*2013* epcot food & wine festival 9/27-11/11

[TheMaxRebo]

Too bad Dogfish is showcasing it's Namaste. I personally think it is disgusting.

I LOVE their Midas Touch, Raison D'Entre, & 90min IPA.
However who am I to complain. They are local to me so I can have them anytime I want.

and here I am and I really don't like the Midas Touch

Namaste isn't one of my favorite of theirs (prefer Pangea, Urkontinent, the 90 min IPA, or the Burton Baton) but at least it is something different

 

[conandrob240]

Any previous reports on the Citricos or Wolfgang Puck signature dinners. Also looking for opinions on the beer dinner

 

[gwynne]

Any previous reports on the Citricos or Wolfgang Puck signature dinners. Also looking for opinions on the beer dinner

We attended a Wolfgang Puck Signature at a past F&W. The dinner and wine were excellent, featuring Grgich Hills wines. It was a rather unusual evening, we certainly didn't expect it, but Wolfgang showed up. He added to the fun that night, he's a great host.

 

[conandrob240]

Awesome! Thank you. At $110, that dinner seems very reasonable.

 

[Brocktoon]

and here I am and I really don't like the Midas Touch

Namaste isn't one of my favorite of theirs (prefer Pangea, Urkontinent, the 90 min IPA, or the Burton Baton) but at least it is something different

I wonder how much input Dogfish actually has in the selection ... as it may be up to the local distributor. Most likely it comes down to cost and general acceptance. I think they select off of a mass appeal stlye to act as 'gateway' beer. Since Dogfish has a bunch more wacky brews than most, I figured they would go probably go with a milder brew like Namaste, Pale Ale, 60 min IPA, or the Indian Brown. Namaste is a decent safe choice. The more extreme Dogfish brews would probably have to sell at a higher price point and may turn off F&W visitors who aren't familiar with thier brews.

 

[thorphin]

ROE is at 9, or at 10 on weekend nights during the festival. It starts at park closing, so the event venue is usually working on closing up at that time as well. The event doesn't have to include viewing - just make sure you walk outside in time to see it. You may not have the best view if you do it that way, but there are plenty of places to watch around UK and Canada near the World Showplace.

Oh, right, I had forgotten that ROE would be at 10 that night. Thanks! Are these big events at World Showplace structured at all? Or is there a program? I wasn't sure if we'd be missing something if we decided to duck out ~30 minutes early to catch ROE from a decent vantage point. (Sorry, I realize I'm asking questions about a brand new event, but I'm assuming that there would be similarities between the Scotland event and other tasting events in World Showplace).

 

[tebookie]

Does anyone know if they will have the Chase lounge like they did last year?

 

[workinmom]

Does anyone know if they will have the Chase lounge like they did last year?

I was just looking at my DV account & the special offers. According to the website, it will be available again this year.

DD & I will be doing F & W festival for the 1st time & I'm a new Visa cardholder, so I'm looking forward to experiencing the lounge!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I wonder how much input Dogfish actually has in the selection ... as it may be up to the local distributor. Most likely it comes down to cost and general acceptance. I think they select off of a mass appeal stlye to act as 'gateway' beer. Since Dogfish has a bunch more wacky brews than most, I figured they would go probably go with a milder brew like Namaste, Pale Ale, 60 min IPA, or the Indian Brown. Namaste is a decent safe choice. The more extreme Dogfish brews would probably have to sell at a higher price point and may turn off F&W visitors who aren't familiar with thier brews.

I fully agree - though, given they now offer flights of beers, that would be a perfect opportunity to try some more, um, out there beers.

I am hoping that this is just the first step and then next year they will have a number of Dogfish Head (or other craft-ier craft beers) and you can get a flight and try a bunch

 

[redzinner]

Does anyone know if they will have the Chase lounge like they did last year?

On the Disney website Epcot Food & Wine page:

Grab Hold of Enchanting Perks

Become a Disney Visa® Cardmember and enjoy access to the Chase Lounge, exclusively for Chase credit and debit Cardmembers, at Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Enjoy dreamy Disney rewards and year-round perks. Plus, new Cardmembers get $100 statement credit after first purchase.

 

[M&C]

We've never been to F&W (yes, obviously soooo excited!), but I have Disney Visa, so please tell me about the Chase Lounge.

