**2011** Epcot Food & Wine Festival HAS ENDED. 2012 Festival 9/28 - 11/11

[Dancind]

Me! We are going tomorrow for eight days. Lower temps are just fine with me!

 

[princesswendy720]

Me! We are going tomorrow for eight days. Lower temps are just fine with me!

I'm more concerned about all the rain guess I'll be investing in a poncho!

 

[vladimir10]

7 days from Saturday!!! So looking forward to it, though a little bit nervous that the extended forecast shows rain possible the first 2 days...keeping fingers crossed...

 

[pixiesnake]

Disney tomorrow . . . F&W on Monday. Woohoo!

 

[PatriciaH]

Leaving tomorrow! Accuweather shows sun all week and Weather.com some showers. Who knows Rain usually passes fast in FL and 75-80's is better than 40's here with snow in October.

 

[amccu18007]

Had a blast today at food and wine! Weather kept crowds down and the food was lovely!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I think I remember someone asking about reviews from signature dinners - I just posted mine of Brown Derby

 

[tadcd]

My husband, 13 mo old son and I arrive on the last day of F&W festival (11/13, a Sunday). We have attended before, but never on the last day and never with a baby. I am really nervous about crowds and don't know how many booths we will be able to go to in view of the little one possibly being tired or cranky from the flight.

We will check into BCV around noon, unlikely that the room will be ready. Should we wait until later in the day to go over to Epcot due to crowds? We have created a list ofthe booths and dishes we would like try based on all of your reviews and looking at the food pictures.

Also, would it be better to start in France and go counterclockwise or in England?

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. Maybe we are crazy to even try attending at all?

-Teresa

 

[Disneylovers]

One week from today and we'll FINALLY leave for Disney!! DD1 and I are doing the "Hot Chocolate" 5K in Chicago in the morning, then our friends will either drop us at Midway to meet up with DH and DD2, or we'll come home, and the family will head to the airport. Either way, in one week, we'll be back in Disney!! I SO can't wait!!!

 

[Skoolie]

Heading back there later today. Hoping the weather is as pretty as it is out right now. We did round one last weekend and here are some of my thoughts on the food items.

Australia

• Grilled Lamb Chop with Shiraz reduction and goat cheese potato salad. Lamb chop has been better in years past goat cheese tasted more like feta and overwhelmed the potato salad.

Argentina

• Beef Skewer with Chimichurri sauce and bonaito puree - good but the meat was one long piece instead of three pieces on a skewer. The beef was also a little over cooked and chewy what saved it was the chimichuri sauce and the puree
• Beef Empanada - flaky crust was a little too dry air bubble pocket caused beef filling to be smushed down to the bottom. Not enough beef filling but what I tasted of the filling was flavorful

Germany

• Neuremburg Sausage on Pretzel roll - Was better when I had this last year, not cooked as well seemed to be the problem.
• Apfel Studel with Caramel and vanilla sauce - enjoyed the caramel sauce that is new with the golden raisins it gave it a little more depth of flavor.

Hops and Barley

• Linda Beans Lobster Roll - Be warned the lobster was a bit limp, although there was plenty of it what made this gross was that it is not mayo but miracle whip. Yuck! My husband had to spit it out into his napkin.
• L attitude IPA - good needed something to get the bad taste of the lobster roll out of my mouth

Scandinavia

• Swedish Meatballs - not bad but we didn't get much sauce on it we though IKEA makes a better Swedish meatball
• Rice Pudding with Berries - Can't go wrong with rice pudding it had whipped cream mixed in and was a nice airy dessert.

Hawaii

• Tuna Poke with seaweed salad - This was the favorite dish of round one - Delicious take on the classic tuna poke. The lotus chip provides a small crunch, there is the freshness of the tuna and the spicy seaweed salad adds a little dept

Going with some different people for round two and should be fun. I've been going to the food and wine fest for years and round one was probably the most snags we've hit. Hope our luck improves with round two!

