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

[redzinner]

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 will 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.

TDC Nala I believe Ed was trying to say this was his 'fear' not fact. I cannot imagine a Food & Wine Festival without wine at the kiosiks. This year's planners may have reasons for cutting back special events but hopefully the kiosks won't suffer that same reduction this year.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think it possible that there will be fewer food selections at the kiosks, but I'd imagine they'd still feature wine and other beverages.

The kiosks ARE the food and wine festival for most visitors and they will still be around as long as Disney has a food and wine festival.

 

[redzinner]

The kiosks ARE the food and wine festival for most visitors ...

That's so very true TDC Nala. I think that's how it all started like a 'Taste of the World' such as most major cities host these days.
I do feel for those that have planned major vacations around possible events. It must be a tremendous let down. Sometimes we want things to always stay the same but as in any business it depends on those in charge at the top of the pyramid.

 

[TDC Nala]

It also means that some of us may not wish to plan too much for next year. The booths are fine but I don't have 4 trips in October/November this year just to visit the booths.

(A lot of time on those trips are now going to be spent eating at Universal or eating at Disney restaurants that I could visit any old time and that was NOT the plan at the time I booked them - my mother always likes to come for food and wine and where are we eating this year? Victoria & Albert's and California Grill.)

If I don't like the way this one goes I will not plan a food & wine festival trip for 2009.

 

[webray]

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.

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.

I think there will definately be wine/beer at the food booths, it is food and wine festival after all. I agree, I am guessing the list is not complete, just a taste of what will be at the booths.

I don't think food and wine fest is anywhere near the extinction phase. I am guessing next year will be bigger and better than ever.

I do wish, however, that the food and wine schedule would be released early summer so those of us traveling no matter how far for this special event would have adequate time to find great resort rates and great airfare.

I do love the fact that this year disney is more forthcoming with what chefs/wineries will be attending certain events. Makes it much easier to book something you really want to attend.

 

[TDC Nala]

I found my list from last year, I booked 10 events.

This year I am booking only five - and spending far more time at WDW than I did last year (although part of that is because the Adventurers Club closes the first weekend of the festival). My plans were for multiple signature meal events in WDW restaurants and Coral Reef pairings - neither of which will take place. It seems like a waste.

I am thankful for the Jiko wine dinner. I hope they still have them next year.

 

[cdtommie]

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?

People always seem to blame the finance team "ie. the bear counters" for cutbacks but direction is always given to the finance team from senior management (sensitive topic for me since in my position I would be considered a "bean counter" at my company.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

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.

I agree. IMO I don't think the lists are complete yet. At first there was only one item listed for each booth, but they added more. I think we'll see three items at each booth like we have in past years, and I'm sure the booths will have wine.

 

[redzinner]

People always seem to blame the finance team "ie. the bear counters" for cutbacks but direction is always given to the finance team from senior management (sensitive topic for me since in my position I would be considered a "bean counter" at my company.

You're so right. It is a total company management decision. Companies set specific profit margins for any project and if they can't achieve that goal a project is terminated, shelved or cut-back. Unfortunately it is always the finance team that presents the 'bad' news.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I do wish, however, that the food and wine schedule would be released early summer so those of us traveling no matter how far for this special event would have adequate time to find great resort rates and great airfare.

I agree. While it won't affect me this year, I know that information seems to get released later and later each year, and that makes it harder to plan.

 

[lilyv]

I found my list from last year, I booked 10 events.

This year I am booking only five - and spending far more time at WDW than I did last year (although part of that is because the Adventurers Club closes the first weekend of the festival). My plans were for multiple signature meal events in WDW restaurants and Coral Reef pairings - neither of which will take place. It seems like a waste.

I am thankful for the Jiko wine dinner. I hope they still have them next year.

We're booking one event-PFTS. I'll be on the phone Mon with everyone else.
Agree totally with you about the Jiko Wine dinner. We've very much looking forward to enjoying a special evening at Jiko's.

 

[ElizabethB]

The problem is that senior management are all bean counters! The inmates are in charge of the asylum!

Walt Disney was an artist! Say what you will about him, Eisner, as I've said before, at least seemed determined to uphold the idea of Disney as something unique and a bit special -- something more than a Six Flags amusement park. He created the Disney Institute, which of course got destroyed.

The whole push, now, is to maximize profits by making sure to gear everything to the middle of the road masses. If it's too elitist (a wine dinner for 60 people, OMG!), get rid of it, unless somebody else is paying for it.

There is always a lot of "slush" money in a corporation that can be tossed at various things. I know. I work in management for a corporation (not in the entertainment industry.) Some of that was being thrown, IMO, toward the Festival and to the overall effort under Eisner to encourage those who previously would not have dreamed of spending a vacation at WDW (or any amusement park) to come see what all the fuss was about. They created new restaurants, hired great chefs, started a culinary training program, hired 300 sommeliers, and created a true magnet for people who otherwise would have spent their vacations elsewhere -- Napa Valley, a luxury cruise, an Italian villa, etc.

We, like others, actually fell for it. And, for a few years, it worked. But, Eisner left, there is obviously a new management team in place, and the idea now is numbers -- always numbers. Get as many people to the parks and resorts as possible, give them anything awful to eat -- so long as it's a buffet and there is tons of that awful food available, streamline all menus so that purchasing product is cheaper, there is less inventory to store and less waste due to spoilage.

