Food and Wine is a can’t miss at Epcot
This year is the 12th annual International Food & Wine Festival at Epcot’s World Showcase. Every Fall Epcot throws a culinary party at its lagoon featuring cuisines from around the globe. It was launched on September 28th and will close on November 11th just before Walt Disney World busts out their Christmas decorations.
This year’s festival, like many before it, features many special events. The dining programs can be expensive. For example, you can partake in a specially cooked three course meal from a well-known cookbook author for about $150 per person. To be a part of a PBS kids’ cooking show runs about $165. There is also an event called Exquisite Evenings where a team of celebrity chefs prepares a five course meal based on a region’s cuisine, such as Tuscany or the Pacific Northwest. This event costs more than $200 but unlike the others does not require theme park admission. Most of these events take place in the old Odyssey restaurant.
But don’t forget about the wine part of the Food & Wine Festival. There are talks from wine makers and several wine tasting events, as well. Many of these, however, take place at one of the resorts.
The real highlight of the Festival is the food booths located throughout the World Showcase lagoon. Nations represented by permanent pavillons have booths showcasing things such as pizza from Italy and quesadillas in Mexico. A popular treat is the cheddar cheese soup in Canada. But make sure you hit those countries not ordinarily a part of the World Showcase. From Spain, there is papas con chorizo (a potatoe/spicy sausage combo). The spicy beef empanadas of Argentina are great. You can sample cold potatoe soup from Ireland or butternut squash soup from India. New this year are two Oklahoma booths. One called “Route 66″ features pecan pie and another called “Native America” has three sister soup and seared buffalo.
This is the kind of event that I like at Walt Disney World. It does not require the park to be shut down so another group of tickets can be sold. Its also now an established tradition at Epcot, much like the Flower festival or the Star Wars Weekeneds at MGM. I personally love walking around the lagoon after dark sampling all the different appetizer-sized dishes from Peru, New Zealand and Turkey. Definately spend a meal time there if you’re at WDW in the fall.
Today’s post is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra.