
About nine months out of the year, one thing is certain at Walt Disney World, it will be warm. For this reason, it’s always best to have access to plenty of fluids to stay refreshed and hydrated throughout the day.
Luckily, in addition to free ice water, Walt Disney World has many amazing drink options, some alcoholic, to keep you on your feet and feeling cool. EPCOT probably maintains the widest selection of drinks of all the parks at Disney World. It is home to many table service locations and typically hosts unique festivals throughout the year that provide plenty of options to chill those taste buds.
However, outside of festival season at EPCOT, there is one place where you can get what I consider to be the most refreshing drink in all of Walt Disney World year-round. No, we aren’t talking about Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen from Sommerfest or even that famous Grand Mariner Orange Slush from Les Vins des Chef de France.
Instead, we’re talking about a modest drink that you, your grandparents, and even those picky kiddos will love. The best part? It’s 100% free, minus the cost of a park ticket.
Club Cool’s Unique Drink Flavors at EPCOT
In World Celebration, right next to one of the entrances to Creations Shop, you’ll find a tiny spot that has become very popular with EPCOT Guests.
Club Cool Presented by Coca-Cola is a small side retail location featuring Coca-Cola flavors from all over the world! Disney refers to Club Cool as a “Coke” tail bar, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. Amongst the really cool Coca-Cola-themed merchandise, Guests will find a wall full of interesting, and sometimes terrible, drink flavors from countries like Russia, China, and Italy.
It is the best place to slow down, cool off and enjoy a nice, free EPCOT drink.
Guests to Club Cool can sample the drinks at no additional charge, getting their fill of carbonated beverages served up nicely and cold. Although the most popular flavor at Club Cool, and not for a good reason, is Beverly, there are several different options, all very unique.
Some of our favorite flavors that have been featured at Club Cool include Country Club Merengue (Dominican Republic), Royal Wattamelon (Philippines), and Viva Raspberry (Moldova).
However, despite the wide variety of interesting flavors, there is one soda at Club Cool which doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It very well might be the most refreshing drink in all of EPCOT.
Cucumber Sprite at EPCOT is the Most Refreshing Drink
If you’re a Sprite fan, you know that the drink just hits differently when it is served up cold and carbonated via a machine.
Compared to bottles and cans, fountain-served Sprite is arguably the most refreshing soda on the market. It’s light and crisp, and the citrus flavors really lend themselves to a pleasant taste experience while helping to beat the heat.
Although Sprite is incredibly refreshing on its own, Club Cool offers up an even better version of the drink that is typically sold in Russia.
Somewhere, at some point in time, some madman decided it was worth a shot to add cucumber to soft drinks.
Although the idea doesn’t sound appetizing at first when we think of how excellent cucumber water is, giving Sprite an overlay with the fruit (yes, cucumber is a fruit) really sent it over the top! Someone get that man or woman a medal! They deserve it.
Related: Regal Eagle Dining: Craft Beers and Barbeque
As if Sprite couldn’t get any better, the result of this science experiment gave the world an amazingly refreshing drink when served cold. Russia and Romania rolled out Cucumber Sprite to the joy of many, and the drink made its way to EPCOT once Club Cool reopened in 2021.
Although often overshadowed by the bitter flavor of Beverly, Cucumber Sprite reigns supreme among the most refreshing drinks at Club Cool and possibly all of EPCOT. If you haven’t tried it, you simply must!
Make Cucumber Sprite at Home
Cucumber Sprite has become one of my favorite drinks out there, and not just because it’s reminiscent of Disney World.
Sadly, I can’t purchase the drink at home because it is only available for retail in Russia and Romania. Much like many of our beloved Disney drinks and snacks, I’m forced to do my own experimentations in the kitchen to try and come close.
Usually, I don’t. However, as Cucumber Sprite seemed easy enough to make, I have successfully created a pretty close taste-alike from the comfort of my own home.
Although making Cucumber Sprite may seem straightforward, there are a few guidelines that you’ll want to consider to ensure the flavor and taste are as close to EPCOT’s version as possible.
Step One – Buy Canned Sprite
This is probably the most important rule for making EPCOT’s Cucumber Sprite at home. The drink is fresh and well-carbonated; you won’t get that same crispy flavor from a bottle.
Plus, bottles don’t hold their carbonation after opening, so cans are the way to go. Although using cans means making each drink individually, that’s okay, as we’ll discuss later.
Step Two – Pick the Right Cucumber
When picking your cucumbers, you’ll want to ensure that your fruit is firm with little to no soft spots. As well, the bigger the better.
Cucumber doesn’t go as far as you’d think, and I can assure you that once you make one cold drink, everyone else will want one. Lastly, ensure that your cucumber has dark green all around and no yellow spots. This ensures that it is ripe and ready for use.
Step Three – Hold the Ice
Since we’re talking about the most refreshing drink at EPCOT, you’d probably be tempted to serve it with ice. However, at Club Cool, the fountain-style drinks are served ice cold already in small wax-lined cups. In other words, chill your cans.
Ice also impacts the ratio of Sprite to cucumber, and as this is an exact science, you want to deviate from what’s proven to work best.
Step Four – Cut the Cucumber Fresh
This is one of the more critical steps to getting a close taste-alike to the drink served at EPCOT’s Club Cool. Although you may think you should slice the cucumber and place it into a pitcher to serve later, DO NOT DO THIS!
Not only does it deflate the beverage by allowing those precious carbonated gasses to expel, but it also over-dilutes the Sprite with cucumber, which is actually a thing that can happen; just trust us! Instead, prepare your cup and add two to three slices of cucumber directly to the glass. Pour your chilled Sprite over the cucumbers, wait about two minutes, and enjoy!
Step Five – Sit Back and Enjoy EPCOT’s Most Refreshing Drink
You’ve done all of the hard work, and now it is time to revel in your accomplishments. Sit back, relax, kick your feet up, and sip that citrusy goodness and know that you can sleep well tonight.
Not only are you now revitalized, refreshed, and your thirst quenched, you’ve now brought another aspect of Disney World into your home that you and your family will crave, especially during those hot summer months! Job well done!
Related: Top Three Best Drinks in EPCOT’s World Showcase
Club Cool is often overshadowed by all of the different options you’ll find hanging out in World Showcase. That’s understandable. Although World Showcase has several outstanding options like La Cava del Tequila in the Mexico Pavilion or that famouse Viking Coffee, for some drinking around the world and coffee on a hot day aren’t refreshing enough.
Beer is great, and EPCOT has plenty of unique and delicious beer offerings, however, Club Cool provides a more family-friendly option for those looking to quench their thirst. Although you won’t find fine food at Club Cool like you would at Le Cellier, you don’t have to worry about pairing that amazing steak with the perfect beer.
Instead, you can cool off and much on some M&Ms while downing as much Cucumber Sprite as you like.