EPCOT’s Meals & Wine Pageant is its weakest occasion of the 12 months. We’ve been saying this for a number of years–that regardless of its reputation and standing as Walt Disney World’s flagship competition, it rests on its repute and legacy because the oldest EPCOT occasion. There was a degree when this may’ve been a scorching take or controversial opinion. Since 2020, it’s pretty simple–even when it’s a tricky reality for longtime WDW diehards.
The explanation that the EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Pageant is the worst occasion of the 12 months is comparatively simple. It nearly fully revolves across the World Marketplaces at this level, with just about every part else having been reduce because the ‘Style of’ occasions began in 2020. To make sure, there are different enhancements, however additionally they exist at each single different EPCOT competition.
The distinction is that each one of these different EPCOT festivals additionally provide meals, however have one thing else along with that. Meals and humanities. Meals and gardens. Meals and holidays. It’s not simply the opposite stuff being icing on the proverbial cake. I’d additionally argue that the opposite festivals arguably have higher delicacies. Flower & Backyard has turn into a powerhouse in the previous couple of years with recent and refreshing dishes. Pageant of the Arts is ingenious and artfully introduced.
In equity, EPCOT’s “worst” competition remains to be superb. Along with wanting to put in writing this publish for some time, I’ve additionally had a publish in drafts titled “EPCOT’s Festivals Are A Lower Above.” That concept was prompted by the delicacies for Meals & Wine Festivals at Disney California Journey and even my beloved Tokyo DisneySea, whereas pale compared to the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant from a culinary perspective.
Level being, I don’t need this to be a ‘grass is all the time greener’ publish. EPCOT remains to be a culinary powerhouse, and whilst cuts have been made in the previous couple of years, it’s honest to say the final couple of years (not 2024) have seen the perfect menus ever at EPCOT’s Flower & Backyard Pageant. The EPCOT Pageant of the Arts likewise continues to impress, even with some cutbacks in the course of the overhaul.
The fact is that EPCOT’s festivals have ebbs and flows. We would yearn for the previous when wanting by the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia, however these occasions weren’t good both–and there are numerous methods issues have gotten higher over time.
The purpose of this publish is to marry previous and current, with my ‘want record’ for issues I’d wish to see return to the 2024 EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Pageant. The occasion is getting into a brand new period with the completion of CommuniCore Corridor and the tip of the EPCOT overhaul, and I’d like for that to be accompanied by a banner 12 months for the large occasion. To that finish, right here’s what I’d wish to see change…
Fewer Heavy Dishes – One other publish concept that has been caught in draft purgatory for some time is “Too Many Disney Selections Are Made From Consolation.” The overall concept of that’s that decision-makers seemingly don’t account for the climate realities of Central Florida when planning issues from their air-conditioned places of work and convention rooms.
The thought for that publish was born after consuming a half-dozen new dishes ultimately 12 months’s Meals & Wine Pageant throughout 110° (not a typo) “appears like” warmth. But it surely simply as simply may’ve been written whereas getting rained on in Toy Story Land and having nowhere indoors to go (other than restrooms) or whereas strolling across the many new areas which have extra-hot pavement due to no shade. The culinary crew engaged on the next 12 months’s EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant menus ought to be doing so exterior, in August and September whereas making an attempt dishes from their very own menus at random.
That will yield fewer stews, soups, meats and potatoes–and hopefully extra seafood and plant-forward (not faux meat) dishes. There are countless potentialities for gadgets which can be refreshing and applicable for Florida’s countless summers. It will be nice to see extra of these at an occasion that spans September. What I’d actually like to see is just a few cubicles like EPCOT Farmers Feast at Flower & Backyard, which does rotating seasonal menus. It’s a fantastic sales space and a superb strategy!
Pageant Heart – The opening of CommuniCore Corridor ought to tackle this, however I nonetheless have lingering considerations that the occasions area inside that purpose-built pavilion within the heart of World Celebration gained’t provide fairly as a lot because the Wonders of Life Pageant Heart (particularly when paired with World ShowPlace and/or the Odyssey).
The Wonders pavilion was house to a wide range of sudden little surprises, akin to DCA’s pleasant Seasons of the Vine movie, Ghirardelli’s Chocolate Expertise, Junior Chef Kitchen periods, guide and wine bottle signings, purchasing, and a bunch of different issues I’m most likely forgetting because it’s been so lengthy since this area was used. (I assume there was a Disney Junior Dance Celebration and stuff with the solid from “The Chew” however I’m not 100% sure.)
