We have a love-hate relationship with the drinks in the China pavilion, and we know we aren’t the only ones. The mixed drinks here can either be so potent one will do you in, or so weak you wonder if you’re drinking colored water.
But, if you’re willing to take a few steps deeper into the pavilion, there are some interesting options a bit further back – in shops you may not even think to visit!
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about your best drink options in the China pavilion at Epcot. We’ll also go over the best snacks, plus all the other important info that we know you’ll find useful on your visit.
Ready to learn more? Let’s go!
Looking for info on the other countries? Check out our Complete Guide to Drinking Around the World, where you’ll find links to all the other countries in the World Showcase.
Drinking Around the World Showcase – China Pavilion
The China pavilion is lovely – and it feels very authentic, with lots of great spots for pictures. But….while the China Pavilion wows with its gorgeous architecture and vibrant backdrops, it’s a bit stingy on the shade. Like, SUPER DUPER stingy.
And it’s very, very likely that this will not be your first stop of the day, meaning you’ve probably already had a few to drink, and the sun may be higher in the sky. So, this might be a good spot to grab some water in addition to a drink or two.
Here’s a handy graphic that you can save to your phone with our recommended top picks. But don’t stop here! Keep reading for in-depth reviews, too.
If you want a cocktail that will have a decent chance of kick starting a buzz, then stick to the spots along the water. Both the festival booth and The Joy of Tea have drinks that will either put hair on your chest or at least look pretty for pics (the strength on the cocktails here don’t seem to be super consistent?).
BUT, if you want something unique or different you’ll want to skip those spots (or at least don’t make it your only stop) and head further into the pavilion all the way to the back inside the pavilion to the House of Good Fortune.
Just a heads-up: When we talk about ‘Drinking Around the World,’ we are focusing on the places where you can grab a quick drink and soak up all the cool atmosphere each pavilion has to offer. While Table Service restaurants often boast an extensive selection of additional drink options, we’ve chosen to spotlight the grab-and-go choices in this guide.
How much will all this cost?
Beers in the China Pavilion start at around $7.00 – $8.00 while the cocktails start at around $13.00 and go up to about $15.00 each.
Disney prices are like the weather – constantly changing! We’ve been down the road of listing exact prices before, but Disney loves to keep us on our toes with their frequent updates.
So, instead of getting caught up in the nitty-gritty of exact prices, we’ve decided to roll with averages and ranges.
Let’s be real: while the total might seem a bit daunting at first, after a few magical pit stops, you’ll be too enchanted to worry about the cost. Well, mostly.
Our Favorite Drinks and Snacks in China
It was tricky trying to narrow it down to our top picks, but here’s our choices for our favorite drinks and snacks in China.
If these don’t float your boat or you’re just looking for even more options, we’ve got a full list of the most popular snack and drink choices in the China Pavilion down below. There’s a lot to choose from!
Lucky Buddha Beer
Type of Item: Bottled Beer
Where to Find It: House of Good Fortune Bar
Average Price: $7.00 for 12 oz
Our Rating:
Description: A light and crisp lager with a mild flavor profile produced by the China-based Lucky Drink Company.
Why We Love It: The green bottle is shaped like a Buddha statue, which is adorable. And the beer itself is refreshing and smooth. We also love that this is sold at the bar in the House of Good Fortune store which makes for a good excuse to explore the shop.
Honey Hibiscus Hard Iced Tea
Type of Item: Cocktail
Where to Find It: Joy of Tea
Average Price: $12.75
Our Rating:
Description: Made with Organic Tea, Light Rum, Honey and Blueberry Boba. It is a blend of tangy hibiscus and sweet honey, with iced tea undertones.
Why We Love It: It is sometimes hard to find cocktails that aren’t super sugary and even syrupy, but this one hits the mark for being just enough sweetness to still be light and refreshing. Plus, the color is lovely.
Assorted Prepackaged Snacks
Type of Item: Snack
Where to Find It: House of Good Fortune Shop
Average Price: $5.00-$10.00
Our Rating:
Description: A variety of chips, candy, mochi, noodles, and more are available to purchase in the House of Good Fortune Shop.
Why We Love It: Most of the quick-service snack options in the China pavilion are similar to what you would receive at any fast-food Chinese restaurant and they are pretty boring. But the prepackaged options in the store and kiosks are unique and authentic and there is a decent variety.
Other Popular Drinks in China
China has a very popular set of booths out near the water – one being a permanent location called Joy of Tea, and the other one being a seasonal booth used for EPCOT festivals (Festival of the Arts, Flower and Garden Festival, Food and Wine Festival, Festival of the Holidays).
They also have a Quick Service location (Lotus Blossom Cafe) and a spot in the back inside of one of the shops called the House of Good Fortune where you can purchase drinks, too.
There is also 1 Table Service restaurant called Nine Dragons that is open for both Lunch and Dinner, but for the more traditional “Drinking Around the World” options, you’ll want to stick to either Joy of Tea, the bar inside of The House of Good Fortune, Lotus Blossom Cafe, or the China festival booth (the name changes depending on the festival).
Here are the most popular drinks when Drinking Around the World in China. Our favorites are indicated with a :
House of Good Fortune Bar
Bar located inside the House of Good Fortune shop at the back of the China Pavilion.
- Lucky Buddha Beer, average price $7.00
- Easy-to-drink. Mild and slightly sweet, with notes of grain and a hint of floral hops.
Joy of Tea
Quick Service booth offering a variety of specialty teas, cocktails, bubble teas, and snacks like egg rolls.
