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

[TDC Nala]

I couldn't care less about the filets, I don't ever order steak of any type. Now if they took out all the goat cheese...


Lori, if you want to change that V&A to 10/19 my mother and I will go with you. She is dying to go and it doesn't look like she'll get a dinner to attend that night.

 

[CJ]

Just read a bunch of info on the passholder site about purchasing a gift card to use while touring F&W:

Combine convenience with taste sensations when you journey through World Showcase, sampling fine wines and delicious gourmet food and paying for it with your Special Festival Edition Disney Gift Card. Decorated with images of the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival — Cities in Wonderland, the Special Festival Edition Disney Gift Card thematically celebrates the worldwide delicacies featured at the festival. The Special Festival Edition Disney Gift Card functions at all locations with the payment ease of any Disney Gift Card.

The Special Festival Edition Disney Card is available only at the following locations at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival:
Festival Welcome Center — located in the Wonders Pavilion
Festival Gift Shop — located across from Refreshment Port, inland from the Canada boat dock
Pearville Fair
Australia Exhibit Merchandise Shop
Louisiana Exhibit Merchandise Shop

For more information about the Special Festival Edition Disney Card, visit the hub at the Festival Welcome Center, where you will find the Festival Wine Shop and the Wonders Bar for champagne and wine. This is also the official book-signing location for authors — mainly vintners and chefs — and is located near the Stockpot shop, which offers marvelous merchandise.

 

[oybolshoi]

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.

Holy grape stomp!

I can't make a decision about the French lunches (which we are definitely interested in) until the remaining program details are released... just on the off chance that we might be able to do something else without getting a second job to pay for it.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I want to get one of those gift cards. They sound cooler then one of those regular Mickey ones, and I could put it in my scrapbook afterwards.

 

[oybolshoi]

In theory this is a great idea. In practice it sucks. We've been stuck at kiosks trying to use gift cards and DDP credits to pay for items only to have the "system" crash ... more than once. It wasn't as bad last year as it was in 2006, which was the first year that they started using those hand held devices for scanning cards (I think), but it's pretty darn frustrating and embarrassing when you can't pay for your food with the two most widely hawked convenience items at WDW.

If you purchase a gift card to cover your snacking be sure to bring cash for those annoying times when the machines won't accept your card or dining plan snack credits.

Just read a bunch of info on the passholder site about purchasing a gift card to use while touring F&W:

Combine convenience with taste sensations when you journey through World Showcase, sampling fine wines and delicious gourmet food and paying for it with your Special Festival Edition Disney Gift Card. Decorated with images of the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival — Cities in Wonderland, the Special Festival Edition Disney Gift Card thematically celebrates the worldwide delicacies featured at the festival. The Special Festival Edition Disney Gift Card functions at all locations with the payment ease of any Disney Gift Card.

The Special Festival Edition Disney Card is available only at the following locations at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival:
Festival Welcome Center — located in the Wonders Pavilion
Festival Gift Shop — located across from Refreshment Port, inland from the Canada boat dock
Pearville Fair
Australia Exhibit Merchandise Shop
Louisiana Exhibit Merchandise Shop

For more information about the Special Festival Edition Disney Card, visit the hub at the Festival Welcome Center, where you will find the Festival Wine Shop and the Wonders Bar for champagne and wine. This is also the official book-signing location for authors — mainly vintners and chefs — and is located near the Stockpot shop, which offers marvelous merchandise.

 

[BriarRosie]

Lori, if you want to change that V&A to 10/19 my mother and I will go with you. She is dying to go and it doesn't look like she'll get a dinner to attend that night.

Oh yay! I'd love to go to Vicki and Al's with you and your mom! That's a good alternative for a lack of a Signature Dining event for 10/19. And that can be canceled if events suddenly show up.

 

[oybolshoi]

Oh yay! I'd love to go to Vicki and Al's with you and your mom! That's a good alternative for a lack of a Signature Dining event for 10/19. And that can be canceled if events suddenly show up.

She finally makes it to the dining room!

I look forward to hearing all about your dinner ... yum!

 

[cckovach]

After 61 pages of posts, I'm disappointed. Am I the only one who is still excited about F&W?!??!?

I've been going to F&W for the past 6 years and I still love it. I know that events change and food booths' items differ, but isn't that the beauty of the festival? We've been to PFTS, Italian Wine School, Lunch and Learns, The Cook, The Book and the Bottle and Le Cellier and other food and wine pairings. We aren't bored yet! Yes, I will agree that the offerings (thus far - the list is not official yet) aren't as varied as usual, but still the atmosphere keeps us coming back. To be able to travel from booth to booth and sample the food and wine is fun for us. We actually look forward to seeing some of the same offerings year after year (Canada's Cheddar Cheese Soup) and keep our brochures from years past to see how we've rated the items.

This year, we're taking my DH's parents who haven't been to WDW since 1976. We purposefully planned our trip during F&W festival. We can't wait to take them to the food booths and to PFTS!

Can't wait for October 3-10!

 

[kabuki]

After 61 pages of posts, I'm disappointed. Am I the only one who is still excited about F&W?!??!?

I've been going to F&W for the past 6 years and I still love it. I know that events change and food booths' items differ, but isn't that the beauty of the festival? We've been to PFTS, Italian Wine School, Lunch and Learns, The Cook, The Book and the Bottle and Le Cellier and other food and wine pairings. We aren't bored yet! Yes, I will agree that the offerings (thus far - the list is not official yet) aren't as varied as usual, but still the atmosphere keeps us coming back. To be able to travel from booth to booth and sample the food and wine is fun for us. We actually look forward to seeing some of the same offerings year after year (Canada's Cheddar Cheese Soup) and keep our brochures from years past to see how we've rated the items.

This year, we're taking my DH's parents who haven't been to WDW since 1976. We purposefully planned our trip during F&W festival. We can't wait to take them to the food booths and to PFTS!

Can't wait for October 3-10!

Nope we are still excited! Can't wait! We feel thae same and have our brochures also .. love to look back and a head!
Looks like we might do 2 PFTS since John Ash is at the Fest at the start of teh week and Ming Tsai the end. Might be wishful thinking but we hope they are there.
As for the rest of the events we are still waiting but will be happy with what ever comes out .. I have good ADR's anyway!

 

[DznyDreamz]

Can anyone provide some more information on the Sweet Sundays??

I am sending DH to Richard Petty Driving School and DD to BBB. Something needs to happen for the mom here people!!! I thought this might be something I'm interested in. When they say a breakfast buffet is included, is it regular breakfast fare and of decent variety? Does the pastry chef then make 3 desserts? Do you get one "sample" size glass of champagne or does it "flow"?? If the chef in question is a specialty cake baker, will she bake 3 cakes while you watch??

I do dabble in some cake decorating, so I would be interested in seeing a pro in action. My DD is an avid Food Network fan so I'm not sure I could escape without her. Has anyone else ever brought kids with them?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for any answers you can provide.

 

[oybolshoi]

I'm always excited to take a trip with my lovey so I'm still looking forward to October and I know we'll have a good time. But I look at the F&W Festival and see so much untapped potential and so much possibility that yes, I am disappointed in what appears to me to be a lack-luster program thus far.

If that makes me the Negative Nelly of the F&W Fest so be it ... I guess my job carries over into real life sometimes.

After 61 pages of posts, I'm disappointed. Am I the only one who is still excited about F&W?!??!?

I've been going to F&W for the past 6 years and I still love it. I know that events change and food booths' items differ, but isn't that the beauty of the festival? We've been to PFTS, Italian Wine School, Lunch and Learns, The Cook, The Book and the Bottle and Le Cellier and other food and wine pairings. We aren't bored yet! Yes, I will agree that the offerings (thus far - the list is not official yet) aren't as varied as usual, but still the atmosphere keeps us coming back. To be able to travel from booth to booth and sample the food and wine is fun for us. We actually look forward to seeing some of the same offerings year after year (Canada's Cheddar Cheese Soup) and keep our brochures from years past to see how we've rated the items.

This year, we're taking my DH's parents who haven't been to WDW since 1976. We purposefully planned our trip during F&W festival. We can't wait to take them to the food booths and to PFTS!

Can't wait for October 3-10!

 

[lilyv]

I'm always excited to take a trip with my lovey so I'm still looking forward to October and I know we'll have a good time. But I look at the F&W Festival and see so much untapped potential and so much possibility that yes, I am disappointed in what appears to me to be a lack-luster program thus far.

If that makes me the Negative Nelly of the F&W Fest so be it ... I guess my job carries over into real life sometimes.

You're so NOT a Negative Nelly....It's just hard to wait for drips and drabs of info. I can't figure out why they are so slow to promote F&W this year.

My fingers are itchy to make some reservations. So...I read about The Orlando Magical Dining month-it's 1-30 September.
http://www.orlandoinfo.com/magicaldining/results.cfm

I think they are offering some great deals. I made a reservation tonight for our upcoming trip. Might be something to consider if you're going to be in Orlando in Sept. They have 29.00 menus and 19.00 menus, various restaurants. Generally 3 courses, including dessert, I'm there.

 

[TDC Nala]

After 61 pages of posts, I'm disappointed. Am I the only one who is still excited about F&W?!??!?

Yeah, pretty much.

My plan was to do signature dinners and Coral Reef pairings, neither of which are offered (yet). And PFTS, which is the only thing I am really certain about right now.

And the events that look workable are on days when I have a conflict, or scheduled for Saturday which is generally an arrival day and I can't do morning or afternoon events on an arrival day.

 

[TDC Nala]

You're so NOT a Negative Nelly....It's just hard to wait for drips and drabs of info. I can't figure out why they are so slow to promote F&W this year.

My fingers are itchy to make some reservations. So...I read about The Orlando Magical Dining month-it's 1-30 September.
http://www.orlandoinfo.com/magicaldining/results.cfm

I think they are offering some great deals. I made a reservation tonight for our upcoming trip. Might be something to consider if you're going to be in Orlando in Sept. They have 29.00 menus and 19.00 menus, various restaurants. Generally 3 courses, including dessert, I'm there.

If I have to drive there, no wine. That's a dealbreaker.

 

[Forever42]

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.

Was this the "Florida" winery with the fruit wines (mango, orange, etc) and has locations around the state?

http://www.panamacitybeachwinery.com/

If so, darn Luckily I live close to a few of their locations. They've started doing some sparklers that are wonderful.

Also, just went to Epcot tonight to walk around and some of the construction has started in the grassy areas that hold the special events/countries - you can also see them refurbing the booths in the far left parking lot as well. And to be honest, I'm still very excited about the FWF. My father and his girlfriend are coming up here for the first time (from Tampa) and we'll be doing a PftS with them as well.

 

[lilyv]

If I have to drive there, no wine. That's a dealbreaker.

I totally understand. I gotta say, though, I'm impressed with some of the offerings with Orlando Magical Dining Month. The prices are great, and many of the menus look delicious. We'll just have our glass when we get back to WL.

 

[TDC Nala]

I totally understand. I gotta say, though, I'm impressed with some of the offerings with Orlando Magical Dining Month. The prices are great, and many of the menus look delicious. We'll just have our glass when we get back to WL.

Drinking wine alone in my room doesn't interest me all that much - I would prefer it with the food.

That said, maybe lunch at Emerils, with wine, and spend the day at Universal? probably would beat heck out of a food and wine event.

 

[lilyv]

Drinking wine alone in my room doesn't interest me all that much - I would prefer it with the food.

That said, maybe lunch at Emerils, with wine, and spend the day at Universal? probably would beat heck out of a food and wine event.

Emeril's for lunch sounds delicious! (And with the Magical Dining deal it will be a whole lot cheaper than a Food and Wine event.) It's nice to have some great options in addition to F&W. Hope it works out for you!

 

[webray]

In theory this is a great idea. In practice it sucks. We've been stuck at kiosks trying to use gift cards and DDP credits to pay for items only to have the "system" crash ... more than once. It wasn't as bad last year as it was in 2006, which was the first year that they started using those hand held devices for scanning cards (I think), but it's pretty darn frustrating and embarrassing when you can't pay for your food with the two most widely hawked convenience items at WDW.

If you purchase a gift card to cover your snacking be sure to bring cash for those annoying times when the machines won't accept your card or dining plan snack credits.

That is exactly what I was thinking. Many times last year we got to jump to the front of the line because we kept a couple forms of payment on us.

 

[PatriciaH]

I totally understand. I gotta say, though, I'm impressed with some of the offerings with Orlando Magical Dining Month. The prices are great, and many of the menus look delicious. We'll just have our glass when we get back to WL.

There are some great choices on there:

Beluga
Everglades (love this place)
Tchoup Chop (better than Emerils)
Le Coc Au Vin
Tommy Bahama (great soup)
Plantation Room and Galerie in Celebration are so good
Taverna Opa (LOUD and fun-dancing ont he tables!)