2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: August 30 to November 12, 2018

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Almost one month in and still one month until I'm there. Has anyone noticed any merchandise being sold out and not being restocked. I know there was mixed information with the glasses. Most curious about the ladies Remy shirt, F&D polo shirt, the brew shirt, mystery pins, pandora 2 charm set, and the AP pins.
Thanks for the update info.
The only things that I noticed gone, were the AP glasses and some of the AP pins. All of the general merch, including the Pandora charms, were fully in stock.
 
I am pretty sure you won't get the 'direct to the venue' trip unless you have wine view lounge. I agree with 2excited2sleep, get a ride to the Beach club (Personally I would save the money and take Uber Plus since they are offering "Free" Minnie Vans to PFTS Wine View Lounge you may find that Minnie's are pretty busy when you need them)

Can't wait for the reviews. This is the first year in a long time I have skipped PFTS.

Ah so you did decided to skip it. I'm skipping it this year as well.
 
I decided not to bring the tray I had originally bought to bring. I will figure out a way to juggle if I need to. It would have only really been useful if my companions had decided to come with me. I am excited! 2 more sleeps! I decided not to go my first day. I originally planned to go to DS before I check in to my timeshare and will keep to that. Going to AK that nite. My first event will be Sat at the Parisian breakfast and will have 5-6 other days to qualify for my cutting board.
 
I decided not to bring the tray I had originally bought to bring. I will figure out a way to juggle if I need to. It would have only really been useful if my companions had decided to come with me. I am excited! 2 more sleeps! I decided not to go my first day. I originally planned to go to DS before I check in to my timeshare and will keep to that. Going to AK that nite. My first event will be Sat at the Parisian breakfast and will have 5-6 other days to qualify for my cutting board.
Your post just reminded me that I will need to bring a bag bigger than the little mini-hipster Vera bag I just purchased for this purpose! Darn. I have that F&W tray too. It isn't big but it definitely won't fit in that little Vera crossbody. Back to the drawing board!

I feel your excitement! We have 12 days and I am going solo to the Parisian breakfast, waiting for DH to arrive in Orlando. I told him he may find me napping on an Epcot bench :rotfl2:
 


Your post just reminded me that I will need to bring a bag bigger than the little mini-hipster Vera bag I just purchased for this purpose! Darn. I have that F&W tray too. It isn't big but it definitely won't fit in that little Vera crossbody. Back to the drawing board!

I feel your excitement! We have 12 days and I am going solo to the Parisian breakfast, waiting for DH to arrive in Orlando. I told him he may find me napping on an Epcot bench :rotfl2:
Be sure to get a bench that’s shaded. :thumbsup2
 
Was there today - we ate a lot!! Will post pics when I get home on Saturday.

Highlights for me were the spanikopita from Greece, the chicken bun from Japan, and the corned beef from the Fire Flavors booth. It was H O T today though, good lord!
 
Your post just reminded me that I will need to bring a bag bigger than the little mini-hipster Vera bag I just purchased for this purpose! Darn. I have that F&W tray too. It isn't big but it definitely won't fit in that little Vera crossbody. Back to the drawing board!

I feel your excitement! We have 12 days and I am going solo to the Parisian breakfast, waiting for DH to arrive in Orlando. I told him he may find me napping on an Epcot bench :rotfl2:

New to this festival what is the "tray" for?
 


Is there a map of the festival? I'll be there for a conference with my boss and her husband, and I know a map will make things easier for them. Which means - for me. She's NOT a Disney fan and she knows I am, so I'm up for making things easier for her, lol. I found the menu spreadsheet - whoever did that - THANKS!
 
Is there a map of the festival? I'll be there for a conference with my boss and her husband, and I know a map will make things easier for them. Which means - for me. She's NOT a Disney fan and she knows I am, so I'm up for making things easier for her, lol. I found the menu spreadsheet - whoever did that - THANKS!
Not a bad way to enjoy F&W, working(hopefully not too much, LOL!):laughing: ENJOY!:drinking1
 
I just returned from the festival, and one thing I noted was regarding the Sunday I went through Epcot around 2:30-4:30. Considering it was a weekend and early enough on Sunday so that not too many "locals" had left, I thought crowds were VERY low. Never waited for more than 3-4 people in front of me at a booth.
 
We’re on our way home now, and did F&W twice this past week. I have to say that I LOVED the app and used it far more than the booklet. It was so easy to use the search function and map on it. I will keep our paper passports like we usually do for F&W and F&G each time we go, but the app was far more convenient to use in the park. I highly recommend it!
 
Went again on this past Sunday, and again on Tuesday. Tried a few new things, as well as a few repeats. We are nearing the point where I will have tried all of the items I am interested in trying. There may be 3-4 new items left that I'm willing to spend money on, lol. Sorry New Zealand booth, I think I am skipping you entirely this year!

