Sipping 27 beverages at the most magical place on Earth

For someone who is constantly dehydrated [as mentioned in my Wizarding World of Harry Potter post], I sure drank a lot of beverages during my last 2 trips to Disney World. Ended up sipping 27 beverages at the most magical place on Earth across 9 total days. Actually, there could have been more.

With almost every photo I exclaimed, oh that was good. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I am a big fan of Disney beverages. Not all were 5/5 but most were still good. None as good as hot butterbeer though.

Here are my rankings.

27. Pumpkin Game Changer, Joffrey’s Cart, Epcot

Pumpkin Creme Brulee Cold Brew, a shot of espresso, pumpkin pie syrup, and light cream, topped with cold foam

This was a game changer alright. Now, I’ll preface this with saying I was diagnosed with chronic gastritis in 2022. Had a limited diet and coffee was NOT on that list. Too acidic for my stomach. But by 2023, my gastritis healed and I was drinking coffee occasionally. Most of the time, I was perfectly fine.

Until I had the game changer.

Yeah, I should have read the ingredients more closely. Cold brew AND espresso?! So this is a personal problem and really should have been paying attention. First sip was pure bitterness. Was it the coffee or espresso? Was it the pumpkin flavoring? Was it all three? I don’t know but I was aghast! I figured, let’s stir up this bad boy. I stirred and took another sip.

Better. But not great. The bitterness had died down but left me with a weak pumpkin flavor. And it was not sweet at all. Black coffee pre-gastritis, fine. Black coffee post-gastritis, hit or miss. To be safe, I load up my coffee drinks with plenty of cream and sugar.

This did not have enough of either.

And to make matters worse, I had NOT eaten. I drank a bit more of the bitter drink and I felt the acid in my stomach start to turn. I don’t get heartburn. I get my-stomach-is-on-fire vibes as if I drank pure alcohol.

But to be clear, even if my stomach WASN’T on fire and I didn’t have a panic attack as if I were going to collapse in the middle of the Mexico pavilion, I still would put this drink at the bottom. It tasted horrible.

26. Green milk

Plant-based blend of Coconut and Rice Milk with zippy citrus and tropical characteristics

Are you shocked? You shouldn’t be. This tastes like the smell of fabuloso and pine sol combined, watered down, then put on ice.

25. Blue milk

Plant-based blend of Coconut and Rice Milk with alluring fruity characteristics

Not far behind is the blue milk. Certainly better than green, but not what I’d consider good. It was actually not that memorable. I vaguely remember it tasting fruity and cold. Did not finish.

24. Passionfruit bubble tea, Japan, Epcot

This was not very flavorful and the boba were kind of congealed.

23. Basic hot chocolate, Magic Kingdom

The worst free beverage at the Christmas party. You can get this basic hot chocolate everywhere and that’s what it is. Basic. Not creamy, likely made with water. It’s fine to help warm you up on a cold night, but flavor-wise, it’s very lackluster.

22. Apple cider, Magic Kingdom

I love apples. I love apple cider. This tastes more like apple juice with some spices in it. I tried to recreate it in Firefly since I didn’t take a photo during the Christmas party. Good enough. Well it was free, but I didn’t go back for a second serving.

21. Pandoran Sunrise, AK

Refreshing mix of Simply® Pineapple Juice and Simply® Limeade with POWERADE® Melon

This was kind of too on the acidic side for me to rate this higher. It was fine.

20. Lychee sparkling drink, China, Epcot

I don’t even know why I bought this. I mean I love lychee but why did I buy a Lychee soft drink in the China pavilion? Anyway, it was light, refreshing, and more flavorful than a La Croix. Just not mind-blowing. Not that it needs to be.

19. Boma coffee, Boma, AKL

My server was fantastic, as she left the carafe with me as I solo dined at Boma for breakfast. Unfortunately, this coffee is just okay to me. I think the acidity in this is what makes it not my favorite.

18. Strawberry Acqua Fresca, Via Napoli, Italy, Epcot

This was pretty good. I love an agua/acqua fresca and I love strawberries. The amount of fresh cut strawberries in this drink really took it to the next level. Still not as great as the other beverages I had.

