Walt Disney World Epcot Discussion Thread

[bbomser]

I Think I might have to check this out.

 

(With Spirits!)

[azza29]

Checking out Epcot dining options for an upcoming trip - so many to choose from, and they all look great! Thinking Le Cellier, Teppan Edo and Biergarten look like the best bets. Anyone care to offer an opinion in favour of, or otherwise?

 

Coral Reef looks fun too, although I think we might "dine with the fishes" at SeaWorld's Sharks restaurant instead.

[Nrthwnd]

EPCOT + any food/garden festival there = AWESOME!

[traincrossin]

Anyone else hearing rumors that Maelstrom might be rethemed to Frozen?

[Kenny B]

Anyone else hearing rumors that Maelstrom might be re-themed to Frozen?

 

That rumor was floating around in January.... and it has been relatively quiet since. Word on the street said they were looking at the cost of gutting the ride - redoing it from scratch, and the cost of saving the the ride layout ect. and basically doing a big refurb/Frozen overlay. Due to the popularity of Frozen, I can see it possibly happening.

[azza29]

Anyone else hearing rumors that Maelstrom might be rethemed to Frozen?

 

I'm sure whatever they come up with will be great, but I like the idea of a Frozen "show" more than a dark ride retheme. Disney World's first ice skating show, perhaps?

 

The Anna & Elsa meet and greet seems popular enough in the interim though!

[SharkTums]

It's a very strong rumor and there has been a lot of surveying and Imagineers near and around the Norway Pavilion. As much as I'd love to see a state of the art, built from scratch, taking time to make it perfect, amazing Frozen ride I think we'll see one go into Norway within 2-3 years as they rush the Frozen popularity wave.

 

Honestly, it's so popular and so great, they could put in ANYTHING and it would be well received by the majority of guests. I know KT is excited for the idea of a Frozen ride!

[robbalvey]

Anyone that has followed TPR for any length of time probably knows that our absolute FAVORITE event at Walt Disney World is Epcot's Food & Wine Festival. If you're a fan of food (who isn't?), wine (many people are), or beer (if you aren't, you should be), then this is the DO NOT MISS event of the theme park world!

 

This year, there will be 25 different "marketplaces" where you can sample food & beverages from all over the world and the offerings are fantastic! To give you an idea of the different food culture, here are just some of the locations involved: Africa, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Hawaii, Ireland, Japan, Poland, Singapore, South Korea and much more!

 

Today we were invited to come taste a few of the items that will be offered at Epcot's Food & Wine 2014 that will run from September 19th - November 10th.

 

For more information, click: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/

 

Enjoy the photos!

Today we are at Epcot for a preview of the 2014 International Food & Wine Festival - TPR's favorite event at Walt Disney World! (You've seen pictures of us, it's pretty clear we like to eat!)

We were invited to the VIP area of The Living Seas for a private taste test!

(I know, can you believe it??? Usually we just have to sneak into these things!)

Here is the menu of what we will be sampling today!

Wait...what??? You're gonna be giving us ALL of this amazing food???

The upper area of the Coral Reef restaurant was transformed for Epcot's Food & Wine preview!

Epcot executive chef Jens Dahlmann talks about some of the new items found at Food & Wine this year - Patagonia, which will combine some South American cuisine, the "Farm Fresh" offerings, and also some of the classic dishes from previous years that will be returning again.

So let's start tasting with the Sauerkraut Pierogi with Pork Goulash!

This was amazing! I am actually quite a fan of Pierogi's (thanks Kneobels!) and the added pork was just wonderful!

FUN FACT! The Polish word pierogi is plural; the singular form pieróg is rarely used, as a typical serving consists of several pierogi.

(Isn't Wikipedia freakin' AWESOME?!)

I'm sorry, what was that? Did you just say the word "Habanero?"

Oh, why, yes you did! It was spicy and that's JUST how I like it!

And it wouldn't be Food & Wine without the beer! And this years selection looks like it's off to a good start!

The "Grass Fed Beef Slider" was one of my favorites and happy to see it's coming back!

This little nugget of beef will make you giddy with excitement!

And dessert fans? STOP RIGHT HERE! This is all you need! The carrot cake was fantastic!

And for the seafood lovers...

...this little pot of joy will give you an affair to remember.

(Look, I know it's corny - why don't YOU try writing all my captions next time!)

