I find it so funny and strange that people find Beverly so disgusting. I grew up in Italy (came here when I was 11), and this type of soft drink is very common there. It's called a "bitter". It's an aperitivo (a soft drink that is enjoyed before a meal to help with digestion). Beverly is just one of many bitters available in Italy. Bitters aren't drank the way Coke is drank here, so to comapre it to American Coke is a bit unfair, it has it's own purpose. Regular Coca-Cola, like the kind you find in America, can be found in Italy too.

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