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

[NejTheLion]

Brenda...last year, and the year before (my mom loves the wine schools) the wine school began at 9 AM and lasted until about 4 PM.

This year it looks like they have been cut from 1 to 4 PM, and don't appear to include food.

I'm almost as disappointed with what they've apparently done to the wine schools as I am about the cancellation of Exquisite Evenings. It was such a nice event, but if it's now just an extended tasting with no food, we'll probably pass. Such a shame

 

[oybolshoi]

I'm almost as disappointed with what they've apparently done to the wine schools as I am about the cancellation of Exquisite Evenings. It was such a nice event, but if it's now just an extended tasting with no food, we'll probably pass. Such a shame

I couldn't agree more. Based on some wonderful reviews that we've seen here and at All Ears, Jay and I were really chewing over the idea of trying a wine school, but not for a three hour tasting session. The whole F&W thing is a puzzlement so far this year ...

At least by this time next week the full list of events and prices will have been released. I'll be thinking of you all fondly while we're in Boca Raton, hopefully not getting pummled by a hurricane.

 

[TDC Nala]

But that's my point. I really don't think you can turn over a table at a signature restaurant in an hour. I could believe an hour and a half if everything was quick. So, if you had 40 guests at a signature dinner paying $150 each (for a total of 2-3 hours), that comes to $6,000. If you replaced that with regular customers (10 tables, 4 guests per table, $150 a table), that comes to $1,500 for a single seating. If you had two seatings in the time it takes to hold a signature dinner, that would come to $3,000. That's still only half as much as the signature dinner would bring in. You would have to turnover the section 4 times in 3 hours to equal the signature dinner.

Could be - but then Disney doesn't get all the revenue from a signature dinner. Do the winery and the guest chef share in the revenue? And then there is the extra staff they must use for the signature dinner. And they've got to be losing money on the sig dinners. If regular diners ordered that much wine they'd be paying a great deal more than the cost of the sig dinner.

 

[SamSam]

I could be wrong but it's my understanding that the wineries donate the wine for all the special events. It's considered as a great way to get their wines known.

 

[ImprovGal]

In addition to this, I noticed that there are very few events that are being held outside of Epcot ensuring that people have to have their theme park admittance. I know there are a few of the higher priced events where you don't need a park ticket, but most of them do.

Last year the cheese tastings were held over at the Beach Club and so were the Twinings tea events. We already know that the cheese classes are being held inside Epcot this fall and I'm wondering if the same will happen to the teatime event.

Just something I noticed ...

Last year's cheese tastings were held in the Odyssey building in Epcot. It was the year before (when they debuted) that they were held over at the Beach Club.

Since the festival is hosted by Epcot, I don't have a problem with having events there (and thus requiring park admission). Hey, if restaurant seating capacities are holding back signature dinners then I'd rather have the dinner at a dedicated location (Millenium Showplace, Odyssey, Wonders of Life VIP lounge, etc.) and just bring the chefs representing the restaurant over.

 

[NejTheLion]

I could be wrong but it's my understanding that the wineries donate the wine for all the special events. It's considered as a great way to get their wines known.

Right. That was my assumption in regards to the signature dinners. The vinters are trying to sell their product. Considering that vinters have to pay $30,000 to appear at the festival (I think someone posted that figure earlier), I just can't see Disney paying them to be at a special dinner. Maybe the guest chefs are paid to be there. Maybe not. It's a good question.

It's possible that signature dinners don't bring in as much profit as regular restaurant dinners, but I don't think we have all the information. All I'm trying to point out is that we really can't say one way or the other with any certainty since we don't know what all of the financials are.

 

[BriarRosie]

The items served at the Jiko lunch could not be ordered from the regular dinner menu. They were prepared especially for the event. And each course had a wine pairing. Plus hoover doovers (hello Lori) and wine with those before dinner. Plus dessert - and dessert wine. That's what the cost is about.

You are SO lucky I wasn't drinking anything when I read this. It's an automatic gigglesnort reflex now. If they do throw in some signature lunches, it's gonna be more difficult to decide.

 

[TDC Nala]

I do hope it isn't true that WDW is more interested in reserving its restaurants for regular customers during food & wine. But I have been hearing from locals about WDW's increased interest in trying to keep F&W in Epcot.

