The world of tomorrow meets epicurean adventure at the International Food and Wine Festival. The 13th annual celebration just wrapped up on November 9, 2008, but it will be back again next year with more vibrant vintages, delectable delicacies and scintillating sounds.
Included in the EPCOT Admission
A regular EPCOT ticket gets visitors into the park with all of its usual rides and attractions, plus the opportunity to purchase tapas-sized servings of exotic dishes ($3-$5 each) and wines from around the world ($4-$5 a glass). The concerts are included, as well as special events such as the following, which were featured at the 2008 festival:
- Culinary Demonstrations. Thirty-minute how-tos with a featured chef, ending with a sample of the dish.
- Wine Seminars. Learn about the featured winery and sample its fare
- Food Seminars. The 2008 festival offered presentations on pure food items such as olive oil and spices.
- Literary Events. Authors in the food and wine industry give presentations and do book signings.
- Bottle Signings. Have the winery autograph a bottle of wine for a special occasion.
- Shopping. Kiosks with regional flair offer atypical souvenirs to remember the experience by
The 2008 menu included items such as melt-in-the-mouth goat cheese and leek quiche and chocolate crème brulee from Lyon, France; warm, velvety Canadian cheddar cheese soup; and an authentic Indian samosa with tamarind sauce.
Drinks on the menu included a plethora of wines, sparkling pomegranate kir, moosehead beer and frozen margaritas and mojitos.
Special Food and Wine Festival Events for an Extra Charge
Additional fees are charged for special events such as the following, which were offered during the 2008 festival. Prices include gratuity, but not tax.
- Celebrity Chef Dinners - $150-$375 per person
- Cheese Tastings - $70 per person
- TV Personality Chef Demonstrations - $75 per person
- Fine regional dining with appropriate wine accompaniment - $135-$160 per person
- Various Wine Tastings - $95-$195 per person.
Wine tastings and some dining experiences do not require EPCOT admission.
EPCOT Must-See Attractions
While indulging the taste buds in the World Showcase, it would be a shame to deprive the other five senses of the same wonderful overstimulation. Luckily, Mission Space, the wildest ride at Disney, offers an adventure akin to what astronauts experience during liftoff (they have since begun to offer a lighter version for those who can’t handle the spinning or g-forces).
Also, the new attraction Soarin’ takes riders on a hang-gliding flight across the different terrains of California. Suspended in the air with feet hanging, riders are enclosed in a widescreen projection that gives the perception of fast flight while the glider turns and swoops gently, and the smells of the greenery below (things like pine forests and orange groves) complete the sensory experience.
As with most Disney offerings, it’s difficult to fit everything into one day. Thankfully, the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival lasts several weeks in the fall, giving both young and old epicureans the opportunity to have their Boston crabcake with corn and barley salad, and eat it, too.
 |
