2008 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Reviews

[TxDsnyGrl74]

We're back home and have almost caught up on everything. I hadn't been back to work for an hour when my boss told me that a co-worker had taken an unexpected medical leave. She was supposed to attend a conference next week. My boss asked if I'd be willing to attend the conference in her place. He was concerned because it's next week at Disney World, and he wasn't sure if I'd want to return so quickly. Well twist my arm will you!

So I fly in Saturday, and have Sunday to myself. I was able to book the Champagne Master Class on Sunday, and as an added bonus, Caymus Vineyards will be there doing a seminar that day in the early evening.

Got to love those trips which you can expense to the company!! Enjoy your trip!

 

[podsnel]

We're back home and have almost caught up on everything. I hadn't been back to work for an hour when my boss told me that a co-worker had taken an unexpected medical leave. She was supposed to attend a conference next week. My boss asked if I'd be willing to attend the conference in her place. He was concerned because it's next week at Disney World, and he wasn't sure if I'd want to return so quickly. Well twist my arm will you!

So I fly in Saturday, and have Sunday to myself. I was able to book the Champagne Master Class on Sunday, and as an added bonus, Caymus Vineyards will be there doing a seminar that day in the early evening.

That's excellent!!! Enjoy the champagne!!!!!

 

[redzinner]

I was at PFTS on Saturday (Oct. 11) and thought it was fantastic. I didn't miss Cirque; the entertainment that was on hand was wonderful. The layout is much better without the stage in the center; as others have mentioned it leaves much more room for tables. I too am disappointed about not having a book with dishes listed... I couldn't begin to tell you what I ate! I do know that my favorites were a gnocchi dish and a guinea fowl dish. There was a lot of lamb this weekend. The dessert station was phenomenal as were the cheese stations. The new glass this year is a perfect size for carrying around all evening (and I just love this year's logo) and I found the pours to be generous for the most part (I only noticed one "light" pour). All in all in was a great night! It was my fourth? PFTS... I was with a friend who had never been before and she thought it was absolutely the best thing ever.

Another F&WF come and gone for me! I will certainly be back in 2009.

Thanks TewEpcot! Sounds like you enjoyed your PFTS and made the most of what was offered. You were there too early for the golfers this year, huh?

 

[TewEpcot]

Thanks TewEpcot! Sounds like you enjoyed your PFTS and made the most of what was offered. You were there too early for the golfers this year, huh?

No Retief Goosen sightings, no...

But without the book, I was walking around staring at signs a lot, so I may have missed someone.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

I haven't been here to read the thread for a week or so...so sorry if this has been asked before but...

Seems from the last few pages that Cirque is no longer the entertainment at PFTS? Did i read correctly? Comments are that they arent really missed...what type of entertainment is there?

 

[groverdog]

I do hope they start providing the color coded menus for the remainder of the festival. I take them home with me and use them to convince friends and family to join us the following year. They also make it a heck of a lot easier to decide where to go and what to try.
We will be down the first week of November with 8 family members, needless to say we are very excited

 

[sebastian75_99]

subbing

 

[TDC Nala]

According to the lastest report, the last program for PFTS was color coded - it did give the color areas where each chef was stationed.

It did not list the food offerings. And I don't think it's much good if it doesn't list the food offerings.

 

[groverdog]

According to the lastest report, the last program for PFTS was color coded - it did give the color areas where each chef was stationed.

It did not list the food offerings. And I don't think it's much good if it doesn't list the food offerings.

I agree! I guess I'll have to bring a pen with me and make notes on the program if they don't change it. Still kind of upsets me, this isn't a cheap event.

 

[TDC Nala]

They don't have Cirque anymore (I won't miss it personally) but according to a picture report I saw they do have something that looks like "Cirque lite" with people trapped in giant slinkys and stuff. Positioned off to the side so it will be easier for me to go about my business with the food. Cirque is a great act but for this event I found the performance and the placement of the central stage too loud and too distracting.

 

[orlandomom]

We went to PTFS on the 11th also. Yes the booklets are "color coded" with a very thin line, which when the lights change colors is impossible to see. The entertainment was somewhat Cirque'sih, and spread out on 4 (i believe) different stages which was very nice as it eliminated the crowds around a center stage Food was amazing, but I only remember a few things, spicey scallops and lobster something or other and even the chicken and califlower was good
The new smaller glasses were a nice treat, much easier to handle, but boy were the short pulls abundent I had to keep making too many trips to find more . Moet shutdown early as they ran out, Banfi was closing up early with on a bit of Rosa Regale left. Guess you know where the lines were for beverages
This was our 7th year and other then the lack of menus, it was yet again a wonderful time.

just me

 

[ghidorah97]

Ack, I'm going through F&WF review withdrawal! Someone please help!

Stories, pictures, reviews, thoughts, anything!



Brad

 

[Steve-O]

Question for you:

How would you say the $135 3-course French Regional lunch compares with the $55 3-course Food & Wine Pairings (either from this year or previous years)?

It looks like the portion size at the French lunch is more of a full course, whereas the Food & Wine Pairings are more like tastings. I would also assume the quality of the food and wine are better. Do you think the two events are priced appropriately in comparison? Thanks!

Between the Regional Lunch and the F&W Pairing at Bistro last year, they are apples and oranges. F&W was more educational and just small tastes of Food and Wine (you leave hungry). The Regional Lunch (Bordeaux) was more like going to a very good French restaurant for a long, leisurely lunch (or a nice Friday Lunch in New Orleans).

