Epcot Int'l Food & Wine Fest

[dopey]

as luck would have it, i'm going to be at wdw the day after the epcot int'l. food & wine fest opens on oct. 21.

assuming this is an annual event, i was hoping that anybody who has experienced this can tell me what it's like.

if it's as good as it sounds, i may not make a priority seating reservation for the day i'm at epcot and just go around gorging myself on whatever food's available at the fest and getting sauced at the beer and wine tastings (spaced well apart, of course, to avoid mixing).

thanks in advance.

 

[The Mom]

Originally posted by dopey
as luck would have it, i'm going to be at wdw the day after the epcot int'l. food & wine fest opens on oct. 21.

assuming this is an annual event, i was hoping that anybody who has experienced this can tell me what it's like.

if it's as good as it sounds, i may not make a priority seating reservation for the day i'm at epcot and just go around gorging myself on whatever food's available at the fest and getting sauced at the beer and wine tastings (spaced well apart, of course, to avoid mixing).

thanks in advance.

dopey, that's exactly what my husband & I do!! There are all sorts of appetizers available at the different countries, and sample sized portions of beer and wine. We are usually quite full and "mellow" by the time we finish, but it really depends upon your personal preference. There are actual wine tastings and dinners that require reservations and are a little pricey...we prefer the do-it-yourself version! We try to make it every year; it's the only time my husband really WANTS to go to WDW!! (the rest of the time he's just humoring me)

 

[<SRH>]

I have been to a few of the F&WF. They are great, you will enjoy it. I have never sampled the foods because we always go to one of the restaurants. I have imbibed on some of the alcohol products though. I went with a friend one time that wanted to get some of this Canadian Ice Wine. Every time we would go to the stand they would be sold-out. My friend insists this stuff is awesome. I was wondering if anyone has tried it. A person that was with us was trying the food. I remember he really liked the venison (Bambi) stew which was served in Norway.

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by <SRH>
I went with a friend one time that wanted to get some of this Canadian Ice Wine. Every time we would go to the stand they would be sold-out. My friend insists this stuff is awesome. I was wondering if anyone has tried it.

I have tried it! It is awesome!! If I am correct, it comes in a very nice blue bottle and it is a sweet and expensive white wine, but totally worth it!

About the food samples.... I liked going around the world trying all the stuff, but it gets kinda expensive too... I worked at the Oddissey Center many times during the cooking classes (can´t remember how they call them), and after you sit there for 45 minutes you get a sample of what the chef prepared for free... There is also a special dinner called "Grand pairings" or something like that for which you pay extra money and get a very nice dinner with wine tastings.

For the wine seminars that are free, just try to catch them around the WSC and you get free wine too after seating there for 20 or 40 minutes, depending which one you attend. There is a big tent by Morocco in which they used to do the long seminar and a small one in Germany in which they did the short ones. I´m not sure if the locations are the same now though...

Enjoy it! I am sure you will like it... it is always nice to go to Epcot when one of the different annual festivals are running because you get to see the best of the park and the cultures represented in it!

 

[Tink]

I love the Food & Wine Festival and am disappointed I can't get down there this year. We always do the free wine tasting seminar thing in the big tent by Morocco that Maria mentioned. It is educational ::gasp:: and nice because you get to try about 5 different wines. There's a beer thing too but we never got to do it. Maria is right about the samples being kind of pricey - the samples are not necessarily sample priced. It's fun anyway and I know you'll enjoy it!

 

[dopey]

Originally posted by Tink
It is educational ::gasp:: and nice because you get to try about 5 different wines.

too funny, tink. i'll bet it gets more educational if you drink more. there are 140 different international wines, after all.

do they have passports for the wines? i'm gonna try to get them all (good canadian wine? next you'll tell me there's an excellent french beer).

it'll be nice to drink wine without the brown paper bag for a change.

 

[Tink]

I thought of something else, Dope. The wines you get to taste at the FREE wine tasting thing are expensive wines - like $100/bottle type. I don't even know if these wines are available for sampling outside of the winetasting tent. They were, as all good winetasters would say, YUMMY!

 

[dopey]

that's awesome. i'm used to paying $1.00 a bottle!

are you sure good winetasters say "yummy," tink? i don't want to get beat up by dudes in ascots.

wouldn't it be more macho -- and i'm all about being macho -- to say something like, "that's some good (or nasty) sh--!"

do you think they'd let me use my all-star resorts mug?

 

[Tink]

Originally posted by dopey
that's awesome. i'm used to paying $1.00 a bottle!

are you sure good winetasters say "yummy," tink? i don't want to get beat up by dudes in ascots.

wouldn't it be more macho -- and i'm all about being macho -- to say something like, "that's some good (or nasty) sh--!"

do you think they'd let me use my all-star resorts mug?

It is awesome - these wines actually have corks not bottle caps!

Dopey, did you go to the winetasting seminar or did I? I think I know what winetasters say. I agree that "macho" winetasters may not say "yummy" but may say something like "down the hatch" or something along the lines of what you suggested (with "damn" in front of it perhaps...?).

Bring the mug! - I can't believe I never thought of that! :hammer:

 

[dopey]

see, tink, this is why it's good to ask these things before leaping in with both (grape-stained) feet.

as a virgin winetaster, i would not have known to also use the word "damn," resulting in untold embarrassment.

i'm confused, though. how do you unscrew the cork? :brick:

 

[Tink]

Originally posted by dopey
see, tink, this is why it's good to ask these things before leaping in with both (grape-stained) feet.

as a virgin winetaster, i would not have known to also use the word "damn," resulting in untold embarrassment.

i'm confused, though. how do you unscrew the cork? :brick:

I'm glad we had this discussion - I would hate for you to be embarrassed at the winetasting event.

Corks are different from bottle caps - that I can tell you - you don't use the ledge of a counter or your refrigerator handle! They actually have a gadget thingie that helps unscrew the cork! I tried using one of these but I ended up pushing the cork back in the bottle and having to strain it as I poured. It is very tricky. If I were you, I'd leave it to the experts at the seminar. :hammer:

P.S. It doesn't matter if you're a virgin, Dopey.

 

[dopey]

thanks, tink. with all this screwing and unscrewing, popping corks and gadget thingies, i was worried about my virgin status. you're such a comforting person.

 

[mightyduck]

Yikes.... Sounds entirely too complicated...

Have a good time, Dopey. You should probably knock a few back for some of your friends here, while you're at it...

 

[Tink]

Originally posted by dopey
thanks, tink. with all this screwing and unscrewing, popping corks and gadget thingies, i was worried about my virgin status. you're such a comforting person.

I'm here for you if you need me, Dopey. Wait! - Hold the phone! - Hows about I come with you as a winetasting guide? It's the very least I could do!

 

[dopey]

ducks, i will do my best to knock one down for each and every member of this board. maybe i'll even have two for you because...because...well, i'm sure i'll think of something by the time i get there.

tink, it looks like you'll fit in my carry-on bag, so you're on. you can whisper adjectives in my ear so i sound like a real pro.

 

[Tink]

Originally posted by dopey
...tink, it looks like you'll fit in my carry-on bag, so you're on. you can whisper adjectives in my ear so i sound like a real pro.

:sohappy: