***Epcot Food And Wine Festival Info 2008***

[PNO4TE]

This is when it's great that I am not a couple - everything's cheaper.

It also works well if the other half of the couple is not crazy about special events!

 

[oybolshoi]

Have a great trip, TDC!!

 

[ElizabethB]

TDC Nala -- you said it absolutely right. Quantity, not quality. Things have gone so downhill since the days of the Reserve Dinners. Granted those only seated 40 or so, but they were truly outstanding and special. We once attended a South Africa-themed Reserve Dinner that featured a dessert sampler served on a chocolate platform mounted on four chocolate elephants. Spectacular. Amazing. Disney Magic at its finest!

Of course, Dh and I knew that wouldn't last as soon as the sharp pencil boys got wind of it. But, at least they replaced the Reserve Dinners with Exquisite Evenings at Epcot that have also been superb. Now, I understand from a well-placed insider that there will be no Exquisite Evenings this year. None. Yikes. The only Festival dining event we wanted. And, there won't be any. I guess the City cocktail parties are the replacement. Yep -- less food, lower quality wine -- and lots more people accommodated.

The Festival focus now is clearly on mass participation things like PFTS, which we attended once and will never do again. We've been loyal Festival attendees every year since 1997. But, I think this one will be our last.

We once considered a DVC investment but decided against it. Glad we didn't buy.

Perhaps this is a good thing, actually. We'll branch out for our fall vacations in the future. Perhaps rent a villa in Tuscany?! We'll certainly need to look elsewhere for vacation "magic".

 

[oybolshoi]

TDC Nala -- you said it absolutely right. Quantity, not quality. Things have gone so downhill since the days of the Reserve Dinners. Granted those only seated 40 or so, but they were truly outstanding and special. We once attended a South Africa-themed Reserve Dinner that featured a dessert sampler served on a chocolate platform mounted on four chocolate elephants. Spectacular. Amazing. Disney Magic at its finest!

Of course, Dh and I knew that wouldn't last as soon as the sharp pencil boys got wind of it. But, at least they replaced the Reserve Dinners with Exquisite Evenings at Epcot that have also been superb. Now, I understand from a well-placed insider that there will be no Exquisite Evenings this year. None. Yikes. The only Festival dining event we wanted. And, there won't be any. I guess the City cocktail parties are the replacement. Yep -- less food, lower quality wine -- and lots more people accommodated.

The Festival focus now is clearly on mass participation things like PFTS, which we attended once and will never do again. We've been loyal Festival attendees every year since 1997. But, I think this one will be our last.

We once considered a DVC investment but decided against it. Glad we didn't buy.

Perhaps this is a good thing, actually. We'll branch out for our fall vacations in the future. Perhaps rent a villa in Tuscany?! We'll certainly need to look elsewhere for vacation "magic".

Your last point is especially well taken - my husband said the same thing about branching out. We haven't been attending F&W as long as you but we've noticed the same decline in quality since we began attending regularly in 2003 ... I can only imagine what it must have been like when you were able to attend that reserve dinner which sounds incredible.

I'm sad to hear that there won't be any EEs this year ... that was something we were actually going to try for if it fit into our schedule. Oh well, I guess we'll just keep that dinner ressie at V&A.

 

[ElizabethB]

Yes, Brenda, the Reserve Dinners were truly amazing. The Exquisite Evenings have also been wonderful. The California dinner last year featured very memorable wines.

I'm with you, though, -- dinner at V&A is far preferable to many of the events being offered this year.

Oh well. Nothing lasts forever, I guess.

I think TDC Nala may be right, however, that as mortages are foreclosed on and airfares skyrocket, families may choose to vacation closer to home. At that point, WDW may wish it had not lost the customers they once cultivated -- childless couples with disposable income and a willingness to spend it -- if offered high quality reasons to do so.

Love your reviews, by the way!!

 

[mikaj3645]

"Take the booth that sells all the Sam Adams beers ... are you telling me that a crab cake and a lobster roll are the only items that anyone from Boston ever eats?"

Absolutely not! For one thing, crab cakes are from Maryland, not Boston. How about Regina Pizza and Chowdah? Now that's real Boston food!!!

