Food and Wine guide is out

[OrlandoMike]

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, the Guide for the EPCOT Food and Wine festival is out......Start studying now!


http://wdw2.wdpromedia.com/media/wdw_nextgen/CoreCatalog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_US/Media/InternetMediaType/Event/FoodWine2009/FoodandWine_2009FestivalGuide.pdf

[wallyb]

Save some...
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c117/baluzots/escargot.jpg
For Jamie!

[watersbland]

Thanks for posting Mike. DW and my mom were jumping up and down squealing with excitement when I told them our upcoming trip falls just at the start of food and wine. They have asked me at least a question a day since then and they were pretty much all answered by reading through the guide.

[DVCajun]

Right off the bat I noticed something dramatically different this year.... they're charing $8 for the previously included wine demonstrations at the welcome center. That seems ..... wrong. Especially since those demonstrations have degenerated to little more than commercials for the presenting winery.

When the F&W first started, the wine talks were sooooo awesome. They were smaller, since no one knew what the F&W festival was yet, and they were given in little tents set up around the WS. I learned so much from those little seminars. They were truly educational about wine, not simply commercials for a particular brand. I learned about grapes, what types of "terrare" made good wine, how to use a corkscrew, what shapes the different bottles meant, how they made ice wine ..... the list goes on and on. They were truly cool little classes. They weren't "fancy" like they became when they moved to the welcome center -- if you got to taste a wine, it was in a tiny plastic cup. But they were MUCH better.

And NOW they want us to PAY for those watered down seminars? If they are actually returning to an educational, broad format instead of just a sales pitch, I would possibly consider it. As it is? I'm insulted. Those vineyards are donating the damn wine in an effort to promote sales anyway.

Ugh. My excitement has ebbed. :sad2:

[DVC~OKW~96]

We received our booklet in the mail just a little while ago.

We too weren't too thrilled to see some of the changes... but that's Disney. :)

We still like the FWF, even though we honestly believe the best days are far behind us. :confused3

[rpmdfw]

I also thought that the $8 charges for the seminars was a crock.

Not thrilled that they've decided that each Party for the Senses has to have it's own "theme" either. I thought "Party for the Senses" WAS the theme! I really enjoyed the ecclectic range of foods that you could get at the party. Now, eh. It's just a theme dinner. The fact that they've decided to create a "VIP section" doesn't make me happy either. It wasn't broken, and now they've tried to fix it. :headache: We're not going this year.

We're still looking forward to spending several days hitting the food booths, but even those selections seem to have reduced the past couple of years.

Overall, it seems like it's in line with the corporate thinking we've seen from WDW in the past two years. Cut costs, cut amenities, eliminate unique experiences, diminish the guest experience, and expect people to fork over increasing amounts of cash for less.

Sad state of affairs

[Jeff90]

Jon and I can't wait for it....it will be something new to us....hopefully Rob and Scott will break us in.....;)

[Jeff90]

and thanks for putting this out Mike! :goodvibes I have been briefing Jon all night....;)

[wallyb]

hopefully Rob and Scott will break us in.....;)

I...:eek: errr...:rolleyes: ummmm....:scratchin
Oh never mind. There's enough innuendo here already.
Why inject more.

[Jeff90]

I...:eek: errr...:rolleyes: ummmm....:scratchin
Oh never mind. There's enough innuendo here already.
Why inject more.

:lmao:

My we are up early...are you getting ready for chruch and Sunday School?

[wallyb]

:lmao:

My we are up early...are you getting ready for chruch and Sunday School?

The gym.
The other church ;)

[Saxton]

I...:eek: errr...:rolleyes: ummmm....:scratchin
Oh never mind. There's enough innuendo here already.
Why inject more.

Wally is showing restraint? That's odd ... ususally he's IN restraints.

[Saxton]

I don't like the $8 fee but I think I understand why they are doing it (aside from making money) - the lines are insanely long and unless you wanted to spend a whole day just waiting in line to do a few wine seminars you didn't have a chance. Maybe their thought is that most of the people that go to them don't even care about wine they just go because it's 'free'. I didn't do any seminars last year because of the lines ... but then I won't pay to go to them this year. I'll be grazing at the booths!

[rpmdfw]

The gym.
The other church ;)

He's on his knees either way. :rolleyes:

[wallyb]

He's on his knees either way. :rolleyes:

I AM NOT.

In the gym I'm mostly bent over. :snooty:

[DVC~OKW~96]

I AM NOT.

In the gym I'm mostly bent over. :snooty:

:lmao::lmao:
Sorry Wally! No disrespect of your gym prowess intended, it's just that the comment cracked me up!! :lmao::lmao:

Actually, I think it was the sniffy little smilie along with the comment that caused the hilarity. :rotfl::rotfl:

[wallyb]

:lmao::lmao:
Sorry Wally! No disrespect of your gym prowess intended, it's just that the comment cracked me up!! :lmao::lmao:

Actually, I think it was the sniffy little smilie along with the comment that caused the hilarity. :rotfl::rotfl:
:snooty:

[jenn&nelsonrego]

Wally is showing restraint? That's odd ... ususally he's IN restraints.

THIS one made me really LOL... :lmao:

[wallyb]

THIS one made me really LOL... :lmao:

Well I am the proverbial BUTT of the jocularity today! :mad:

You people! :snooty:

[PghLybrt]

Sorry to get off of the church idea...... ;)


I have a question. Ok I have a couple of them. Is the party for the Senses worth doing? And my Mom really actually wants to learn about wine( I just want to drink it). I noticed some wine school thing. Do I have to sign up for that now or that day?

[rpmdfw]

Sorry to get off of the church idea...... ;)


I have a question. Ok I have a couple of them. Is the party for the Senses worth doing? And my Mom really actually wants to learn about wine( I just want to drink it). I noticed some wine school thing. Do I have to sign up for that now or that day?

In the past we've LOVED the party for the senses. I'd say it's defiitely worth doing. I wouldn't bother with their "VIP Seating Area" as it's totally unneccessary and a blatant attempt and raking in more cash.

[Saxton]

Sorry to get off of the church idea...... ;)


I have a question. Ok I have a couple of them. Is the party for the Senses worth doing? And my Mom really actually wants to learn about wine( I just want to drink it). I noticed some wine school thing. Do I have to sign up for that now or that day?

I've never done the Party for the Senses, want to some day but just haven't gotten around to it. From what I've heard it's a great event with lots of entertainment, food and wine but not an educational opportunity. Has your mom started to get into wines yet? Some friends of mine own a winery and I help them out a bit - usually computer stuff but I have worked in the tasting room and at special events. When you talk about learning there are so many different avenues. Usually when someone first starts drinking wine they gravitate towards the sweeter side (riesling and fruit wines). There are so many different options at F&W, all the booths have at least 2 wines and there there are the specialty stands, it may be overwhelming. Has she gone to any wineries in her area? Doing wine tours is a great starting point - she'll be able to try different wines, find out what she prefers and talk to the staff at the winery. And I always encourage people to experiment - start with sweet and then move to dry. And never say never - I've had people say they don't like reds but then they change their mind once they taste.

Sorry, I'm rambling ... but I just got home and I'm drinking wine.

[Saxton]

Well I am the proverbial BUTT of the jocularity today! :mad:

You people! :snooty:

A jocular butt??? Sounds painful. Did you get it from working out at the gym?

[OrlandoMike]

This is an excellent book to get started on a wine journey! But I have to agree, nothing beats a tasting! Something about tasting wines with someone who knows what they are talking about, telling you what to look for! Not a big wine drinker here, but I can appreciate what is going on! Something I just got into, and was really afraid I wouldn't like, Ports! YUM!

http://www.amazon.com/Wine-Dummies-Ed-McCarthy/dp/0764551140

[PghLybrt]

In the past we've LOVED the party for the senses. I'd say it's defiitely worth doing. I wouldn't bother with their "VIP Seating Area" as it's totally unneccessary and a blatant attempt and raking in more cash.

I think we just might try it this year!

[PghLybrt]

I've never done the Party for the Senses, want to some day but just haven't gotten around to it. From what I've heard it's a great event with lots of entertainment, food and wine but not an educational opportunity. Has your mom started to get into wines yet? Some friends of mine own a winery and I help them out a bit - usually computer stuff but I have worked in the tasting room and at special events. When you talk about learning there are so many different avenues. Usually when someone first starts drinking wine they gravitate towards the sweeter side (riesling and fruit wines). There are so many different options at F&W, all the booths have at least 2 wines and there there are the specialty stands, it may be overwhelming. Has she gone to any wineries in her area? Doing wine tours is a great starting point - she'll be able to try different wines, find out what she prefers and talk to the staff at the winery. And I always encourage people to experiment - start with sweet and then move to dry. And never say never - I've had people say they don't like reds but then they change their mind once they taste.

Sorry, I'm rambling ... but I just got home and I'm drinking wine. LOL at the bolded part, I know what you mean! As for my Mom learning, I should have been more specific. She wants to "learn about wine" while on vacation. I think because she works at a rather high end resturaunt and she wants to show off a little when she gets back. I was unsure if the "wine schools" they have listed where worth doing or just learn by doing, and in this case i mean drinking!:rotfl:

This is an excellent book to get started on a wine journey! But I have to agree, nothing beats a tasting! Something about tasting wines with someone who knows what they are talking about, telling you what to look for! Not a big wine drinker here, but I can appreciate what is going on! Something I just got into, and was really afraid I wouldn't like, Ports! YUM!

http://www.amazon.com/Wine-Dummies-Ed-McCarthy/dp/0764551140

I think that may be a birthday gift. Thanks! :thumbsup2

[OrlandoMike]

I was unsure if the "wine schools" they have listed where worth doing or just learn by doing, and in this case i mean drinking!

I haven't read the whole schedule this year yet, but I've never been to a wine tasting where I didn't learn something....The ones at the F+WF are usually pretty good!

[wallyb]

I think we just might try it this year!

We did it - loved it.

Although I wish they had reserved Tables instead of the cattle call seating
frenzy at the beginning. :headache:

[soulmates]

Alas, we have to wait till our Disneymoon to experience this. I'll just have to live for ALL your TR's and pictures. I'm sure my Cajun friend will come back with LOTS of information for us. As for the rest of you, enjoy your planning..and Wally, I always knew you were a "Bend over backwards kinda guy!" :rolleyes1