Hi! These were my partners in crime today. That's me on the left (hi me! This is me waving hi!) , Matt from Attractions Magazine on the right, and Haley, who had no choice but to put up with the both of us, in the middle! (Sorry Haley!)

"This might possibly have been my 4th or 5th "Habanero Yard Bird" with Dukes Cold Nose Brown Ale...but who's counting right?

(Wait, according to the woman serving it who was all "you really like this stuff, don't you?" it was my 6th)

Check me out! I tried to be all fancy with my beef slider photo back lit by the Epcot sign, but I sort of fail at this kind of thing. You know what wasn't a fail? The BEEF SLIDER!!! OMG!!!!

Hello everyone, my name is Robb "I can hold FOUR Food & Wine items at the same time" Alvey... how's it going?

Ok, let's everyone just stop for a second. Sit down. Something important is about to happen.

THIS!!! THIS RIGHT HERE!!! OMG!!!! I cannot even describe it (but I'll try.) I don't think it's a "beer", and it's not really a "wine" - It just tastes like a little bit of South Korean heaven! I don't even like grapefruit and WOW... It might have been one of the most amazing beverages I've tasted. (and yes it has alcohol, and no you can't taste it, and yes that is awesomely dangerous!!!)

Being the extremely nice guy that I am, I brought Haley one of these glasses containing the amazing fruit-filled bliss, but unfortunately, she is unable to drink it. Don't worry, though, I'll take care of that for you...we wouldn't want it to go to waste!

Haley and Matt doing their thing. Check them out! They are totally legit media with cameras and lights and things! If you haven't checked out Attractions Magazine, look them up on the socials. Here is the website: http://www.attractionsmagazine.com

Epcot executive chef Jens Dahlmann making some more delicious treats. Seriously, whatever this guy makes, I'll be more than happy to eat! Especially if the results of Food & Wine are anything to show for it! Epcot's Food & Wine 2014 runs September 19 - November 10, 2014 and I'm sure you'll find us there on many of those days!

Side note! (And VERY important!) It's 2.21 miles walking from the parking lot, all the way around Epcot, then back to your car. You'll burn about 275 calories doing this. The more you walk, the more Food & Wine you can have! (I really should be Kickstarting this diet idea!)

 

See you guys at Epcot!

Edited September 5, 2014 by robbalvey

[Philrad71]

^OMG....thank you for posting, Robb - this looks amazing! We are going to plan a Florida trip later this year and would certainly like to put this at the top of the list because of how much we loved the food and garden show this past spring.

 

I just got back from a business trip in South Korea and recall seeing that ICing, but had no idea what it was...shame on me for not being more adventurous and trying it out!

 

Even worse of a fail is that I never had time to get over and ride T-Express during my visit...for shame.

[bbomser]

Robb, highly jealous. Any chance of organizing a F&W gorge-fest for TPR? I know I'm heading over at least once or twice a month.

[cfc]

Oh, yeah! So looking forward to Food & Wine this October--especially that beef slider.

[robbalvey]

Robb, highly jealous. Any chance of organizing a F&W gorge-fest for TPR? I know I'm heading over at least once or twice a month.

I've found that doing F&W in a big group is sometimes difficult because everyone wants different things and many people go through it at different speeds. And also being locals, we like to go several times throughout the season, hit up a couple of things here and there, and then come back on a different day for more.

 

But anything is possible...

[Garet]

THIS!!! THIS RIGHT HERE!!! OMG!!!! I cannot even describe it (but I'll try.) I don't think it's a "beer", and it's not really a "wine" - It just tastes like a little bit of South Korean heaven! I don't even like grapefruit and WOW... It might have been one of the most amazing beverages I've tasted. (and yes it has alcohol, and no you can't taste it, and yes that is awesomely dangerous!!!)

 

I'm a big fan of South Korea's rice wine, it's called makoli here and the biggest crime is I rarely see people pick up the flavored ones like ICing off the shelves in the big marts and despite the amount of alcohol in the 24 hour stores, I rarely see it there as well they tend to mostly only have the plain makoli as opposed to flavored ones. People tend to forgo taste and just get drunk as fast they can with the $1 soju bottles, i've even seen that in what look like juice box cartons

 

I might actually have to stop in some of the 24 hour shops and see if there is any ICing the convenience stores after work and try it again, its been a while since I have had one.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Garet

[Nrthwnd]

Yum.

 

That's all I got.

[SuperShawn]

The new offerings look delicious!