17. Cold brew black caf, Kat Saka’s Kettle

Joffrey’s Coffee™ Cold Brew topped with Sweet Cream Cheese and Chocolate Puffs

I hate to say this, but this beverage is definitely overrated to me. It’s not bad, but it’s not sweet or cream-cheesy enough for a specialty beverage. Plus, I choked on a piece of ice.

16. Hot Chocolate, AKL

I prefer my hot chocolate to be creamier. In fact, I don’t prefer hot chocolate at all. I prefer sipping chocolate. So this watered down hot chocolate they serve at Disney World is not great for me. But the whipped cream and sprinkles added a bit more flavor than the basic one I had at Magic Kingdom.

15. Egg nog, Magic Kingdom

Okay I may have called too much attention to myself by going in line about 4 times in a row to get cookies and eggnog. By the third time, one of the cast members asked if I really liked the egg nog. And the truth was, yes I did. It was cold and creamy. Not the best egg nog I’ve ever had, but the best “free” beverage at the Christmas Party.

14. Berry Punch, Regal Eagle, Epcot

White Grape Juice with Strawberry, Peach, and Blackberry

Okay I’ll be honest, I don’t fully remember this drink. But I remember thinking it was pretty good, nice berry flavor. It was better than average but clearly not memorable enough to get a higher score.

13. Round em up latte, Hollywood studios

Playfully delicious latte with cookie butter and dulce de leche, topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and animal crackers

I did not get a photo of this since I was in a hurry during Jollywood Nights. So here’s an AI generated image I created using Firefly. I got the hot version and it was pretty good, but not mind blowing. I could taste the dulce de leche and cookie butter. But did I burn my throat trying to finish this before running (walking fast) to a ride? Yes. Were the animal crackers a bit soggy? Also yes. But the combination was pretty tasty.

12. Ponche Navideño, Epcot

Mexican Christmas punch with apples, pears, guava, oranges, dried hibiscus, brown sugar, tamarind, cinnamon sticks, and clove

I love any fruity Christmas punch. This was warm and laden with chopped fruit and spices, which is just what I needed after braving the rain in Epcot. I sat down inside of Sunshine Seasons to enjoy this. Fortunately, I picked the right season’s table. Look at the snowflakes!

11. River Styx Elixir, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom

Kiwi lemonade with luster dust

People loooove to hate on Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. But the holiday specialties have been great to me. Including this kiwi-lemonade with a touch of glitter. I’ve never had a kiwi lemonade before, but I want another one now.

10. Strawberry-hibiscus soda, Baseline Tap House, Hollywood Studios

Barrilitos™ Strawberry Hibiscus Soda on Tap

I love strawberries. I love hibiscus. I don’t drink soda often, but I will on vacation. This was delicious. I could do with less ice next time, but I would definitely get it again.

9. Lava smoothie, Maji pool bar, AKL

Raspberry Purée blended with flavors of Coconut and Pineapple

I used to love swimming as a kid. I was that child who started pool season every memorial day, no matter what the temperature was. Even though as an adult I find pools to be kind of gross, I still will go down a water slide and hang by the pool for a while. And what better way to hang by the pool than with the Lava smoothie. Everyone who passed by asked about this beverage, assuming it was alcoholic. Nope, but it tasted similar to a piña colada with a touch of additional fruitiness from the raspberry puree.

8. Kona coffee, Ohana

My favorite black coffee in Disney World. I can taste the fruitiness in this blend. I even bought a bag to take home.

7. Night blossom, Animal Kingdom

Layers of Apple and Desert Pear Limeade topped with Boba Balls

I expected this to be overrated. Part of me thinks it is, but another part of me finds this beverage oddly comforting. On a hot day in Pandora, this really hits the spot. It’s tart, it’s sweet, it’s flavorful. What else is needed?

6. Hyperdrive, Oga’s Cantina, Galaxy’s Edge, Hollywood Studios

Powerade® Mountain Berry Blast, White Cranberry Juice, Black Cherry Purée, and Sprite®.