I did note the absence of food and wine pairings at Le Cellier and Coral Reef. Although it's possible they could add those.

 

[pixie08]

I do hope it isn't true that WDW is more interested in reserving its restaurants for regular customers during food & wine. But I have been hearing from locals about WDW's increased interest in trying to keep F&W in Epcot.

I did note the absence of food and wine pairings at Le Cellier and Coral Reef. Although it's possible they could add those.

I do hope you are right and they add another tasting in!

 

[oybolshoi]

Last year's cheese tastings were held in the Odyssey building in Epcot. It was the year before (when they debuted) that they were held over at the Beach Club.

Okay - my mistake. I probably got the reviews I've been reading mixed up ... easily confused I am.

 

[TDC Nala]

Looks to me like they won't be using the Odyssey at all this year - everything will be in The Pavilion Formerly Known As Wonders Of Life, including the culinary demos.

That can be good and bad - the line will be indoors, but you can't run out to the World Showcase and grab some chilaquiles either.

 

[kabuki]

Looks to me like they won't be using the Odyssey at all this year - everything will be in The Pavilion Formerly Known As Wonders Of Life, including the culinary demos.

That can be good and bad - the line will be indoors, but you can't run out to the World Showcase and grab some chilaquiles either.

You just have to grab 2 chilaquiles now.. one for the walk over an done for the line!

 

[oybolshoi]

Looks like Catherine was right about the signature dinners ...

one at V&A for $375 pp and the other at Blue Zoo for $185 pp. Among the many puzzlements for me in regard to this year's F&W Festival is why they would schedule both signature dinners within five days of each other. No signature dinners will be held for the entire month of October???

 

[TDC Nala]

Brenda, you're fast. That just got put up.

OMG I hate being right sometimes. But I can go to the Todd English dinner....that ROCKS

V&A on November 2, Bluezoo on November 7. Here's why...Bluezoo isn't a Disney restaurant. And that's the week Todd will be there, so they have to have it then.

V&A isn't on the dining plan...coincidence? I DON'T THINK SO!

Gonna have to knock the City Taste off the list though.

 

[Andrew Bichard]

Subscribing

Andrew

 

[oybolshoi]

Brenda, you're fast. That just got put up.

OMG I hate being right sometimes. But I can go to the Todd English dinner....that ROCKS

Gonna have to knock the City Taste off the list though.

It's easy to be fast when you're sitting around doing laundry watching the olympics with a laptop plugged in.

Glad you can make it to the Todd English dinner - I bet that will be good.

 

[TDC Nala]

I have to get it first - there's going to be lots of people trying to get into that.

 

[oybolshoi]

I have to get it first - there's going to be lots of people trying to get into that.

Well, I wish you great good luck in nabbing it.

 

[NejTheLion]

OMG I hate being right sometimes. But I can go to the Todd English dinner....that ROCKS

No, your info was good. Still not sure we know what all the associated costs are for a signature dinner, though. And when we dine at resort restaurants, they never seem to be full (unless it's CA Grill on a fireworks night!) But apparently Disney's basing their decision on something.

I think we're going to try for the Todd English dinner. We've never been enamored of him and weren't thoroughly impressed with bluezoo when we ate there before, but we're willing to give him another chance. And this kind of event should be impressive. I wasn't sold on the Louisiana City Tastes, since I'm not sure what all they would serve in terms of wine, and I need to avoid bell pepper in things I eat. We'll stick with the Italian one the week before

We were already planning to go to the V&A dinner on November 2. And I'd like to complain LOUDLY that Disney had this planned back in MAY!!! That's right! Israel (the maitre'd) invited us when we dined there back in May. The date was known back then. So, I'm really unhappy with Disney that this couldn't be made public until now. Oh, wait...Disney still hasn't made it public!

Very sad to see all the cuts and unwelcome changes with the festival this year. About the only thing I'm looking forward to is having all of the free seminars and culinary demos in Future World. Hiking back and forth between WOL and the Odyssey can get pretty tiring!

 

[TDC Nala]

Not going to the V&A one, too expensive. I'm there that day, but I'm not paying them over $200 for a food & wine event. I never did Exquisite Evenings either.

It'll be a different thing...will have to plan certain days as far as - will I spend this entire day hanging around the PFKAWOL or will I spend it in World Showcase? I generally did both free demos and food booths in a day. I will have to split them up now.