Once more, numerous the Meals & Wine Pageant choices will presumably return and take residence inside CommuniCore Corridor. That might be implausible. I’m simply skeptical a few of this ‘little stuff’ will make the transfer, as Walt Disney World gained’t need to dedicate prime actual property to 3rd get together sponsors or minor choices. I hope to be improper, and for the CommuniCore Corridor to be the perfect competition heart but!
Celebration for the Senses – There have been numerous upcharge choices at previous variations of the EPCOT Worldwide Pageant of the Arts, and I need to say there have been extra in 2018 (the next 12 months is when development began and issues began to get barely scaled again) than every other 12 months in EPCOT historical past. Simply an enormous record of movie star chef and different meals or tastings, a few of which have been exterior EPCOT at Signature Eating places and elsewhere.
Whereas it’d be good to see a few of these return, a lot of them have been tremendous restricted in capability and have been one-off choices. The most important exception to that was Celebration for the Senses, which was constantly probably the most standard upcharge occasions happening at Walt Disney World. To my recollection, this was the most important of the upcharges on the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant, no less than as measured by dates and complete capability. Celebration for the Senses additionally had an enormous fan following, and is the occasion we’re requested about greater than every other.
Throughout Celebration for the Senses, a particular host leads the night’s festivities as visitors eat, drink, and rejoice. This normally options dozens of tasting stations and numerous dishes…and likewise a excessive price ticket, at $250+ per individual. Truthfully, given how steep worth will increase have been since 2019, if this does return it’ll most likely value over $400…at which level it’s a no-go for us. We’ll stick with the Meals & Wine Basic at Swan & Dolphin! Nonetheless, it’d be good to see this and the opposite expensive particular occasions return. If not for us, for the longtime Meals & Wine followers who love these items.
Extra Ingenious Menus – Look, I’m a Disney blogger. I’ve taken a solemn oath to help french fries and mac & cheese. And even absent these commandments mandating that I like these dishes, I’m a sucker for comforting delicacies. The issue, as I see it, is that Disney has leaned manner too closely into consolation meals at these festivals. That’s not simply an EPCOT drawback–DCA has completed the very same.
The “drawback” right here is that Disney appears to be giving visitors what they need, as an alternative of dishes they by no means knew they’d get pleasure from. We’ve written scathing evaluations of the french fry sales space, hen wings sales space, and donut sales space within the years these have been provided. (Not a lot with the mac & cheese sales space, as these dishes have been implausible.)
We have been nearly alone in these assessments. The Fry Basket has garnered rave evaluations, and numerous pleasure amongst Walt Disney World followers. A number of the longest traces on the competition are for dishes or drinks which can be colourful or stylish, having prolonged lists of elements…nearly all of that are synthetic flavors and colours.
We’re hardly meals snobs, however that is presupposed to be Walt Disney World’s flagship foodie occasion…french fries shouldn’t be the large new spotlight. (Sorry, not sorry.) There may be room for cute and/or comforting delicacies. Stuff like that’s numerous enjoyable! The SPAM Hash (RIP) on the Hawaii sales space was a fantastic instance of this, the kind of dish that’s each comforting, enjoyable and distinctive.
That kind of dish ought to be the blueprint for Meals & Wine Pageant, and Disney ought to provide gadgets which can be ingenious and fascinating whereas additionally being approachable and standard. Issues that shock and delight visitors’ style buds, introducing them to new dishes from world wide…not issues that will be completely at house on the youngsters menu at McDonald’s.
Bigger Menus – One simple approach to accomplish the above purpose is making menus bigger. Or somewhat, restoring menus to what they have been just some years in the past. This has gotten particularly dangerous as of 2024, with the primary two festivals of the 12 months eliminating 1-2 dishes per menu just about throughout the board.
The one exception to this has been the cubicles by third get together working individuals. That’s just about the precise reverse of what we need to see. If solely Italy can be so merciful to solely topic us to a few overpriced, microwaved dishes as an alternative of a half-dozen!
I assume this streamlining has occurred for the sake of effectivity, as traces have gotten longer as cubicles battle to maintain up with visitor demand. There are just a few options to this, from higher staffing within the kitchens to fewer ordering stations (use the DCA system of permitting ordering from one kiosk for all of them) to introducing extra competition gadgets at counter service menus to unfold out demand.
Culinary Seminars & Demonstrations – Whereas the unique and expensive choices like Celebration for the Senses and meals with movie star cooks have cult followings, the low-cost demonstrations are extra our velocity. In actual fact, these seminars are (have been) our favourite facet of the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant.
At $15 to $20 every, they provide much more than the free seminars, and numerous occasions the samples you obtain at these seminars are a greater worth than what you’d obtain for those who merely went round to cubicles and ordered gadgets. Along with the samples, you obtain fundamental background info and a few entertaining displays.
