2007 International Food & Wine Festival (Marketplace Booth Details Now Available!)

[Patty3]

Tagging along for info.

 

[BriarRosie]

I wrote an article last year about the 11th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival:

Not Just Food Booths: The Other Side of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival -- http://www.yesterland.com/wine2006.html​

The article discusses the free events and the "Exclusive Wine & Culinary Programs" last year. Some events last year were priced way too high. It will be interesting to see what they learned from last year.

I was able to go to the F&WF in 2006, but I did keep up with the event listings and discussed in detail with friends who've gone to some of the new offerings last year. I was disappointed that Lunch and Learn was discontinued and replaced with an event for twice the price, just add cookbook and bottle of wine. What used to be a moderately pricey event (but worth every penny to me) has now priced itself off my radar. I found it interesting that the event offered cookbooks per person, which is great if you're not attending with someone from the same household. Married couples attending wouldn't care to have two of the same cookbook.

Now, I'm going to concentrate mainly on Party for the Senses and the food and wine pairings (best bargain, IMHO). I will keep my options open for events (like Signature Dinners), because I felt those were worthwhile, too. It's just making us all antsy, I suppose, to see how the schedule looks this year, and whether some of the events are changing.

I just have to make sure I can be up and ready to start dialing 5 minutes to 6am.

 

[eva]

I just have to make sure I can be up and ready to start dialing 5 minutes to 6am.

Is that 6am EST on August 6th?

 

[TDC Nala]

Somes comments:

"Brilliant Bubbles" has been the theme of the first of the Exquisite Evenings of the festival for the past two years. It was started to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Festival and was continued last year. Hard to say if they will keep doing it -- depends on whether they can line up some champagne houses to send reps and champagne.

Although the Jiko dinner is usually a monthly event, last year there was one during the Festival -- and it was reserved for booking until F&W Festival bookings opened. Sounds like they aren't doing that this year.

There were two during the festival. The one I went to was a regular first-Thursday one and we did NOT book it through the festival, it wasn't even listed. The other was a F&W regional feast.

The regular first Thursday ones are open for booking as they normally are (I think one or both of them may be full now) and we won't be able to tell until they release the schedule whether or not Jiko will host a regional feast this year.

 

[TDC Nala]

Is that 6am EST on August 6th?

Lori is on Central time. It's 7 am EST on August 6.

If I recall correctly most of the cancellation windows were 72 hours. But there might have been different ones.

 

[yearbook50]

I've actually been reduced to searching for individual winery calendars to see if they've listed the food and wine festival. Here's what I've found so far.

One of our favorite wines last year were from Rudd winery. They produce fabulous wines that tend to be on the very expensive side. So having them at the equisite evening I believe and the PFTS was a real treat. I met the sales rep from there and got his card. So I emailed him yesterday to see if they were returning. Unfortunately, I won't be there this year when he is, but here is what he had to say.

"I will be back to the Epcot fest with some GREAT new wines this year. I will be there on October 10 to 14! I am not sure what I will be doing yet, but I will be giving at least 2 or 3 lectures and two dinners!"

Here's some other news I found on the internet.

Silver Oak Cellars
Silver Oak will pour our current release at several tastings and host seminars and a wine dinner October 19, 20 & 21.

I also see that Kendall-Jackson says they'll be there for it in the first week of November.

.

Thanks for this information


I'm glad to here Silver Oaks will be there while I'm there. I recently tried one of their wines and enjoyed it. Hopefully they are doing an event that my father would also enjoy.

 

[50 years Too!]

Try calling at 4 am pst!

 

[kabuki]

I HEAR YOU ON THE 4AM Call PST!!!!

 

[Pocahantas]

Hi Pocahantas! It's a small world after all! We will arrive on the 20th. Will you be in the parks that day or is that your departure date? Maybe we get together for a glass of wine? There are some other LA folks that will be there the same time you are! Come chat with us on the Metro Nola thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1140229&page=328 It's not just new orleans gals, but former Louisianians too. We love to chat about food & wine!

We will be in Epcot on the morning of the 20th and have lunch just before noon at Le Cellier. We leave for the airport after lunch. Will you be in Epcot that morning?????

I will check out that thread. We would love to meet other Louisianians!!

 

[ImprovGal]

If you need to cancel, you can do so up until a deadline for a full refund. I don't recall the exact deadline last year, but I think it was around 5 days before the event. After that, you've paid for the event whether you go or not.

Last year was the year of the increases -- both in price and in cancellation deadline windows. It used to be 48 hrs, but last year it got bumped up to 7 days.

 

[ImprovGal]

I was disappointed that Lunch and Learn was discontinued and replaced with an event for twice the price, just add cookbook and bottle of wine. What used to be a moderately pricey event (but worth every penny to me) has now priced itself off my radar. I found it interesting that the event offered cookbooks per person, which is great if you're not attending with someone from the same household. Married couples attending wouldn't care to have two of the same cookbook.

There were actually three different events replacing the Lunch & Learn's. While Cook, Book, Bottle and Chef's A'field may be out of your price range, the Kitchen Conversations ended up being extremely similar to those L & L's both in content and price.

 

[BriarRosie]

Try calling at 4 am pst!

Yeah, I know. "Quit complaining, you Central Time Zone Wench!"
I guess I am thankful I don't have to do the 4am call.

 

[BriarRosie]

There were actually three different events replacing the Lunch & Learn's. While Cook, Book, Bottle and Chef's A'field may be out of your price range, the Kitchen Conversations ended up being extremely similar to those L & L's both in content and price.