Cathy

 

[NejTheLion]

Food booths are easy, they can charge what they want and no one is taking up quantity-driven tables in restaurants. Party for the Senses, same thing. LOTS OF PEOPLE can be accommodated at each booth or PFTS. The other events are small and they're going to charge a lot more for them because small doesn't turn the sort of profit that large does.

Yeah, I think we're seeing the same thing with Exquisite Evenings, since we're assuming that those won't be offered this year. The City Taste "walkabouts" are the new Friday event, and it looks like they're modeled after the South African wine event from last year. We enjoyed that very much, but we will not be happy if Exquisite Evenings are gone completely. I understand Disney being smart and offering another PFTS-type event, where they can pack in a bunch of people, but the Exquisite Evenings were smaller and held at a different location. No reason they couldn't do both - just that an EE has a very small footprint, and even though it costs more than PFTS, I'm sure it doesn't make as much money.

I'm also not happy with the similarity of the food booth menus. I applaud Disney bringing in new countries, but there's no reason for some countries to offer the same thing every year. In their defense, I'm sure there are people who complain when something wonderful goes away, but as long as it's replaced by something equally wonderful, I'd much prefer to try new things.

I'm sure we'll enjoy the festival again this year, but I'm not sure it's going to continue to be an annual trip to Disney for us. There are other things we'd like to do in the fall, so it may become more of an every-other-year kind of vacation.

 

[TheDISneyFamily]

Oh.... well... I might be interested in the Champagne Brunch. I love me some bubbly! I've always wanted to try Chateau d'Yquem, too. I'll have to wait and see what the details/prices are...

 

[BriarRosie]

Here's the problem with the French lunch. I can go to the Boujolais one but I don't like Georges DeBeouf. I could go to the Burgundy one but I did the Burgundy wine school last year - same winery.

The only other one I can get to is the first one (Bordeaux) so it's a possibility if nothing better comes along. And it'd be nice to know what they cost.

I was considering the Burgundy lunch, pending news of any Signature Dining for that Sunday night. Or I could be a big piggie and try for both. Oink.

I actually won't miss the Exquisite Evenings if they still have Signature Dining events. I thought I had an equal experience at both types of events, and the Signature Dining was less expensive.

I was a bit ambivalent about Party for the Senses after my first one. But since then, I've booked the Party ever time it's been offered since, and I really do enjoy it. At least after the first one, they got rid of the Cirque bicyclist who almost ran me down three times.

 

[ElizabethB]

We won't consider the Signature Dinners anymore. We went to the Bistro de Paris one last year because it featured Jean Luc Colombo wines. The event had far too many people -- more than the restaurant staff could adequately serve, the wines were lesser quality due to the fact that so much of it had to be served and the evening was an overall disappointment.

We were also disappointed with the Signature Dinner at LeCellier a couple of years ago.

We had wonderful Signature Dinners years ago at Citricos and California Grill when they didn't try to accommodate so many people.

Those days are gone. IMO, the Signature Dinners are no longer worth the price.

 

[SEC]

Another web site is reporting a Party for the Senses on Sept. 27, will there be one? If not, that's ok, we will spend a lot less money and just graze at the booths. Last year we did two food and wine pairings and the South African wine event, this year, I don't think we will do any special events.

 

[abitjaded]

Sorry, also posted to the Restaurant thread, then saw this.

How is the Sweet Sunday? Nice sit down? Or just a feeding frenzy for a thousand. We were not crazy about the PFTS last year, but have only Saturday or Sunday Nov 1-2 to choose a F&W event, we'll be pooped from getting off the Disney Magic (woo-hoo).

We had a Super-Tuscan Vinters Reserve dinner years ago, and I agree with all you posters. Sublime. We went to wine tastings with 10 minute waits. Ha! Ha! Everything we have been able to book over the years since has been dumbed down and is getting pretty repetitive. Would do the PFTS again in there was just a stinking place to sit down or a table to dump dirty plates.

Carla

 

[DizDragonfly]

Another web site is reporting a Party for the Senses on Sept. 27, will there be one?

So is Dis ...

This popular venue takes place each Saturday during the Food and Wine Festival at the World ShowPlace located between Canada and United Kingdom Pavilions.

