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

[BriarRosie]

Yes they do allow under 21 in the events - but they can't have alcoholic beverages and there is no reduction in price.

Either you will be able to drink what is served for him or they won't serve it at all. I have seen it done both ways in various events.

I did like the sushi pairing. But it's been confirmed that this year I'm not going to do one. Will take that $55 and spend it at Kimonos or California Grill (now I have to pick one)

I'm leaning towards California Grill because I'm being seduced by the foie gras thread. But if it's going to be sushi, I'd want to try Kimonos. Before the karaoke starts, if possible.

 

[ImprovGal]

Is that all there is???????? I am sooooo disappointed in the offerings for the time we will be there. This is our first and it will definitely be our last. Thank goodness I love disney and will occupy myself with dining at Disney restaurants. Sorry to say this, but all the hype I've read about this "festival" doesn't seem to be panning out . It looked so very good in years gone bye that I couldn't wait to go. This is definitely not what I thought it would be.

I think it all ties in with this year's theme -- "Cities in Wonderland".

They want us to wonder where did the events land.

 

[ImprovGal]

Now I need to drag this out again

Mmmmmm... Love those English McMuffins!

I'm still working on my plan of attack for Monday's 7am phone olympics. The ticketed events are a huge part of what I enjoy about the F&W festival. Don't get me wrong, the WS kiosks and complimentary demos and seminars are good, too. However, I didn't book a 4 night opening weekend trip and an 11 night closing week trip this year for the demos and booths. I keep looking at my list and wondering if some of the line items are there just to give me stuff to book.

 

[webray]

It's funny - this will be my eighth F&W Festival in a row (I remember when the food booths were not much more elaborate than a lemonade stand with a few potted plants scattered around). This is the first year I'll be going to one of the paid events - doing my very first PFTS...if I can find someone to hang out with.

That being said, I've always had a wonderful time at the festival - spent many and afternoon wandering from booth to booth eating and drinking myself silly. Each year, I discover something new. Three years ago, I discovered the tea seminar in England. I never realized until two years ago that they had free food tastings in the Oddessey. Last year, I did my very first free wine tasting.

Give it a chance - go with an open mind. You might be pleasantly surprised. Look at it this way, what you don't spend on paid events will make great souvenir money!

You won't have any trouble finding someone to hang out with, just visit with people around you. We have made some great disney friends that way!

 

[webray]

Oh, last year we were invited to a company party at Animal Kingdom. We stayed until midnight and it was amazing. A totally different experience. It was really cool to walk out at the end when there was only the two of us and some cast members!!

dizneykid is so right. We were lucky enough to attend an evening event at AK. The feel is so different, everything looks so amazing in the evening.

 

[ElizabethB]

I give up. As a F&W loyal veteran who has planned a trip from out of state to each of the last 10 F&W Festivals and was looking forward to #11 (staying at a deluxe Epcot resort each time and spending a ton) -- I find that no matter what I say about the decline in events this year, someone tries to justify it. First, the perfume brunch makes all the sense in the "world" as a Food and Wine Event. Okay, okay. Of course a perfume promotion belongs at the F&W Festival. Silly me, for not realizing that.

Now someone posts that of course the Festival should be all about promotion of cookbooks and food TV shows. After all, everyone loves celebrity chefs, right?

The promotional events are fine -- Kitchen Conversations and Cook, Book and Bottle -- if they are mixed in with other quality events. What I don't like is that the Festival this year is clearly a situation of -- pays your money, you can have your spot in the Festival.

Don't pay and we'll eliminate the event -- there are four Vertical Tastings instead of eight, the Wine Schools are 1/2 day instead of full day with a fabulous lunch, there are no Exquisite Evenings at all (versus some years where there were 8 - 12 and before that when there were 8 Reserve Dinners during a 4-week Festival). There are two signature dinners versus the usual 6-8.

Okay, okay. I surrender. Those of you who are excited about the Festival because you have no idea what it used to be, take over and start cheering.

And, clearly Disney's calculation was right -- get rid of the fabulous events, make it only an opportunity for those willing to pay a high price to promote . . . whatever. The Disney diehards won't care! In fact, if some crazy lady starts complaining on those public boards about how wonderful the Festival used to be, the DISers will be all over her for it -- just like they jump on anyone who dares to suggest that dining at WDW isn't what it used to be.l

Sigh . . .

 

[webray]

Don't you think that's a tribute to how the festival has grown in popularity as well as how the "foodie nation" has grown in general? We have made cookbook authors "rock stars" and their creations are now our destinations.

My DH & I have based entire vacations... to places other than Disney... solely on food. I'm sure you have too. Why should this be any different? In fact, with the amounts of people F&WF draws each year, it would almost be a disservice to the masses if Disney didn't bring in newness, authors, and TV personalities. We could only hope that someday the McDonald's quietly disappears from WS because people are demanding a Todd English kiosk year-round instead...