 

[Whitegloves]

Hi! Does anyone have one of the 2011 mini gift cards (empty, of course) that came with the wrist strap? I would like to get one to use in scrapbooking and I forgot to get one this year. I would pay postage if anyone wants to send me one they don't want to keep.
The festival was awesome again this year. My favorite...the dessert trio at the dessert and champagne booth.

Smiles, Diane =o)

 

[Dizneydaz]

My husband, 13 mo old son and I arrive on the last day of F&W festival (11/13, a Sunday). We have attended before, but never on the last day and never with a baby. I am really nervous about crowds and don't know how many booths we will be able to go to in view of the little one possibly being tired or cranky from the flight.

We will check into BCV around noon, unlikely that the room will be ready. Should we wait until later in the day to go over to Epcot due to crowds? We have created a list ofthe booths and dishes we would like try based on all of your reviews and looking at the food pictures.

Also, would it be better to start in France and go counterclockwise or in England?

Thanks in advance for any tips or advice. Maybe we are crazy to even try attending at all?

-Teresa

I would go as early as you can. Crowds will most likely grow during the day. I like the idea of starting in Canada and going around towards Mexico. Seems most of the crowd goes the other way.

I've never been on closing day but we were there on opening day last year. It was pretty crowded, but not horrible.

We were there for the first time this year on a Monday (10-10-11, Veterans Day) It was crowded but since we got there pretty late there were hardly any lines for the food. We arrived at Epcot about 7:30. How about going as early as you can and then leaving for a while (when your room is ready) and resting in the room. Then head back out in the evening. That's what I would do.

 

[crazy4wdw]

There is a very interesting video posted on Disney Parks Blog about the planning of the Food & Wine Fest: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...od-wine-festival-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[Inkmahm]

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw11/2011-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-kitchen-memories-4.htm

Great review and I agree with it 100%. The reviewer didn't get to taste the dessert wine. I did, and I loved it. I loved it so much I found the wine online and ordered 6 bottles for home delivery. I'm enjoying it now as I read the DIS! Very sweet wine, just the way I like it.

 

[mama03]

[/IMG]We arrived at Fulton's around 6pm and inquired at the front desk where to go for the event. Oh, it does not start until 7pm. What, I wrote down the time, thats weird. We decided to go sit and people watch for 45 minutes. We return and the staff tell us its on the third floor we are welcome to take the stairs or elevator. When we made it to the top we went to check in, the hostess said oh, we have been waiting for you. As we looked around everyone was already eating and drinking. The only thing left was a small platter of apps. Great, it actually started at 6:30. We found out later we missed steak bites and shrimp. What we did have was stone claw, tuna tartar, and huge scallops with champagne. The views were lovely outside. We only had one plate as it was time to be seated for dinner. We sat with 3 other couples. One had been coming to f&w events for years, they brought another couple with them. Another couple this was their first event. I actually apologized to them for this meal as it was so bad and let them know this was not the norm for this type of event. We sat down and had lovely conversation with everyone at our table. I looked down and read the menu, only three items would be served including dessert. I thought to myself WHAT? First course, Salad, Seared Langoustine with mache and wild mushroom salad with white balsamic vinaigrette served with decoy sauvignon blanc by Duckhorn. To the left is the mushrooms, to the right one langoustine over watercress and that big thing on top is a grilled lemon. The was not bad I like the flavors but nothing special. The entree, Charcoal grilled line caught halibut(dry), blue crab yukon gold potato puree(basically mashed potatoes with bits of crab on top), crisp cioppolini(this was terrible, think over fried fish), and pork belly lemon white vermouth reduction(this actually was pretty good with the fish, served with pouilly fuisse(spelled incorrectly on our menu). Now let me tell you we heard this from others too. Only one pour per person. Everytime we asked for a little bit more wine, were told they were out. Each bottle could not have been more than 25.00 per bottle, I found this absurd. Dessert was a white chocolate banana cheesecake with berry sauce( this was actually quite good), served with concha y toro, late harvest sauvignon blanc. Everyone we spoke with thought the meal was pretty bland. We feel this was more like a DDP meal than any kind of signature dining event. For this we paid $150.00 per person what a rip off. I truly feel that everyone should be reimbursed at least by half.

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[babyrich]

My DH and I just came back from a 7 day vacation to WDW. Almost every day we had a F&W stop so we tried something from almost every booth. Sampled at least 12 different beers I never had before. Here is what we thought:

Australia: Shrimp on the Barbie… this was ok, nothing wrong with it, it was just ok.

Grilled Lamb Chop… I loved this, I didn’t find it gamey, it was cooked perfect and I liked the potato salad that went with it. The cheese did seem more like a feta than goat cheese; but I liked it.
Also tried the Greg Norman Estates Shiraz and it was yummy

Brazil: Brazil’s National Dish – Feijoada (Black Bean and Pork Stew). This was so good. I love black beans and the pork was very tender. Need to find a recipe for this one.

Argentina: Beef Empanada… a bit spicy for me; but it tasted great.

Caribbean: Ropa Vieja (braised beef) with white rice…. I liked it. Again, a bit spicy; but very tasty.

Mexico: We tried both tacos (ribeye and shrimp) we really liked them. The Chipotle was spicy but everything went real well together.

Scandinavia: Swedish Meatballs…. I liked these, the berries were sweet and a good complement to the meatballs. This was one of the first things we ate Monday morning, so they were very fresh. I think this makes a big difference.

China: Pot Stickers… I know these are very common and you can get them anywhere; but I can eat a 100 of these. I love them. Again, we ate these first thing at opening so they were very fresh.

South Korea: Boolgogi BBQ Beef with Steamed Rice and Kimchi…. This was ok, the flavor was good but some pieces of the beef were tuff and overcooked. Must be difficult to make a dish like this in bulk. The kimchi was HOT.

South Africa: Seared Filet of Beef w/ Sweet Potatoes… Loved it, the beef was cooked perfect. It was only about 2 bites but delicious. This is not seasoned like a steak you would get in Canada, the seasoning is very different but it was delicious. The sweet potato mash was good but there was too much of it compared to the size of the beef.

Cheese: Had the Artisan Selection twice…. OMG, I know this is weird; but this was my absolute favorite overall. All 3 selections were great. Yes, I love cheese.

Germany: Nuernberger Sausage on Pretzel Roll….This was good; but like eating a bratwurst at home. Good size for the buck though.

Poland: Tried both the Kielbasa with Pierogie and Stuffed Cabbage… loved them both. Yes they were nothing “special” but I found them to be very yummy. I live in a Polish neighborhood and can get authentic polish food all the time and these two were very good in comparison.

Italy: Cheese Ravioli… ok, I like cheese but there was way too much cheese on top of this ravioli. At least that is how I received my portion. The size of the ravioli was great and very filling but too much cheese sitting on it.
Cannoli… DH had the cannoli, it was bite size, he said it was ok, the shell was a bit mushy; but he didn’t think it was bad.

Morocco: Kefta Pocket (ground seasoned beef in Pita Bread)…. LOVED IT. This was soooo good. The beef was seasoned with cinnamon I think. My mother makes a chili like dish with beef seasoned with cinnamon so this reminded me of that. You gotta try this!

Belgium: Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream….. Can you say GARLIC!!! These were better than I thought it was going to be. In fact, I could have eaten a few more plates. Mussels were cooked perfect, not chewy or sandy and the garlic cream was really yummy. I was impressed with how well these were done considering how many they make.

France: Escargot… I had these a few times during the week. Always a favorite. Again, heavy on the garlic; but I love garlic!
Coq au Vin….. yum, yum, yum…. Chicken was tender, sauce was rich and flavorful. Mac and cheese was nice and dense without being too heavy. Looking up a crockpot version so I can make this at home.

Ireland: Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie….. Awesome. I got a couple nice chunks of lobster and a bunch of small scallops in my serving. The mash on was the perfect amount to soak up the gravy underneath. A must try for shellfish lovers.

Greece: Chicken Souvlaki w/ Tzatziki….. very good, chicken cooked well, great seasoning. Just the right amount of tzatziki. A very good tasting, well balanced bite.

Hawaii: Pork Slider….. YUM! This was so good, it’s difficult to describe. The pork is shredded but the flavor is not like the BBQ you are used to. The chutney on top was perfect with the pork and I am not a pineapple fan. The spicy mayo went very well with it all and was not too spicy.

Beers to following in another post

 

[babyrich]

As for beers, we sampled the following:

Abita – Purple Haze….. we tried this last year for the first time and loved it. We found it close to our home and buy it occasionally. Not a beer to drink if you plan on having a few because its heavy. Has a raspberry flavor.

Red Hook Pilsner…. Was good, would drink again

Blue Moon…..although this is popular and readily available everywhere, I never tried it. I thought it was great, nice citrus flavor.

Key West Sunset Ale…. DH tried this, he said it was good and light… sorry that’s all I can give you.

Widmer Hefeweizen….I really liked this one. I am on a search to find this in Northern NJ!! A good wheat beer.

Radeberger Pilsner, Schöfferhofer Weizen, Rauchweizen Roog Smoked Wheat Bier… sampled these 3 in a “flight”…. Really liked the first 2; but the Roog was just too smokey and heavy… It was just strange for me. Both the Pilsner and the Weizen were really good.

Did the Imperial Sampler in Rose and Crown:
Bass Ale, Harp, Strongbow, Boddington, and Guinness…… Again, the Bass and the Harp are available everywhere but I never tried them. Loved the Bass, would drink the Harp again, found it a little bitter, and I liked the Boddington. The Strongbow was my DH’s favorite; but I didn’t like it at all, it’s a cider and reminded me of a sweet wine. He got a few of these during the week. The Guinness was blah to me, I’m not fond of the dark beers. It was too creamy and heavy.

Also had a glass of Beaujolais while dining in Chefs de France, another something I never tried; but this is my new favorite wine. It was so dry and flavorful. I had to keep myself from gulping it down.

Sounds like alot of alcohol; but his is over the course of 7 days and most days we did hit the F&W festival; plus my DH and I split alot. Can wait to go next year!!!

 

[Skoolie]

My DH and I just came back from a 7 day vacation to WDW. Almost every day we had a F&W stop so we tried something from almost every booth. Sampled at least 12 different beers I never had before. Here is what we thought:

Australia: Shrimp on the Barbie… this was ok, nothing wrong with it, it was just ok.

Grilled Lamb Chop… I loved this, I didn’t find it gamey, it was cooked perfect and I liked the potato salad that went with it. The cheese did seem more like a feta than goat cheese; but I liked it.
Also tried the Greg Norman Estates Shiraz and it was yummy

Brazil: Brazil’s National Dish – Feijoada (Black Bean and Pork Stew). This was so good. I love black beans and the pork was very tender. Need to find a recipe for this one.

Argentina: Beef Empanada… a bit spicy for me; but it tasted great.

Caribbean: Ropa Vieja (braised beef) with white rice…. I liked it. Again, a bit spicy; but very tasty.

Mexico: We tried both tacos (ribeye and shrimp) we really liked them. The Chipotle was spicy but everything went real well together.

Scandinavia: Swedish Meatballs…. I liked these, the berries were sweet and a good complement to the meatballs. This was one of the first things we ate Monday morning, so they were very fresh. I think this makes a big difference.

China: Pot Stickers… I know these are very common and you can get them anywhere; but I can eat a 100 of these. I love them. Again, we ate these first thing at opening so they were very fresh.

South Korea: Boolgogi BBQ Beef with Steamed Rice and Kimchi…. This was ok, the flavor was good but some pieces of the beef were tuff and overcooked. Must be difficult to make a dish like this in bulk. The kimchi was HOT.

