Culinary fans, wine enthusiasts, and foodies, let me announce Food & Wine Weekends at Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Sept. 30 – Oct. 30, 2011!!
For five weekends in September and October the resort will feature special events aimed to complement and “fill the gaps” around the wildly popular Epcot Food and Wine Festival.
Conveniently located less than one mile from Epcot, the Waldorf Astoria Orlando is accessible inside the gates of the Walt Disney World Resort! Note: You do not have to stay at the resort to participate in these events.
Events and Highlights
Check out some of the incredible events the Waldorf has lined up for these weekends…
“Grand Pairings” Wine Dinners at Bull and Bear
Diners will enjoy an extravagant prix-fixe meal paired with wines at Bull & Bear restaurant. Wine representatives will discuss the special pairings. 7pm, $200 per person (tip and gratuity included). Reservations via 407-597-5409.
Chef David Sears at Bull and Bear
– Friday Sept. 30 – Menu Here, featuring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars – Presenter will be Lori Barranon from St. Michelle Wine Estates
– Friday Oct. 7 – Menu Here, featuring Robert Mondavi Winery – Presenter will be Teresa Romi from Constellation Winery
– Friday Oct. 14 – Menu Here, featuring Ferrari Carano Winery – Presenter will be Jim Boswell of Ferrari Carano Winery
Bull & Bear Prix-Fixe Chef’s Tasting Menu
Chef David Sears at Bull & Bear offers an extraordinary prix-fixe menu featuring superb food and wine pairings. I guarantee you this will be good!! Reservations: 407-597-5409.
– Saturday Oct. 1 – featuring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
– Saturday Oct. 8 – featuring Robert Mondavi Winery
– Saturday Oct. 15 – featuring Ferrari Carano Wineryo
– Saturday Oct. 22 – featuring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
– Friday Oct. 28 – winery TBA
– Saturday Oct. 29 – winery TBA
Ashton Cigars “Grand Pairings” Wine & Cigar Dinner
Featuring Ashton Cigars, Stag’s Leap wine, and Glenlivet Scotch. The third course will include, from Bull and Bear, a “briquette” of aged striploin with truffle ashes, and “pressed” black bear braised in Syrah Jus.
Lori Barranon will present on behalf of Stag’s Leap Cellars, and Liz Hannah from Glenlivet Scotch. Reservations: 407-597-5409. Friday Oct. 21 6:30pm, $150 per person (tip and gratuity inclusive).
Waldorf Orlando Pastries and Chocolates
Waldorf Astoria Chocolate Shop
Meet Waldorf Astoria’s pastry chefs in this special venue created especially for Food & Wine Weekends, as they share tricks and tidbits during sugar-sweetened demos. Friday and Saturday evenings (5-7pm).
Trick or Treating for Adults
Purchase a passport to enjoy a featured drink during your stay at each of six lounge venues: Bull & Bear Lounge, Aquamarine Pool Bar, Peacock Alley Lounge, Sir Harry’s Lounge, La Luce Lounge, and Sena Lounge.
It’s the ultimate TREAT, and no costumes required! ($50 per couple).
Up Late at Sir Harry’s – A Food & Wine Culinary After-Glow
Are you a night owl? The party doesn’t have to end when Epcot closes!
Sir Harry’s Lounge becomes the “place to be” for culinary fans and foodies, as you sit back, relax and enjoy the live music. Also, guests can participate in samplings and enjoy an assortment of gourmet small bites that showcase the culinary team. Friday and Saturday nights – 10pm until 1am
Steak and Eggs Breakfast at Bull & Bear
The spectacle that is known as “Steak and Eggs Breakfast at Bull & Bear,” featuring Certified Angus Beef Prime.
This isn’t offered very often, my friends, so I’d take advantage of it if I were you!
Steak and Eggs Breakfast Menu -- click image for larger version
Sunday mornings in October from 10:30 a.m. til 1:00 p.m., $49 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Includes a drink from the Bloody Mary Station. Reservations: 407-597-5409.
Friday Night Flights
Wine Tasting Experiences scheduled Friday evenings at Sir Harry’s. (6-10pm $25 per person)
Sir Harry's
Friday Sept. 30 – featuring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Friday Oct. 7 – featuring Robert Mondavi Winery
Friday Oct. 14 – featuring Ferrari Carano Winery
Friday Oct. 21 – featuring Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Friday Oct. 28 – winery TBA
Live Entertainment
Featuring the Jazz-infused Joseph Jevanni at Peacock Alley, and the modern lounge vibes of HarvesTown at Sir Harry’s.
Astoria After Dark
A nightly children’s dining program at WA Kids Club, giving parents the opportunity to dine at our restaurants or attend our events.
Coffee with Guest Blogger
Meet some of the Web’s best food and wine bloggers! You can meet ME on Saturday, October 8th!!
Sunset over Tower of Terror from Waldorf Orlando
Waldorf Food and Wine Weekends Package
While you don’t have to stay at the Waldorf to participate in these events, there is a companion package available should you choose to stay close to the action! (We can highly recommend the Waldorf Orlando…in fact, we’d live there if we could. Trust me, my husband has done the math.)
– Deluxe guest room
– $25 gift card to use at the “sampling” booths in Epcot’s World Showcase, home to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival (one per stay and per family)
– Complimentary scheduled transportation to Epcot® (and other Disney® theme parks)
– 2pm late check-out on Sunday morning
– 10 percent discount for the “Grand Pairings” Wine Dinners at Bull & Bear, excluding cigar dinner.
– In addition, an opportunity to participate in special events and experiences (see website for details)
For more information or reservations on this Waldorf Astoria Orlando weekend package, please visit www.waldorfastoriafoodwineweekends.com, or call 888-353-2009 and reference SRP FDWNFS. For additional schedule updates, visit www.bonnetcreekblog.com. For meal reservations, please call 407-597-5409.
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Sadly I’m thinking this story is going to get buried today.
Wait, there was other Disney news today? 😉
This event sounds fantastic but the announcement comes a bit late. We’ve already booked several hard-ticket events so it will be hard to catch as much of this as we would like.
A few questions for AJ:
Are the prix-fixe menus on Friday and Saturdays different or is the only difference that Fridays will have a wine rep?
What are the prices for other events above, like Saturday dinners, chocolate shop and afterglow party? I didn’t see them listed anywhere on the linked websites.
My mouth dropped when I stumbled on this the other day. We will be at the Hilton in a couple weeks and hopefully can hit the Friday Night Flight:)
O. M. Goodness. Where’s my credit card? Time to max that puppy out. This all sounds aMAzing. I might even have to throw in an “amazeballs.” A “word” that I have never, ever used.
Somewhat more definitive answers but they may not be current anymore:
– The tasting menu is the same on Friday and Saturday, including price, the only difference being that there is a rep available on Friday to introduce the wines. The menu is also available in the main dining room on those nights and individual courses can even be ordered a la carte. The website has also been updated with more details about the dinners, and each week will feature a visiting chef from one of the other WA properties.
– There is no extra charge for the “Afterglow” at the Sir Harry’s bar. The $ symbol on the schedule just means that you’d still need to pay for your drinks.
– The chocolate shop is a temporary setup where you can buy some premade chocolates (not the truffle type). You can try a free sample of some drinking chocolate and whichever candy they are demo-ing at the time.
– The restaurants and bars will validate for discounted valet parking from $12 to $5.
Thanks Chris!!