TewEPCOT, I couldn't have said it better myself. Hubby and I definately travel for the restaurants, special wine bars/lists (and we like more than wine, lol, so we look for special everything..lol).

 

[webray]

I'm leaning towards California Grill because I'm being seduced by the foie gras thread. But if it's going to be sushi, I'd want to try Kimonos. Before the karaoke starts, if possible.

Hubby just had the foie gras listed on the current CA Grill menu, it was fantastic!

 

[PNO4TE]

I finally got my paper-mail schedule today. But I thought it would be nice to have one sortable by dates, so you could easily see all that's going on on the days you're there... so here it is:

http://onlyabill.com/2008/08/22/epcot-food-and-wine-festival-2008-schedule/

(You'll need excel or OpenOffice or some equivalent.)

I liked your spreadsheet! Thanks for taking the time to put it together and the willingness to share it.

 

[PNO4TE]

Oops!! What the heck was I thinkin'? I should not try to put two coherent words together this close to my bedtime

You're absolutely right, of course. I'd better go back and edit my post before I confuse the heck out of folks

Actually... the editing of your post caused me confusion... I couldn't figure out why TDC Nala had corrected your Pavilion choice...

 

[redzinner]

That's good stuff. I will just say that some of us (**ME**) live in places where we still have to drive 30+ minutes to eat somewhere OTHER THAN a ffchain or a wing place... so going to WDW for F&WF (or any other "dining destination") and getting it all in one take is worth it.

And to that end I am still quite pleased with a weekend at F&WF.

Love your attitude TewEpcot!

I think my attitude this year is a cliche but hopefully accurate: One drought year does not a desert make. The news media has told us the USA is in a recession and actually the FL housing market has had disastrous effects on the local economy. Maybe, and I don't know for sure, Disney just thought it prudent to step away from the higher priced events. Yes, the bean counters at work.

I have been attending F&WF for just 8 of the 13 years and I am very disappointed in the absence of Exquisite Evenings. I feel my only recourse is to write the powers that be and let them know my disappointment. I need to do that immediately since they are probably already lining up the sponsors for next years festival. Disney doesn't do this for fun like we do, there has to be a profit in it and that usually is supported by sponsors and their promotions.

So TewEpcot have fun on your foodie weekend!

Pollyanna

 

[PNO4TE]

I give up. As a F&W loyal veteran who has planned a trip from out of state to each of the last 10 F&W Festivals and was looking forward to #11 (staying at a deluxe Epcot resort each time and spending a ton) -- I find that no matter what I say about the decline in events this year, someone tries to justify it. First, the perfume brunch makes all the sense in the "world" as a Food and Wine Event. Okay, okay. Of course a perfume promotion belongs at the F&W Festival. Silly me, for not realizing that.

Now someone posts that of course the Festival should be all about promotion of cookbooks and food TV shows. After all, everyone loves celebrity chefs, right?

The promotional events are fine -- Kitchen Conversations and Cook, Book and Bottle -- if they are mixed in with other quality events. What I don't like is that the Festival this year is clearly a situation of -- pays your money, you can have your spot in the Festival.

Don't pay and we'll eliminate the event -- there are four Vertical Tastings instead of eight, the Wine Schools are 1/2 day instead of full day with a fabulous lunch, there are no Exquisite Evenings at all (versus some years where there were 8 - 12 and before that when there were 8 Reserve Dinners during a 4-week Festival). There are two signature dinners versus the usual 6-8.

Okay, okay. I surrender. Those of you who are excited about the Festival because you have no idea what it used to be, take over and start cheering.

And, clearly Disney's calculation was right -- get rid of the fabulous events, make it only an opportunity for those willing to pay a high price to promote . . . whatever. The Disney diehards won't care! In fact, if some crazy lady starts complaining on those public boards about how wonderful the Festival used to be, the DISers will be all over her for it -- just like they jump on anyone who dares to suggest that dining at WDW isn't what it used to be.l

Sigh . . .

Elizabeth - I didn't feel that everyone jumped all over you. I am sorry you got that impression.

I will say that my family and I have also attended 10 of the F&W Festivals over the years, planning 9 of our trips specifically for the event. We have done many of the paid events over those years and loved most of them. I am sad to see the changes in that aspect of the Festival. For those of us who have gone numerous times I think there is a letdown because those are what we have come to enjoy.

On the other hand, there are other visitors who go simply to enjoy the eating and drinking around the World that is offered at the booths. My DH is one of them. He is not the least bit interested in any of the special events and does not care who cooked the food that he eats from the booth. Just make sure there are lots of beers to enjoy and some of his old favorites to eat and he is in F&W heaven. That is what the Festival is to him.

