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

[PNO4TE]

Thanks for the clarification, Elin! Wonder why I read the cost of the Food/Wine Pairings as $45, not $65? Wishful thinking, I guess!

Nice of you to take the time to set me straight. I appreciate it!

Looooooooong time ago they used to be $45. Maybe you were looking through Back to the Future glasses? Glad everything is OK now!

 

[shovan]

Glad everyone is happy!

Dialed as the clock struck 7 WDW time & was put on hold! Was told the wait was going to be 30 minutes!

Thanks to a very great friend oybolshoi & the FB chat, she was able to book the 2 French lunches we wanted, before I was able to get through!

 

[cdtommie]

Looooooooong time ago they used to be $45. Maybe you were looking through Back to the Future glasses? Glad everything is OK now!

Back in the good old days they were $35 bucks...we haven't done this in years since the prices have gone through the roof - a poor value for what you get IMHO.

 

[B'rer Karen]

I called right at 7, was told I had about a 5 minute wait, which was about right. I told the CM I wanted to book Food and Wine festival events and she said she certainly could help me. Then she asked for my resort reservation number, which I didn't have in front of me. So she starts to look it up and as she does my call dropped. In all fairness, I think it was my fault as I think I hit the end call button with my ear (sensitive touch screen). So I try to call back in and all circuits were busy. Took a few minutes but I got back in and was told I had an over 30 minute wait So then I started to freak out. It ended up only being about 20 minutes and the next CM I got was equally knowledgable about the F&W fest. I had used the wait time to get my reservation number, so at least that went faster. And I got both of my events:

Taste, Shake & Indulge Like the French 10/2
3D Disney's Dessert Discover 10/8

Only odd thing, both of these events are $45.00 per person plus tax. I booked both for 2 adults. The Taste, Shake event came to $94.98 and the 3D desser event came to $95.16. I wasn't going to quibble over $.18 but it seemed very odd.

And DenLo, the 3D Dessert Discovery is in the World Showplace between Canada and England.

 

[PNO4TE]

Back in the good old days they were $35 bucks...we haven't done this in years since the prices have gone through the roof - a poor value for what you get IMHO.

I remember taking my older DD to Le Cellier when it was $35. Chef Brian was a terrific host and the food and wines were fabulous. Took other friends the next year when it was $45 and it was still good, but not up to the same level as the year before.

We have skipped them since then. But so many friends raved about the Tutto Italia pairing that I decided maybe my husband and I could find some middle ground in the F&W Festival thing. He will like the food (and the Rosa Regale, if they serve it) and I will love the wine(s). Hopefully they will serve lots of water for him. Too bad he can't get a beer with his food!

 

[PNO4TE]

Looks like there will be a number of us at the Shaky Tasty on 10/2!

 

[TDC Nala]

Chef Brian's pairings were great back then. Now he has the big dinner at Ca. Grill. I think last year he served too much food. 5 different canapes, yikes

Elin, Tutto Italia was great last year. I have never eaten at the regular restaurant but the pairing was good.

I think your husband should ask for a beer! They might get him one.

 

[JenKatt]

Hubby called at 7:30 to the F&W number and got right in. Booked PFTS with the WVL on 10/9 and PFTS on 11/13 with no WVL.

 

[cdtommie]

I remember taking my older DD to Le Cellier when it was $35. Chef Brian was a terrific host and the food and wines were fabulous. Took other friends the next year when it was $45 and it was still good, but not up to the same level as the year before.

We have skipped them since then. But so many friends raved about the Tutto Italia pairing that I decided maybe my husband and I could find some middle ground in the F&W Festival thing. He will like the food (and the Rosa Regale, if they serve it) and I will love the wine(s). Hopefully they will serve lots of water for him. Too bad he can't get a beer with his food!

We did this at the old restaurant and they gave you a full meal which was definitely an advantage over the other locations...does add an appeal but I figured it will be one of those Rosa Regale events (I avoid those sweet sparkling wine thingies like the plage lol).