- Honey Hibiscus Hard Iced Tea, average price $12.75
- Made with Organic Tea, Light Rum, Honey and Blueberry Boba. It is a blend of tangy hibiscus and sweet honey, with iced tea undertones.
- Tipsy Ducks in Love, average price $14.50
- Blend of cold tea, coffee, bourbon whiskey, and chocolate syrup. It’s sweet, creamy, and has a nice kick.
- Dragon Butterfly, average price $15.00
- Made with Butterfly Pea Flower Gin, vodka, green tea, lemonade, soda water, hibiscus, and dragon fruit syrups, served with Blueberry Popping Boba.
Lotus Blossom Cafe
Quick Service location serving full meals. There is seating available at this location.
- Plum Wine, average price $9.75
- A sweet and slightly tangy wine that pairs well with many of the dishes available at the cafe.
- Cherry Blossom Pilsner, average price $9.75
- A refreshing and light pilsner with a subtle hint of cherry blossom.
- Honey Jasmine Lager, average price $9.95
- Lager infused with honey and jasmine. It’s light, crisp, and perfect for a hot day in the park.
Other Popular Snacks in China
It’s critical that you pace yourself when drinking alcohol (remember our Drinking Around the World tips?!) – and that means consuming plenty of water and food. Otherwise, you’re going to burn out before you even get started and look like a rookie. Not cool.
That’s why we recommend picking some snacks up as you work your way around the World Showcase. If you want to pair your Drinking Around the World with a snack, here are our top recommendations from the China Pavilion. Our favorites are indicated with a :
House of Good Fortune Shop
Shop at the back of the China Pavilion selling Chinese goods, including unique souvenirs and snacks. Includes a small bar off to one side of the shop.
- Chinese snacks like chips, average price $6.00
- Large selection of packaged snacks including a variety of chips in flavors not found in the United States, candies, and other savory treats.
Joy of Tea
Quick Service booth offering a variety of specialty teas, cocktails, bubble teas, and snacks like egg rolls.
- Pork Egg Rolls, average price $5.75
- Crispy egg rolls that are filled with savory pork and vegetables. 2 per serving.
Lotus Blossom Cafe
Quick Service location serving full meals. There is seating available at this location.
- Pork Egg Rolls, average price $6.00
- Crispy egg rolls that are filled with savory pork and vegetables. 2 per serving.
- Chicken Pot Stickers, average price $7.25
- Pan-fried dumplings are filled with a savory pork and vegetable mixture.
Seasonal and Festival Drinks & Snacks
In addition to the regular kiosks and restaurants, China also has a booth in every Epcot Festival. Unfortunately, the drinks aren’t usually our favorites despite the hecka long lines this booth always seems to have!
When participating in challenges for Drinking Around the World, some people take multiple days and include nearby booths from countries not represented in the original 11 of the World Showcase. We have links to the menus for all of the festivals below:
- Festival of the Arts Booth Menus
- Flower and Garden Festival Booth Menus
- Food and Wine Festival Booth Menus
- Festival of the Holidays Booth Menus
Tips and Tricks for the China Pavilion at Epcot
There’s way more to the China Pavilion than just grabbing a quick bite and a drink. Seriously. We sometimes forget this ourselves, but then we remember how much we paid for our tickets and feel compelled to explore a bit more than just the food and beverages.
If your checklist mostly revolves around snacks and sips, here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of your time and dive into the wonders of the China Pavilion:
Take in Reflections of China
Beyond the food and drinks, the China Pavilion features the Reflections of China film. This 14-minute Circle-Vision 360° film takes you on a breathtaking journey through China’s beautiful landscapes and historic sites. There isn’t any seating – but there IS air conditioning, so if you need a spot to cool off, this might be a good option.
Meet Mulan
If you are into meeting characters, you’ll find Mulan in the China Pavilion. She’s a lot of fun to meet, just make sure you check the My Disney Experience app for Mulan’s appearance times.
Snag some unique snacks
We mentioned above that we like dipping into the shops for snacks here. We love trying chips and candy from around the world, and there are lots of options for that here.
Shade is limited
Unless you go into one of the shops or the Reflections of China show, there really isn’t much (or any) shade in this pavilion. You may want to get your drinks and carry them with you over to the Refreshment Outpost area (on the pathway to Germany) where you’ll find some tables with umbrellas.
Watch Luminous
The China Pavilion offers some solid spots for viewing the nightly Luminous fireworks show. The key to getting a good spot is to make sure you don’t have anything between you and the center of the lake or the sky above. Trees and islands are the biggest obstacles. so try to avoid those if you can.
Bathrooms are scarce
There are not a lot of bathrooms in the China pavilion, but if you really need to go, you can find a couple of stalls that are in a hallway that connects Nine Dragons and Lotus Blossom Cafe. To get to the restrooms you’ll need to go inside either one of the restaurants and then look for the hallway/door that connects the 2 spaces. The restroom is located there.
Seating is scarce, too
In addition to the bathrooms being scarce, you’ll also find that the seating is scarce here, too. You can sometimes snag a table inside Lotus Blossom, but aside from a couple other tables near the water and some benches in the sun, there aren’t a ton of places to sit here.
Tell us what you think
And that’s it! All the ins and outs of the China Pavilion’s best drinks and snacks. Do you plan to try one of our recommendations? Did we leave your favorite off the list? We value your input, even (or especially) when it differs from ours. Plus, we know other readers appreciate varying perspectives, so please take a second to drop your thoughts in the comments!