As far as value, given the lack of sit down events this year, I'd say anytime you can really enjoy something, it is worth the money. If you don't feel you are receiving value, you probably are not REALLY enjoying the event. I enjoyed it! Everything said about Mr Gallula (wine merchant) was accurate, but that's just a bit of diversion/theater anyway. If I wanted to go to school, I'd choose the Wine School. By the time we finished our refills of the Chateau Olivier, Pessac leognan, everyone was pretty talkative and not too concerned about the presentation. If you like the foods offered (and I do), these were delightful renditions, especially the bavois du celeri au caviar. The red wines were both excellent, although I preferred the Chateau Rollan de By, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc, 2003.

I'm looking forward to Bourgogne and Beaujolais.

 

[oybolshoi]

If someone else has already addressed this I apologize for repeating information ...

We were at EMH on 10/10/08 and all the food booths were closed by 10PM ... none of us were exactly pleased by this because we were planning on late night dessert around the world after gorging on sushi at Tokyo Dining. It would have been a great night, too, because there was a wicked downpour earlier in the evening and it cleared Epcot out somewhat.

I hope for those of you going to EMH tonight that you have better success than we did. We did have a lot of tasty treats around the World Showcase during our trip but I feel honor bound to warn everyone away from the cocktail in Poland and the plum tea wine cooler in China - they're both poison!

As for special events .... we just got home a few hours ago and Jay and I think the French Regional Lunch at Bistro was outstanding! PFTS was OK ... for those of you who've attended in years past you will notice some changes but it was still pretty good (not sure we'd do it again next year, though); and our Kitchen Conversation with Robert Irvine was also just OK ... long story that I will get into on my review thread later, but it's not an event that we'll repeat, especially if they leave it in the Festival Welcome Center.

I wrote an email to WDW regarding the cutbacks for the F&WF, with my most predominant comment regarding the booths not being open late on EMH. This is the response I received today:
------------------------------------
Dear Nicole,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort.

We contacted Epcot and they advised the Food booths are open till 11pm
on nights with extra magic hours.

We always appreciate when our Guests care enough to share their thoughts
with us. Your input is very valuable and we appreciate the time you
took to share your concerns. Please be assured that your feedback has
been forwarded to the appropriate departments.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact
us.

Please include your full name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if
applicable on all correspondence.

Thank you!


xxx xxxxx
WDW Online Communications

PLEASE NOTE: All information is subject to change without notice and
should be confirmed just prior to your visit.
------------------------

So, is it the first paragraph that I should pay attention to, or the last?

 

[ghidorah97]

If someone else has already addressed this I apologize for repeating information ...

We were at EMH on 10/10/08 and all the food booths were closed by 10PM ... none of us were exactly pleased by this because we were planning on late night dessert around the world after gorging on sushi at Tokyo Dining. It would have been a great night, too, because there was a wicked downpour earlier in the evening and it cleared Epcot out somewhat.

I hope for those of you going to EMH tonight that you have better success than we did. We did have a lot of tasty treats around the World Showcase during our trip but I feel honor bound to warn everyone away from the cocktail in Poland and the plum tea wine cooler in China - they're both poison!

As for special events .... we just got home a few hours ago and Jay and I think the French Regional Lunch at Bistro was outstanding! PFTS was OK ... for those of you who've attended in years past you will notice some changes but it was still pretty good (not sure we'd do it again next year, though); and our Kitchen Conversation with Robert Irvine was also just OK ... long story that I will get into on my review thread later, but it's not an event that we'll repeat, especially if they leave it in the Festival Welcome Center.

Can't wait!!! Dying to hear more about the Kitchen Conversation. Think I can guess what the problem(s) was/were, but I really look forward to hearing your take.

Welcome home!

 

[oybolshoi]

Can't wait!!! Dying to hear more about the Kitchen Conversation. Think I can guess what the problem(s) was/were, but I really look forward to hearing your take.

Welcome home!

Thanks! My biggest regret about our Kitchen Conversation is that I didn't take a picture of my nearly empty wine glass with the upside down fly slowly dying of alcohol poisoning.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

We were at EMH on 10/10/08 and all the food booths were closed by 10PM ... none of us were exactly pleased by this because we were planning on late night dessert around the world after gorging on sushi at Tokyo Dining. It would have been a great night, too, because there was a wicked downpour earlier in the evening and it cleared Epcot out somewhat.

We were in Epcot that night too. That rain came down in buckets at one point and we sought refuge in Japan's lovely store until it passed. It did get a lot of folks out of the park though...but would have been nice if the booths had stayed open so we could enjoy the slow evening. Now I just wish I knew you guys were there that night...Me and the family would have been on the lookout!

 

[oybolshoi]

We were in Epcot that night too. That rain came down in buckets at one point and we sought refuge in Japan's lovely store until it passed. It did get a lot of folks out of the park though...but would have been nice if the booths had stayed open so we could enjoy the slow evening. Now I just wish I knew you guys were there that night...Me and the family would have been on the lookout!

Ditto ... I wish I'd known you were there because we also took refuge in Japan-mart! We had a 7:45 ADR at Tokyo Dining and spent about 30 minutes wandering the store with 500 other people until we decided to check in upstairs.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Ditto ... I wish I'd known you were there because we also took refuge in Japan-mart! We had a 7:45 ADR at Tokyo Dining and spent about 30 minutes wandering the store with 500 other people until we decided to check in upstairs.

OMG...we were probably just a few precious feet away from each other that night! Is there a smacking my forehead in stupidity smilie anywhere? I just jumped on your TR (don't know how I missed it up until now). Well...definitely the next time we will have to meet up for a drink and to say hello if we are in the world at the same time.

 

[TDC Nala]

I am leaving right now. Have only one event this weekend. (PFTS tomorrow. No I won't take pictures. My friend will take enough, I think) Couldn't find anything else to book.

So I am considering going to Peru instead of the food and wine festival next year. Maybe that's a good move.