Food & Wine ~ 2004

[chip1]

I am not quite sure which board to post this so I apologize if it is not this one. After reading so many positive things about the food and wine festival my husband and I are thinking ahead to 2004 and wondering when the exact dates will be announced. THANK YOU for any and all help!!

Have a terrific day!!

 

[Richyams]

This is the wrong board and a moderator will move it unless you can tie it into DVC,

I will try.

The DVC resorts are very difficult to get into durint the FWF. The last week and a half of OCtober till the weekend before thanksgiving are always more crowded at DVC resorts.

It always goes from Oct twenty(one, two, three, or so) until the weekend before Thanksgiving.

 

[Werner Weiss]

The dates are now finally official for 2003, but I can't help you for 2004 (except to guess that the dates will be similar). They waited much longer this year to make the announcement. I was starting to wonder if the event was going to take place.

According to the official WDW site:
<dl>
<dt>Name:</dt>
<dd>International Food & Wine Festival</dd>
<dt>Dates:</dt>
<dd>October 18, 2003 - November 16, 2003</dd>
<dt>Location:</dt>
<dd>Epcot</dd>
<dt>Description:</dt>
<dd>Discover a world of flavors as you sample authentic wines and cuisine representing more than 25 countries and regions. With the festival's Eat to the Beat Concert Series, great food will be accompanied by your favorite artists. And best of all, entrance to the festival is included in your <b>Epcot</b> admission.</dd>
</dl>

I'll also tie this topic into DVC so that this thread won't be moved. While visiting the F&W Festival, we've stayed at OKW twice and at BWV once. Although I'm an OKW fan, it was clearly more convenient to stay at BWV. Many of the wine tastings and all of the culinary demos take place at The Terrace, a temporary facility between France and Morocco. That's very close to the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. (BCV would be even more convenient than BWV.)

Finally, here are three articles that I wrote about the Festival:

• F&W Festival, 2001
• F&W Festival, 2002
• F&W Festival, 2002 (More)

 

[ArnyVee]

I see how it is

Umm...are there any events at the <B>DVC resorts</B> because of the Food & Wine festival?

Also, what are the special events at the Food & Wine festival that are your favorites?

 

[chip1]

We are DVC members and I know it is on this forum I've read info about it. Thanks for your replies~as I said, I was not sure where to ask.

We are thinking ahead to Oct '04 and it helps to know the approximate dates.

Are there typically big name stars here? Are there special events you sign up ahead for or do you walk the countries and eat and drink your way around?

We would stay at our home resors--BCV to have the ease of walking to/from Epcot!

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by chip1
Are there typically big name stars here? Are there special events you sign up ahead for or do you walk the countries and eat and drink your way around?

I don't know if you'd call them "big name stars" any more &#151; more like "former big name stars" or "nostalgia acts." In 2002, the "Eat to the Beat" outdoor concert series at the America Gardens Stage featured:

• Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards &#151; Oct. 19-23
• Mary Wilson of the Supremes &#151; Oct. 24-28
• Sister Sledge &#151; Oct. 29-Nov. 2
• Little Anthony and the Imperials &#151; Nov. 3-7
• The Fifth Dimension &#151; Nov. 8-12
• Chubby Checker &#151; Nov. 13-17

They haven't announced an entertainment schedule for 2003 (and certainly not for 2004), but they announced that the "Eat to the Beat" concert series will be back for 2003.

You can have a good time the the F&W Festival without signing up for special events, but you'll miss out on some great culinary/wine experiences if you don't. Last year, they started taking reservations in mid-July, and most events sold out immediately. Take a look at the link (posted earlier in this thread) to my 2002 article.

The F&W Festival is a great example of how using DVC to visit WDW year after year doesn't have to mean riding Pirates of the Caribbean for the 75th time. (There, I kept this post relevant to DVC!)

 

[ArnyVee]

I followed a link from the Yesterland.com site (fantastic site that I love to check out every so often!) to the MousePlanet site where they had an article (w/pictures) on the F&W festival as well.

I was happy to see that there are interesting non-alcoholic drinks as well. My wife drinks on occasion, but I don't drink at all and I wanted to see if there were any other options for us.

Should be great to drink and eat at the festival and then kick back at our <B>DVC resort</B> of choice! Ahh..can't wait.

 

[chip1]

I understand that your Epcot admission is all you need to go to the F&W, but do you pay as you walk around and eat and drink? I can't imagine that is all included as well.

 

[ArnyVee]

After leaving your <B>DVC Resort</B> and getting into Epcot, then you just 'roam' around the world and purchase yourself appetizer-sized meals as you go to the different kitchens on wheels.

I've learned of the Food & Wine festival from reading websites such as yesterland.com and wdwig.com

I was originally planning a trip in Sept/Oct, but now I think that I'll be pushing that back to Oct/Nov to take advantage of the F&W festival. Can't wait for my first <B>DVC</B> stay (hopefully by then) at any of the resorts.

 

[lrodk]

Basically there are mini-pavillions set up around world showcase(much like the food concession stands that already exist around the promenade) that sell appetizer-sized food platters and wine. Each mini-pavilion is themed after a specific country not already represented in WS(ie Greece, Africa, Switzerland, etc.). The food platters go for about $3 each, with the wine costing about $2. In most cases there are at least two things to choose from at each pavillion, if not more. So yes, you can eat and drink your way around world showcase. That's what most people end up doing. A little bit here and there, and before you know it you're busting at the seams. That's where the convenience of staying at either BWVs or BCVs really comes into play. Everything else is pretty thoroughly covered in Werner's review on yesterland.com.

Here's a link to Sue Holland's review of last years festival:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/sue_holland/food_and_wine_festival_2002.htm

Between hers and Werners you should be pretty much covered.


Using the rule of thumb that historically the F&W has always launched on or about the third week of October(give or take a day or two), I would highly advise that you take advantage of your home resort booking privelege and secure a ressie 11 months prior. If you make your arrival date 10/21 or later, I think it'll be a safe bet that the festival will have already launched. Good luck.

 

[TDC Nala]

Are there typically big name stars here?

I thought you meant the chefs!

Bobby Flay was there last year, but not while I was there. I had a lovely shrimp and rice thingy prepared by the son of Jim Lovell, the astronaut from Apollo 13. The son has a restaurant in Chicago, I think.

Fess Parker's son Eli usually shows up with some wine from the Fess Parker vineyard.