 

[TDC Nala]

It's really just a place to sit and rest. They offered coffee, tea and soda at no charge but asked that you use their (small) cups and not fill your own. There's also a bathroom. At the beginning of the year they had smart phone chargers but those were removed about halfway through the festival. If you bring your own charger, there are plenty of outlets.

The big draw was the wristbands that got you into reserved areas for the Eat to the Beat concerts and IllumiNations. These were given out first come, first served and when they ran out there were no more. They went very quickly on weekends, not quite as fast on weekdays.

 

[M&C]

You can get wristbands for the Eat to the Beat concerts? Please tell me more about them. Actually, please tell me more about the Eat to the Beat concerts. I'm determined to see the Gogo's! They're my favorite growing up.

 

[TDC Nala]

They had wristbands for each show on each night (there are 3 shows per night). The roped off area was to the far right of the theater, sort of in the middle. It wasn't down front. The view wasn't bad. The Chase wristband line is let in before the general public but since the area is roped off, it doesn't matter if you are there before the public gets in or not. What does matter is that about 10 minutes before showtime they took the ropes down and let anyone sit in that section. So get there earlier than that if you want the advantage.

 

[TDluvsDaisy]

Does the Sweet Sundays count for the advanced reservations for DVC, AP & TIW? I don't want to hold a place in the call queue if I just need to be calling on the 13th.

Also does anyone know if you have to be 21 & over for that one since alcohol is served?

 

[keishashadow]

Le Cellier Steakhouse: 10/8/13, Al Youngman, 11:30PM, $90

this is from DU website, wondering if it's a typo and they meant 11:30 am?

Have never booked the party for the senses since it's typically our arrival day and afraid we might have a flight delay. Have also read some reviews indicating that it's a bit of a zoo as to the lowest price admission line.Did anybody here book the 1st Saturday in October last year?

 

[marsh0013]

Le Cellier Steakhouse: 10/8/13, Al Youngman, 11:30PM, $90

this is from DU website, wondering if it's a typo and they meant 11:30 am?

Have never booked the party for the senses since it's typically our arrival day and afraid we might have a flight delay. Have also read some reviews indicating that it's a bit of a zoo as to the lowest price admission line.Did anybody here book the 1st Saturday in October last year?

Probably a typo. I noticed that something else, maybe the French breakfast? Was also showing a late pm time

Can't help on pfts never been to one. Actually this is the first year we're planning to try any of the events.

 

[sunshinecruise]

My dh and I stopped at the Chase Lounge last year and we felt like it was a waste of time to even walk in there. We were there during the last week of the festival, so maybe it was better earlier on. It was just some seats and a coffee machine that was not working. There was maybe a water cooler too.
We had been to the Chase lounge at Universal and they at least had bottles of water and granola bars, and a nice bathroom.
Several years ago, I think it was Visa who had a lounge upstairs in The Land. It was in a room over the Garden Grill restaurant and it had big windows where you could look out into the land pavilion. They had soda and snacks and Mickey was even there. That was fun.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Le Cellier Steakhouse: 10/8/13, Al Youngman, 11:30PM, $90

this is from DU website, wondering if it's a typo and they meant 11:30 am?

Have never booked the party for the senses since it's typically our arrival day and afraid we might have a flight delay. Have also read some reviews indicating that it's a bit of a zoo as to the lowest price admission line.Did anybody here book the 1st Saturday in October last year?

i don't recall which week I went, but it was a bit of a zoo LOL! I paid for the WineView Lounge and had a seat right by the "walkway" between the two "cooking" areas and the reserved seating areas. (Kind of hard to describe, but the stage is agains the wall, reserved seating next to the stage, a walkway, and then the lounge) At opening I was sitting in my seat watching what felt like the "running of the bulls" as the general admission folks ran for the tables!

I won't go again if I can't get some type of reserved seating. As a solo diner it is not fun to be have to stand all night due to the table holding that occurs...

 

[keishashadow]

i don't recall which week I went, but it was a bit of a zoo LOL! I paid for the WineView Lounge and had a seat right by the "walkway" between the two "cooking" areas and the reserved seating areas. (Kind of hard to describe, but the stage is agains the wall, reserved seating next to the stage, a walkway, and then the lounge) At opening I was sitting in my seat watching what felt like the "running of the bulls" as the general admission folks ran for the tables!

I won't go again if I can't get some type of reserved seating. As a solo diner it is not fun to be have to stand all night due to the table holding that occurs...

we were 'bulls' our first event, glad it was sparsely attended or we'd have been in the cheap seats