Is Epcot’s Holiday Cookie Stroll an Activity that Teenagers Would Enjoy?

Just last week, I had the chance to join my niece and nephew as they completed the Holiday Cookie Stroll around Epcot‘s World Showcase. I had previously completed the Holiday Cookie Stroll during this year’s Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, but I was really interested in finding out what two teenagers (my niece is in middle school, and my nephew is in high school) thought of the activity. What would two teens think about running around the World Showcase to hunt down cookies, and how would that impact their enjoyment of their limited time in the park?

James and Emily began the Holiday Cookie Stroll with the Peppermint Pinwheel cookie at Yukon Holiday Kitchen. James thought that the cookie’s peppermint flavor was underrepresented, and that the sprinkles were just a bit too much. Emily agreed that the peppermint taste was underwhelming. She thought that the chefs had done a nice job of decorating the cookie.

We headed through the United Kingdom pavilion and past the France pavilion (after a brief break at Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie for a petite bite of lunch) for our next stop at L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen for the Black and White cookie.

Emily enjoyed the cookie’s lemon flavor, but noted that the spongy, cake-like consistency of the cookie made it a bit harder to bite through. She enjoyed the vanilla icing more than the chocolate icing, as the vanilla tasted more like actual cake frosting. James agreed that the vanilla icing was better than the chocolate, and didn’t think that the lemon flavoring in the cookie paired well with the chocolate icing.

Their next stop on the Holiday Cookie Stroll was at The American Adventure for the Gingerbread cookie at American Holiday Table. Emily noted that this cookie is simply a basic gingerbread cookie. It was soft, and the gingerbread taste was prominent without being overpowering.

James thought that the icing on the cookie didn’t take like real icing, but tasted like candy instead. Both Emily and James said that they would not purchase this cookie again.

The Linzer cookie at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen was the next treat on the list. James noted that there is quite a bit of powdered sugar on the cookie, and that the raspberry jam somewhat takes away from the taste of the actual cookie. Emily thought that the jam’s taste was very tart. She also noted that the cookie is very crumbly, and felt that there was too much powdered sugar on the cookie. They would both likely re-purchase this cookie.

Our next stop on the stroll was for my favorite of the six featured cookies: the Chocolate Crinkle cookie at Feast of the Three Kings. At this point, James was on his own as Emily needed to run over to Hollywood Studios to check on something with her dad. It’s important to note that you need quite a bit of time to complete the Holiday Cookie Stroll, and, when you have plans in the park or in another park, it can be hard to get everything done. Sometimes you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Or, in this case, your cookie.

James felt that the Chocolate Crinkle cookie was more gooey than the Chocolate Crinkle cookies that he has made with Emily at home. The outside was crunchy, and overall, he would purchase this cookie again.

James felt that the complementary Santa Mickey completer cookie, found at Holiday Sweets and Treats, was not good on a hot afternoon as the warmer temps caused the chocolate used on the cookie to quickly melt.

He mentioned that the cookie is a normal sugar cookie, and he felt that it was decently executed. He also noted that the white chocolate Santa hat on top of the cookie wasn’t very flavorful. He would not buy this cookie if he had to purchase it separately.

So, after six cookies and an afternoon spent traversing the World Showcase hunting them down, did James and Emily feel that the Holiday Cookie Stroll would be an activity that teenagers would enjoy? In short, probably not. James felt that teens would rather spend their time enjoying the park’s attractions, unless that teen is someone who has already done the rides and enjoys doing the extra in-park activities. Emily felt that “…the cookies themselves didn’t have anything that made them worth going all around Epcot for .” During our afternoon, we had to start and stop the Stroll as we had a Test Track FastPass and a ride on the Disney Skyliner (among other things) to get to. When you’re trying to get it all done at Disney, feeling the need to complete an activity may not be something that your teen desires. You’ll know your teenager best.

When park time is limited, it’s hard to squeeze it all in. And, according to my teenage niece and nephew, the Holiday Cookie Stroll is something that teens may want to skip in favor of getting all of the attraction must-dos done.

The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays runs through Monday, December 30th, 2019.

Which Walt Disney World special activities, events, or tours do the teens in your life enjoy? Please share your thoughts and advice in the comments section below.