***2009*** Epcot Food & Wine Festival ENDED NOV. 8

[BelleLovesTheBeast]

Originally Posted by msvlwb

Starship was really good the times we've seen them. I loved, loved, loved, Night Ranger saw all 3 shows, and they were all different. I'm thrilled to see they added Richard Marx, John Waite, and Billy Ocean. I'm sorry I don't know Better than Ezra? What's their hit?

Kool and the Gange was awesome last year too.

Can't wait!

Better Than Ezra's hits: "Good" (the big hit), "Desperately Wanting", "A Lifetime", "King of New Orleans" and "Juicy" (was used for Desperate Housewives' ads a couple of years ago). They also did "One More Murder" for the X-Files soundtrack. They just put out a new CD a couple of weeks ago so they are out promoting that. They aren't a has-been band. They are still current, putting out CDs and touring.

Originally Posted by TDC Nala

I agree just meeting Morimoto would be awesome. Why can't he come to Disney sometime?

I will post if I get the sushi rolling class (booking opens Monday) but maybe find somewhere else to do it because I don't want to hijack my own thread that I'm moderating.

Robert Irvine rode the buses? did he complain about the lines? He took his shirt off for photos at the Party for the Senses, hope he comes back. He's got to show up on one of my four weekends (although NY is going to ensure that I only do one PFTS)

I agree with everyone else. Go with Morimoto. I love watching him on Iron Chef. I just wish that they wouldn't overdub his voice. It makes me crazy. I have no problem understanding him and why not just have it say what he's saying.

[*NikkiBell*]

Lori! Why didn't you tell me this was up already??!! Aggh! I am so behind!

We're going for the last week of the festival this time around...Jersey Week! What can I expect everybody?

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Originally Posted by *NikkiBell*

We're going for the last week of the festival this time around...Jersey Week! What can I expect everybody?

We're going the same week too. Personally, I don't think its half as bad as folks make it out to be, but thats JMO from our own experience. We've done it before and find it to be a great time with the milder weather and the crowds seem very manageable to us.

[pooch]

can we use them at the F & WF booths?

[mommyoftwo08]

I heard rumors of the festival having a soft opening on the Thursday and Friday before it's actually set to officially open. Is this true? And if so, what exactly is a "soft opening"?

Thank you!

[2xcited2sleep]

Originally Posted by pooch

can we use them at the F & WF booths?

I did last year. Very convenient! Although I will say that the card readers in the booths can be finicky (sp?) and sometimes aren't working. Helps to have some emergency cash just in case.

[oybolshoi]

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

I did last year. Very convenient! Although I will say that the card readers in the booths can be finicky (sp?) and sometimes aren't working. Helps to have some emergency cash just in case.

Exactly what I would have said. We've given up on the cards (be they pre-loaded, disney reward, or even dining plan) for F&W because you still have to carry cash because you never know which card reader at which booth will decide to melt down. Kind of negates the convenience of not having to carrry cash.

Having said that, most people find them very useful and they work fine most of the time. My hubby and I are just impatient, hungry jerks so we'd rather not wait any longer than we have to.

[pooch]

Originally Posted by 2xcited2sleep

I did last year. Very convenient! Although I will say that the card readers in the booths can be finicky (sp?) and sometimes aren't working. Helps to have some emergency cash just in case.

DD and I are taking a quick B-day trip (mine!). We already have Free Dining and will get my $75 birthday gift card. I expect about $325 in Reward points by then so, just emergency cash will be plenty!!! YAAAA - b-day with the Mouse!!!!

[TDC Nala]

Originally Posted by mommyoftwo08

I heard rumors of the festival having a soft opening on the Thursday and Friday before it's actually set to officially open. Is this true? And if so, what exactly is a "soft opening"?

Thank you!

From my understanding it is not a "soft opening" (which technically is an unofficial opening to test an event or attraction) but a preview day for cast members. However, they don't check to see if you're a cast member. From prior reports, not all the booths are open Thursday and not all the items may be available. Friday is the official public opening date of the festival.

I don't do the cards either because of the scanners breaking down so much.

Your $75 birthday gift card is not likely to be accepted at the booths. It's good in stores only and is not accepted for food (except for the packaged food sold in the stores).

[oybolshoi]

Originally Posted by pooch

DD and I are taking a quick B-day trip (mine!). We already have Free Dining and will get my $75 birthday gift card. I expect about $325 in Reward points by then so, just emergency cash will be plenty!!! YAAAA - b-day with the Mouse!!!!

a word of warning on those b-day gift cards ... I checked because we're going to be at F&W over my birthday as well ... the fine print in the rules say that it's not good for food or beverage. Actually, after reading through everything you can't use the birthday gift card for I'm not sure what's left to use it on.

[pooch]

I can't use my B-day GC at F & WF. But that will cover the few small souvies I will buy @ Mousegear or the like. This is our 4th trip in as many years & we don't buy much anymore, a coffee mug, fridge magnets, flip flops.

That's where my DDRD comes in since I think I can use it at any of the F & WF-related shops. Yes? No? DH has been so good about DD and I going back year after year that I feel guilty spending a lot of money. I'm hoping that, with the $400 or so "free" I'll have, I can just bring $150-200 in cash to use only when neccesary.

Our time this trip is short, just Sat-Wed (all DD could get off from work). We plan on noshing around the World on arrival day, hopefully 2PMish through the first Big Daddy show, then heading to MK for the evening. Sun will be AK & MK for EMH. Mon will be Epcot all day & night. Tues (my b-day!) will probably begin in Epcot & end w/Fantasmic in DHS. Departure day will be just a few hrs in DTD with an ME pickup around 2PM.

Unfortunately I don't think we have time for demos etc. I'm hoping this will whet our appetite, pun intended, for a longer visit next year!!! Any suggestions on how we should approach the Festival with limited time would be greatly appreciated!

[TDC Nala]

I would suggest you plan to do some more noshing on Tuesday as you only have it planned for Saturday. Saturdays are the single most crowded days at World Showcase during the festival.

[oybolshoi]

Color me dense ... what is a DDRD card?

[BriarRosie]

Originally Posted by oybolshoi

Color me dense ... what is a DDRD card?

Disney Dream Rewards Dollars card, I'm assuming. I've always called it the Visa Rewards "debit" card.

[pooch]

Originally Posted by TDC Nala

I would suggest you plan to do some more noshing on Tuesday as you only have it planned for Saturday. Saturdays are the single most crowded days at World Showcase during the festival.

noshing will happen Tuesday and most assuredly Monday too!!! Don't really expect to do much on Sat. but we traditionally start our vacation with Spaceship Earth & thought it would be a good way to save 2 CS credits for EOS meals for the airport on departure day. If its too crowded (I get clastrophobic at times), we'll just go to MK earlier.