My husband and I are total foodies. We enjoy food and wine to an ultimate level. One of my favorite parts of visiting WDW is for the cuisine. We do try to go to our favorite restaurants as well as trying new places each visit. I am so happy that we get to experience the Food & Wine festival again this year. For those of you who don’t know what that is, allow me to take you on a gastronomic journey.
Disney has a festival in Epcot’s World Showcase that has kiosks throughout with different foods and wine from different countries. It ranges from $2-$7 for tapas sized portion, as well as a variety of wine selections. It is worth it to try new cuisine due to the fact that you can try diverse foods from other cultures. If you are on the Disney Dining plan, you can use your snack credits for some of the tastings. Last year I purchased a gift card at a kiosk that I wore on my wrist. Each time I visited one of the kiosks, I paid with the gift card. It was easy to use and I didn’t have to fumble for cash or my Key to the World card. You can also reload the card at the kiosk as needed. When you receive your receipt from the cast member at the bottom, it will show what your balance is left on your card. It’s a great way to keep track of your spending.
They also have wine events and wine dinner pairings. Most of the dinner pairings and tastings require reservations that must be made in advance by calling Disney’s festival line. It is a good idea to do some research ahead of time if something interests you, since these events tend to sell out quickly. We usually go to the Party for the Senses event while we are there. It’s a grand tasting with delicious food and fabulous wine. It is a three hour event with celebrity chefs, Cirque Du Soleil performances, and hand prepared fresh cuisine. Although it may be pricey, not many food and wine events give you the quality of food and caliber of wines that this event brings. We get dressed up and it’s always a great experience. They are held on Saturday nights during the festival.
As you enter Epcot be sure to pick up a Food and Wine Festival guide in the front of the park. This guide is chock full of information on schedules of wine demos, maps of the kiosks, and special events that are taking place throughout the week. There are also free food seminars and lectures taking place in the festival center. Most food and wine festivals held in random cities are usually one to two days at best, but Disney has found a way to create a less chaotic atmosphere and are able to sustain a complete month long event! Even if your only there for a day trip or a week’s vacation, you will not feel the need to rush to see and taste it all. Buon Appetito!
Contributed by: Ashley R. (NDW#43). Ashley is our resident Disney food expert.
Ashley is DDL’s resident food expert and is a passionate foodie who enjoys cooking, fine dining, traveling and all things Disney. From a young age she has been in love with the magic of what Disney represents. She is the chief editor of her website acupofdisney.com where she shares Disney information,vacation tips, videos and Disney recipes. She also currently is a columnist for StudioCentral.com. To contact Ashley you can find her on Twitter @acupofdisney
