WDW Daily News

From cooking demos and live music to delicious food and wine, there are so many reasons for you to experience this year’s Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World® Resort! Today, we’re taking a closer look at one of those tempting opportunities – the Rockin’ Burger Block Party.

When you think of burgers, they usually start with beef and a bun – but the rules are different at this event. You might find the beginnings of a traditional sandwich, and then the chefs take the flavor to a whole new level with patties like an Indian-inspired Malai Chicken Mushroom Burger or a pork slider with aji amarillo chile slaw and avocado on brioche.

These are just two of seven impressive burgers at the first party on Sept. 30, 2016 at World ShowPlace. Other parties will take place on Oct. 14 and Nov. 11 where all-new creations will be featured, with music and plenty of libations adding to the fun. You can even vote for their favorite burger!

The Sept. 30 event features celebrity Chef Maneet Chauhan with that Malai Chicken Mushroom Burger. Here’s some other tasty competitors:

• STK – their famous “lil BRGs” with Wagyu beef, special sauce and a sesame seed bun
• Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant – a beer-battered burger topped with garlic aioli, tomato chutney and greens.
• Disney’s Beaches and Cream – the Sunrise Burger with chorizo, candied Canadian bacon, avocado spread topped with a quail egg and sriracha mayo on an English muffin.
• D-Luxe Burger – the classic Southern style: a beef burger topped with a friend green tomato, pimento cheese and Applewood-smoked bacon on a soft, sweet Parkerhouse roll.

Chef Alex Seidel, a James Beard finalist (with a Colorado blended lamb burger) plus six other local restaurant competitors will participate on Oct. 14. And Nov. 11 stars celebrity Chef Jehangir Mehta (doing a mushroom-blended “Graffiti” burger) along with six others.

All three parties take place from 7-9 p.m. and the cost is $99-$199 plus tax and gratuity.

Walt Disney World Resort guests are invited to join the fun when the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival presented by Chase turns 21 from Sept. 14-Nov. 14, 2016. The longer-than-ever party will feature global and specialty cuisine, refreshing new beverages and three live concerts nightly.

The 62-day festival at Disney’s Epcot theme park will showcase 30 global marketplaces including four new Future World marketplaces featuring fresh culinary concepts to pair with select wines, beers, cocktails and other beverages. ABC’s Emmy Award-winning lifestyle series, “The Chew,” will broadcast from the festival for the second year and will participate in one of the new Future World festival marketplaces, The Chew Collective. The festival is believed to be the largest food and wine event of its kind in the world.

Here are some fun facts about the 21st festival celebration:

• Now 62 days long, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival began in 1996 with a first run of 30 days
• At the 2016 festival, 30 global marketplaces will include new offerings like The Chew Collective in Future World’s Next Eats festival area and Islands of the Caribbean along the World Showcase Promenade
• Producers of ABC’s “The Chew” will tape 5 episodes of the show before 5 festival guest audiences numbering in the hundreds for each show
• The 21st festival will feature 32 new marketplace dishes and 49 (as of right now) new cocktails, beers, wines and ciders
• In 1998, 200 domestic and international wines were poured at the festival. This year, at marketplaces and premium events, more than 300 domestic and international wines will be offered
• More than 50 wineries and more than 35 breweries from around the world, including local craft beer operations, will be represented at festival marketplaces
• The new “The Best of Epcot Festivals 2016” cookbook by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs features 75 recipes from the global marketplaces.
• 3 Rockin’ Burger Block Parties and 6 Party for the Senses grand tastings will take place at World Showplace during the festival run. In all, the festival will feature 204 premium events ranging from Signature Dinners and Food & Wine Pairings to Beverage Boot Camps and Festival Events in World Showcase pavilions
• Guest chefs and Disney chefs numbering 250 will present culinary demonstrations and will cook for festival events
• Celebrity chefs and visiting culinarians from 10 countries and 26 U.S. states will participate in the festival at culinary demos, book signings, and special tasting events and dinners.
• Nearly 400 culinary demos, beverage and interactive seminars will take place during the 62-day festival
• During Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak festival scavenger hunt, guests can help Remy scour the park for the ingredients to make his signature dish, ratatouille. Along the way, they’ll find 12 Remy statuettes hidden in each of 11 countries of the World Showcase and at the African Outpost location. Guests can redeem the 12 stickers they’ve collected for one of 6 special pins at Select merchandise locations
• More than 375 hours of scheduled seminars will take place at the Festival Center for the 62 days of the festival.  These include culinary demos and beverage seminars, the new Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It! interactive events, plus more
• 186 Eat to the Beat concerts will be performed; 8 musical acts will appear for the first time at this year’s festival featuring entertainment ranging from rock and soul to funk and blues
• The Festival Passport (previously called the Marketplace Discovery Passport) was introduced in 2010 for the 15^th annual festival; today, the free passport will feature pages with all 30 festival marketplaces
• More than 1,200 fireworks will explode each night over World Showcase Lagoon in IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth nightime spectacular
• Chase is the festival’s presenting sponsor for the 5^th year; its Chase Lounge at the American Adventure Pavilion is open exclusively to Chase cardholders and offers an inviting place to relax and recharge
• More than 225,000,000 festival dishes were served during last year’s 53-day festival
• 100,000-plus desserts, including the Hard Soda Floats at Desserts & Champagne Marketplace, are expected to be served
• In 1997, during the festival’s second year, festival planners introduced the first Grand Tasting culinary extravaganza; in 2002, the event was renamed and moved to World Showplace as Party for the Senses, now featuring up to 50 food and beverage stations and, in 2016, new and different themed entertainment for each event

Top celebrity chefs, brand new Disney resort cooking and dining experiences and irresistible Eat to the Beat dining packages will add fresh twists to the 21^st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival presented by Chase at Walt Disney World Resort.

The annual Disney celebration of global flavors, running 62 days from Sept. 14-Nov. 14, has become one of America’s top food festivals and features inspired sips and bites at more than 30 marketplaces. And for the second consecutive year, ABC’s Emmy Award-winning lifestyle series, “The Chew,” will produce a full week of programs from the festival. “Chew” hosts Mario Batali, Carla Hall, Michael Symon, Clinton Kelly and Daphne Oz will share their Disney culinary adventures and tasty recipes before Epcot audiences Oct. 5-7 in shows scheduled to air Oct. 10-14.

More news fresh from festival planners:

• Iron Chefs Geoffrey Zakarian and Masaharu Morimoto, “Chopped” judge Maneet Chauhan and other celebrated chefs including Elliott Farmer and Graham Elliot will fire up the burners to host their very first festival special events. Other chef icons like Robert Irvine, Cat Cora, Norman Van Aken, Elizabeth Falkner, Buddy Valastro and Jamie Deen will return to entertain guests and inspire their palates at premium events that include Party for the Senses grand tastings featuring new entertainment.

• Nearly 50 percent of the global marketplace food items are new or reimagined dishes. Just some of the new flavors include: hard soda floats at Desserts & Champagne, savory vegan “nachos” at the Greece marketplace, sweet quesitos with guava sauce at the new Islands of the Caribbean kiosk and peanut butter and white chocolate mousse at The Chew Collective. Festival guests can pair food with wines, beers, cocktails and ciders as they stroll the promenade guided by a complimentary festival passport.

• First-time festival resort experiences include Brunch with a Twist at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; Culinary Adventures with a Master Chef for a hands-on chef’s table experience in a professional working kitchen; The Secret of Flavor three-course lunch that gives guests a “sensory-food connection” at Yachtsman Steakhouse; and a tropical “Zombie” encounter during Behind the Scenes at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

• New “Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It!” hands-on workshops at the Festival Center will offer guests a chance to learn a variety of culinary skills from chefs, bakers, mixologists and other pros.

• For a second year, global marketplaces will extend into Future World to offer a wider range of taste sensations. New this year in Future World are: The Chew Collective, the Wine & Dine Studio, Chocolate Studio and Greenhouse Guru; plus Islands of the Caribbean marketplace debuts in World Showcase.

• Eat to the Beat Dining Packages give music fans a chance to guarantee seats at an Eat to the Beat concert and enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at one of many popular Epcot restaurants, including Chefs de France, Le Cellier and Spice Road Table.

• Speaking of Eat to the Beat, multiple new Eat to the Beat concert acts debut; fan favorites return to play 186 festival concerts in all –Wang Chung (Everybody Have Fun Tonight!) will open the Eat to the Beat concert series Sept. 14-15. Eight new acts in the concert series lineup — including Wang Chung, Plain White T’s, Delta Rae and Toad The Wet Sprocket – will rock their chart-topping tunes. Other popular acts, including Wilson Phillips, Boyz II Men and Jeffrey Osbourne, will return to the America Gardens Theatre stage this fall.

• Celebrity chefs, wine experts and mixologists join the fun – Celebrities ranging from Rock Harper to master sommelier Andrea Robinson will share their food and beverage know-how during culinary demos, beverage seminars and a variety of other events spanning the festival’s 62 days.

• The popular Festival Private Label California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are back and available by the bottle or by the glass.

• Ratatouille returns — Chef Remy of “Ratatouille” returns with his fun-for-the-family culinary scavenger hunt that features six brand-new collectible pins this year.

• Festival Center buzzes with activity–Festival Center highlights will include new festival merchandise, the complimentary Back to Basics weekend series featuring epicurean tips and tricks from the pros, book and bottle signings and The Chocolate Experience: From Bean to the Bar, hosted by Ghirardelli and offering guest samples.

• Premium events like Rockin’ Burger Block Party and Party for the Senses grand tastings will showcase creative bites and palate-pleasing sips from eminent chefs and beverage experts plus new live entertainment.

• Intimate dining and tasting events to book will include the “Umami” Tokyo Pairing and other Epcot restaurant experiences as well as multi-course lunches and dinners at Disney Springs and resort restaurants.

• Members can rest and recharge at the Chase Lounge – Chase debit and credit card members –including Disney Visa card members — will find complimentary non-alcoholic refreshments, a charging station and comfortable seating for a relaxing break at the Chase Lounge at The American Adventure pavilion.

Included with Epcot Admission:

Back to Basics series, special book signings, Eat to the Beat concerts, cultural adventures, Festival Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.

Special Programming by Reservation:

The Party for the Senses and Rockin’ Burger Block Party grand tasting events, signature dinners and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission. Guests can call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for reservations and get details at epcotfoodfestival.com.

Take a look at some photoso of the Exterior of Royal Sommerhus at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion Featuring Anna & Elsa Meet and Greet.

Chase today announced that as part of its multi-year agreement with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, U.S., it continues as the presenting sponsor of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Running for a record 62 days from September 14 through November 14, 2016, Guests attending the Festival will be able to discover delicious global cuisines, wines and beers, as well as enjoy tastings from celebrity chefs and music from legendary artists.

Chase debit and credit cardmembers, including Disney Visa Cardmembers, will receive exclusive access to the Chase Lounge¹ at the Festival. The Lounge, located on the third floor of the American Adventure Pavilion within Epcot World Showcase, will offer cardmembers an inviting place to relax, enjoy complimentary, non-alcoholic refreshments, and access charging stations, among other amenities. It will open daily during the Festival from 11 a.m. until Park close.

At this year’s Festival, Guests can expect to:

• Taste their way around the world at more than 30 global marketplaces
• Enjoy nightly live entertainment from popular artists at the “Eat to the Beat” concert series
• Learn from the pros during beverage seminars and culinary demonstrations
• Experience much more!

Disney Visa Credit Cardmembers also have the opportunity on July 19 and July 20 to book reservations for special events offered at this year’s Festival before sales open to the general public on July 21. Call 407-939-1870 to book reservations with your Disney Visa Credit Card.

“We are thrilled to continue as the presenting sponsor of this year’s Festival and provide all Chase cardmembers an exclusive retreat at the Chase Lounge,” said B.J. Mahoney, general manager, Chase Card Services. “Not only will Chase cardmembers taste their way around the world, but they will be able to relax, recharge and refuel at the Lounge.”

The sponsorship of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival extends Chase’s relationship with Disney as the issuer of theDisney Premier Visa Credit Card, Disney Rewards Visa Credit Card and Disney Visa Debit Card. Disney Visa Credit Cardmembers earn Disney Dream Reward Dollars on all card purchases.² In addition, all Disney Visa Cardmembers have access to amazing perks 365 days-a-year, including a Disney Character Meet ‘N’ Greet at a private Cardmember location at Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort and special savings at Disney’s U.S. Theme Parks, Disney Store and DisneyStore.com.³ Cardmembers can also choose from various Disney card designs.⁴

For more information about the Festival, visit www.chase.com/epcotfoodandwine.