South Africa: Seared Filet of Beef w/ Sweet Potatoes… Loved it, the beef was cooked perfect. It was only about 2 bites but delicious. This is not seasoned like a steak you would get in Canada, the seasoning is very different but it was delicious. The sweet potato mash was good but there was too much of it compared to the size of the beef.

Cheese: Had the Artisan Selection twice…. OMG, I know this is weird; but this was my absolute favorite overall. All 3 selections were great. Yes, I love cheese.

Germany: Nuernberger Sausage on Pretzel Roll….This was good; but like eating a bratwurst at home. Good size for the buck though.

Poland: Tried both the Kielbasa with Pierogie and Stuffed Cabbage… loved them both. Yes they were nothing “special” but I found them to be very yummy. I live in a Polish neighborhood and can get authentic polish food all the time and these two were very good in comparison.

Italy: Cheese Ravioli… ok, I like cheese but there was way too much cheese on top of this ravioli. At least that is how I received my portion. The size of the ravioli was great and very filling but too much cheese sitting on it.
Cannoli… DH had the cannoli, it was bite size, he said it was ok, the shell was a bit mushy; but he didn’t think it was bad.

Morocco: Kefta Pocket (ground seasoned beef in Pita Bread)…. LOVED IT. This was soooo good. The beef was seasoned with cinnamon I think. My mother makes a chili like dish with beef seasoned with cinnamon so this reminded me of that. You gotta try this!

Belgium: Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream….. Can you say GARLIC!!! These were better than I thought it was going to be. In fact, I could have eaten a few more plates. Mussels were cooked perfect, not chewy or sandy and the garlic cream was really yummy. I was impressed with how well these were done considering how many they make.

France: Escargot… I had these a few times during the week. Always a favorite. Again, heavy on the garlic; but I love garlic!
Coq au Vin….. yum, yum, yum…. Chicken was tender, sauce was rich and flavorful. Mac and cheese was nice and dense without being too heavy. Looking up a crockpot version so I can make this at home.

Ireland: Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie….. Awesome. I got a couple nice chunks of lobster and a bunch of small scallops in my serving. The mash on was the perfect amount to soak up the gravy underneath. A must try for shellfish lovers.

Greece: Chicken Souvlaki w/ Tzatziki….. very good, chicken cooked well, great seasoning. Just the right amount of tzatziki. A very good tasting, well balanced bite.

Hawaii: Pork Slider….. YUM! This was so good, it’s difficult to describe. The pork is shredded but the flavor is not like the BBQ you are used to. The chutney on top was perfect with the pork and I am not a pineapple fan. The spicy mayo went very well with it all and was not too spicy.

Beers to following in another post

We received very little sauce and very little berry with the Swedish meatballs has we had a decent amount of those components I think we would have liked it better.

Went back and had the kefta pocket we really enjoyed the spice to it but ours was just a little dry.

sometimes I think its how it's served or who serves it to you that can make a difference.

 

[babyrich]

We received very little sauce and very little berry with the Swedish meatballs has we had a decent amount of those components I think we would have liked it better.

Went back and had the kefta pocket we really enjoyed the spice to it but ours was just a little dry.

sometimes I think its how it's served or who serves it to you that can make a difference.

I also think it depends on how long it has been sitting there since its pre-made. We were very lucky to try a bunch of things first thing in the morning. You could really taste the difference.

 

[heather360]

I apologize in advance. I'm sure this question has been asked before but the search isn't working for me and I can't find the answer anywhere.

I'll be attending the pfts on Nov 12. This will be the first pfts that we've been to so I'm not sure how things are done. How early should I be on line for the party? Also, I tried to get the WVL but it was sold out. Do people save tables? Should I try to save a table? I don't mind sharing a table with other people but I sure would like a seat. Do you leave a jacket on a chair to "claim" it or is this a no no?

Thanks for any help. I don't want to be rude I'm just not sure what's accepted or not.