Food & wine Festival ?

[TDC Nala]

DDE (Disney Dining Experience) is only open to Florida residents.

 

[jimwebster]

i think minors can attend the parties for the senses, though i think you'd probably have to have a pretty adventurous kid to want to spend the money for it. its also a very interactive event. you have to go from station to station to get your food. there is some neat entertainment that i suspect kids would appreciate, tho. last year they had some of the skateboarders from the tarzan show at the one i went to.

i think there are age restrictions on the wine-makers dinners. not positive, cuz i've never been to one of those, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[jimwebster]

i just read further down the board where someone from washington d.c. says you can join DDE now even if you aren't from florida. i just got my renewal form, and something on it seemed to make me think you had to live in fla., but that may have changed. (i'll look at the renewal form again when i get home.)

 

[nasmith]

I went to 2 of the "Parties for the Senses" last year, and there were only 2 children total at both - (the children of the VP of Epcot) - and they both looked utterly bored ((Of course, being the children of the VP of Epcot, I imagine most of Disney is rather hum-drum to them ----pity).

Yes, the food is fantastic - but you do have to go to each of the food booths to get your yummies --. Mostly a cocktail party atmosphere - and after the first hour, there are ALOT of inebriated adults running around ( - for every food booth, there is 1 or 2 wine booths paired with it etc.) . I think that for an adventurous, independent 12 year old - they may like it - but there will be few/no contemporaries for them to be with --- so they will be hanging with you --- which is great for family togetherness, but not so great if you want to strike up a conversation with one of the Wine Reps or Chefs (They are standing there - and love to talk to you!). Personally - I make it a "Parent's night out" - because we deserve those once in a while!


Oh, as far as entertainment - it was the same at both "Parties" - Models (male and female) - walking around looking fabulous (honestly - that's what they did), the aforementioned 2 rollerbladers from tarzan (not in their Monkey costumes however); a wheel-chair bound couple who "danced"; a harpist; 2 bands which alternated (one was led by someone playing pan flute like in Peru, the other had an electronic violinist as lead - both had no vocalists; and the 3 artists from "Kristos" (an Epcot regular attraction) did their performance (but without their alien costumes) - I might have missed someone - but I think that was the bulk of it.....

 

[betterlatethannever]

Originally posted by jimwebster
i just read further down the board where someone from washington d.c. says you can join DDE now even if you aren't from florida. i just got my renewal form, and something on it seemed to make me think you had to live in fla., but that may have changed. (i'll look at the renewal form again when i get home.)

That was AirForceRocks. What he was saying is that you can have it mailed to you at an address outside Florida. He has a Florida address. But since he is in the military, he can now have his DDE card sent to him where he is stationed.

And those that have summer/winter homes (one in Florida) can now have their newsletter sent to them at their "other" address.

Ed

 

[Scratch42]

Maybe I'll wait to see what I can get and then look for a babysitter for the night!

Now to wait for the 20th!

Scratch

 

[parrotheadlois]

Originally posted by jimwebster
i just read further down the board where someone from washington d.c. says you can join DDE now even if you aren't from florida. i just got my renewal form, and something on it seemed to make me think you had to live in fla., but that may have changed. (i'll look at the renewal form again when i get home.)

I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know, if necessary, my in-laws have a place in Florida, somehow I'm sure we could use their address (they're snowbirds), they come and go, right now they're back in NJ, so if a newsletter went there, I wouldn't get it.
Thanks!!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

In order to join DDE you have to have proof of being a Florida Resident. I forget how much it is to join now since I have been renewing. It's like $75 a year now, isn't it? Also you are sometimes asked to show your Florida ID with your DDE card.

 

[willidc]

I also got tired of the same old "same old" at central res. saying that they couldn't give out the info or they didn't know it.

On June 19 I stopped by Guest Services on the left of Spaceship Earth and they also said reservations for F&W would begin July 20, 7 AM. I was also told that everyone would have the same chance to reserve and Fl residents and Disney Dining would also be held to that date (or at least that is what I was told).

 

[jimwebster]

sorry. i read that he was in the air force, but somehow missed that he had a florida address. that makes sense.

cost is definitely $75 for new membership, $70 if you are seasonal or annual pass holder, and $60 to renew.

 

[betterlatethannever]

Its been a few years since the DDE members got a chance for early ressies for the F&W festival.

If that was still a perk, I would have moved down to Fla years ago

I'd even put up with the heat

Ed

 

[webray]

Well, here's hoping that with the extra two weeks of food/wine fest this year, they have some new and exciting special dinner/lunch events..or that they offer multiples of the most popular ones so more people can enjoy.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I jsut like getting my newsletter with all the event listed out. That's what I am looking forward to. Yeah, no special privileges anymore.

Pssst, jimwebster, AirForceRocks is a she.

 

[parrotheadlois]

Oh, I am just soooo jealous!!! I gotta get my in-laws to think about making Florida their legal home (instead of NJ), look at all the percs!

 

[nasmith]

I'm DYING to find out the particulars of the special dinners and lunches, etc....... Please, doesn't anyone have any rumors whatsoever?????

Jill

 

[jimwebster]

my apologies to airforcerocks. i admit to not looking and clearly made a somewhat sexist assumption. plus, i think it was really late when i sent that message.