***2009*** Epcot Food & Wine Festival ENDED NOV. 8

[oybolshoi]

Upon dropping sunglasses on the floor in the demo area the last weekend of the Festival it sort of became obvious that they apparently didn't vacuum under the tables for the full run of the festival, either. That was also a bit of a turnoff. But free food is free food.

 

[kabuki]

Hate to be the voice of dissent... but we really love Sweet Sundays! Last year we went to Gale Gand's demo and it was wonderful! She's an amazing pastry chef and we are so lucky to have her close to home in Chicago! Here are some pics of the event...

The table set up in the Chef's Showplace in the Festival Center. The wine glasses were full of Asti Prosecco and it flowed freely the entire event.

Great photos! How did I miss these before? I have not done a sweet sundays since I am not a dessert person but this looks fun! Thanks for posting these!

 

[redzinner]

I promised myself I would check on this thread regularly so I could keep up with the reading of posts BUT I'm already 7 pages behind!

Found this today .... don't know who Keith Snow is but it looks like he'll be at the Festival. Someone out there may be a fan ...

Harvest Eating Seasonal Cooking Made Easy

Also I read somewhere that Gale Gand is not returning this year but her culinary partner (and ex-husband) Rick Tramonto will be at the festival.

 

[kathiewe]

Thanks for all of the advise -- sounds like F&W events are not much of a way to get a way by yourself for an evening.

We have eaten at a number of the signature restaurants in WDW and have enjoyed a great meal at all but Narcossee's. We would love to do V&A but thought it might be a bit expensive for us on this trip since we are planning to spoil our son, after all the purpose of this trip is to celebrate his adoption with our friends and family. Still, we wanted 1 evening to ourselves -- and were thinking F&W event but now I'm wondering if that is a good choice.

How would rate V&A to Citricos (another restaurant we have not been to) for price, food, experience? If it helps we do have the TiW card.

Thanks for your advice again, its good to hear from fellow foodies!

Kathie

 

[oybolshoi]

Thanks for all of the advise -- sounds like F&W events are not much of a way to get a way by yourself for an evening.

We have eaten at a number of the signature restaurants in WDW and have enjoyed a great meal at all but Narcossee's. We would love to do V&A but thought it might be a bit expensive for us on this trip since we are planning to spoil our son, after all the purpose of this trip is to celebrate his adoption with our friends and family. Still, we wanted 1 evening to ourselves -- and were thinking F&W event but now I'm wondering if that is a good choice.

How would rate V&A to Citricos (another restaurant we have not been to) for price, food, experience? If it helps we do have the TiW card.

Thanks for your advice again, its good to hear from fellow foodies!

Kathie

Citricos is very good but not in the same class as V&A.

V&A is a five-star dining experience and your husband will need to wear a jacket and tie if you're going to dine there. The food and service are amazing and they do accept the TiW card, so that 20% discount adds up pretty fast there. It's a wonderful place to go for romantic dining and to celebrate something as terrific as what you have to celebrate!

Citricos is one of the best signature restaurants on property ... they also provide a great meal with great service, just not at the level you'd get next door at V&A.

Some of it probably depends on your budget and just how formal you want dinner to be.

 

[enchantingodin]

I have a SP, but my husband has an AP because we hate paying for parking and use the TiW card. The savings we have throughout the year more than make up for the expense of a full AP. Just my two cents!

I've thought about doing that myself. But I figured it would mean 11 days of going to the parks to break even. So I guess it depends on how often you go and where you stay to which is better for you.

Remember, those wrist bands are re-loadable. They do make great souvenirs, but we are still using them every time we go to Disney.

They are very convenient having them on your wrist or as my dh does he attaches them to his belt. You don't have to fish out your money each time you want to buy something.

I hope they bring them back with a new design for this year's F&W.

We plan on doing this too. Since our first day in the parks will be at F&WF. Gonna load up a card and use it for most of the vacation. Helps keep me on budget too.

I almost wish they'd the KTTWC this way too.

 

[blissventure]

We plan on doing this too. Since our first day in the parks will be at F&WF. Gonna load up a card and use it for most of the vacation. Helps keep me on budget too.

I almost wish they'd the KTTWC this way too.

The cards are nice, but occasionally they kiosks have trouble accepting them. (And on some unfortunate days it is a VERY frequent problem.) I keep about 10 $5 dollar bills in my change purse. Those $5's really come in handy at F&W. While one register struggles with the cards, the other one tends to breeze through folks paying with bills.

 

[oybolshoi]

The cards are nice, but occasionally they kiosks have trouble accepting them. (And on some unfortunate days it is a VERY frequent problem.) I keep about 10 $5 dollar bills in my change purse. Those $5's really come in handy at F&W. While one register struggles with the cards, the other one tends to breeze through folks paying with bills.

Truer words were never posted on a message board.

We actually just use cash anymore at the kiosks because we always seem to get stuck at one where the card reader doesn't work, or the wireless is down, or the KTTW card is suddenly demagnetized ... blah blah blah, you get the picture. Cash works for us and keeps us on a budget (believe it or not!).

 

[arbolita]

For those who have gone to the 'soft opening' on the Thursday before, around what time do they start to open the kiosks? I'm going to be at Disney from September 22-29, and because I want to try to avoid the crazyness of the opening weekend, we were thinking of going to Epcot on the Thursday and Monday of our trip.

 

[BriarRosie]

honestly I think maybe part of it was the stunt cookie - at the last one my mother and I were given a standard theme park issue macadamia nut cookie with icing on it and I think they were trying to pass it off as the thin butter cookie that was part of the demo. How clueless do they think we are? When asked, the explanation was that they wanted to provide "a variety" but then why give only one table of guests a stunt cookie? They brought more butter cookies but the icing was runny - that may have been the reason why they didn't want to serve them in the first place.

You guys have posted so many links it'll take me forever to repost them on the first post - may have to pick out some good overview reviews. But I am working this weekend so don't know when I will have time!

Yeah, the Stunt Cookie would have turned me off, too. I remember that story. I like the Sweet Sundays well enough, but the last one I did, back in the Odyssey venue, was just ok. The desserts didn't wow me. The desserts we got from Chef Jason at Steakhouse 55 were way better, IMHO.

And I don't think I'd want to go to a paid event in the Festival Center if the events are held there again. I would not want to risk the noise distractions she had. But even the food we were served was almost an embarrassment to the guest chef. The kitchens weren't bringing consistently good food.

And that Mr. Creosote signature pic... Love it!

I promised myself I would check on this thread regularly so I could keep up with the reading of posts BUT I'm already 7 pages behind!

Found this today .... don't know who Keith Snow is but it looks like he'll be at the Festival. Someone out there may be a fan ...

Harvest Eating Seasonal Cooking Made Easy

Also I read somewhere that Gale Gand is not returning this year but her culinary partner (and ex-husband) Rick Tramonto will be at the festival.

Yes, I met Rick at the PFTS from a couple years ago. I joked that I've met two Chicago area chefs by way of WDW. (Rick Bayless was the other one; 2003 I think?) Tramonto was the chef I raved about in my first food report. He made lobster bisque "shooters" that were phenominal. Yum.

For those who have gone to the 'soft opening' on the Thursday before, around what time do they start to open the kiosks? I'm going to be at Disney from September 22-29, and because I want to try to avoid the crazyness of the opening weekend, we were thinking of going to Epcot on the Thursday and Monday of our trip.

I don't know whether they will have a soft opening on the Thursday before the festival, but the kiosk open at the same time as World Showcase: 11am.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I can't wait for this year's F&W Festival.

I'm hoping for the return of more F&W Pairings (since there was so few last year), EE, or Signature Dinners. We're skipping PotS this year though.

 

[BriarRosie]

I can't wait for this year's F&W Festival.

I'm hoping for the return of more F&W Pairings (since there was so few last year), EE, or Signature Dinners. We're skipping PotS this year though.

I personally don't believe we will see a return of the pairings at Le Cellier or Coral Reef, since the DDP pretty much ensures those two places need every table available.

I'm hoping they will bring back the dinner events, though.

 

[loperella]

WoW! I didn't realize the F & W was such a big event. Just saw this sticky & thought I'd see what all the hoopla was about. I'm w/o words...not only going to be our 1st trip to Disney but also the Halloween AND Epcot F & W. No...not overwhelmed at all... We are going to be in the World for eight nights (Oct 2-10), but I don't think it'll be nearly long enough. Hmmm...I'm already seeing a return trip will be necessary! Now, back to the planning board for me.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I personally don't believe we will see a return of the pairings at Le Cellier or Coral Reef, since the DDP pretty much ensures those two places need every table available.

I'm hoping they will bring back the dinner events, though.

Oh I agree with that. I really enjoyed the Pairings I had at Le Cellier and Coral Reef back in 2007, at leaset I got to try them once. I've never been one to use the DDP anyway. I'm more of a DDE...eer TIW type of girl.

 

[redzinner]

I'm hoping they will bring back the dinner events, though.

Ditto here BriarRosie! I'm hoping with the Bocuse D'or competition not part of the festival this year they will bring back some of the dinner events. I think that event took a lot of prep and 'man' hours so in the end the dinners were axed. But who knows the 'recession' may still make Disney planners a little leary of the bigger ticket items.

 

[TDC Nala]

Ditto here BriarRosie! I'm hoping with the Bocuse D'or competition not part of the festival this year they will bring back some of the dinner events. I think that event took a lot of prep and 'man' hours so in the end the dinners were axed. But who knows the 'recession' may still make Disney planners a little leary of the bigger ticket items.