The emphasis is theirs. I also found this intriguing, in regard to the Bocuse d'Or culinary competition:

Park Admission not required

Is there a way to get into the World Showplace without entering the park? Note, it doesn't say "Park Admission included".

Sadly, I think I'm just grasping at straws. I really wanted to do PFTS on our trip. There doesn't seem to be a lot going on that first week though.

Karen

 

[Kidoctr]

How is the Sweet Sunday? Nice sit down? Or just a feeding frenzy for a thousand. We were not crazy about the PFTS last year, but have only Saturday or Sunday Nov 1-2 to choose a F&W event, we'll be pooped from getting off the Disney Magic (woo-hoo).

Hi Carla - wish we were getting to do the Magic this year....maybe next year. Sweet Sundays are a sit down venue. There was a very nice champagne breakfast buffet then the guest chef (ours was Collette Peters) made cookies, cake, etc. It was very yummy.

Here are some pics from our trip:

 

[BriarRosie]

We won't consider the Signature Dinners anymore. We went to the Bistro de Paris one last year because it featured Jean Luc Colombo wines. The event had far too many people -- more than the restaurant staff could adequately serve, the wines were lesser quality due to the fact that so much of it had to be served and the evening was an overall disappointment.

We were also disappointed with the Signature Dinner at LeCellier a couple of years ago.

We had wonderful Signature Dinners years ago at Citricos and California Grill when they didn't try to accommodate so many people.

Those days are gone. IMO, the Signature Dinners are no longer worth the price.

Wow, then I must have really lucked out! I've only done two Signature Dining events. A few years back at Citrico's, it was an Australian theme, and I sat next to a DISer (hi Kathy!) who also went to the event solo. It was so much fun that I knew I wanted to do another one.

The only other one I did was last year's vegetarian menu at California Grill. (They later added a fish course for those who wanted it.) I'm a huge meat-lovin' girl from the Midwest, so this was an adventure for me. And again, I thought they did a fantastic job.

I'm sorry that your events disappointed. My EEE seemed to hold a LOT more people than my California Grill SD event. Granted, the food and wines with an Italian theme were very good, but I couldn't justify the expense compared to the same enjoyment I had at the two Signature Dinners.

 

[katypop]

Wow, then I must have really lucked out! I've only done two Signature Dining events. A few years back at Citrico's, it was an Australian theme, and I sat next to a DISer (hi Kathy!) who also went to the event solo. It was so much fun that I knew I wanted to do another one.

Hi Lori!!!
That Australian Signature dinner was my very first F&W event and is still a fave It was so much fun to share the experience with you! I also enjoyed the PFTS , but my other fave was the Peruvian Regional dinner in 2006. I went to the Greek dinner last year, as well as the PFTS , and while they were enjoyable, I did not enjoy them as much as the others. I still think the food and wine pairings are the best value, I am hoping they will still have the Coral Reef and Le Cellier pairings this year

Kathe

 

[PNO4TE]

But since we were talking about other events that interested us in lieu of the high prices of the special events at the F&WF I thought I would post this here. If anyone wants me to remove it I will gladly do so. I thought it was a good comparison to how things used to be at the F&WF events of yore...

Last night my younger DDand I took her best friend and her mother to a wine and cheese pairing at Ingleside Winery over on the Northern Neck of Virginia (about 40 miles east of here).

Wow! We were duly impressed. They had three tasting stations set up in the gift shop and cask area. There were tables set up in the two rooms with baskets, platters and serving bowls of breads, crackers, olives, apples and pears, and various nuts. Each station had two wines and an individual plate of cheeses that had been selected to pair with that wine. There was a winery employee at each station with a good knowledge of the wines that they were willing to share if you wished.

The pours of wine were not large, but there was no limit to the number of pours you could receive. I guess that I had about a glass and a half of wine throughout the evening. Since we were there about 3 hours I felt that I was still able to drive. Their wines are remarkably good! I would be happy to order them anywhere and to serve them in my house. The glass was included in the $20 pp cost.

The cheese selections were, for the most part, well thought out, albeit a little on the careful side. There were tasting notes about each of the wines on a sheet given out as you entered, but there were more pictures of the cheeses and additional notes posted around the rooms. No one could complain about the amount of cheese served! Each plate had three cheeses on it and each sample had more than a 1/2 oz. portion of each of the cheeses. So that a total of about 4-5 oz. of cheese. I thought it was a good value! My favorite cheese pairings are marked with italics. Please note that I am a great lover of blue cheeses!