So on many levels people will be content or even happy with what Disney is offering this year. On other levels some, like you and me, will be disappointed.

I think that I made a mistake booking us for opening week but that was my error, not Disney's. I think the Bocuse d'Or is a Johnny-come-lately event to this year's Festival (and a welcome one, even if I won't afford it) and could possibly account for the delay in listings and a reduction in special events. I think the economy has also impacted the Festival this year. So many things we don't know.

But I, for one, am hoping to be pleasantly surprised next month.

 

[betterlatethannever]

Love your attitude TewEpcot!

I think my attitude this year is a cliche but hopefully accurate: One drought year does not a desert make. The news media has told us the USA is in a recession and actually the FL housing market has had disastrous effects on the local economy. Maybe, and I don't know for sure, Disney just thought it prudent to step away from the higher priced events. Yes, the bean counters at work.

I have been attending F&WF for just 8 of the 13 years and I am very disappointed in the absence of Exquisite Evenings. I feel my only recourse is to write the powers that be and let them know my disappointment. I need to do that immediately since they are probably already lining up the sponsors for next years festival. Disney doesn't do this for fun like we do, there has to be a profit in it and that usually is supported by sponsors and their promotions.

So TewEpcot have fun on your foodie weekend!

Pollyanna

I wrote WDW last night about my disappointment.

MY fears (compounding my disappointment):

1. Because it seems everything this year will be in the WOL pavilion, there will be only one spot for the wine tastings.

2. Because WDW is charging the wineries $30,000 to attend and market their wines, there will be less wineries there, therefore less wine seminars.

3. Someone posted that there won't be separate booklets this year. This would also make sense if there were less seminars.

4. And since there will be less wineries attending, there will be less wineries at the PFTS. This would explain why WDW didn't raise the price this year for the PFTS (Did you really think WDW would give us the same experience for the same price this year?!)

5. The list of food at the booths is very short (plus no wine listed). This list is accurate and "Tasting around the World" will mean something much less than it did before.

6. And my geatest fear is that Disney will use the decline as a reason for cancelling it altogether.

Anyway, I hope I am wrong and next year will be as good as 3-4 years ago.

I give up. As a F&W loyal veteran who has planned a trip from out of state to each of the last 10 F&W Festivals and was looking forward to #11 (staying at a deluxe Epcot resort each time and spending a ton) -- I find that no matter what I say about the decline in events this year, someone tries to justify it. First, the perfume brunch makes all the sense in the "world" as a Food and Wine Event. Okay, okay. Of course a perfume promotion belongs at the F&W Festival. Silly me, for not realizing that.

And ElizebethB (above from post #1406), you are not the only one frustrated by those that try to justify the decline. (I have read, and now believe, that many of them are Disney employees trying to dilute the uproar)

The decline is occuring all over WDW, and has been for many years.

I just figured that the F&W festival wouldn't be touched by the bean counters because it is so popular and profitable. But obviously I was wrong.

I realize now that the bean counters live in California and have never been to the F&WF or even to WDW.

Ed

 

[PNO4TE]

I feel my only recourse is to write the powers that be and let them know my disappointment. I need to do that immediately since they are probably already lining up the sponsors for next years festival. Disney doesn't do this for fun like we do, there has to be a profit in it and that usually is supported by sponsors and their promotions.

I agree! Thanks for the reminder that this is how we let them know we are unhappy with their offerings this year. Off to begin my letter.

 

[TxDsnyGrl74]

I wrote WDW last night about my disappointment.

MY fears compounding my disappointment:

Because it seems everything this year will be in the WOL pavilion, there will be only one spot for the wine tastings.
Because WDW is charing the wineries $30,000 to attend and market their wines, there will be less wineries there, therefore less wine seminars.

Someone posted that there won't be separate booklets this year. This would also make sense if there was less seminars.

And since there will be less wineries attending, there will be less wineries at the PFTS. This would explain why WDW didn't raise the price this year for the PFTS (Did you really think WDW would give us the same experience for the same price this year?!)

Anyway, I hope I am wrong and next year will be as good as 3-4 years ago.


Is this true that they will only be holding one area for the wine seminars, versus two in years past? If so, I need to rethink our plans and possibly cut back our trip by one day. I was planning on spending the first day there doing mostly the free wine seminars and later in the afternoon eating around the world at the booths. If it is going to be impossible getting into the free wine seminars... why spend the extra money on hotel, food, etc.

 

[redzinner]

I wrote WDW last night about my disappointment.

MY fears (compounding my disappointment):

1. Because it seems everything this year will be in the WOL pavilion, there will be only one spot for the wine tastings.

2. Because WDW is charing the wineries $30,000 to attend and market their wines, there will be less wineries there, therefore less wine seminars.

3. Someone posted that there won't be separate booklets this year. This would also make sense if there was less seminars.

