Since 2005 Club Cool has been a welcome distraction for Epcot guests, especially during the heat of the Florida summer. Located in Epcot’s Innovations West near the new Starbucks, Club Cool offers exclusive Coca-Cola merchandise and “complimentary samples” of Coca-Cola products from around the world. Wait a minute, back up… complimentary samples? Yes, free samples of Coca-Cola.
As you travel from the Epcot main entrance toward World Showcase, “Club Cool” is the last exhibit you’ll find in Innovations West (on the right near Fountain of Nations). It’s your opportunity to take a break from the heat, grab a free sample, and get a flavor of what “World Showcase” is all about…. sampling the diversity of cultures from around the world. Each “Flavors from Around the World” sample station features sampling from Italy, Greece, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Peru, and Brazil. The flavors were recently updated causing quite the stir in the online community. That, along with some rumors of what the location may become, makes NOW the perfect time to make sure you visit Club Cool.
Club Cool features multiple self-service drink stations each with 8 flavors. The flavors were recently updated with 6 completely new offerings and 2 originals.
The current line-up of flavors (as of early 2014):
First, on the list, Beverly from Italy, one of the original flavors, Beverly is considered a non-alcoholic aperitif and is part of traditional Italian culture. With a very bitter flavor, it’s also spawned the “Beverly Challenge” in the Disney online community. How many Beverly drinks can one person possibly do? The world may never know.
Greece offers Pineapple Fanta, caffeine-free and sweet with a pineapple taste
Thailand offers its own Fanta flavor, “Melon Frosty”, a melon flavored Fanta perfect for the sunny tropical Thailand climate.
Japan offers VegitaBeta (another original flavor), the only non-carbonated offering which blends apricot and passion fruits making it rich in beta-carotene contributing to its unique yellow-orange color.
South Africa offers Bibo, a fruit-flavored juice line that introduced the characters “Johnny Orange, Taka Strawberry and Paolo Peach”
Zimbabwe features “Sparberry”, a raspberry cream soda originally launched in 1955. It is only available in southeast Africa (and Club Cool)
“The Taste of Peru” is an unusually sweet fruity flavor that tastes like liquid bubblegum. “Inca Kola” is translated “King and Queen” in Peru.
Brazil features “Guarana Kuat”, a guarana berry-flavored drink introduced in 1997.
With multiple self-serve locations, be sure to try them all. It’s always interesting to see someone’s first reaction to any of the flavors. And it does set the stage for your trip around World Showcase.
Here is a list of the original Club Cool flavors (pre-2014):
Mozambique (Krest Ginger Ale), Costa Rica (Fanta Kolita), Italy (Beverly), Japan (Vegeta Beta), Israel (Kinley Lemon), Mexico (Lift Apple), China (Smart Watermelon), and Germany (Mezzo Mix)
On the “rumor mill”, there has been lots of gossip regarding this location turning into a “World of Coke” with merchandise and exhibits from the Coca-Cola archives. (Yes, they have an archive and impressive museum in Atlanta, GA). Could this location become a spin-off World of Coke location? If so, let’s hope the free samples don’t stop; although, I would love to see a Coca-Cola FreeStyle machine somewhere in Epcot. What do you think?
For More Epcot World Showcase Entertainment Check out: Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, Reflections of China, Japan Drummers, Sergio in Italy, Frozen Drinks Around World Showcase, A Secret Canadian Adventure, Segway Tour, Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure, or Kim Possible Adventure, a german Rock Band or Canadian Folk Singers or British Rock.