That, and they sent Nora packing, and she ran the festival all those years I think. Don't know what the new team might come up with or what Disney might pressure the new team to come up with. Agree that we probably won't see the pairings come back to Le Cellier and Coral Reef as they can't spare the space at the restaurants. The beginning of the festival coincides with the end of free dining, too.

Am hoping that Cat Cora who is usually a festival participant decides she wants to have an event of some sort at her restaurant - I like going to her demos and events because she seems to believe that her guests should get more than they expected (she is the one who turned what was supposed to be a one-dish Kitchen Conversation into a three course meal in 2007)

The problem I have now is should I save $60 for a food/wine pairing at Epcot in case they have a good one or should I spend it to sign up to roll sushi with Masaharu Morimoto in NYC on Columbus Day weekend?

Mr. Creosote is my mascot for the month of October.

 

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

That, and they sent Nora packing, and she ran the festival all those years I think. Don't know what the new team might come up with or what Disney might pressure the new team to come up with. Agree that we probably won't see the pairings come back to Le Cellier and Coral Reef as they can't spare the space at the restaurants. The beginning of the festival coincides with the end of free dining, too.

Am hoping that Cat Cora who is usually a festival participant decides she wants to have an event of some sort at her restaurant - I like going to her demos and events because she seems to believe that her guests should get more than they expected (she is the one who turned what was supposed to be a one-dish Kitchen Conversation into a three course meal in 2007)

The problem I have now is should I save $60 for a food/wine pairing at Epcot in case they have a good one or should I spend it to sign up to roll sushi with Masaharu Morimoto in NYC on Columbus Day weekend?

Mr. Creosote is my mascot for the month of October.

It's a shame. Both those pairing sounded wonderful. That was our first year to the F&WF and we didn't even know about the pairings until it was too late to get into them.

I can't wait until they have the list of chefs that will be attending this year. If there is someone I really like I might need to make a return visit in Oct.

 

[redzinner]

That, and they sent Nora packing, and she ran the festival all those years I think.

Marianne Hunnel took Carey's place I'm pretty sure. I know Marianne has 'cheffed' all over the parks and I think her last place was Spoodles before she switched over to F&WF but ... does anyone know ... is she married to Scott Hunnel of V&A fame?

 

[kabuki]

The problem I have now is should I save $60 for a food/wine pairing at Epcot in case they have a good one or should I spend it to sign up to roll sushi with Masaharu Morimoto in NYC on Columbus Day weekend?

Mr. Creosote is my mascot for the month of October.

Do the Sushi class with Morimoto! That would be great I think ..

By the way I love the Icon -"it's a wafer thin" ..

 

[BriarRosie]

Oh I agree with that. I really enjoyed the Pairings I had at Le Cellier and Coral Reef back in 2007, at leaset I got to try them once. I've never been one to use the DDP anyway. I'm more of a DDE...eer TIW type of girl.

I've done pairings in past years at both Le Cellier and Coral Reef, but I liked the Le Cellier ones I did better. To put things into perspective, though, the chef who did the Le Cellier pairings is Brian Piasecki, the chef currently at California Grill, who a few months ago was chef at Jiko after Annette Gray left. I have never done DDP either. DDE/TIW, I like that better, too.

That, and they sent Nora packing, and she ran the festival all those years I think. Don't know what the new team might come up with or what Disney might pressure the new team to come up with. Agree that we probably won't see the pairings come back to Le Cellier and Coral Reef as they can't spare the space at the restaurants. The beginning of the festival coincides with the end of free dining, too.

That's the question. What is the new team planning? I did talk to Nora after the French Regional Lunch last year, and the only thing that stuck in my mind after our conversation was that getting contracts signed by all the presenters and wineries was extremely difficult. Sounded like massive amounts of procrastination among the various chefs and wineries.

Am hoping that Cat Cora who is usually a festival participant decides she wants to have an event of some sort at her restaurant - I like going to her demos and events because she seems to believe that her guests should get more than they expected (she is the one who turned what was supposed to be a one-dish Kitchen Conversation into a three course meal in 2007)

Now THAT would rock. I could see her doing an event to coincide with the opening of Kouzzina. If Disney hasn't already approached her about doing something, they should.

The problem I have now is should I save $60 for a food/wine pairing at Epcot in case they have a good one or should I spend it to sign up to roll sushi with Masaharu Morimoto in NYC on Columbus Day weekend?

Give up a chance to roll sushi with Morimoto? Are you NUTS???? If they have a good food/wine pairing during the time we're going, I'll sign us both up for it.

Mr. Creosote is my mascot for the month of October.

Yes, Mr. Creosote makes an awesome mascot! I could use a glutton mascot. Is Heimlich available? Maybe "Glutton Fest 2009". :