4. And since there will be less wineries attending, there will be less wineries at the PFTS. This would explain why WDW didn't raise the price this year for the PFTS (Did you really think WDW would give us the same experience for the same price this year?!)

5. The list of food at the booths is very short (plus no wine listed). This list is accurate and "Tasting around the World" will mean something much less than it did before.

Anyway, I hope I am wrong and next year will be as good as 3-4 years ago.


Ed

Some very astute observations Ed especially in regards to the PFTS and number of wineries involved. I don't keep up with the buying and selling of wineries amongst the major conglomerates but I know it happens constantly. Maybe financial executives on all fronts were involved in this year's F&WF decisions.

May I ask the person and the address you wrote to when you expressed your disappointments?

 

[betterlatethannever]

Is this true that they will only be holding one area for the wine seminars, versus two in years past? If so, I need to rethink our plans and possibly cut back our trip by one day. I was planning on spending the first day there doing mostly the free wine seminars and later in the afternoon eating around the world at the booths. If it is going to be impossible getting into the free wine seminars... why spend the extra money on hotel, food, etc.[/QUOTE]

I don't know if this is true. These were my "fears" (I edited it to hopefully make it clearer). But I did post the reasons why I think they are true.

Ed

 

[TxDsnyGrl74]

Is this true that they will only be holding one area for the wine seminars, versus two in years past? If so, I need to rethink our plans and possibly cut back our trip by one day. I was planning on spending the first day there doing mostly the free wine seminars and later in the afternoon eating around the world at the booths. If it is going to be impossible getting into the free wine seminars... why spend the extra money on hotel, food, etc.

I don't know if this is true. These were my "fears" (I edited it to hopefully make it clearer). But I did post the reasons why I think they are true.

Ed[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the clarification Ed. Worst case senario is we wait until the festival starts and if looks like the wine seminars are going to be few and far between, we can cancel one night of our hotel reservation. I live in Tampa and will be driving so it's pretty easy for us to change our plans as more info becomes available. I feel sorry for those that are flying from all over the country though. These people really can't change their plans without major expense.

 

[Sandy321]

To the DISney Family:

I didn't see the link, so, no, I did not read the article. Next time make the link larger.

Will the "Best Sommelier of 2007" be participating in the perfume promotion brunch? If so, perhaps it makes some sense. But, if it's just a Christian Dior exec promoting a new fragrance, I don't see the connection to Food and Wine. Sorry.

My comments were not intended to be rude, but rather a comment on the overall poor quality of the Festival and the events.

Dh and I have attended the Festival every year since 1998, and I'm truly disappointed this year with the event offerings and the overall tone of the Festival. They can't even print a brochure that indicates the right days for the Vertical Tastings.

I'm a F&W Festival veteran of long-standing and, more than ever, I see it as nothing more than a promotional opportunity for publishers of cookbooks and TV chefs wanting to promote a book, a new food line, a new TV show, etc. Add to that a promotion for perfume and I'm "promoted" out.

Elizabeth and Ed I appreciate and agree with your comments - I've only been going for 3- 4 years - and then only to the free seminars as well as the Party for the Senses. I noted how the first party had declined in offerings, but had increased in price... (we used to go during free dining) and now that you've posted the cost to the distributors ($30,000!!) I have to believe there will be fewer offerings.

I know the first time I tried Ice Wine was PFTS - and they cheerfully poured wines - but last year I could tell some of the reserve wines, and Ice wines the pour was very 'frugal'... and they ran out of wines well before the Party ended.

Our local wine store has a wine tasting - not as much food, but wines, champagnes and ice wines. It was $35 and 10% off of wines purchased - In many ways we preferred this event.

sad that.

I imagine this year some PFTS will sell out quickly!

 

[TDC Nala]

Since no one has been in the festival center yet, there's no way to know 1) how many spaces there are for wine seminars; 2) where the food seminars will be; 3) where the special events scheduled for there will take place; 4) anything about the layout of the festival center; or 5) how many wineries will be participating, as none of that has been announced or even discussed as rumor. We can only speculate at this time.

As for

5. The list of food at the booths is very short (plus no wine listed). This list is accurate and "Tasting around the World" will mean something much less than it did before.

I personally do not know that the list is accurate - it may be accurate as far as the food, but you appear to be stating that there may be no wine (in fact no beverages at all) at the booths - I guess it's possible but it's too great a departure for me to jump to that conclusion based on the list.

And my geatest fear is that Disney will use the decline as a reason for cancelling it altogether.

I don't think they will cancel it altogether - but I think it may be reduced to these components: the food booths at the World Showcase; the Party for the Senses; and a few events that take place strictly in the festival center and the World Showplace. These events will either be extremely expensive or will be sponsored and operated by someone other than Disney.

They're on their way to that already.