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Nicole Simeone
Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival
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With Thanksgiving only days away, I thought it appropriate to look back at my experiences at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival. Our Disney heavy vacation schedule allowed Adam and I to attend both the 2018 and 2019 Food and Wine Festivals. The opportunity gave me a very different perspective of my least visited Disney World park.
The Festival offers guests exceptional dining experiences, demonstrations by celebrity chefs, themed merchandise, and much more. I will admit we didn’t seek out the seminars and chef experiences on either visit. We looked over the lists before we went, and there was some interest. Once we were inside the park, poof! The interest disappeared.
Part of the reason for that was that we had absolutely no idea what we were signing up for. Last October, we walked through the gates on a Saturday morning, ready to kick off our anniversary trip. Stacy, Adam’s sister, and her husband, Dave, met us for the weekend to have a quick getaway. So between the four of us, wait, no. I bring nothing to the table on this one. Between the three of them, the Epcot experience is exceptionally high.
After about an hour or so, it became evident we were rookies swimming in a sea of experts. The park wasn’t the same, and neither was the crowd. It was as if we walked into an alternate Epcot. I don’t mean that negatively. We just were not expecting the experience we received.
Those folks who feel Disney is only for kids wouldn’t know how to compartmentalize the vibe in Epcot. Kids were a decided minority that day. The majority in attendance were groups of adults, many with matching, Disney drinking-related shirts. Minus the matching shirts, we fit into that category, but we didn’t have the same mindset.
On any day outside of the Festival, Epcot presents a challenge to a particular sort of person. I think you all know what I am talking about. Drinking around the world. It’s been a running gag that we’re going to do it each time we go. And in the end, we never really do. Going at the peak of the summer heat puts a stop to the idea somewhere around Germany. That and the buffet found in the Germany pavilion.
When the Food and Wine Festival is on, the challenge becomes far more complicated. From mid-April to mid-November. The World Showcase becomes home to a bevy of pop up country booths. I would guess doubling the beer options available.
Our day was not unpleasant, though, despite the unexpected shock. We jostled and meandered through the World Showcase, taking in the sights, visiting our favorite spots, pretended there wasn’t a German buffet, and people watching. We were four adults, two with Minnie ears on, making someone irritated by our freedom.
One thing we didn’t get to partake in much was the food. Many of the lines for food offered stiff competition against the line for Frozen. That said, we did get an opportunity to grab a few choice dishes and bevies. Now, to be clear, I didn’t strong-arm the party into waiting in line at the Belgium pop up. It was a short line that matched up with a bathroom ride. Sorry CJ, the food and the beer in Belgium were fantastic. Adam and I shared the Beer-braised Beef served with Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes. I wish I hadn’t shared.
We also stopped at the Morocco booth for some Spicy Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomatoes, Onions, Tzatziki, and Chipotle Sauce. They aren’t kidding on the spicy part, but it’s not overbearing. A great sharable snack.
Ultimately, we decided to escape the bevy of food possibilities and lines and land under the sea at the Coral Reef restaurant. That was a hell of a treat! Delicious food and a view of the aquarium from every table. A perfect way to end an unexpected day.
Fast forward to 2019, Adam and I elected to schedule our trip to Epcot for a Monday. To say the atmosphere was different would be an understatement. The frenzy and rush we had seen a year before was nonexistent. The lines were far more reasonable. So, this time, we got to sample a lot more of the world.
Some of our choices were not specific Food and Wine Festival offerings. We selected some everyday fare we hadn’t tried before too. Our day started in the Mexico Pavilion for a Frozen Mango Margarita. Not a typical selection for either of us, but it was a welcome change.
We sipped on this as we wandered through the marketplace inside the pyramid. The creamy mango flavor made this extremely drinkable and dangerous.
A quick jaunt, and we found ourselves in Norway. While everyone flocks there for Anna and Elsa, we always make a stop at the beer cart for the Einstök options, although these aren’t Norwegian in origin. Regardless, they are two of the best beer options you can get your hands on in Epcot and available all year round. We also took a pause to get our first snack from the new Alps booth. Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with Baby Potatoes, Cornichons, and Baguette. Yes, they have a block of swiss cheese over a heat lamp creating a cheese fall. I could eat that all day long. In fact, i probably could have watched the cheese melt all day long too. The dish paired nicely with the Einstök White ale.
At this point in our international travels, we stopped in Germany for a pretzel and a Weinstephaner Festbier, both options available all year long. The one downside to the pretzel is the lack of dipping sauces. Packets of mustard are available, but I think they could do a bit better than Guldens. But, that said, I think you can see by the photo, eating the pretzel was not a struggle.
After a brief stop at the American pavilion for a beer flight, we snacked on the Spicy Roll, which is a tuna and salmon sushi roll with volcano sauce. A very accessible sushi option with just enough volcano sauce. Being a weenie when it comes to spice, I really liked this and would definitely go back for more.
This year at the Belgium pop up, we doubled down on their food selections, ordering the beer-braised beef again as well as the Belgian waffle with chocolate ganache and whipped cream. Decadent, delicious, and looking back, why did I share? I paired the dishes with St. Bernardus’ witbier, much to the disgust of CJ and to my enjoyment.
Not wanting to stop the sweet streak and in need of a coffee, we made our way back to Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie for deux cafes et tarte aux fraises.
Sorry, two coffees and a strawberry tart. Nom. Nom. Nom. Simple, yet so satisfying.
By now, you’d think we would have packed it in and rolled ourselves back to the bus. It may have been a wise choice, but as they say in New Orleans: laissez les bonnes temps rouler!
Ireland was next on our travels, and in my opinion, this pop up should be situated right next to the German pretzel stand. Why, you ask? Because brown bread makes a suitable dipping implement for cheddar cheese stout dip, but a pretzel would have been worlds better. We paired our brown bread and cheese dip with Brehon Brewhouse Killanny Red. An excellent decision, if I do say so myself.
Our last stop was Canada. We ordered the Cheddar cheese and bacon soup. This actually came with a pretzel roll, but I preferred the German recipe. And, of course, one last beverage. We opted to try Collective Arts Saint of Circumstance Citrus Blond. The lightness of the beer balanced out the heavy soup. A good way to end our foodie trek across the World Showcase.
The takeaways from our adventures?
- Don’t go on a weekend
- Save up for the savories
- Don’t leave Nicole unattended with that many cheese dishes
- Wear stretchy pants
À bientôt Nerd Girls!