EPCOTblog.com – The EPCOT Online Community Of Today

Ireland Is A Food Festival Winner

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Last year Ireland introduced a cheese sampler that was my choice as a tasty value during The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. This year they brought back the offering with some new cheese and added another item that was a delicious surprise. I don’t think I would have ever associated lobster with Ireland. But thanks to the “Fisherman’s Pie” I will. Think “Shepherd’s Pie” but replace the meat with lobster and scallops. It’s a winner.

Combined with the sharp and buttery cheese, whole grain brown bread and apple chutney your taste buds get a real workout. It’s worth the $9.25 for the two selections. Add a nice Guiness and you’ve hit the jackpot in the Irish Sweepstakes. Walk around the fence to the adjacent table area at the Crown and Rose, sit in the shade and enjoy your good fortune. 

Tags: EPCOT World Showcase, Food & Wine Festival
Posted in Events, Food | No Comments »

Another EPCOT Food Festival Is Under My Belt

Saturday, October 10th, 2009

Okay, my annual feast is exaggerated (greatly!) by the clown-mirror effect found in reflections at the base of Spaceship Earth. But the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival lives up to expectations again this year. We’ve been to every one, and it was a surprise that some of the crowd favorite dishes served for several years were gone. Some of the new offerings were much better a few were less than stellar. I’ll feature them in upcoming posts.

In the meantime my advice is to hit the World Showcase early and go clockwise. It will minimize some of the unseasonal blazing heat we are enduring. (It’s why the event was originally in November)  Then take one of the boats back to Future World during the late afternoon to enjoy the cooler attractions before going back out for the evening. Expect crowds on the weekends, but the lines at the food kiosks seem to move faster than in years past.

Another tip: Some kiosks have pay stations that you can approach from either direction, or multiple lines. You may find that a long line forms at one, while the other is empty. So take a look at the menu board first and look around to see the how the ques are arranged to save some time.

Then don’t forget to get your reflection picture on the way out at Spaceship Earth. Maybe you will find a panel that will slim you down.

Tags: EPCOT World Showcase, Food & Wine Festival, Spaceship Earth
Posted in Events, Food, Observations, Props, Shops | No Comments »

2009 EPCOT Food Festival Is Coming Quickly

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

Deep in the heat of summer, it’s hard to believe that the cool (er) days of strolling around the World Showcase Lagoon sampling taste treats from all corners of the globe is just around the corner. It’s the 14th year for the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. I’ve been to them all. Back in the early years it was a November event and limited to just a month. Lately it’s crept earlier in the calendar and grown in duration and scope. This year it starts on September 25th and runs through November 8th. Unfortunately food prices have also suffered and upward creep while portions have grown smaller. Another crimp in your budget this year is that the previous culinary demos and  beverage tastings that were free are now ticketed events that will set you back $8.

The festival guide has been released.  It details all the special, higher priced food events events, featured chefs and the Eat To The Beat lineup of performers.  Click here to get your 2009 Food & Wine Festival Guide It does not have the menu for the kiosks. Those are our favorites. We’re looking forward to blowing our budget by grazing from country to country.

Tags: EPCOT Updates, EPCOT World Showcase, Food, Food & Wine Festival
Posted in Events, Food, News | No Comments »

Mission Space Great For Viewing Space Mission

Monday, July 13th, 2009

If you are at EPCOT on any day that a Space Shuttle launch is scheduled, head over to the Mission Space plaza. With a little advice from cast member Robert when we were walking in from the parking lot, we found out that viewing of launches at Kennedy Space Center was ideal when looking directly over the Space attraction. In addition to the lack of trees or buildings to block your view, we decided that it made the perfect setting to view actual space missions.

It turns out that we were not alone. The walkways and grassy knolls were full of people who at launch time were looking at their watches, raising camcorders and pointing eastward. Unfortunately today shuttle Endeavor was scrubbed because of bad weather at the Cape. We knew that because we were monitoring the launch progress on my iPhone. We informed the group and went inside the pavilion.

I overheard some cast members in the gift shop discussing the pending launch and I informed them of the scrub. They told me of the throngs that gather to view launches there. So I wondered why nobody was out there assisting.

Since the word is out about this unique viewing opportunity,  I saw cast member Robert again when we were headed out of the park and I suggested that Disney make it more of an event and actually add a countdown clock on the Mission Space plaza. It’s something that should have been in place at EPCOT all along. It’s a natural. He thought it was a good idea.

Hey, they could at least play the NASA audio on the area sound system so visitors didn’t have to rely on the guy with an iPhone to know what’s going on.

Tags: Disney employees, EPCOT Future World, Mission Space, Things to look for at EPCOT
Posted in Attractions, Events, News, Observations | No Comments »