If my husband and I are spending more than four days in Orlando I always have to get to Epcot twice (at least.) Yes, I love Le Cellier but I feel blessed to get one reservation, forget about two. No, that’s not it. I may go Soarin’ twice, but only if my husband is up for the Dramamine twice. No, that’s not it either. Listening to Miyuki, Epcot’s Japanese Candy Lady say “Shiny Blue Candee” a bunch of times… well that’s worth seeing twice but not what we go for.I have to go to Club Cool. Two days. And without a doubt on each of those days I will go to Club Cool multiple times.
Club Cool is not a huge attraction with lights and a Fastpass kiosk. Some people I’ve talked to have had a hard time finding it or forget it until I mention it. It is rather unassuming. The easiest way to describe its location is this: If you are in Future World and have passed Spaceship Earth, you will come to a junction with a large fountain. Walking straight here will take you to World Showcase (“the countries”), but don’t do that. Instead, before crossing, go by that fountain, checkout the building that houses Epcot Character Spot and Fountain View Ice Cream. On the left hand side, you will find Club Cool sponsored by Coca Cola.
When you go inside it has a soda shop feel. There is Coke merchandise to buy, but I never pay too much attention to that. It’s the other half of the relatively small shop that holds my interest. Sample size Coke cups are loaded into several different stations. Each station has several different fountains for dispensing some or all of the eight different samples of Coca-Cola products from around the world. The flavors and countries are:
- Smart Watermelon from China
- Fanta Kolita from Costa Rica
- Mezzo Mix from Germany
- Kinley Lemon from Israel
- Beverly from Italy
- Vegeta Beta from Japan
- Lift Apple from Mexico
- Krest Ginger Ale from Mozambique
Here’s the good part. You can try as many of them as you want, as often as you want! Throw your cup away and walk out. Because remember, I said sample and samples are FREE!
Now, if you’ve been reading and you think you know this story, just stop. This is not about the bitter, awful soda NO ONE (except maybe my husband) likes. This is not about Italy’s infamous Beverly. I remember trying it a while ago and yes it is a rite of passage to do so, but never again. I do not torture myself each time.
No, this is a love story. If there is only one soda, pop, carbonated beverage, nectar from the gods at Club Cool, I am strongly telling you that choice should be Kinley Lemon from Israel. I always have a hard time describing its taste. There is something vaguely similar to a lemon-lime soda we drink here in the United States yet very different too. It is sweet, but not overpoweringly so. You can hear the love in my voice when I speak of it.
I don’t drink pop in my everyday life. Not at all. I gave it up to improve my health and rarely ever “cheat”. That is except for Club Cool and Kinley. Trust me, when you’ve gone six months or more without something you truly love and miss this can become a theme park highlight- even if it is a Disney theme park. I use to dream of ordering Kinley online or buying a 3-foot tall Coke bank and filling it with samples of Kinley to take with me (didn’t think the carbonation thing through). Now, I enjoy a few cups and reassure myself that we’ll walk by again before Club Cool closes for the day. I did find out the hard way that they close earlier in the day (in the summer it was 7:00)than the rest of the park. I tried stopping in for a cup before a 7:15 Coral Reef reservation and found locked doors.
Hey, it’s their one fault.
Kristin K.
Originally posted in October 2010 in the Mouse for Less Guest Blog
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