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

[PNO4TE]

Hmmmmmm, nothing new yet. Too bad.

Well, it's been a real pleasure enduring the wait with you fine people.

 

[gismo1554]

Someone said a few pages back that wine.co.za were in charge of the South African Wine event last year but I emailed them and just got a response that said they were not at the Festival at all last year.

Just to let you know.

ps thanks to who ever suggested this though as its shown me that they are at the London show next May

 

[mama03]

$135.00 per person for a 2 hour french lunch???!!! For that price Disney needs to list the wines one will be tasting, plus the food lineup (caviar, foie gras, shaved truffels?). Thoughts anyone?

 

[TDC Nala]

Assuming this is pretty much a final list, I am wondering at the fact that most events seem to take place on Saturdays - I have three separate trips for which my arrival date is Saturday. I can't book anything occurring prior to the Party for the Senses on those Saturdays because the events are nonrefundable, and flight delays would result in loss of the entire payment.

 

[NejTheLion]

$135.00 per person for a 2 hour french lunch???!!! For that price Disney needs to list the wines one will be tasting, plus the food lineup (caviar, foie gras, shaved truffels?). Thoughts anyone?

It seems a little pricey for an untested event. Unless they cough up more details, we probably won't try those.

I'm also not happy about the wine schools being cut down to 3 hours with no mention of whether food will be served. They used to be 6 hours with a continental breakfast and a sit-down lunch. Granted, the wine schools are cheaper than before (used to be $150), but $125 for 3 hours of just tasting wines means I'm a lot likelier to go wait in all the free seminar lines.

 

[TheDISneyFamily]

We're still waiting (not so) patiently for the final info. I just wonder what happened this year? After what seemed to be a great F&W festival in Disneyland, I have to wonder why all the changes and cut backs in WDW... The event prices are really getting out of hand. I wonder why there are less food booth offerings this year, too - you would think that there would be more, to cater to the people who are not going to pay for the high priced events...

 

[karrit2000]

After looking through this years offerings I am hugely disappointed. The French Regional Lunch looked interesting until they listed the $135 price tag. I can go to PFTS for that amount of money and have a much wider variety of food to choose from. It looks like this year we will probably just be doing a Sweet Sundays and the City Taste of Italy. No wine school of interest to us while I am there. The info on that is very contradictory. It says all day but the hours are listed from 1-4PM. The master Class sounds interesting but the one I could go to doesn't sound as interesting as the other 2 being offered.

 

[shovan]

$135.00 per person for a 2 hour french lunch???!!! For that price Disney needs to list the wines one will be tasting, plus the food lineup (caviar, foie gras, shaved truffels?). Thoughts anyone?

I agree! And our date is still TBA. I'm not going to hope for the menu you've suggested. While that would definitely be worth while, the way things are going that's a real long shot.

Assuming this is pretty much a final list, I am wondering at the fact that most events seem to take place on Saturdays - I have three separate trips for which my arrival date is Saturday. I can't book anything occurring prior to the Party for the Senses on those Saturdays because the events are nonrefundable, and flight delays would result in loss of the entire payment.

We did the same thing, but just one trip. We had planned on trying something other than PFTS, but now that is one of the few events that seem worthwhile. Really discouraging. This along with the disappearance of filets on regular menus, has me thinking that Disney is no longer interested in repeat customers.

 

[TheDISneyFamily]

We did the same thing, but just one trip. We had planned on trying something other than PFTS, but now that is one of the few events that seem worthwhile. Really discouraging. This along with the disappearance of filets on regular menus, has me thinking that Disney is no longer interested in repeat customers.

I wouldn't worry too much about the disappearing filets. I think they are being pulled from the current menus because of Free Dining. I'm sure they will be back once that's over. In fact, I even got a Kobe Beef filet at Citricos last Oct during F&W Festival. That's usually not available anywhere except V&A. I'm remaining hopeful that all the menus will be restored after Free Dining.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I wouldn't worry too much about the disappearing filets. I think they are being pulled from the current menus because of Free Dining. I'm sure they will be back once that's over.

That's been my theory too and I hope we're right!

 

[BriarRosie]

$135.00 per person for a 2 hour french lunch???!!! For that price Disney needs to list the wines one will be tasting, plus the food lineup (caviar, foie gras, shaved truffels?). Thoughts anyone?

It seems a little pricey for an untested event. Unless they cough up more details, we probably won't try those.

