Once again we enjoyed our times at our annual EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival. We went three times to collect our “wine glasses” for annual pass holders commemorating the 20th annual Festival. We have been coming to this event for at least ten of those years.
We came on Sunday, September 27, on the third day of the opening. It was hot and crowded. We promised never to come back so early. We were literally soaked in sweat.
After visiting New Mexico for eight days, we came back to EPCOT for another two days. On our trek, we came across a wine presentation given by Kurt Russell. He has performed in more Disney movies than any other actor. Ironically, he never did get the part of a young boy in Mary Poppins.
Kurt is passionate about his wines. He has produced several wines under the name of GoGi Wines. He has even named one of his wines, “Goldie,” after his life partner since 1983, Goldie Hawn.
Kurt is quite entertaining. He talked about an experience with Walt Disney who showed him the early plans to EPCOT. “At that time, there was a plan for a large dome over EPCOT,” Kurt remembers. Ironically, he was speaking in a facility with a “dome” type of building.
Kurt Russell was not the only celebrity at EPCOT at this time. The cast from the show “CHEW” was filming at center stage. Kathie tried to get tickets, but they were highly prized. We got to see the Chew from a distance.
Well almost! We were in a pavilion to use the restroom. As I was waiting for Kathie, Mario Batali comes walking down the hall. I said, “Hello.” He says “Hello” back and walked on. When Kathie got out of the restroom, I took her to a security guard and asked, “Who just walked by here?” “That was Mario,” the guard said. Kathie said to me, “Why didn’t you get a picture? At least you could have stopped him and told him how we ate at EATALY in NYC and Chicago.” All I could tell Kathie was that “Mario is a big guy.”
Walking around the Showcase we loved several small plates of food. The Chew had two pavilions. Kathie thoroughly enjoyed the “poached Salmon.”
I liked Australia’s Spicy Shrimp. So delicious.
I also liked Canada’s Spicy Chicken Sausage with Minus 8 Onion Jam with polenta. Maybe my favorite.
We did enjoy seeing SOARIN not once, but three different times. There is something about that ride when it lifts you up and takes you on a tour of California. I think the “pine smell” you get while watching the rafters go down the stream is my favorite part.
We did stop and see most of the Canadian Lumberjack show. It was “corny,” but interesting nonetheless.
One of our last plates of the day was from Ireland with a “Chocolate Pudding Cake.” Kathie did not care for it. I thought it was just fabulous!
We came early and went home around 5:00 P.M. While making our way around EPCOT countries, we met some great people who came from Montreal, Chicago, Panama City and Pennsylvania. As it has been said about EPCOT: “Every Person Comes Out Tired.” It is so true.
