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

[Steve-O]

Jeanne, when I first saw it I thought the same thing you did and then I reminded myself of whom we were dealing with!

I think it's interesting that the Grand Marnier event still isn't listed on the official website. Of course neither is the Grape Getaway but you'd think since they already announced these things last week that it woudn't be a big deal to publish them along with everything else.

I will say this though ... a couple of years ago we actually booked a brunch event that was going to be held at Bistro and three days after booking Tables in Wonderland called us back to cancel the entire event. So it's not outside the realm of possibility that something has fallen through at the last minute (I'm thinking more of the Grand Marnier event than the Getaway).

I heard form the manager of Chefs de France earlier this week and he recommended the Grand Marnier tasting so it is probably still on. I doubt that it will be a hard reserve to get.

 

[redzinner]

I heard form the manager of Chefs de France earlier this week and he recommended the Grand Marnier tasting so it is probably still on. I doubt that it will be a hard reserve to get.

Especially if Disney doesn't advertise it before July 20th, which is TUESDAY, people!!!!!

 

[redzinner]

Does anyone remember the best way to cut to the chase? Do we give date of event, name of event or venue first?

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I heard form the manager of Chefs de France earlier this week and he recommended the Grand Marnier tasting so it is probably still on. I doubt that it will be a hard reserve to get.

I emailed the Festival office asking if they were aware that this event was not showing up on the main Disney info site. I got email back today expressing surprise that it was missing from the site and a promise that they will write back to me with confirmation a bit later today. When I get the followup, I'll post here... but from the response I got this morning, I believe this was caused by an IT error and not a canceled event.

 

[kabuki]

Does anyone remember the best way to cut to the chase? Do we give date of event, name of event or venue first?

We always tell them Name of event and date 1st. We also start out by saying "these are special events for Food and Wine"! Two years ago we got someone who was clueless and Jason walked them through everything. Last year they seemed better..

I emailed the Festival office asking if they were aware that this event was not showing up on the main Disney info site. I got email back today expressing surprise that it was missing from the site and a promise that they will write back to me with confirmation a bit later today. When I get the followup, I'll post here... but from the response I got this morning, I believe this was caused by an IT error and not a canceled event.

Thank you!

 

[TDC Nala]

I kind of hope they don't put it on the site before Tuesday because I want to book one. the fewer people trying, the better.

If you are booking an event that is taking place in a regular restaurant (like the California Grill signature dinner) make absolutely sure they are booking you for the food & wine event and NOT for a regular restaurant reservation. This has happened before. Especially since the events are generally in a private room and the restaurants are still open for business. It helps to know how Disney has them listed on the booking computer so the agent can look them up easily, but we won't know how they're listed. If they can't find it, ask them to look under another word like "signature"

 

[lovemickeyshouse]

Are tickets to these special events hard to get I never done any of these events before

 

[TDC Nala]

Are tickets to these special events hard to get I never done any of these events before

Some of them will sell out within the first few days. (When they used to have food/wine pairings at Le Cellier, those sold out within the first ten minutes.)

Most events have pretty limited seating but the Party for the Senses is huge and does not generally sell out early (unless you want the wine view room). Last year many of them did not sell out at all.

 

[Steve-O]

Does anyone remember the best way to cut to the chase? Do we give date of event, name of event or venue first?

I always ask if they can hold all the instructions until I have completed all reserves. Otherwise you have to continually hear about what time to show up, what to wear, EPCOT admission required... All the while going crazy to get on to the next one.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

I always ask if they can hold all the instructions until I have completed all reserves. Otherwise you have to continually hear about what time to show up, what to wear, EPCOT admission required... All the while going crazy to get on to the next one.

Excellent advice... Thank you!

 

[Donald'sGirl]

I just spent my morning reading all 53 pages of this thread as this will be my familys first year doing F&W and all I can say is WOW! You guys are awesome with your knowledge and advice on how us neebies best tackle F&W so I want to say

THANK YOU!!!

Me, DH and DS13 cannot wait to go Sep 28-Oct2 We are planning to go opening day and low key this year by just doing the booths and possibly a few deminars. I do have a couple questions though:

1. When does the deminar schedule usually come out? Who are the chef's normally?

2. We dessert wines, do they do tastings for them? Are there any booths that might have them?

3. Where is the link to register (DVC members) for the deminar's?

Thanks again everyone!

