Epcot is once again bringing us some holiday cheer with Holidays Around The World!

Travel around the world showcase to discover stories, shows, and (most importantly) foods from each country and learn about how they celebrate this special time of year.

We enjoy going to this special celebration year after year, and this time we are excited to show you some new additions as well as some old favorites. Ready for a stroll around the World Showcase?

Mexico

Back in Mexico this year are the colorful Mariachis and Dancers!

 

Once again La Cantina de San Angel is celebrating with some sweet tamales!

Norway

Keep an eye out for Sigrid to hear the story about the mischievous Christmas gnome, Julenissen.

You’ll find some Christmas sweets in Kringla Bakeri og Cafe, including the Traditional Rice Cream.

New this year is the Frozen Peppermint Trifle. And no it’s not actually frozen, but it does feature our favorite little snowman, Olaf!

This dessert item is made up of layers of white chocolate mousse and blue peppermint cake. The sparkly blue gelatin topping is super pretty, buuuuuut kind of tasted like toothpaste.

I can’t say I was a huge fan of the mousse on this one, but the cake was very good.

China

Learn about the Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival while watching the Chinese Lion Dance.

Once again at Joy of Tea you can find the Kaikouxiao otherwise known as Happy Face Fried Cake!

Germany

On to Germany, which has become one of my favorite spots during the Holidays Around the World!

Not only can you enjoy the show with Helga to learn more about the history of Christmas trees and nutcrackers, but there is also Glaskugel, a kiosk with beautiful glass ornaments for sale.

Keep an eye out for master glass artists, including Reinhard Herzog, to watch the ornaments being made right in front of you!

And don’t forget to check out the decorations at the German Train Town!

But my absolute favorite part of the Germany Pavilion this time of year has to be Prost!, the home of many delicious holiday sweets and drinks.

The Caramel Kiss (formally known as the Hot Salted Caramel) here is something I look forward to every year. In fact I love this delicious drink SO much that it’s on my Disney Food Bucket List!

They also have a new specialty drink that we needed to try: the Black Forest Cake!

This is another hot beverage and is made up of German hot chocolate and cherry liqueur.

The result is a delicious and STRONG drink! The serving size is small, but it packs a punch!

New to the Prost! menu is an Artisanal Cheese Plate, which looked very similar to the cheese plate you can find at Weinkeller. One of our favorites, the Caramel Apple Cookie, has been replaced by the German Chocolate-Chip Cookie — but no worries!  You can still find the super popular cookie at Karamell-Küche!

Italy

The nice witch La Befena is back to teach us about Italian holiday traditions, and the Epiphany.

Returning again to the Gelato Stand is the Panettone Christmas Bread and Prosecco Sparkling Wine.

American Adventure

As always, there are plenty of experiences to see at American Adventure.

Along with the Voices of Liberty show, you can catch performances about the traditions of Hanukkah and Kwanza.

And of course meet up with our favorites, Mr. and Mrs. Claus!

Back again is Sugar and Spice, home of some traditional Christmas favorites.

New to the menu this year are the Eggnog and Buffalo Nog, which is made with Buffalo Trace Kentucky Bourbon.

Make sure you head into the Adventure Parlor where you can see a gingerbread display of the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument!

Japan

In Japan you can learn about the Daruma doll and the other New Year traditions!

Replacing the Teriyaki Chicken Karaage this year is the new Grilled Kurobuta Pork Sausage at Kabuki Cafe.

Also available this year is Hitachino Ginger Beer.

Morocco

Back again in Morocco is the Holidays In Morocco show, which proves that Morocco celebrations are “the spice of life!”

Also back on the menu at Tangierine Cafe is the Chocolate Honey Baklava.

France

After learning about the magic of Pere Noel, wander over to Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie for the returning Buche de Noel au Chocolat.

 

New this year at L’Artisan des Glaces is the Glace a la Cannelle et Noix de Pecan Carmelisees (Cinnamon Ice Cream with Caramelized Pecans).

You can order this one as a single or double scoop (ask for a waffle cone for no additional charge!) or as a Croque Glace.

Like every other ice cream I have had in France, this one is creamy and delicious. The cinnamon and pecan are the perfect flavors to put you in a festive mood!

United Kingdom

After enjoying the Father Christmas show, stop by the Rose and Crown Beer Stand for the returning Hot Applejack Cider.

Canada

Canada is the home of another one of my all time favorite holiday snacks: the Pecan Maple Bark, which can be found at the Canada Popcorn Cart. We love it so much we even found the recipe!

While you’re in Canada be sure to check out the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs to learn about the many holiday customs practiced throughout the country.

Promenade Refreshments

Noticeably missing from Promenade Refreshments this year is the Savory Turkey Waffle. There is however a new Warm Turkey Sandwich that we knew we had to try!

This year’s sandwich features sliced roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry mayo on cranberry bread.

I know some people will be bummed by the absence of waffles, but honestly this sandwich is delicious!

You get nice cuts of turkey and the cranberry bread tasted good and fresh. The cranberry mayo added a nice sweet zing. It’s like eating Thanksgiving on a sandwich!

Also new to the menu at Promenade Refreshments is the Peppermint Sundae.

Nothing too overly exciting here: chocolate soft serve ice cream, whipped cream, and crushed candy canes.

But it still tasted good! It is also a nice safe option for the little ones while walking around World Showcase!

Also back at Promenade this year is the Chocolate Grasshopper. This one offers a bit more oomph (in the form of Peppermint Schnapps) than the peppermint sundae — for those “of-age” kids in the group.

Once again Holidays Around The World was a great opportunity to try some unique foods and learn some history about the countries I love to visit while at Epcot. It is just one of the many reasons why I always anticipate this time of year at Disney World!

Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney Holiday Fun!

We’ve been hard at work updating the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays, 2015 e-Book with all the latest holiday tips and brand new info you NEED to know before you hit the parks this November, December, and January!

With 330 pages of detailed information and multiple bonus extras, it WILL save you time and money during the busiest season in Walt Disney World! And it’s here just in time!

And since we want you to save some cash right NOW, we have a special discount for DFB readers (as always!).

Get the brand new guide today for 20% off the regular purchase price for a limited time! How? Use code PEPPERMINT at the check-out!

The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays 2015 e-Book features 330 pages of all the info you need to know (and not JUST food!) before you head to Walt Disney World for the holiday season, including NEW events and holiday happenings, plus over 300 photos.

Don’t forget to pick up your copy for a 20% off using code PEPPERMINT at the check-out! Happy holidays from all of us here at DFB.

Which new item will you be trying at this year’s Holidays Around The World? Please let us know with a comment!