¹Theme Park admission to Epcot is required.

²Disney Dream Reward Dollars are subject to the terms and conditions of the Disney Rewards Program. See DisneyRewards.com for rewards details.

³Offers and offer elements including, but not limited to, participating locations, are subject to availability and additional restrictions, and may change or be canceled without notice. Must use a valid Disney Visa Card and/or Disney RewardsRedemption Card to receive special offers. Merchandise discount may not be available for certain items and at certain locations including Disneyland^® Resort and Walt Disney World^® Resort Operating Participant locations and any other locations or kiosks that are not owned and operated by the owners of the Walt Disney World^® Resort and the Disneyland^® Resort. To receive a merchandise discount, you must mention the specific offer. For entry into the Disney Character or Star Wars™ Meet ‘N’ Greet Photo Opportunities, must present your valid Disney Visa Credit Card. Not valid in combination with other offers, discounts,promotions or with any previous purchase. Minimum purchase and/or separate admission may be required. Offers are for personal use only and may not be transferred or resold. Please visit DisneyRewards.com/ParkPerks for full terms and conditions for each offer. Chase is not responsible or liable for fulfillment of these Disney Theme Park perks.

⁴Card designs are subject to availability and may change without notice.

While there are plenty of events included with Epcot® admission for the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, this year’s “premium events” include some don’t-miss options.

Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store for guests this year:

• Four all-new interactive culinary adventures in the Disney resorts encourage guests to ask the experts, taste and cook alongside our chefs at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney Yacht Club Resort.
• The new “Mix It, Make It Celebrate It” hands-on workshop gives guests the opportunity to learn from the pros – cake decorating, garnishing, cocktail mixing and other fun activities.
• The always-popular Cheese Seminars return. Guests can learn “the wheys of the world” paired with wine, beer and other beverages with Max McCalman along with other experts.
• Rockin’ Burger Block Parties are back for just three Fridays at World ShowPlace – and each party features a celebrity chef and all-you-can-eat specialty sliders paired with beverages. Guests can join Chef Maneet Chauhan on Sept. 30, Chef Alex Seidel on Oct. 14, and Chef Jehangir Mehta on Nov. 11.
• Guests will want to masquerade in chic yellow and black for the Yelloween Masquerade Party for the Senses Oct. 28 and 29, an elegant, dance-the-night-away, gourmet tasting party with Champagne, wine, craft beers and specialty cocktails paired with food.
• This year’s Party for the Senses will be every weekend in October (that’s it!). Oct. 8 features all the new chefs from Disney Springs; Oct. 15 is a reprise of last year’s popular evening with Disney chefs from around the world.
• What’s Cookin’ With … some of the country’s top celebrity chefs will begin the morning with a delightful plated brunch and sparkling wine toast. The fun starts with a demo, and the chefs answer questions from the audience and share secrets of their successes. The brunch is on select Fridays and Sundays at 10 a.m. Guests include:

• • Friday, Sept. 16 – Elizabeth Falkner
  • Sunday, Sept. 18 – Bryan Voltaggio
  • Friday, Sept. 23 – Andrea Robinson
  • Sunday, Sept. 25 – Robert Irvine
  • Friday, Sept.30 – Graham Elliot
  • Sunday, Oct. 2 – Buddy Valastro
  • Friday, Oct. 7 – Jamie Deen
  • Sunday, Oct. 9 – Cat Cora
  • Friday, Oct. 14 – Emily Ellyn
  • Friday, Oct. 21 – Andrew Zimmern
  • Sunday, Oct. 23 – Rock Harper
  • Sunday, Oct. 30 – Geoffrey Zakarian
  • Friday, Nov. 4 – Alex Guarnaschelli
  • Sunday, Nov. 6 – David Guas
  • Friday, Nov. 11 – Sarah Fioroni
  • Sunday, Nov. 13 – Jehangir Mehta

Be sure to book reservations for guests when the phone lines open: 407-WDW-FEST (939-3378) at 7 a.m. next week on Thursday, July 21, 2016. Please note Chase cardholders can book with limited availability beginning 7 a.m. July 19, 2016

And don’t forget, the Back to Basics series, special book signings, Eat to the Beat concerts, cultural adventures, Festival Passport and attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Theme Park admission.

