2016 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: September 14 - November 14, 2016

[2xcited2sleep]

Is anyone planning on attending the Swan & Dolphin Food & Wine Classic this weekend? I'd love to hear about it.

 

[NicoleLarson]

I'm reading the exclusions on my sampler package and I don't know if the fairy tale sparkling wine at intermission cafe in the festival center is included or not. Anyone know?

 

[TeresaWen]

I'm reading the exclusions on my sampler package and I don't know if the fairy tale sparkling wine at intermission cafe in the festival center is included or not. Anyone know?

I used my sampler for the sparkling wine there. They were very specific stating "champagne"- sparkling wine is not champagne!

 

[Tess]

I'm reading the exclusions on my sampler package and I don't know if the fairy tale sparkling wine at intermission cafe in the festival center is included or not. Anyone know?

I used my sampler for the sparkling wine there. They were very specific stating "champagne"- sparkling wine is not champagne!

And there is yet another discrepancy--we were told that if it had "bubbles" or was "sparkling", we could not use a sampler coupon.

 

[TeresaWen]

And there is yet another discrepancy--we were told that if it had "bubbles" or was "sparkling", we could not use a sampler coupon.

That would have drove me bonkers! If you are going to be specific, especially during a WINE festival, then stick to it. All champagne is sparkling wine but not all sparkling wine is champagne. I rarely go out of my way to push a point but I would have pushed this one.

The exclusion is quite specific - champagne.

 

[Tinks]

So if you had a choice of attending Food and Wine Thursday late afternoon/evening, Friday early (right at opening) or Saturday any time, which would you choose??

Looks like I only have those options and this is my first F&W.

Thanks for any advice!!!

 

[randumb0]

So if you had a choice of attending Food and Wine Thursday late afternoon/evening, Friday early (right at opening) or Saturday any time, which would you choose??

Looks like I only have those options and this is my first F&W.

Thanks for any advice!!!

Thursday or Friday

 

[automaticsoap]

So if you had a choice of attending Food and Wine Thursday late afternoon/evening, Friday early (right at opening) or Saturday any time, which would you choose??

Looks like I only have those options and this is my first F&W.

Thanks for any advice!!!

Friday right at opening!

 

[loves to dive]

Did Disney change the start time on the cheese seminars and What's Cooking With? I am almost certain they started at 10 or 1030 am in past years. both MDE and the food & wine site are showing a 915 am start time - isn't 9 am park opening??

I just noticed this and am less than enthusiastic about having to battle the rope drop crowds for both events. Oh well.

Yes the cheese seminar starts at 9:15. I did one the first week of F&W, it was actually a cheese and beer seminar which was odd for that time of the morning but I went with it. I came in through the IG so rope drop wasn't that bad. A line started forming around 8:30 and they opened the gate around 8:50 or so. I actually got to the festival center before they opened the rope for it so we had to stand outside for about 5 min. Had plenty of time to pick up my tickets for the rest of my seminars that day and wander over to the seminar.

 

[CJsMom]

Did Disney change the start time on the cheese seminars and What's Cooking With? I am almost certain they started at 10 or 1030 am in past years. both MDE and the food & wine site are showing a 915 am start time - isn't 9 am park opening??

I just noticed this and am less than enthusiastic about having to battle the rope drop crowds for both events. Oh well.

We had a 9am start time for the Parisian breakfast. It was very confusing at rope drop in the front of the park. I asked 2 CM's which line we should be in and got one "I don't know" and another "just get in this one". A woman in that line overheard and told me there was a special line on the far right for tours and breakfast reservations. We went that way, and sure enough, found that line. It was a bit shorter than the other lines, but not much. And at 8:45 or so, all the lines started entering. We got to WS about 5 minutes before the breakfast started, no problem at all. So I guess the short answer is, there's a special line on the far right, but it doesn't really matter because all the lines enter the park at 8:45.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Somehow I just realized there are only two weeks left of the 2016 F&W, and so I need to post a few of my impressions during our 10/1-10/9 trip.

My two favorite items were the pork belly from Brazil and the Verlasso salmon dish from Patagonia. Both were not only delicious, but generously sized portions. I can't get over how much pork belly I got, except it was the day all parks closed at 5:00 and it was after 4:00 so maybe they were looking to get rid of it. However, the salmon I got on the day after the parks were closed, and it was a nice-sized piece. The arugula chimichurri made the dish really tasty.

The jalapeño margarita at the Mexican kiosk was my family's favorite cocktail. We split a couple of the sampler packages between us, and this was everyone's go-to drink. The slight burn on the lips as you sip was a unique, yet pleasant sensation.

The stout lovers in my group (of which I am one) really enjoyed the Innis & Gunn from Scotland. I recommend getting one or two and going to see Bodh'aktan at the Mill Stage in Canada.

The Craft Beer station inside the Odyssey place was a nice air-conditioned place to get off your feet. Enjoyed a flight there and the piggy wings.

The frozen mojito disappointed me this year. It seemed much smaller than the last time I had it in 2011.

I had the filet in Canada three times during this year's trip. The first one was over done and not seasoned enough. The next two were very good. I also really enjoyed the lobster roll and beef brisket dishes in America. These three dishes were pricey, but great tasting and decent sized portions.

I liked the flavor of the nitro chocolate truffle, but IDK about the texture. It went from frozen solid to liquid with no creamy, airy phase in between. It did pair nicely with the Rosa Regale wine. I love that wine! It used to be such a favorite on the Disboards, but I rarely see it mentioned here lately.

The one item I felt had a skimpy amount was the beef stew from Italy. It tasted good, but the flimsy tray they served it in had more sauce than anything.

I did not get to see any of the Eat to the Beat shows. I'm bummed about it now, but we had so many weather and other issues, we just didn't make any. There is always next time!

 

[crazy4wdw]

Here's a review of a Tokyo Dining Food and Wine Paring on AllEars, this info is kind of late given that the Festival is about to conclude.

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw16/2016-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-tokyo-pairing.htm

 

[LauraLea]

Here's a review of a Tokyo Dining Food and Wine Paring on AllEars, this info is kind of late given that the Festival is about to conclude.

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw16/2016-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-tokyo-pairing.htm

Thanks for the link. Sounds like we would have enjoyed this more than The Hibachi Experience this year. It was such a disappointment.

Laura

 

[crazy4wdw]

WDW Magic has ranked their favorite global marketplaces for this year's festival:

http://www.wdwmagic.com/articles/01...-epcot’s-international-food-wine-festival.htm

 

[Amy Walker]

This might be a really silly question but what time do the food and wine festival booths open? I am seeing conflicting reports.

 

[Tess]

This might be a really silly question but what time do the food and wine festival booths open? I am seeing conflicting reports.

11:00 a.m. is the official opening time. On busier days the booths may open at 10:45 a.m., but in Mexico's case, the food always seems to be late and not before 11:15 a.m. or 11:30 a.m., at least was our experience in early October.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Behind the scenes at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival (Disney Parks Blog):

 

[luvpooh]

I'm a bit late, but I just wanted to share my thoughts on the F&WF booths, as well as the Japanese Craft Beer tasting I attended.

We went to Epcot 2 times on our trip (me, DH, and DS3), 10/19 and 10/21 (Wed and Fri). We found crowds to be moderate on Wed (we were there from park opening til about 3) and light to 'get me out of here' on Friday (we arrived about 10:30, left around 2). HOWEVER - we could not figure out what these people were doing - we had no waits at any of the food booths, maybe 3-5 people in front of us max? The walkways were just super crowded.

I will break down what we tried into categories:

Loved:
Australia lamb chop (our fave last year)
Craft Beers Piggy Wings (I need this recipe!)
Craft Beers Shipyard Midnight Snack Milk Stout (is this festival exclusive? I can't find it anywhere at home)
Farm Fresh Two Henrys Elderberry Hard Cider (same, can't find this anywhere at home either)
Poland Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies (very tasty)
Scotland Potato Pancake with Scottish Smoked Salmon (may have been our fave of this trip)
Wine and Dine Kurt Russell's GoGi Goldie Chardonnay (really liked this wine, and the reusable wine glass that I took home! Pricy bottle, I think ~$60?)
Wine and Dine Trio of Artisan Cheese (a very unexpected fave, for all 3 of us)
Refreshment Port Cronut (DH and DS could eat one of these each every day)

Enjoyed:
Canada filet (I liked the sauce a lot, the meat was dry, still better than what I was expecting)
China Happy Peach drink - we couldn't finish this (but I had just slugged back a La Cava jalapeno margarita, so that may have had something to do with it!)
Germany Schinken Nudel (good, but greasy)
Greece Chicken Gyro (DH liked a lot, I didn't care for it)
Mexico Barbacoa Enchilada (we asked for it without the mole; the meat was ok, my barbacoa is better, lol)
Mexico La Cava Jalapeno Margarita (not from the food booth, but thought I'd include it; I'd rate it love but it knocked my socks off - maybe I should rate it loved after all!)
Joffrey's Tiki Torch (should have paid to make it a double, refreshing though)

Don't waste your time:
Farm Fresh Loaded mac and cheese (my opinion may have been tainted by a cranky 3 yr old asking for it, then saying, no I meant the mac and cheese at Pop! )
Hops and Barley New England Lobster Roll (we actually returned this for our money back - it was rancid; I only took a piece that had fallen off of the roll and tasted it and immediately spit it out - awful)
Wine and Dine Seared Scallop (nothing wrong, per se, just bland, no texture)

I'll be back to review the Japanese Craft Beer tasting.

 

[JerseyJanice]

That Elderberry cider was great, luvpooh. I tried all three flavors and wondered why they didn't offer a flight. I liked the pear too, but not as much as the Elderberry. I didn't love the raspberry. It tasted too much like sofa to me.

 

[luvpooh]

That Elderberry cider was great, luvpooh. I tried all three flavors and wondered why they didn't offer a flight. I liked the pear too, but not as much as the Elderberry. I didn't love the raspberry. It tasted too much like sofa to me.

I have pear cider a lot at home, so skipped that, and have had the raspberry one in the past too, and agree with you.

They (thankfully) did not have the pumpkin cider again this year. It tasted like a liquefied Yankee Candle. I'm guessing since it didn't return, I'm not the only one who thought that.