Exquisite Evening at Epcot Worth $195?

[rinkwide]

Last year the Inniskillen Winery hosted a wonderful dinner at Le Cellier. Two of the things that made it memorable were the ambiance of the restaurant and the gracious Canadian waitstaff.

We're hoping to have a similar experience this fall with one of the Exquisite Evenings Dinners - Bordeaux Affair on 10/27 - but it looks to me like it will be held at Odyssey and not in the French pavilion.

My guess is that the Disney Dining Plan has filled up the regular Epcot restaurants and now the Food & Wine dinners are getting the boot.

I have to say, it will be rather disappointing if we don't have the servers and surroundings of France to compliment this meal, especially at $195 per person.

Anyone have any thoughts on whether it might still be worth it?

 

[robinb]

We ate at the Odyssey a couple years ago for the old "Winemaker's Dinner" during the Food and Wine Festival. It was nice, but I suspect that Le Cellier is a nicer, more intimate venue. The food was top notch (I ate half the table's sweetbreads because they wouldn't touch them!) and the service was also great. I think we paid about $200 total for two (plus baby-sitting) and we had a private place to view IllumiNations between the two big shops at the top of the World Showcase.

I would hope that you are getting some kick-a$$ wine for two bills each because they can really pack them into the Odyssey. If you book, arrive early ... when we went they seated people by their arrival time and we (always a bit "late") were seated at the back. The good news was that we were closer to the wine, LOL!

 

[ImprovGal]

I did the Bordeaux dinner last year and really enjoyed it. As for atmosphere, well, last year it was held in the Wonders of Life VIP lounge. The food was amazing (I'm really hoping Michael Ginor returns) and the wines were excellent, although I don't think I'm enough of an oenophile to fully appreciate some of the vintages we were served. I enjoyed the pairings, though! I went as a solo and enjoyed chatting with my tablemates, swapping other event recommendations and info.

I'm going to try to book the Bordeaux again this year, so perhaps we'll see each other there!

 

[rinkwide]

I did the Bordeaux dinner last year...

Did they at least bring over the servers from the French pavilion?

We're a party of 5 and I'm looking at plunking down a grand on Monday just to get the ball rolling. For that kind of dough they ought to sit us at top of the Eiffel Tower and have Audrey Tautou wait on us.

(Tonight, the role of the ugly american in Paris will be played by rinkwide.)

 

[webray]

Did they at least bring over the servers from the French pavilion?

We're a party of 5 and I'm looking at plunking down a grand on Monday just to get the ball rolling. For that kind of dough they ought to sit us at top of the Eiffel Tower and have Audrey Tautou wait on us.

(Tonight, the role of the ugly american in Paris will be played by rinkwide.)

For these dinners you are going for the food/wine, guessing the french servers will stay in the restaurants.

 

[DVCconvert]

rinkwide-
The SOP for these types of events would be for Food & Beverage to offer/ask off-duty F&B CM's if they'd like the extra duty. There is an effort to see that the most senior servers avaliable who want the work are brought in-but casting for the event has not yet required cast to be ethnically or culturally correct.

I agree with you in that such casting would add to the immersive quality of the event - perhaps in the future.

PS/Audrey sends regards

 

[ElizabethB]

There seems to be some confusion here between the Signature Dinners and the Exquisite Evenings. The Signature Dinners, for the last 3-4 years, have been held at the various Disney Signature Restaurants. The LeCellier dinner, which we attended last year, was one of those, although it wasn't a Signature Dinner in the traditional sense as it was held at Le Cellier, rather than at one of the so-called Signature Restaurants.

The other events are Exquisite Evenings at Epcot. They have never been held at the restaurants. Since they were started about 3 years ago (the equivalent used to be the Reserve Dinners), the Exquisite Evenings have been held at the World Showcase Pavilion (I think that's what it is called), which is the large building near the UK pavilion in World Showcase (the same place the Parties for the Senses are held). An exception last year was the Bordeaux dinner, which we attended and which was held in the private dining room of the Wonders of Life Pavilion (which is where the Reserve Dinners used to be held). It looks like these dinners will be held at the Odyssey this year.

There are fewer Signature Dinners this year than in previous years, perhaps because there are more of the regional-style dinners sponsored by the tourist boards of various countries. (Disney never could resist a sponsor -- going clear back to Walt Disney himself and Disneyland!)

So, booking an Exquisite Evening assures you will not be at the restaurant in World Showcase that might be related to the theme. As you will note, many of the Exquisite Evenings would not have a related restaurant anyway -- such as the California and Pacific Northwest themes.

The "Signature Dinner" held at Le Cellier last year was really an anomoly, as Le Cellier isn't a "Signature" restaurant. Traditionally, the Signature Dinners have been held at the Signature Restaurants -- chiefly, Jiko, California Grill and Citrico's.

If you want to do a F&W Festival event at a World Showcase restaurant, your best bet is the F&W Pairings.

 

[ElizabethB]

I forgot to add the Exquisite Evenings have wonderful service, but it is not done by CMs from the country that may (or may not be) highlighted. The servers at Exquisite Evenings, in our experience, seem to be some of the most senior people (both waitstaff and sommeliers) in Disney's Food & Beverage dept.

The focus of the Exquisite Evenings (and for that matter the Signature Dinner) is, as Webray indicates, the food and wine -- not the necessarily the ambience.

 

[rinkwide]

Exellent information EB, thank you.

Understanding that the Le Cellier event last year was an anomaly really helps clear the picture. It was just so nice to have the "total package" of food, wine, servers and ambiance that we'd love to replicate it. Alas, that doesn't seem possible.

As you've suggested, maybe the Food & Wine pairing at Le Cellier would be a good alternative.

 

[ElizabethB]

Glad that information was helpful, rinkwide. I agree the Le Cellier dinner last year was lovely -- the wines, the food and ambience combined for a truly special evening. Perhaps Disney will do more of these dinners at World Showcase restaurants in the future!

 

[goofygirl77]

I love your "More Cow Bell" icon!!! Too funny!