Guests can savor nightly performances of the Eat to the Beat Concert Series when the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival returns to Walt Disney World® Resort Sept 14-Nov. 14, 2016.

Eight new acts join the lineup, including Wang Chung, BoDeans, Plain White T’s, Jeffrey Osborne, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Living Colour, Soul Asylum and Delta Rae.

Here’s a look at the full schedule:

(Subject to change. Songs listed are for artist recognition only and may not be included in the concert play list)

• Sept. 14-15 – Wang Chung NEW! “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”
• Sept. 16-18 – STARSHIP featuring Mickey Thomas “We Built This City”
• Sept. 19-20 – Air Supply “All Out of Love”
• Sept. 21-23 – BoDeans NEW! “Closer to Free”
• Sept. 24-25 – Fuel “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)”
• Sept. 26-28 – Sugar Ray “Fly”
• Sept. 29-30 – Los Lobos “La Bamba”
• Oct. 1-2 – David Cook “Light On”
• Oct. 3-4 – Wilson Phillips “Hold On”
• Oct. 5-6 – Blues Traveler “Run-Around”
• Oct. 7-9 – Plain White T’s NEW! “Hey There Delilah”
• Oct. 10-11 – 38 Special “Hold On Loosely”
• Oct. 12-13 – Jeffrey Osborne NEW! “On the Wings of Love”
• Oct. 14-16 – Tiffany “I Think We’re Alone Now”
• Oct. 17-19 – Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx “Lady”
• Oct. 20-21 – Christopher Cross “Sailing”
• Oct. 22-23 – Toad The Wet Sprocket NEW! “Walk on the Ocean”
• Oct. 24-25 – Chaka Khan “I Feel for You”
• Oct. 26-27 – Billy Ocean “Caribbean Queen”
• Oct. 28-29 – Living Colour NEW! “Cult of Personality”
• Oct. 30-Nov. 1 – Hanson “Get the Girl Back”
• Nov. 2-3 – Soul Asylum NEW! “Runaway Train”
• Nov. 4-6 – Delta Rae NEW! “Bottom of the River”
• Nov. 7-9 – Boyz II Men “Motownphilly”
• Nov. 10-11 – Sister Hazel “All For You”
• Nov. 12-14 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy “Go Daddy-O”

Performances are 5:30, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m. daily at America Gardens Theatre, and are included in Epcot admission.

The Soarin’ Around the World attraction takes guests on an exhilarating “flight” above spectacular global landscapes and man-made wonders. Located at The Land pavilion at Epcot, Soarin’ Around the World gives guests a thrilling bird’s-eye view of Earth’s scenic wonders, visiting six continents in all. (Photo composite, Disney)

A new lineup of popular celebrity chefs and a series of first-time Disney resort cooking and dining experiences will add culinary appeal to the 21^st Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival when it returns to Walt Disney World® Resort Sept. 14-Nov. 14, 2016.

Culinary notables Geoffrey Zakarian, Maneet Chauhan, Duff Goldman, Elliott Farmer, Masaharu Morimoto and Graham Elliot will step up to the stove to host their first festival special events such as seminars and culinary demonstrations. Other chef icons like Robert Irvine, Cat Cora, Norman Van Aken, Elizabeth Falkner, Buddy Valastro and Jamie Deen will return to entertain foodies and inspire their palates at premium events that include Party for the Senses grand tastings featuring reimagined entertainment.

For a second consecutive year, ABC’s Emmy-Award-winning lifestyle series, “The Chew” will arrive to produce a full week of programs on the show’s exclusive Epcot festival stage.

And, for the first time, guests can enjoy the following festival experiences at Walt Disney World Resort hotels:

• “Brunch with a Twist at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa” — a sumptuous 5-star, 5-course meal prepared by the resort’s award-winning chefs
• “The Secrets of Flavor at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort” — a three-course lunch that gives guests a ‘sensory-food connection’ at Yachtsman Steakhouse
• “Culinary Adventures with a Master Chef” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — a hands-on chef’s table experience in a professional working kitchen
• “Behind the Scenes at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto” at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort — an entertaining tour of the whimsical Trader Sam’s, followed by lunch and a special mixology session

There are signs of life at Disney World’s slowest-growing theme park. Epcot introduced two new attractions last month — the only two rides that Disney is opening in 2016 at its Florida theme parks — and they seem to be clicking with park guests.

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