The 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will take place Oct. 1 – Nov. 14, a six-week run celebrating global cuisine. The annual events offers Walt Disney World guests the opportunity to “eat around the World,” sampling diverse selections of food, wine, beer, and spirits – as well as culture and entertainment – from more than 25 international marketplaces.
In addition to the open-air festival atmosphere of the marketplaces, the 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival hosts signature events and special programming for guests. Foodie opportunities flourish through events such as celebrity dinners and lunches and focused seminars in food and drink. These popular programs and special-ticket events require an additional fee and, in some cases, advance reservations.
2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival highlights
The festival, which is included with Epcot theme-park admission, offers Disney World guests the opportunity to nibble on tapas-sized portions of cuisine for $3 – $8 a sample. Guests 21 years and older can also sip wines, beers and spirits from around the world.
Disney foodies who enjoy brief seminars or tastings as part of the Food & Wine Festival might especially enjoy culinary tastings, wine presentations, and beverage seminars. Prices for such events run between $8 – $25 and programs last less than an hour’s duration or are self-paced.
The Festival Welcome Center, located in Future World East, will be open daily from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. It is the hub for many of the Festival's wine seminars, culinary demonstrations, book or bottle signings, and other programs. The Welcome Center is also where guests may pick up their Marketplace Discovery Passport, a souvenier that allows guests to record their taste-travels through the World Showcase. The center also offers a Champange and Wine Bar and Festival merchandise.
For details, guests may download these festival brochures, in .pdf form:
- 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Guide
- 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Map
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, overview of 2010 signature events and programs
As in past years,several special programs, which are hard-ticket events, will be offered as part of 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival:
- Celebrating Family and Friends in the Kitchen
- Cheese Seminars
- Culinary Adventures in Signature Dining
- Epcot Wine Schools
- Food & Wine Pairings
- French Regional Lunches
- Mexico Tequila Tastings
- Party for the Senses
- Sweet Sundays
On Thursdays, the festival will feature 3-D Disney’s Dessert Discovery, a dessert reception paired with wine, cordials, coffees, and an Illuminations viewing. Price for this event is $45 per person, plus theme-park admission.
New to the 2010 festival are two hard-ticket events that will also require separate fees:
Taste, Shake, and Indulge LIke the French is a seminar on Cognac-based liqueurs.
Delicious Discoveries First Bites, an opening reception and festival sneak peek, will take place on Sept. 30 and offer attendees food and wine samples, culinary demonstrations, and entertainment. Price for this event is $195 per person, plus theme-park admission, and will be held fom 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Festival Welcome Center.
Note: Walt Disney World will release more details concerning the 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival and its programs and special events in mid-July. Be aware, however, that availability is limited for these special events, and reservations are required. Guests can call 407-WDW-FEST (407-939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs.
Update (July 6): Registration for special programs and events that are part of the 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival opens July 20.
Update (Aug. 25): Registration for 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival low-cost cullinary demonstrations and beverage seminars opens Aug. 27, 2010.
This column will feature additional articles on the 2010 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival special events as information becomes available. Interested Disney foodies can add a free subscription to receive column updates.
Author's Note: Examiner.com is shifting to a new platform at the end of August. The transition will allow comments to be posted to this article but will not permit me to edit the article to add updates. I will publish additional information on the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, so please check my Disney Travel column for more information.
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