Below I have ranked all items that I've had during this years festival. All items that I've added since my last post are noted with an asterisk. If there is more than one score listed for an item, that means we’ve had it more than once during this Festival.

Slightly more in depth reviews, along with pictures, can be found on my new website www.destinationdoug.com. I am almost completely caught up there with pictures and reviews!

Teriyaki-glazed Spam Hash - 9.5, 9.0 (Hawai’i) - First portion was huge, second less so. Both were piping hot, and tasted great!

Fritto Misto - 9.0 (Italy) - Biggest surprise of the Festival... something tasty from Italy! Not only tasty, but a huge serving!

Banana Almond Soft-serve Sundae - 9.0, 9.0, 9.0, 9.0, 9.0 (Almond Orchard) - Refreshing and delicious, every time!

Freshly Baked Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing - 9.0 (Hops & Barley) - Delicious, and loaded with icing.

*Maple Bourbon Boursin Cheesecake - 8.5, 9.0 (Cheese Studio) - Sweet but not too sweet and really smooth. First one could have been colder, but it was still excellent. Second one was colder, and even better.

*Ropa Vieja Empanada - 8.5, 8.5, 8.5 (Islands of the Caribbean) - Best empanada they’ve ever done at this festival.

“Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon - 8.5 (Canada) - Tender, hot, flavorful.

New England Lobster Roll - 8.5 (Hops & Barley) - Loaded with tender lobster. Roll was grilled nicely.

Short Rib Tostada - 9.0, 8.0 (Mexico) - First one was amazing, second needed more sauce.

*Jerk Spiced Chicken Lollipop - 8.5 (Islands of the Carribbean) - Bursting with flavor, and quite spicy!

Seared Scallops- 8.5 (Wine and Dine Studio) - Much better than the scallops at the Coastal Eats booth.

Xi’an Pancake with Beef - 8.5 (China) - This didn’t look like much but tasted really good.

Mango Bubble Tea - 8.5 (China) - Buy this at Joy of Tea next door, it’s a larger portion.

Maple Bacon Funnel Cake - 8.0 (Funnel Cake) - The maple ice cream was really good.

Grilled Lamb Chop - 8.0 (Australia) - Tender and tasty. Much better than last years t-bone.

*Passion Fruit Cheesecake - 8.0 (Hawai'i) - Very good, but not quite as good as the one at the Cheese Studio.

*Piggy Wings - 8.0 (Flavors from Fire) - Very tasty, but kind of dry. Would be at least an 8.5 if it had been more tender.

*Smoked Corned Beef - 8.0 (Flavors from Fire) - Beef, fondue, and chips went together very nicely. My serving was very light on the beef.

*Frozen Mimosa - 8.0, 8.0 (Shimmering Sips) - Tasty and refreshing, but it tastes like a non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri.

Schinkennudeln - 8.0 (Germany) - Best Mac and cheese on Disney property. Would have scored even higher, but mine had no ham whatsoever.

Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip - 8.0 (Coastal Eats) - I wish the bread was toasted.

Warm Chocolate Pudding - 7.5 (Ireland) - Tasty, but very rich. Probably should have saved for a cooler day.

Hummus Fries - 7.5 (Morocco) - Two of the fries were completely mushy due to the toppings. Third was topping-free, and as a result it was crispy and delicious.

Charred Chimichurri Skirt Steak on a Smoked Corn Cake - 7.5 (Flavors From Fire) - Steak was great, corn cake was pasty and kind of gross.

Braised Beef Stroganoff - 7.5, 7.5 (Cheese Studio) - Good flavors, small portion.

Steakhouse Blended Burger - 7.5 (Earth Eats) - Good flavor, a bit dry.

Belgian Waffle w/ Berry Compote - 7.5 (Belgium) - Tasted Good as always, but the hot berries weren’t what I needed in a very hot day.

Pão de Queijo - 7.5 (Brazil) - Just your standard, tasty Brazilian cheese bread.

Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip - 7.5 (Almond Orchard) - Dip was pretty good, had 2 giant hunks of chicken. The chips were awesome.

Quesito - 7.5 (Islands of the Caribbean)

*Marinated Chicken - 7.5 (Thailand) - My serving was loaded with chicken. It tasted pretty good, but was almost too peanutty, like peanut butter.

Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles - 7.0 (China) - Tasted Good, but wish it had more than 2 Shrimp.

Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle - 7.0 (Chocolate Studio) - Good, but basically tastes like chocolate ice cream.

Moqueca - 7.0 (Brazil) - A bit on the sweet side, but still pretty good.

Bougatsa - 7.0 (Greece) - Quite possibly the hottest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. Was surprisingly bland.

Crispy Pork Belly - 7.0 (Brazil) - Lots of beans, but a small piece of pork belly. Tasted good, but it was a bit tough.

Spicy Roll - 7.0 (Japan) - This was almost warm, which was off putting.

Carbonade de Boeuf - 7.0 (France) - If this had a bit more (any?) sauce it would have been a lot better.

Croissant aux Escargots - 7.0 (France)

*Butternut Squash Ravioli - 7.0 (Wine & Dine Studio) - The ravioli weren't very flavorful, but the pumpkin seeds and parmesan added flavor.

Korma Chicken - 7.0 (India) - Tasted good, but the amount of chicken was sad. The naan was tasty.

Kalua Pork Slider - 7.0 (Hawai’i) - Tasted good, but there was very little meat on our slider.

Crème Brûlée à Confiture de Framboises - 7.0 (France) - Would have been better without the raspberry jam.

Mango Lassi with Sōmrus Indian Cream Liqueur - 7.0 (India) - I’m not a big mango lassi fan, but the liqueur helped a bit. I wish I could it order the liqueur on its own.

*Coconut Rice Pudding - 7.0, 7.5 (Mexico) - Tasted Good, but the first time we ordered it the rice needed to be cooked longer. Second one was a bit better.

Pancake Milkshake - 7.0 (Taste Track)

*La Passion Martini Slush - 6.5 (France) - I know I'm the outlier here, but I wasn't crazy about this. I think I must not like passion fruit juice, because I also don't like POG juice either.

*Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun - 6.5 (China) - Not very much duck, and the duck that was there was dry.

Bunratty Meade Honey Wine - 6.5 (Ireland) - Was hoping it would be more Mead and less like wine.

Seared Scallops - 6.5 (Coastal Eats) - These were ridiculously small, almost the size of bay scallops.

Croissant Donut with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream - 6.5 (Taste Track) - Tasted good, but texture was very chewy.

Seared Shrimp and Scallop Cake - 6.5 (Thailand)

Shrimp Quesadilla- 6.5 (Mexico)

Guiness Baileys Shake - 6.0 (Ireland)

*Fast Lane - 6.0 (Joffreys Future World East) - The liqueur was tasty, but the frozen cappuccino it was mixed in was a bust. Very bland, and oddly not very cold (but it was frozen?).

New Brunswick Slider - 5.0 (Hops & Barley) - Bland and ridiculously dry.

Beef Brisket Poutine - 4.0 (Refreshment Port) - The “meat” was almost all fat, and the Cheese was a gelatinous mess.

Phosphorescent Phreeze - 3.0 (Light Lab) - Way too syrupy and sweet for me... and I absolutely love ICEEs!

*Phosphorescent Phlight - 3.0 (Light Lab) - Read notes on Phreeze above... we only bought this for the glow cubes lol.

Teriyaki Chicken Bun - 2.0, NA (Japan) - Yuck, the ginger flavor was way too strong. One bite and done! Wife liked it though, and got a second one on a later visit. I did not partake in the second one, thus the "NA" ranking.
 
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Also, I did attend the Sunday Brunch with Tiffani Thiessen. We had a great time. However, be aware they are assigning tables as you arrive at the event. So don't roll up a few minutes before it starts like we did... you will get a terrible table. I have a complete write-up with pictures on my site. The link is in my signature.

We'll be attending the Sunday Brunch again this coming Sunday. Morimoto always puts on a good show, I can't wait!
 
Went again on this past Sunday, and again on Tuesday. Tried a few new things, as well as a few repeats. We are nearing the point where I will have tried all of the items I am interested in trying. There may be 3-4 new items left that I'm willing to spend money on, lol. Sorry New Zealand booth, I think I am skipping you entirely this year!

Below I have ranked all items that I've had during this years festival. All items that I've added since my last post are noted with an asterisk. If there is more than one score listed for an item, that means we’ve had it more than once during this Festival.

Slightly more in depth reviews, along with pictures, can be found on my new website www.destinationdoug.com. I am almost completely caught up there with pictures and reviews! THANK you for posting this ranking and review. Appreciate the time this took!:goodvibes:thumbsup2 Looking forward to some new items in October!:drinking1








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Also, I did attend the Sunday Brunch with Tiffani Thiessen. We had a great time. However, be aware they are assigning tables as you arrive at the event. So don't roll up a few minutes before it starts like we did... you will get a terrible table. I have a complete write-up with pictures on my site. The link is in my signature.

We'll be attending the Sunday Brunch again this coming Sunday. Morimoto always puts on a good show, I can't wait!

Oh no!! I feel terrible. :sad1: I swear our seats were pre-determined.
 
Oh no!! I feel terrible. :sad1: I swear our seats were pre-determined.

Haha, don’t worry about it. If I hadn’t asked I would have thought they were preassigned as well. After she handed me my table assignment, I asked if they were preassigned. She said no, they are first come first serve. They start with the best tables and then work their way back.

In terms of watching the Q&A, there really wasn’t a bad seat in the house. It was just too far back to get any decent pictures. But the meet and greet made up for it!
 
Would like to ask, did anyone have the French dinner yet? I know Parisian Lunch in past years was wonderful.
 
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