[brneff99]

that was the wrong post to read after a less than inspiring Dinner on a Thur night...or maybe it was just the right thing...thanks Robb...and so bummed to be missing all of you at WCB this weekend...even though we are locals, we could not overcome schedule conflicts...but I look forward to all of the Social Media updates...

[bbomser]

Robb, highly jealous. Any chance of organizing a F&W gorge-fest for TPR? I know I'm heading over at least once or twice a month.

I've found that doing F&W in a big group is sometimes difficult because everyone wants different things and many people go through it at different speeds. And also being locals, we like to go several times throughout the season, hit up a couple of things here and there, and then come back on a different day for more.

 

But anything is possible...

 

Yea, I see what you mean. Unfortunately I'm not "as local" as you guys, so the majority of my time at F&W is spent on the weekends when everybody else is there. Am looking at taking a couple days off during the week to see how "light" the crowds can get.

 

One of the things I'm looking forward to is being able to guarantee a ride on Soarin or Test Track with FP+. Rides and amazing food/drink, YES PLEASE!

 

On that note, when I know i'm heading over for the weekend, I'll try to post here. This way if people want to meet up (even for a beer), it makes it a little easier.

 

-Brian "I need to try that grapefruit wine/beer/drink" Bomser

[colinlyoung.uk]

Taste buds are truly tantalised.

Fell in love with this festival on our first visit 7 or 8 years ago. Thought we were going to miss out this year as we're visiting in September, but thanks to the festival being extended forward, we get to go.

[Philrad71]

People tend to forgo taste and just get drunk as fast they can with the $1 soju bottles, i've even seen that in what look like juice box cartons

 

I noticed that during my business trip...South Korean's definitely like to drink! I felt like I was 21 again dropping shots of soju into glasses of beer and chugging them like boiler-makers.

 

But when you are in a foreign country, you do what the locals do out of respect for their culture...if they want you to drink, then you damn well better drink!

[Barge84]

I really hate that this will be 2 straight years that I've missed F&W. I might need to watch for some cheap flights to Florida in October...

[Rai Fox]

This looks amazing. I've spent the last couple months thinking I was going to miss this, only to re-check the dates recently and find out that I'll be there just in time for the last day of it. So excited now! And hungry...

[Hilltopper39]

This might be a dumb question but the event opens September 19th but are some of the booths set up and open now? Seems like in the past I remember some of the booths being open before the "official" start of the event? I'm going next Saturday and want me some food and wine dang it!

[Guy T. Koepp]

Oh Food & Wine Fest! How I miss you so. It's been way too long. I need to get back to you. The offerings look incredible Robb, thanks for sharing.

[jray21]

Looks like an amazing start to another incredible year of F&W!

[jedimaster1227]

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/09/frozen-attraction-coming-to-epcot/

 

When Walt Disney promised that Disneyland would never be completed, so long as there is imagination left in the world, he made a promise to our guests that we take seriously at all our locations around the world. This year, one particular product of imagination — Disney Animation’s blockbuster hit “Frozen” — captured the hearts and minds of people around the world and gave us a new opportunity to make good on Walt’s pledge.

 

We’ve made “Frozen” a part of the guest experience in a number of ways already and our guests have both loved them and asked for more. So I’m pleased to say that we’re starting construction at Walt Disney World Resort on a brand new “Frozen” attraction at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot. The new attraction, which replaces Maelstrom, will take our guests to Arendelle and immerse them in many of their favorite moments and music from the film. The pavilion will also include a royal greeting location where Anna and Elsa can meet our guests. We think these “Frozen” elements are great compliments to the Norway Pavilion, which showcases the country and region that inspired the film.

 

“Frozen’s” popular characters will also have a bigger presence at Magic Kingdom Park this holiday season. In addition to the ongoing character appearances, Queen Elsa will use her powers to transform Cinderella Castle into an ice palace every night starting in early November. And Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party-goers can see Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf in “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.”

 

We’re extending some favorite elements of Frozen Summer Fun LIVE!, too, so that guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can continue singing along to “Frozen” songs with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Wandering Oaken’s will set up shop closer to the show through the holiday season and will feature a larger play area with real snow (in Florida!).

 

From the moment we screened the film several months before its release, we were inspired by the possibility of bringing this great story to life for our guests. Frozen Summer Fun LIVE! has been extremely popular, and now we’re looking forward to doing even more to allow our guests to experience the “Frozen” phenomenon.

Edited September 12, 2014 by jedimaster1227