We've seen it coming for the last 2-3 years with the DDP, less elaborate and unique rides (how 'bout that DinoLand at AK -- every town has a carnival just like it), and now we see it with the F&W Festival. If I were in food and beverage at WDW, I'd seriously be looking elsewhere for employment because the writing is on the wall. If you want to spend your life turning out millions of Mickey waffles for the Chef Mickey breakfast buffet, WDW is for you. But, if your culinary aspirations are a bit higher, you're being abandoned by WDW.

Believe me, I don't spend thousands to travel to WDW for the F&W Festival for what I see this year! We were tempted to purchase DVC and are now glad we didn't. The thought of being locked into 40 years of attending a Festival like the one this year would really have me steamed!

 

[TDC Nala]

I have DVC (I even own part of "that incredibly ugly Central Florida condo development") and I am going to discover more about using the points for cruises, Adventures by Disney and staying at Disneyland where they had some pretty good wine dinners this year... of course now Disneyland is closing the Vineyard Room so maybe it's going to go the same way.

I could have more points to use for a room at Tokyo Disneyland for 2010 - maybe I should think about upgrading the room.

So I don't have a problem with the fact that I own DVC. I like Orlando and I will have a place to stay there for a long time if I want. But if I were in the market now I might have considered not buying as soon as the Adventurers Club closing was announced. And this food & wine thing isn't helping.

 

[Sk8Leigh]

Walt Disney was an artist!

Yeah, and he had his brother Roy, a bean counter, to help keep him in check so he stayed in business!

Say what you will about him, Eisner, as I've said before, at least seemed determined to uphold the idea of Disney as something unique and a bit special -- something more than a Six Flags amusement park. He created the Disney Institute, which of course got destroyed to build that incredibly ugly central Florida condo development known as Saratoga Springs Resort.

I think SSR is nice. I stayed there once and enjoyed it.

The whole push, now, is to maximize profits by making sure to gear everything to the middle of the road masses.

As part of the "middle of the road masses" and a Disney stockholder, I've gotta say thanks!

We've seen it coming for the last 2-3 years with the DDP, less elaborate and unique rides (how 'bout that DinoLand at AK -- every town has a carnival just like it),

Umm, I'm pretty sure DinoLand was from the Eisner era, and I think Toy Story Mania sounds pretty cool and elaborate. I can't wait to ride it in October...because I'm going to WDW for something beside just the F&W Festival, like most of the "masses" are!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

We've seen it coming for the last 2-3 years with the DDP, less elaborate and unique rides (how 'bout that DinoLand at AK -- every town has a carnival just like it), and now we see it with the F&W Festival. If I were in food and beverage at WDW, I'd seriously be looking elsewhere for employment because the writing is on the wall. If you want to spend your life turning out millions of Mickey waffles for the Chef Mickey breakfast buffet, WDW is for you. But, if your culinary aspirations are a bit higher, you're being abandoned by WDW.

Two things. First of all, I don't know why you're bringing Mickey waffles into your argument. They are a special treat that you can only get in Disney, which IMO taste better then any other waffles, and have nothing to do with the Food and Wine Festival.

Secondly, as far as new attractions go, I've only heard great things about TSM, I love the Nemo show at AK, which is relativly new, I love what they've done to the Haunted Mansion, etc, I really don't see a decline in attractions. As far as Dinoland, the ride Dinousaur is unique to Disney, as well as the Nemo show, and while Tricera Top spin could be classified as a "carnival ride," well, so could Dumbo, but that definatly belongs in WDW.

 

[ElizabethB]

Sorry, I should have been a bit more judicious in my comments about SSR. It's nice over there. I'm just very annoyed. And, no matter what you say about his brother, Disney wouldn't exist at all if it weren't for Walt's imagination. Perhaps his brother kept it in business, but it took creativity and imagination to envision it.

And, the way the current management is going, they'll keep it in business all right, but they won't have my business!

 

[TDC Nala]

Hey, they're doing me a favor - I won't feel like I need to book so many trips to WDW.

And when I do, my nights are free with no Ad Club. And the long trips don't have to be in October or November. And with fewer trips I can afford to get a car and go OFF PROPERTY (gasp).

 

[disneyfav4ever]

And when I do, my nights are free with no Ad Club. And the long trips don't have to be in October or November. And with fewer trips I can afford to get a car and go OFF PROPERTY (gasp).

It does seem that off property is starting to make more and more sense, though I'll be staying on property as long as the perks are good enough, (included transporation, package delivery, and EMH,) though there are several restaurants I'd like to try off property.

 

[Sk8Leigh]

And, no matter what you say about his brother, Disney wouldn't exist at all if it weren't for Walt's imagination. Perhaps his brother kept it in business, but it took creativity and imagination to envision it.

Definitely, Walt was the more important part, having the vision, but I'm just saying that you can have all the imagination and vision in the world, but if you make bad business decisions it won't get you anywhere.

And yes, I'm another one of those much maligned "bean counters", although I would never use that term, even though everyone else seems to! And we're often shooting down stupid, unworkable ideas from other parts of the company! (not Disney)

 

[TDC Nala]

Oh, I'd have to stay on property (those DVC points you know) but I don't have to visit the parks or restaurants...

or the food and wine festival. Let's see how this festival goes. If I can get off the preference I had for the special events and learn to love the food booths with the masses, then maybe it won't matter so much. Fortunately I do not have to book next November until this December (and I'd have to book early to get into the Beach Club Villas). If this November isn't good for me, I'm not booking for next year.