**2010** Epcot Food & Wine Festival ENDED 11/14. 2011 FESTIVAL 9/30-11/13

[Inkmahm]

They do have a kitchen in the Wonders pavilion.

I wouldn't call the food at that event "average" but I wouldn't call it spectacular either. The canapes were the same snails in brochette they serve at the France booth (of course you could eat as many of them as you wanted though)

I was going to sign up for that again because the wine was fabulous but I'm thinking of skipping it to do the Fultons dinner...

Found my review and photos from the Wonders dinner last year, it's here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2289501&page=10

Thanks for the link. I'm rethinking splurging for this dinner this year since I'm not a wine drinker other than a little white wine now and then.

 

[DisneyJen]

You are going when I am going, staying where I am staying and thinking about booking what I am booking...



I am really looking forward to the FRL. Desert Combo and the PFTS on Saturday Night. It lists Taylor Hicks as the Eat to the Beat musician that night... not sure how I feel about that. lol

Perhaps we will bump into each other!

Taylor Hicks I won't tell DH!

They do have a kitchen in the Wonders pavilion.

I wouldn't call the food at that event "average" but I wouldn't call it spectacular either. The canapes were the same snails in brochette they serve at the France booth (of course you could eat as many of them as you wanted though)

I was going to sign up for that again because the wine was fabulous but I'm thinking of skipping it to do the Fultons dinner...

Found my review and photos from the Wonders dinner last year, it's here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2289501&page=10

I also think a great deal of Jiko's problem last year was due to the fact that the guest chef cancelled at the last possible minute due to a family emergency, but I do have local friends who won't even attend the regular Jiko wine dinners anymore so I don't have that on my food/wine radar either for this year. Now if they'd do a wine dinner at Sanaa I'd be all over it.

Thanks for the link to your reviews from last year. Very helpful

I was beginning to think it was just DH and me who didn't enjoy Jiko since everyone raves about it.

 

[ghidorah97]

Well, it's F&W Festival time, which means it is also time for my annual return from perpetual lurker status. While I was extremely disappointed to learn that the Bocuse d'Or USA competition wouldn't be returning this year (as originally planned two years ago), I certainly understood the reasoning behind that move.

This year will be my DD's first trip to WDW (very exciting!) however I was still hoping to book at least one special event for an adult's night out. Unfortunately work got in the way and forced me to move our trip dates to 11/14 - 11/20. On the plus side, we will be catching the final day and I plan to blow every single DDP snack credit at the booths!

I will say that some of the prices are rather shockingly high. The PFTS (w/Wine View) @ $225pp??? Wow, quite a difference from the first time DW and I went when it was under $100pp (and no "running of the bulls" so no need for a Wine View Room). And this is coming from someone who splurged for the Bocuse Grand Gala event two years ago (and felt that it was worth every penny).

I'm also sorely disappointed to hear about the state of Jiko. The Signature Dinner we attended there way back when ranks among our Top 10 dining experiences ever (but again, that was a long time ago, seemingly before WDW started trying to make money off these events).

I certainly can't knock Joel Robuchon. Which restaurant did you eat at?

I can tell you from last year's V&A Signature Dinner, which featured white truffles that were flown in from Alba, we easily ate $50-100 worth of truffles alone. A one-inch diameter truffle costs at least $50, and we had more than that over the course of the evening. And you're drinking wines that are all well over $100 a bottle.

Nej, my search skills aren't quite up to par. Did you ever happen to post a review/pictures from this Dinner? I would love to hear more about it!

Best of luck to all those looking to book your special event this year!

 

[redzinner]

Nej, my search skills aren't quite up to par. Did you ever happen to post a review/pictures from this Dinner? I would love to hear more about it!

ghidorah97, I didn't write a review, I tried but my words didn't do the dinner justice. Even my point and shoot photos do not embody how wonderful the whole experience was for us. For what they're worth here are some photos from the V&A Exquisite Dinner Oct 25, 2009. I did not take pictures of two courses: the Amuse Bouche and a Gorgonzola Picante with Barolo-poached Pear Dandelion Salad.

 

[NejTheLion]

We have loved V&A every time we've dined there, but this year's price tag seems utterly ridiculous to me. Even Guy Savoy's signature dinner with Vegas Uncorked wasn't as expensive as this proposed V&A dinner. So I'm just baffled as to their rationale, which from what I heard was "really good food and really good wine."

I've always figured it's the standard Disney upcharge. You end up paying more everywhere else on property. Location, location, location!

We just ate at Gordon Ramsay (Royal Hospital Road) while we were in London before the Baltic cruise. Excellent food, but only a few things that I found innovative and exciting. Though we did the menu prestige, which is meant to be the specialties of the restaurant, so I could understand those not necessarily evolving with the rest of the menu. However, the service was unmatched. It was as entertaining to watch the subtle ballet of servers throughout the meal. Everyone seemed to be involved with every aspect of the meal, no one did the same task every time, and there was no evident communication, but it was all seamless.

I have to agree with the comment about V&A's regular menu not changing as frequently as other similar restaurants. We don't do the regular menu more than once a year, so it may be more apparent to those who dine there more frequently. Again, I wonder if it's going back to Disney in general and not wanting to change what works. You also have those who go back to a restaurant and are upset if their favorite dishes are gone. If you're not used to fine dining menus where the dishes change frequently (at a minimum with the seasons), I could see that being upsetting.