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Make that faces of 5 as DH and I will be at BWV, too. We plan to spend a lot of time walking to Epcot to eat our way around the kiosks.

You're brave. After reading about the last Signature Dining with Jens Dahlmann I chickened out and didn't book it. DH said he couldn't handle all the alcohol with the Taste, Shake and Indulge like the French right before PFTS so I didn't book that for him afterall. I liked the champagne French regional lunch last year, but Bordeaux wouldn't be a favorite for wine for either me or DH so we didn't book that, either. Will see you in the wine view room though on the 23rd!

It sounds like a lot of us will be in the Wine View on Oct 23rd. We should all wear DIS buttons or something so we can say "hi" to each other! Last year, they assigned tables in the order calls were received, so we'll probably all be fairly close to each other as well. We were the 2nd table last year, but I imagine we will be a lot further back now since I was disconnected with my first call today.

I wanted to do the Cali Grill Sig dinner, but hubby wanted to try Jens. We're going to Cali Grill for our son-in-law's 30th bday dinner in January, so we'll create our own version of a F&W event then! We had also considered the Zimmern F&F in the Kitchen event, but son wanted to eat bizarre food at it. When I told him it would be relatively normal cuisine, he was no longer interested in that event! (Of course, I had resisted booking it until I found out we would NOT be eating bugs and such!) The one event I regret not booking was the French Regional Lunch on 10/17. We're driving in that day, and hubby thought it would be difficult to make a lunch at noon our first day there. I must admit... checking out of the "in transit" hotel, driving the last leg of our trip, checking the pup into the kennel, dropping bags off at BWV, and then heading to Epcot for noon would be pushing it.

I wonder how many folks have booked the Jiko signature dinner for this year... I teasingly told hubby we should do it again. He didn't laugh!

 

[shovan]

Got through right away at 6am my time and was told I would have a 5 minute wait. YIPPEE, right??? Nope, I was promptly disconnected thanks to my stinky cell carrier. Not to worry.... I have hubby on the house phone holding. YIPPEE, right??? Nope, he heard I was on the line, so he HUNG UP!!!! WHAT?!?!?! Sooo, dejected I call back on the same stinky cell phone. and I get the message that it will be a 45 minute wait. I'm pretty nervous at this point, thinking disconnect is again looming, then son walks toward me with a cell phone that has a REAL PERSON on the line!!! (Yep, all three of us had our dialing fingers ready!!!) I hand my phone to son, take his phone and start talking with the agent. First, she wants to find our resort reservation, which we've had since last November... only she can't find it. After what seemed like 20 minutes but was really 5 minutes, she finally relents and says we can start making reservations without her finding my resort reservation. By the third event, where I am giving my vital info for each payment, she has a Eureka moment... "OHHHH, you don't have a Y in your last name??? THAT'S why I couldn't find your reservation!!! Oh well, it's too late to tie these to your resort reservation now..." Luckily, the rest of the bookings were completed without losing the phone call, and I have confirmation numbers for all the events we wanted. With all of those safely in hand, I agreed to take the survey... and was promptly disconnected while the recording was asking for responses. THANK GOODNESS THIS WASN'T MID CALL AGAIN!!!

So, after a total of 47 minutes phone time, here's what we're attending. May none of these be a repeat of last year's Jiko horror, and may all approach the absolute wonder we felt at the Seas dinner (referred to by many as "Eating Nemo"... though seafood was not a course) in 2007!!!

Food & Wine Pairing - Tokyo Dining - Oct 18
Signature Dining at Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe with Sinclair Thorne - Oct 19
3D - Disney's Dessert Discovery - Oct 21
Signature Dining at the Wonders Retreat with Jens Dahlmann - Oct 22
Taste, Shake & Indulge Like the French - Oct 23
Party for the Senses (Wine View Lounge) - Oct 23
French Regional Lunch featuring Bordeaux - Oct 24

We shall happily be waddling back to the BWV nightly. Look for the contented faces on the bloated party of three!!!