I can't wait to read more

 

[wvaspartan]

Sometimes the wine seminars have dessert wine tastings but I do know of one booth having desert wine...that being the Vidal Ice wine at Canada.

 

[TDC Nala]

1. When does the deminar schedule usually come out? Who are the chef's normally?

Can't answer that because we don't know. All we know is that the booking site is supposed to go active August 26. So the best answer you will get is on August 26, if they don't decide to release anything before that (but there is no schedule for them to do so). If you just can't wait, you can take a look at the special event schedule for your dates and see which chefs are scheduled to do special events, they will often also do a deminar while they're at the festival, but that's the best you can do at this time.

2. We dessert wines, do they do tastings for them? Are there any booths that might have them?

Ice wine and champagne is likely the best you will do at the festival. They used to have ports and late harvest wines but they're hard to find at the festival now except at the wine dinners.

3. Where is the link to register (DVC members) for the deminar's?

It is not active yet. The first date for booking these is supposedly going to be August 26.

 

[Donald'sGirl]

Sometimes the wine seminars have dessert wine tastings but I do know of one booth having desert wine...that being the Vidal Ice wine at Canada.

Can't answer that because we don't know. All we know is that the booking site is supposed to go active August 26. So the best answer you will get is on August 26, if they don't decide to release anything before that (but there is no schedule for them to do so). If you just can't wait, you can take a look at the special event schedule for your dates and see which chefs are scheduled to do special events, they will often also do a deminar while they're at the festival, but that's the best you can do at this time.



Ice wine and champagne is likely the best you will do at the festival. They used to have ports and late harvest wines but they're hard to find at the festival now except at the wine dinners.



It is not active yet. The first date for booking these is supposedly going to be August 26.

Thank you both for the information! I guess I will have to wait till the 26th to see who will be doing deminar's. Oh I also have two more question, I read on one of the sites that the Festival Center will be at Future World East instead of the Wonders of Life, is there any truth to that? Also, is there a map of the F&W festival that will be available online prior to the events? We are going to try to map out where we want to go before we leave.

Thanks!

 

[TDC Nala]

I read on one of the sites that the Festival Center will be at Future World East instead of the Wonders of Life

That is likely outdated. The Festival Center used to be at Future World East before it moved to The Pavilion Formerly Known as Wonders of Life. There is a lot of outdated information out there. Even the official Disney site has last year's Eat to the Beat concert schedule.

I am assuming you need a map for the World Showcase...they generally do release one when the official festival booklet gets put online. We don't know when that will be right now though.

You may not have to wait until August 26th to see the schedule, that's just the only specific date that's come out of Disney and that date is for actually booking deminars at the Festival Center. They may release information before that but we don't have any way of knowing when or if they will.

 

[onelilspark]

2. We dessert wines, do they do tastings for them? Are there any booths that might have them?

We found port at the Festival Center last year. Also, if they have the NY State wine experience booth at this year's festival, they usually have Casa Larga's Ice Wine...the winery is right down the road from us

 

[TDC Nala]

I know they had port at the Festival Center in 2008...you got a thimbleful for the price. Haven't bought it since. In the good old days they actually had a chocolate and port booth in WS.

 

[onelilspark]

I know they had port at the Festival Center in 2008...you got a thimbleful for the price. Haven't bought it since. In the good old days they actually had a chocolate and port booth in WS.

This is what we got last year...I don't have the price handy, but it gives you an idea on the pour. My champagne is with it...unfortunately that isn't returning (I think Prosecco is replacing it) but I did see the same Port listed. I didn't think it was that bad of a pour for the price...it would have been a bad pour for champagne though!

 

[Dawn16]

I know most of you guys are discussing the special events (we have a three year old so won't be attending any for a while) but don't the booths seem to have an unusual amount of repeats from last year? We've been going most years for a while now and I know there tend to be maybe an item or two from each country that stay the same. But there seem to be several booths that are identical to last years (France, Germany, Ireland to name a few). Anyone think there is a chance the lists haven't been finalized yet and some just have last year's menus as place holders? Probably not but it's a bit of a bummer to have quite so many repeats, even if some of them are very good. It won't keep us from going an enjoying it, of course. Just wondering.

 

[TDC Nala]

No, I'm sure they've been finalized. They will likely not monkey around with the most popular booths and items.

BTW from what I heard the most popular booth in the World Showcase is...Canada. Ireland comes in second.