We're dining in the Queen Victoria room in December (so that and October will be all we see V&A this year).

 

[NejTheLion]

Nej, my search skills aren't quite up to par. Did you ever happen to post a review/pictures from this Dinner? I would love to hear more about it!

I did not, but it's on my to-do list. I always seem to forget to do it and then remember once we start talking about the next year's festival. I still need to post everything from the Baltic cruise, too Work takes up too much time!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Well, it's F&W Festival time, which means it is also time for my annual return from perpetual lurker status. !

I am coming out of "lurk mode" also. I just wanted to thank those of you who have posted the data. Wish Disney would be as "helpful"

I am going very early this year and am toying around with trying the kickoff event. I have done Party for the Senses in prior years and will be skipping it. It's just not that fun for me anymore and I am not willing to pay for the WineVue which might make it "funner"

Now I ate at Jiko just a month ago and found it very good so I am not sure what the problems have been

I noticed someone said something about the 'menus' not changing. I was at the California Grill and the waiter pointed out that regardless of what happened there were two dishes (one was the beef and I can't recall the 2nd) that were not "allowed" to change even when the chefs did, due to the the "outcry" from the guests. So.......I guess some of the failure to change is our own fault?

 

[dgbg100106]

15 beers booth? Ohhhh, son will be happy about that one!

Me and DH will be happy also

 

[redzinner]

Question for anyone who did this option last year ... are the seats assigned in the reserved section? Is there a placard with your name on it? Just trying to determine if we should book individually or as a group if we want the same table.

 

[JenKatt]

Question for anyone who did this option last year ... are the seats assigned in the reserved section? Is there a placard with your name on it? Just trying to determine if we should book individually or as a group if we want the same table.

You are assigned a table.

 

[Quacktatty]

I don't see any events that are jumping out at me. I think I'd consider doing PFTS, but at that price probably not. I guess I'll wait for the deminar schedule to be released. Even at $8 a piece, I could do 10 deminars for cheaper than any of the events.

 

[TDC Nala]

Out of curiosity is anyone else even considering doing a PFTS without the wine view room? I'm afraid based on last year's experience I don't see the necessity for the wine view room unless someone in your party has an injury or limited mobility and must have an assigned seat. And the price is still reaasonable for an event like that without the wine view addon.

I don't even try sitting anymore and I go in after everyone else (so no "running of bulls") and do it backwards - dessert first (the dessert tables have no lines early) and then the entrees (after everyone else has moved to dessert)

Deminars are apparently going to be $9-13 apiece depending on what's offered or who's presenting.

 

[PNO4TE]

Catherine - If the girls and I do PFTS it will be without the WV add-on.

 

[JenKatt]

Well you know we are doing the WV, but if it was just DH and I we wouldn't. (Still bummed you're not doing PFTS the weekend we are!)

 

[TDC Nala]

Come back November 13 and do it again!

Honestly there were no crowds on Halloween last year. I don't know how much people were turned off by the theme nights in 2009 so I don't know what the effect will be of eliminating them this year.

 

[ImprovGal]

Out of curiosity is anyone else even considering doing a PFTS without the wine view room? I'm afraid based on last year's experience I don't see the necessity for the wine view room unless someone in your party has an injury or limited mobility and must have an assigned seat. And the price is still reaasonable for an event like that without the wine view addon.

I don't even try sitting anymore and I go in after everyone else (so no "running of bulls") and do it backwards - dessert first (the dessert tables have no lines early) and then the entrees (after everyone else has moved to dessert)

Deminars are apparently going to be $9-13 apiece depending on what's offered or who's presenting.

I'm definitely considering doing at least a couple of PFTS without the wine view room. It really didn't seem necessary to me last year, even if the low attendance numbers were a theming fluke.

I'm still trying to decide what I'm doing eventwise. I'm still considering the 9/30 opening event. I'm thinking of skipping Columbus Day weekend entirely and catching the Andrew Zimmern Friends/Family and perhaps the Cali Grill dinner instead.

I'm planning on scaling back this year with the thought that it would be more worth it to me to spend $350 on extending my * Gold status for a year than the V&A dinner or 2 other F&W events.

 

[Laurabearz]

I am wavering on WV for PFTS.... Most likely not, and will follow the tip of wearing comfy shoes

 

[JenKatt]

Come back November 13 and do it again!

Honestly there were no crowds on Halloween last year. I don't know how much people were turned off by the theme nights in 2009 so I don't know what the effect will be of eliminating them this year.

Ooooh, now that is tempting... let me see if we can get babysitting and all that...

 

[onelilspark]

Out of curiosity is anyone else even considering doing a PFTS without the wine view room? I'm afraid based on last year's experience I don't see the necessity for the wine view room unless someone in your party has an injury or limited mobility and must have an assigned seat. And the price is still reaasonable for an event like that without the wine view addon.

I don't even try sitting anymore and I go in after everyone else (so no "running of bulls") and do it backwards - dessert first (the dessert tables have no lines early) and then the entrees (after everyone else has moved to dessert)

Deminars are apparently going to be $9-13 apiece depending on what's offered or who's presenting.

We'll be doing PFTS without the wine view room. It'll be our first one, so thanks for the tip about dessert first

 

[TDC Nala]

had a long discussion with Keegan Gerhard at the dessert table once because nobody else was there...hey there's a name I don't see on the schedule this year. He did Disneyland though.