Good luck to all for your bookings! =)

I wonder what's the issue dialing from our area? I had 2 cell phones dialing, got through right away, but was put on hold, both had 30 minute waits! This has happened to me 3 years running! Last time several events were already booked by the time I got through, so I was totally freaking out.

Wow you have a great list there! I wish we were there for the Bordeaux Lunch!

 

[Dancind]

LDF, are they tables for 2 or 4? (You are a party of 3, right?) We wouldn't mind sitting with another couple at all, but it's just the two of us booked. Inkmahm, guess we will see you there. Yes, need a lime green Mickey head or something! I'm sure we will be seeing you all at some deminars and wine tastings too.

Called back to book the wine school and realized while I was on the phone that it's the same day as PFTS. That won't work. So booked the Zimmern lunch instead. Had to do something, I got an agent right away!

 

[YodasMom]

Looking at it I could see the agent's mistake. They saw $248 total, not the change.

This is what happened to me as well, but it was quickly corrected with my second call

 

[PNO4TE]

Chef Brian's pairings were great back then. Now he has the big dinner at Ca. Grill. I think last year he served too much food. 5 different canapes, yikes

Elin, Tutto Italia was great last year. I have never eaten at the regular restaurant but the pairing was good.

I think your husband should ask for a beer! They might get him one.

Catherine - the worst they can say is "no", right??

I hope his tenure at CA Grill is better than his short stay at Jiko. He is a phenomenal chef and personable too. I want lots of pictures from this year's CG Dinner too, please!!

 

[RachelTori]

Looks like there will be a number of us at the Shaky Tasty on 10/2!

 

[PNO4TE]

We did this at the old restaurant and they gave you a full meal which was definitely an advantage over the other locations...does add an appeal but I figured it will be one of those Rosa Regale events (I avoid those sweet sparkling wine thingies like the plage lol).

Ah... but it is that sweet sparkling wine that "sold" my husband on the event.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

LDF, are they tables for 2 or 4? (You are a party of 3, right?) We wouldn't mind sitting with another couple at all, but it's just the two of us booked. Inkmahm, guess we will see you there. Yes, need a lime green Mickey head or something! I'm sure we will be seeing you all at some deminars and wine tastings too.

Called back to book the wine school and realized while I was on the phone that it's the same day as PFTS. That won't work. So booked the Zimmern lunch instead. Had to do something, I got an agent right away!

They give each party a reserved table for just their party. Our table last year seated three. We had a table of two to our left and a table of four to our right. The CM who came back and forth checking on us throughout the night (excellent service in WV!!!) said that the table arrangements reflected the order in which bookings were made, so we were the 2nd to book WV for that date.

I hope we don't regret not booking the Zimmern event. I keep fighting the urge to call back and add it. I really do wish they would release the deminar schedule so that we could know we will have a fun alternative for that afternoon.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Ahhhhh!

OMG I am such a bad DISer.....I forgot it was F&W Festival Booking Day!

I've just frantically called DDad and told him to call and hope for the best!

 

[DenLo]

the dessert discovery will be in the same venue where they hold party for the senseless ... it's tucked away behind some gates in-between Canada and England.

Thanks for the locale. I think I've seen those gates. I just tried to google a map but couldn't find the gates, but saw that there is a building called Disney Imagineering just behind where I believe the gates are. Who knew?

 

[lats118]

Taste, Shake & Indulge Like the French 10/2
3D Disney's Dessert Discover 10/8

Only odd thing, both of these events are $45.00 per person plus tax. I booked both for 2 adults. The Taste, Shake event came to $94.98 and the 3D desser event came to $95.16. I wasn't going to quibble over $.18 but it seemed very odd.

I also saw the same price difference when I booked 3D on 10/21 and Taste, Shake on 10/16. I mentioned it to the CM but he had no explanation.