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

[karrit2000]

It's the Disney way. Get people use to having things scheduled a certain way then change it all. First they cut back most pairings to 1 day a week instead of two. Now they have eliminated the most popular ones and are scheduling a bunch of new things that no one knows anything about and they aren't even announcing prices for the new events. Nevermind that you can't even get your money back if you have to cancel anything. A few of the new ones sound interesting but they will probably out of my price range. But I guess we shouldn't be complaining yet since Disney hasn't even "officially" announced anything yet. Oops, I forgot that is the biggest problem right now - no "official" info. Should we start taking bets on when any of this information might actually show up on the Official Disney website? I say not before anything goes on sale. Last year the info on the Disney site was so vague I checked every other website I know of to get my information. The only thing they got right was to post a link to the official Festival Guide, but they only did that after the Orlando Sentinal had scanned it & posted it on their website.

 

[BriarRosie]

I'm sure this is discussed somewhere in this long thread, but I can't find it. Does it seem odd to anyone else that there are so few Food & Wine pairings this year? I mean only 3 days- Mon, Tue, and Sat??? And there isn't one for Le Cellier or Coral Reef at all?? Those two were always big in attendance I thought. I am so bummed, as we had planned to do one on a Thursday- which in past years has always been Coral Reef. What the heck Disney?? Has anyone heard if any more will be added?!?!

A friend of mine actually made a good point about this the other day. She thinks that perhaps the F&W Festival budget was severely cut. Budget cuts would probably explain a lot of it.

Didn't anyone notice that there weren't any demos on Mondays and Tuesdays? I saw that listed. So yes, I'm wondering if the budget was cut.

 

[TDC Nala]

I'd also like to know if anyone really thinks WDW is going to take tables out of circulation at Le Cellier and Coral Reef when these are two of the most popular restaurants on property (especially with users of the dining plan). We can't know yet but I am guessing there will be no pairings at these two restaurants.

 

[shovan]

We are interested in the French lunches that are being offered on Sundays, as long as the price isn't too ridiculous. And we're holding out hope that there will be a signature dinner or lunch that we can pick up or maybe even a regional feast. Otherwise it looks like we will be trying a lot of new restaurants on this trip.

I guess we won't spend as much money as I expected we would when I booked this trip.

Brenda, It looks like I'm going to be scrambling to book dinners elsewhere. The French lunch for our date is of course, still TBA. We are also still hoping that there will be a regional feast or sig dinner that will work. I'm also really holding out hope that there will be more pairings!



Nala, We did the pairing at Coral Reef last year & the rest was still half empty during that time.

 

[TDC Nala]

Coral Reef had a break in between lunch and dinner. I don't know if they still do that or not.

the pairing I did last year was in a packed restaurant.

 

[PatriciaH]

Just noticed some information listed on our internal site. Much of the same info as here. PFTS does not start until October 4th. Only 3 Food and Wine parings listed. No prices for the other events yet (Champagne Brunch, French Regional Lunches.) Only the Greece Regional feast is listed. NO EE or Signature dinners listed! No Tea event listed.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Checking in and hoping for more info.......

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm interested in the event with Steven Twinings and Tea. But the only info I can find on it doesn't list any place, time, or price. I read somewhere that one year it was held at the Beach Club, and one year at the Twinings Tea Shop. Does anyone know anything about it?

 

[cdtommie]

Maybe I'm just really grumpy because I just hit the big 50 but I'm also down on F&W: pairings no longer a good value, PFTS overbooked, dominated by Disney vs. Guest chefs now, less expensive wines served, beer ignored again this year, still $150 lunches, wine seminars at the Odyssey at the opposite end of the park compared to WS...I'm glad we made usual reservations (CG, Jiko, AP, Derby etc) and just left one Sat open for PFTS...this might be the last PFTS for us - was not impressed with the two we went to last year. Our friend who coming down for a weekend is begging us to do V&A's instead but I want to give it one more shot.

 

[DisneyDeeva]

I'm interested in the event with Steven Twinings and Tea. But the only info I can find on it doesn't list any place, time, or price. I read somewhere that one year it was held at the Beach Club, and one year at the Twinings Tea Shop. Does anyone know anything about it?

I have done the Twining tea talk twice. I enjoyed them. You sampled four or five different teas and learned the proper way to brew tea. While your various blends were brewing, a representative from Twinings gave you some history on the company. She explained how tea is produced and what makes a good tea, and what the diffence is between black green and white teas (herbal teas aren't really teas at all...who knew). At the end they gave you a shortbread cookie made out of...you guessed it - tea.

Up until last year it was held in the garden behind the tea shop. It was free - but you had to show up hours ahead of time because they only gave out like30 tickets per session. A large number of folks who didn't realize they needed a ticket in advance stood in line only to be turned away at the gate.

Last year it moved to the BC and I think it was around $50. Since I had already done it twice, I wasn't all that interested in paying for what was likely to be a very similar event to what I had gotten for free (although, the air conditioning would have been a nice step up to the sweltering garden)

Not sure if they are planning anything similar for this year. Probably depend on how successful the event was last year at the BC.