Station 1
PINOT GRIGIO 2007 paired with Tour de Marze Brie, Jarlsberg and Monterey Jack.
CHARDONNAY 2005 paired with Camembert, Jarlsberg and Medium Cheddar

Station 2
ROSATO DE SANGIOVESE 2007 paired with Manchego, Black Diamond White Cheddar and Tour de Marze Brie
MERLOT 2005 paired with Manchego, Gruyere and Jarlsberg

Station 3
PETIT VERDOT 2004 paired with Gruyere, Black Diamond White Cheddar and Tour de Marze Brie
OCTOBER HARVEST (Icewine) paired with Gorgonzola Dolce, Point Reyes Blue and Roaring Forties Blue

 

[TDC Nala]

TDC Nala -- you said it absolutely right. Quantity, not quality. Things have gone so downhill since the days of the Reserve Dinners. Granted those only seated 40 or so, but they were truly outstanding and special. We once attended a South Africa-themed Reserve Dinner that featured a dessert sampler served on a chocolate platform mounted on four chocolate elephants. Spectacular. Amazing. Disney Magic at its finest!

Of course, Dh and I knew that wouldn't last as soon as the sharp pencil boys got wind of it. But, at least they replaced the Reserve Dinners with Exquisite Evenings at Epcot that have also been superb. Now, I understand from a well-placed insider that there will be no Exquisite Evenings this year. None. Yikes. The only Festival dining event we wanted. And, there won't be any. I guess the City cocktail parties are the replacement. Yep -- less food, lower quality wine -- and lots more people accommodated.

The Festival focus now is clearly on mass participation things like PFTS, which we attended once and will never do again. We've been loyal Festival attendees every year since 1997. But, I think this one will be our last.

We once considered a DVC investment but decided against it. Glad we didn't buy.

Perhaps this is a good thing, actually. We'll branch out for our fall vacations in the future. Perhaps rent a villa in Tuscany?! We'll certainly need to look elsewhere for vacation "magic".

good day from Old Key West!

I heard the "no exquisite evenings" thing from a local friend, and very few signature dinners (nowhere near one every week, in fact possibly only two for the entire festival, and one is Victoria & Alberts and will cost over $300. If I were laying bets, I would say the other will be done by Todd English in his own Bluezoo, which will not take any space away from Disney restaurants.

We'll have to wait and see if this is going to be the case.

While it's the loss of the Adventurers Club that concerns me the most this year (I sort of knew that was coming eventually), devaluing the food and wine festival won't help matters.

Had a good experience at the Disneyland food and wine festival and there is this thing called Adventures by Disney that I can use points for, if I like the Australia tour I have booked in January.

 

[PNO4TE]

good day from Old Key West!

I heard the "no exquisite evenings" thing from a local friend, and very few signature dinners (nowhere near one every week, in fact possibly only two for the entire festival, and one is Victoria & Alberts and will cost over $300. If I were laying bets, I would say the other will be done by Todd English in his own Bluezoo, which will not take any space away from Disney restaurants.

We'll have to wait and see if this is going to be the case.

While it's the loss of the Adventurers Club that concerns me the most this year (I sort of knew that was coming eventually), devaluing the food and wine festival won't help matters.

Had a good experience at the Disneyland food and wine festival and there is this thing called Adventures by Disney that I can use points for, if I like the Australia tour I have booked in January.

Have a great time! I am glad you have something in the planning stages to do with your DVC points. Sounds like a perfect use to me!

 

[TDC Nala]

Another web site is reporting a Party for the Senses on Sept. 27, will there be one? If not, that's ok, we will spend a lot less money and just graze at the booths. Last year we did two food and wine pairings and the South African wine event, this year, I don't think we will do any special events.

Here is a guess - this site does not give the location of the Bocuse d'Or Grand Gala, but it does say park admission is not required. Either the gala is not taking place in the World Showplace, or they're waiving park admission like they do for the wine schools. So it's entirely possible there will be a PFTS on 9/27.