Disney Celebrates a World of EntertainmentAt the Epcot International Food and Wine FestivalTo mark the 10th anniversary of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, there will be new tastes with old-world flavors, new wine and cooking schools with culinary experts, and a new way to work up an appetite – Disney’s 10K Race for the Taste – as Future World and World Showcase overflow with first-rate food, wine and beer experiences Sept. 30-Nov. 13.
The festival also features wine and beer tasting seminars, a lineup of winemakers from around the globe and an impressive list of guest chefs, elegant dinners, grand tastings and pairings. Also, the festival’s nightly Eat to the Beat! concert series will feature a varied musical lineup, including R&B, jazz, classic rock and oldies performers. Wine Education and TastingEven if you’re a wine neophyte, you can cut through the mystique of wine tasting to become a savvy sipper. So slather on the sunscreen, don a pair of comfortable shoes and begin the wine quest at Future World in Epcot. As your tram glides toward the park entrance, review these simple tips for beginning tasters:
At the Festival Welcome Center, winemakers such as Antinori, Caymus Vineyards, Silver Oak, or Piper Heidsieck showcase wines ranging from Cabernets and Chardonnays to Rieslings and Champagnes. Don’t miss the Wine Walkabout at Australia, Discover Down Under between the China and Germany pavilions. The Australian experience highlights the continent’s popular wine-growing regions and offers tasting seminars.
In recent years, the festival around World Showcase Lagoon has grown dramatically, attracting a diverse audience of more than one million guests each year – from wine connoisseurs and epicures to droves of wine neophytes eager to boost their wine IQs. “Our goal is to provide greater varieties of experiences at different levels to reflect the diverse tastes and interests of our guests,” said Nora Carey, festival manager. “To celebrate 50 years of Disney theme parks and our 10th festival year, we’ve pulled out all the stops and created a truly memorable food and wine event.” More than 100 wineries offer tastings, and guests can sample the marketplace cuisine with tasting portions. Other highlights include:
Music and Entertainment
A blend of classic rock, oldies, jazz and funk creates the perfect musical complement at Walt Disney World Resort. The evenings will sizzle daily at 5:45, 7 and 8:15 p.m. on the America Gardens Theatre stage. Here’s the tentative lineup: Sept. 30-Oct. 2 Kansas
The laser and musical fireworks finale, “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” will cap each festival evening. Not Just for AdultsThe International Food and Wine Festival isn’t just for grownups who like to sip wine and nibble international cuisine. Kids can join in the culinary cookery with pint-sized activities sure to delight mini gourmands and youngsters just looking for fun. The Buzz about Honey. From 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends, beekeepers are on hand with observation hives filled with thousands of honeybees at work. The exhibit is located in the Test Track Walkway in Future World East, hosted by the National Honey Board. Epcot Junior Chef Program “Making Toll House Cookies.” Kids ages 4 to 10 can get in on the action and make their own cookies at The Land pavilion in Future World daily from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Nuts About Peanuts. Meet a peanut farmer, attend “Peanut University” and take a quiz about this nutritious treat. Open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., hosted by the Peanut Advisory board. Located in the Test Track Walkway in Future World East. Living With the Land - Bountiful Harvest! Pumpkins don’t just come from the grocery store -- kids can see how the giants grow in the pumpkin patch at The Land pavilion. On view will be pumpkins up to 200 pounds plus a bounty of melons and tomato “trees” laden with fruit. Behind the Seeds Greenhouse Tour. The whole family can take a tour of The Land greenhouses and fish farm where there’s gigantic fruit, good bugs, fish, gators and more. Do the herb-and-spice challenge, taste a greenhouse veggie and sprout a seed in your pocket. Call 407/WDW-TOUR for reservations. Essential Information: Entrance to the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, plus select wine and beer seminars and cooking demonstrations, is included with regular Epcot admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information or to make reservations for special events and programs. Festival details will be posted on the Web site: www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine. Athletes can register online for Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K by visiting www.disneyworldsports.com and clicking on “Sports” and then “Endurance,” or by calling 407/938-3398. Edited by Erika Wright Photographs courtesy of: 2004 The Walt Disney Company |
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Each year, the festival features marketplaces with ethnic cuisine samplings, and this year the more than 20 marketplaces from around the globe will include new adventures showcasing Turkey, Singapore, Puerto Rico and Chile. A Spanish wine school and a cooking school will join the lineup of learning opportunities, while on Oct. 9, participants in Disney’s 10K Race for the Taste will finish the run at Epcot in time to indulge their appetites. 
Catch a complimentary wine seminar and visit the Festival Wine Shop offering more than 300 wine selections from the cellars of the prestigious wineries showcased at the festival’s seminars and dinners. You can also meet representatives from more than 100 wineries around the world and purchase their wines by the glass at the Meet the Winemaker location.
“You’ll have the opportunity to wine and dine around World Showcase and learn about the basics of wine from the very best vineyards in the world,” Cha-Kim says. “You’ll come away from the festival with an understanding of the major wine-growing regions, how to taste wine correctly and really enjoy it, what wines to look for at home, and how to pair food and wine. It’s a great way to explore and learn about wines from around the world.”
Along with the music, dance, acrobatics and avant-garde entertainment showcased at Epcot pavilions and special exhibits, festival guests can enjoy Eat to the Beat! concerts performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre.
There’s additional entertainment throughout World Showcase, where food and wine marketplaces serve up appetizer-size portions and wine samplings while performers from many countries weave music, dance, acrobatics and other acts into the festivities. Entertainment slated for the event includes: