THE BAD:

The Line

Yup. I said it. We all know Disney is known for their lines for rides and shows, but even some places like Club Cool can’t seem to escape them. Because of its ever growing popularity based off of the famous “Beverly” flavored soda, and newly reopened status, a lot of people are flocking to it, especially during peak times. I have actually seen the wait time get to be as long as 60 minutes at one point, which does extend outside the doors. No matter how cool free soda around the world sounds, I would never wait that long. Don’t let me stop you though, if you're ok with long waits in the Florida heat (hey, at least they have that cool awning that we talked about), then go for it.

The Size!

Yes, Club Cool is fun and free, but the size of the store is quite small. So if you suffer from claustrophobia, or just hate tight spaces and crowds, this may not be the place for you. Especially if you are already traveling with a large group, it could make this a pretty chaotic and uncomfortable scenario (like the last time I went with my 4 children, and when my son got out of our 1,000lb carriage of hanging souvenir bags, and it fell over spilling a ton of free soda hence getting it all over our shoes along with the group next to us).

THE UGLY

Weird Flavors!

So let's talk about these iconic Club Cool “flavors”. Yup. You know the ones I am talking about…especially that “Beverly”. I am all about trying new things and getting myself out of my comfort zone once and while, so if this is something you are into, then don’t be shy, but just be prepared that some of these flavors hit you out of nowhere. I know “Beverely” is a hit or miss with most of us Disney goers, and for me, it was a miss. It reminded me of some bad medicine and I just could not deal. Then there was an apple juice flavored one and it was disgusting! Whoever thought “carbonated apple juice” would taste good just did not get the memo. Finally, let's not forget about  the infamous “BBQ flavored” soda. No way I am telling you which one this is though, you’ll just have to find out for yourself (FYI: it’s gross)! 

Sticky, Sticky, Sticky!

We all know soda is delicious, but it can also be very sticky. As soon as you walk up to one of the self-serve soda machines you can hear it, you can feel it, and you can smell it (you could touch it too, but I wouldn't recommend that, haha). Yes, the soda area is gonna be messy, and well, frankly it's disgusting, let's be honest, but it isn’t just the machine or counter itself that gets like this. It’s the floor too! I hate the feeling of walking over something sticky in my own kitchen, because you know it'll just live on the bottom of your shoe for the rest of the day, and that is, unfortunately, what happened to us after our Club Cool experience recently. I know they are short staffed right now due to the pandemic, however they really need to have better management when it comes to cleaning those floors. Yuck!

There you have it folks! The good, the bad and the ugly highlights of Epcot’s Club Cool! Take them as you may and enjoy it as you will. In the end, I am sure I will be back to get another dose of free raspberry soda, air conditioning, and sticky floors.