Well, I may have to rethink things and consider the Kitchen Conversations
in addition to the other stuff I'm waiting to hear about.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Just saw this on another thread.



Yak and Yeti Restaurant - Animal Kingdom - Scheduled to open October 9, 2007.

So is it the 8th or the 9th?
Maybe a soft opening?

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

We too are waiting for that F&W Festival event schedule so we can fill in the gaps for our trip. I'm counting on PFTS on Saturdays. We'd also like to do another Exquisite Evenings dinner. Hope they don't throw a total curve ball this year and change everything up. Add me to the list of people who are disgusted with having to wait so long for Disney to announce the line up.

 

[woolfcross]

"I will be back to the Epcot fest with some GREAT new wines this year. I will be there on October 10 to 14! I am not sure what I will be doing yet, but I will be giving at least 2 or 3 lectures and two dinners!"

Here's some other news I found on the internet.

Silver Oak Cellars
Silver Oak will pour our current release at several tastings and host seminars and a wine dinner October 19, 20 & 21.

I also see that Kendall-Jackson says they'll be there for it in the first week of November.

Thanks for this very helpful info. Very inventive of you to find it--and considerate of you to post it.

Note that it does again raise the question: since these vintners know when they'll be there, which means they've reached an agreement with Disney, why hasn't this info been released? (even if only in "tentative" form?)

If "disgusted", as previous poster says s/he is, with the inefficient way this is being run this year, then email guest services at Disney. If they receive enough complaints, then there is hope for an improved system next year--for that's the Disney way! (in reverse, if there's no negative feedback, then there's little hope for change).

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

[IIf "disgusted", as previous poster says s/he is, with the inefficient way this is being run this year, then email guest services at Disney. If they receive enough complaints, then there is hope for an improved system next year--for that's the Disney way! (in reverse, if there's no negative feedback, then there's little hope for change).

ITA! I saw your post a ways back and totally think that is the way to go. BTW, I thought your email to Disney was excellent. I will be churning out my own to them shortly.

 

[PatriciaH]

Ok everyone this is what I see in dining so far. Don't sue me if it is wrong or changes

Afternoon Tea-Twinings
Ariels
9.29 and 9.26
9.30 and 10.7
3pm-5pm
$75
Enjoy an afternnon tea with Stephan Twining 10th generation of the Twining Tea family. Tea, savories and cakes following a presentation by Stephan Twining.

Cheese Tastings
Oddssey
Saturdays
9.29, 10.6, 10.13, 10.20, 10.27, 11.3, 11.10
2pm-3:15pm
$60

Chefs a Field-Kids on the Farm
Oddsey
Wednesdays
10.3, 10.17, 10.17, 10.24, 10.31, 11.7
10:30am-12:13pm
$135

Discovering Wine
Citricos
10.7, 11.3, 11.4
11am-2pm
$150

Exquisite Evenings
Odyssey
10.5-California
10.12-Italy
10.19-Pacific Northwest
10.26-California
11.2-Bordeaux
11.9-Italy
6:30pm-9pm
$210

Kitchen Conversations
Odyssey
Thursdays/Sunday
10.4-Gerry Garvin
10.11-Jeff Henderson
10.18-Roy Yamaguchi
10.25-Tracy Griffith
11.1-Efisio Farris
11.4-Cat Cora
11.8-Todd English
$75 (signed cookbook included)
3pm-4:30-Thursdays (Except 11.1)
2pm-3:30pm-11.1 and 11.4

Party For The Senses
World Show Place
Saturdays
6:30pm-9pm
$135 (!!!)

Regional Feasts
Odyssey
10.10-Mexico
10.17-Peru
10.24-Puglia, Italy
10.31-Turkey
11.1-Greece
11.7-Oklahoma
11.8-New Englands Brewers Tale (American Adventure Rotunda)
6:30pm-9pm
$150

Signature Dining
9.30-Lunch at Jiko
10.14-Dinner at California Grill
10.21-Dinner at the Seas Salon
10.28-Dinner at Bistro
11.4-Dinnet at Victora and Alberts*
11.9-Dinner at Blue Zoo
11.11-Lunch at Flying Fish
Lunch-12:30pm-3pm
Dinner-6:30pm-9pm
$155
*Victoria and Alberts $350 (!!!)

More to come!

 

[PatriciaH]

South African Wine Event
10.12
World Show Place
6:30pm-9pm
$75
Wines from 40 vineyards, food from the AKL, roraring entertainment (wonder what that means

Sweet Sundays
9.30-Will Goldfarb
10.7-Colette Peters
10.14-Greg case
10.21-Geraldine Randelsome
10.28-Richard Ruskell
11.4-Mindy Segal
11.11-Warren Brown and Mary Meyers
10:30am-12:30pm
$65

The Cook, Book and Bottle
Odyssey
9.28-Mireille Guiliano
10.5-Nirmala Narine
10.12-Walter Staib
10.19-Alan Wong
10.26-Jean Fluery
11.2-Joyce Goldstein
11.9-Suvir Saran
10:30am-12:30pm
$150

The Food and Wine Pairings are $45 this year Remeember 2 years ago they were $35!

The Wine Schools and Vertical Wine tastings are back. I can post info for those as well if anyone wants. I put quick descriptions since most are repeats!

 

[Wigit12]

Thank you!!! gives something to play with at least.