I'm willing to try this event for the Burgundy/Jadot one. The Cook, Book and Bottle sounds like almost the same type of event, except you get a cookbook and bottle of wine. Since I have no interest in getting the book and bottle, this sounds like a plan.

Even though 10/16 shows a dreaded "TBA", I want to book the Kitchen Conversation anyway because the vineyard is Caymus. That's a draw for me.

I decided to skip the Australian City Tastes event and booked V&A for myself on 10/17 instead. Yes, solo. If I can't have a signature dining event somewhere, I'll create my OWN!

Oh, and to further muck things up, I'm on the wait list for the Jiko wine dinner for 10/16. We'll see how that pans out.

 

[Inkmahm]

I wouldn't worry too much about the disappearing filets. I think they are being pulled from the current menus because of Free Dining. I'm sure they will be back once that's over. In fact, I even got a Kobe Beef filet at Citricos last Oct during F&W Festival. That's usually not available anywhere except V&A. I'm remaining hopeful that all the menus will be restored after Free Dining.

Disappearing filets? What? That's my norrmal dinner! Brown Derby no longer has them but please tell me the other restaurants aren't following along?

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Disappearing filets? What? That's my norrmal dinner! Brown Derby no longer has them but please tell me the other restaurants aren't following along?

Kona and AP ditched the filets...not sure about the other places.

 

[Flower13]

I'm doing the same thing as BriarRosie. I booked a dinner for myself at V&A when I saw that there was no Exquisite Evenings at Epcot. (I wonder if V&A has seen an increase in reservations since the F&W information has been leaking)

There are no other events that are remotely interesting except PFTS.

 

[shovan]

Kona and AP ditched the filets...not sure about the other places.

Yes, Webmaster Pete confirmed this sad news on the podcast thread!

 

[chip&dale&fun]

After looking through this years offerings I am hugely disappointed. The French Regional Lunch looked interesting until they listed the $135 price tag. I can go to PFTS for that amount of money and have a much wider variety of food to choose from. It looks like this year we will probably just be doing a Sweet Sundays and the City Taste of Italy. No wine school of interest to us while I am there. The info on that is very contradictory. It says all day but the hours are listed from 1-4PM. The master Class sounds interesting but the one I could go to doesn't sound as interesting as the other 2 being offered.

No French Regional Lunch for me either....

 

[kathyg]

I've asked this before but no one responded. Can someone please tell me who runs this event? I would like to forward my comments.

Thanks.

 

[Steve-O]

I'm willing to try this event for the Burgundy/Jadot one. The Cook, Book and Bottle sounds like almost the same type of event, except you get a cookbook and bottle of wine. Since I have no interest in getting the book and bottle, this sounds like a plan.

Even though 10/16 shows a dreaded "TBA", I want to book the Kitchen Conversation anyway because the vineyard is Caymus. That's a draw for me.

I decided to skip the Australian City Tastes event and booked V&A for myself on 10/17 instead. Yes, solo. If I can't have a signature dining event somewhere, I'll create my OWN!

Oh, and to further muck things up, I'm on the wait list for the Jiko wine dinner for 10/16. We'll see how that pans out.

Been to Cook, Book and Bottle past couple of years. Your seating is by place in line, not 1st come 1st served, so you will probably sit with the people you stand outside in line with. Wines are generally good. Food has been declining and you have no idea whatsoever what the menu will include. If you go as a couple, you'll get two of the same books so good to have someone to give one to. Usually no issue drinking two bottles of same wine.

Regional lunches appeal to me as they are in Bistro de Paris, which I've always enjoyed.

 

[shovan]

I've asked this before but no one responded. Can someone please tell me who runs this event? I would like to forward my comments.

Thanks.

kathyg, I don't know if there is another more specific person or dept to respond to other than wdw.guest.communications@disney.com



Anyone familiar with Marimar Estates/Torres Family Vineyards? (The 10/31 Cook, Book & Bottle) I can't recall ever trying or purchasing their wines.

 

[tkldisney]

Dh & I were at a winery in Panama Beach FL over the weekend. The mgr. said they have always had their wines featured at the F & W Festival and have always gotten great reviews. When they first started attending the festival the fee to have your wines at the F&W festival was 3000.00. Last year they raised this fee to 30,000.00. They negotiated something with Disney last year, but he said he doubted they would be there this year. A small local winery can't afford to pay those prices. You talk about your price increase.