These seminars are usually not geared to the identical stage of foodie viewers because the particular occasion meals, nor are the samples of the identical caliber, however you get what you pay for. We now have completed a number of of those, and so they typically provide the perfect worth on the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant. These low-cost seminars provide a great primer to the subject coated, plus fairly good samples.
A few of these was free manner again within the day, however I don’t recall any of those that present meals or alcohol being free in 2018-2019. And truthfully, that’s high-quality by us. As Walt Disney World has grown in reputation and the native viewers elevated, the identical followers with a surplus of time clogged up these occasions by ready in line for hours for them (again and again). Offering a slight barrier to entry eradicated that, and improved issues for vacationers with restricted trip time. (I’m guessing that’s going to be an unpopular opinion, however oh effectively.)
BeaverTails – This was supposed to occur final 12 months, however didn’t. If you happen to missed that curler coaster, take a look at BeaverTails Are Gone Once more…Already?! My guess is that Disney’s culinary crew didn’t understand BeaverTails was a protected trademark and have been going to make a knock-off model…however nonetheless name them “Beaver Tails” (with the area).
No matter what occurred, that is the 12 months to deliver again BeaverTails. Hopefully Disney has labored out an settlement with the precise Canadian firm to deliver the delicacy again after a two-decade hiatus. However even when not, make their very own knock-off model and simply name it one thing completely different. Somehow, the individuals demand these pastries!
For many who are unfamiliar with them, BeaverTails has been an iconic indulgence in Canada since 1978, and at present mix the unique recipe with premium high quality elements. Served piping-hot, the hand-stretched whole-wheat pastries are each crispy and chewy on the identical time. BeaverTails really are iconic in Canada, having been eaten by Matt Damon, Ron MacLean, Ed Sheeran, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, and U.S. President Barack Obama. BeaverTails have been even featured in an episode of South Park.
Pumpkin Mousse – Much more than BeaverTails, this is the dish I miss most from EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant previous. The “Pumpkin Mousse with Ocean Spray Craisins and Orange Sauce” was so beloved that Disney even shared the recipe on-line for Thanksgiving 2011. That very same 12 months, we ended up having a half-dozen of those (not going from reminiscence, however my picture archive) over the course of our October journey.
Partly, that was as a result of it was scrumptious. But it surely was additionally low-cost. This dangerous boy value $1.50 the primary 12 months it was provided. That’s not a typo. One greenback and 50 cents. I’d fortunately pay double that for it at present and order simply as many in 2024! Truly, I’d most likely be paying triple that quantity given worth will increase–nevertheless it’d nonetheless be value it. This pumpkin mousse was wonderful, and that’s not simply our bias for all issues pumpkin speaking.
Oh, and whereas we’re at it, deliver again the Cranberry Lavatory. That Ocean Spray sponsorship actually was fruitful in additional methods than one!
Culinary Hall – Also referred to as the Rosewalk, that is the walkway between the Creativeness Pavilion and World Showcase. It’s simply been redone for what feels just like the third time since 2019, and has been house to meals cubicles or seating areas for earlier festivals. The Culinary Hall was house to the “Subsequent Eats” space that debuted in Future World again round 2017 with a small area dedicated to the now-defunct ABC tv collection, The Chew.
In typical TV vogue, these cubicles impressed a collection of spinoffs, and that has led us to the 2 teams of cubicles in Future World, these with “Eats” within the title and people with “Studio” within the title. The “Eats” cubicles have been all behind the previous Innoventions West constructing. The “Studios” have been within the Culinary Hall.
The entire Subsequent Eats and Culinary Hall areas contained a few of the greatest cubicles on the 2019 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant–to the purpose that we really useful beginning on this space when you’re nonetheless actually hungry and getting extra selective as you get to the weaker, much less bold World Marketplaces in World Showcase. These cubicles have been a mix of ingenious, enjoyable, and scrumptious–precisely what the EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant is at its greatest.
To finish this on a optimistic observe, final 12 months’s occasion kind of revived the Subsequent Eats and Culinary Hall–no less than in spirit–with the debut of the Disney100 marketplaces (Char & Chop, Wine & Wedge, Bubbles & Brine, and Swirled Showcase). The primary three of these have been actually sturdy, and Walt Disney World bringing again cubicles of this fashion or the Culinary Hall/Subsequent Eats space can be an enormous win. Whereas we’re at it, transfer Flavors from Hearth again to its correct house over right here, and restore the expanded menu!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What would you wish to see introduced again to the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant? Excited to lastly have a competition heart once more in CommuniCore Corridor? Assume that’ll end in a few of the “extras” being restored? Any hopes for World Market cubicles or menu gadgets? Assume any of the opposite demonstrations or seminars will return? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