I’ll admit Oga’s Cantina is more vibe than substance. There’s pretty much no food here and I don’t know that the alcoholic drinks are ever praised. But I will personally praise this non-alcoholic drink. I’m a sucker for everything that’s in it. I don’t drink Powerade now, but as a kid, I used to save up my money to buy blue Powerade in the vending machines. Then in high school, I would drink them after step team practice. White cranberry juice is delicious. I’m obsessed with black cherry anything. And when I do drink soda, it’s usually a Sprite. So this is perfect for me. Well almost.

5. Queen of hearts slushy, Cheshire Cat Cafe, Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom

Frozen cherry slushy drizzled with black cherry puree and topped with whipped cream and a crown-shaped chocolate piece

Although it says this would be drizzled with a black cherry puree, I was still nervous the base would taste too artificial cherry. And I also am not a big fan of white chocolate. I thought for sure this would be a mediocre drink. But the amount of black cherry in this drink made it shine. It did not taste artificial to me. It was light and refreshing. That white chocolate and whipped cream at the top were a perfect match to the slushy below. I want to make this at home for the summer.

4. Pog Juice, Ohana & Boma

Equal parts passion fruit, orange, and guava juice

Passionfruit orange guava. I love guava, but the other two I could usually live without. But for some reason, this combination triggers some sort of instant addiction. I don’t know how many little glasses I had of this juice. I couldn’t stop. I can’t stop. Just leave the carafe on the table please. I’m tempted to get a jug of Pog juice from Costco or make a blend on my own.

3. Strawberry-Lemonade Slush, ABC Commissary

Featuring Minute Maid® Lemonade

Well this was a surprise. My friend and I stopped at ABC commissary simply for the AC and seating. I figured since I was there, why not order another strawberry drink at Hollywood Studios? I already had the strawberry-hibiscus soda, might as well get one of these too. Expected nothing.

This is one of the most underrated beverages in Disney World. Maybe it was just the day I had it, but it was the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavor that I’d expect from a strawberry-lemonade slush.

2. Mission to Smore’s, Joffrey’s Revive Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom

Blast-off with a crave-worthy cup of our artisan roasted espresso, mixed with chocolate sauce, Mars-mallow syrup, and topped with whipped cream, graham cracker space sprinkles and fluffy Mars-mallows

That is the official description for the Mission to Smore’s beverage at Joffrey’s Revive in Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom.

Um…does that description match with what you see in the photo below?

Hmmm…something is not quite right here. This was my second Mission to Smore’s in one year, and based on memory, the last I had didn’t look like this. And the description doesn’t match at all. I could taste the chocolate but the rest of it wasn’t right. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but this was certainly not a Mission to Smore’s. At the time, I thought by saying “iced,” I requested something different than I got previously. And I didn’t go back to the menu to check. I had places to be…the PeopleMover.

Now THIS is a Mission to Smore’s. You can’t tell but there are loads of “mars-mallows” on top and flavored syrup in the drink itself. It was delicious. I could taste Smore’s throughout my time with this beverage. Even as the ice watered it down, the flavor was strong.

Sidenote: I found Google reviews of people who experienced the same thing I did – given a completely different drink, supposedly on purpose. No warning that they may have run out of ingredients, just a complete switcheroo. I’ll be back to Revive but I will be watching over everyone like a hawk.

1. Horchata cold brew, Joffrey’s cart, Epcot

A holly jolly blend of Shakin’ Jamaican Cold Brew and Horchata, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon

I don’t know if I just happened to have the perfect cup, but this was simple, delicious, and helped me through 12 hours at Epcot. That’s all I need in a caffeinated beverage. Plus anything with a heavy hand of cinnamon gets an A+ from me.

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It’s a world of laughter, a world of drinks

From the highs of fruity delights to the lows of bitter coffee, each drink I sipped captured a unique memory at the most magical place on earth. Despite some occasional misses, I was pleasantly surprised by most of these non-alcoholic beverages at Disney World.