 

[eeyorechic]

Is the Discovering Wine event at Citrico's new this year? If not has anyone done it, and what is it like? This will be the second year my DH and I have gone, and we're looking for an event to do.

Samantha

 

[oybolshoi]

Is the Discovering Wine event at Citrico's new this year? If not has anyone done it, and what is it like? This will be the second year my DH and I have gone, and we're looking for an event to do.

Samantha

I think last year was the first year that this event was offered at Citricos and it was priced at $150 per person for a three-hour session that included lunch and featured a specific CA winery. We didn't book it - for $300 we can have dinner at Victoria and Albert's - but I'd be interested to hear about it if anyone around here did attend.

 

[davinakb]

Coral Reef had a break in between lunch and dinner. I don't know if they still do that or not.

We've done a couple pairings at the Coral Reef and one in Morrocco. All were between lunch and dinner, so tucked away to one side of the restaurant, we almost had the place to ourselves.

Like other posters, I'm hoping the "official" announcements will offer some returning favorites though some of the new walk about Friday nights looking interesting. We did the South African Wine Adventure last year, which was great.

 

[gismo1554]

It's the Disney way. Get people use to having things scheduled a certain way then change it all. First they cut back most pairings to 1 day a week instead of two. Now they have eliminated the most popular ones and are scheduling a bunch of new things that no one knows anything about and they aren't even announcing prices for the new events. Nevermind that you can't even get your money back if you have to cancel anything. A few of the new ones sound interesting but they will probably out of my price range. But I guess we shouldn't be complaining yet since Disney hasn't even "officially" announced anything yet. Oops, I forgot that is the biggest problem right now - no "official" info. Should we start taking bets on when any of this information might actually show up on the Official Disney website? I say not before anything goes on sale. Last year the info on the Disney site was so vague I checked every other website I know of to get my information. The only thing they got right was to post a link to the official Festival Guide, but they only did that after the Orlando Sentinal had scanned it & posted it on their website.

Well Mickey's Halloween dates were only reveled a few days before they went on sale so I reckon the 22nd August

 

[gismo1554]

Up until last year it was held in the garden behind the tea shop. It was free - but you had to show up hours ahead of time because they only gave out like30 tickets per session. A large number of folks who didn't realize they needed a ticket in advance stood in line only to be turned away at the gate.

Last year it moved to the BC and I think it was around $50. Since I had already done it twice, I wasn't all that interested in paying for what was likely to be a very similar event to what I had gotten for free (although, the air conditioning would have been a nice step up to the sweltering garden)

Not sure if they are planning anything similar for this year. Probably depend on how successful the event was last year at the BC.

I don't think the paid one last year was the same as the free one they used to do. The paid one had Stephen Twining give the talk rather than some random CM and I think it was more about the history of tea. You also got cakes and stuff I think (unless I'm mistaken).

 

[DisneyDeeva]

I don't think the paid one last year was the same as the free one they used to do. The paid one had Stephen Twining give the talk rather than some random CM and I think it was more about the history of tea. You also got cakes and stuff I think (unless I'm mistaken).

The free one was hosted by a Twinings representative - not a WDW CM. Both times I did it, it was a a public relations type person - very proper, professional and well-spoken. She covered the history of tea and the history of Twinings - talked about serving kings and queens, etc. Then she covered how tea is grown, harvested, processed and blended.

I remember hearing about the different uses for tea, it's healing properties. One thing that stuck with me was the fact that green tea is no better for you than black tea. Both have almost the same amount of antioxidents.

It seems to me that the two primary differences between the free event of years past and the paid event last year were: 1. the venue was air conditioned, and 2. you got more food than a cookie.

Personnally, I liked the intimate setting of the English tea garden - even in the heat. It was quite a popular event, but at a $0 pricetag, it certainly didn't add anything to Disney's bottom line.

 

[Inkmahm]

I guess it would have been nice had I given you the correct phone #! Sorry about that! (though I am pretty sure you could also call 407-WDW-DINE for reservations - at least in the past you could )

Thanks! I have it now and that's what matters.

 

[BriarRosie]

I don't think the paid one last year was the same as the free one they used to do. The paid one had Stephen Twining give the talk rather than some random CM and I think it was more about the history of tea. You also got cakes and stuff I think (unless I'm mistaken).

I must have lucked out, then. I did the seminar at the Odyssey a few years ago that was free AND hosted by Stephen Twining. He was very charming. I remember getting a cookie and ice cream made from Lady Grey tea.

I do remember that same year, they did have the UK garden area set up for a similar seminar. That must have been the one DisneyDeeva went to.

He made an appearance at the tea shop to sign the tins of tea people purchased. I regret not buying a tin and getting an autograph.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

When is he going to be there this year?

 

[RachelTori]

When is he going to be there this year?

Here's the info from the DIS:

"~AFTERNOON TEA WITH STEPHEN TWININGS - 2008 - TBA

Stephen Twining is your host at this event. After a presentation by this 10th generation member of the Twining Tea family, cakes, savories and tea wil be served."


PatriciaH....... have you seen any indication of dates yet?