Party for the Senses at Epcot

Party for the Senses
Party for the Senses

Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival once again plays host to the Party for the Senses in World Showplace each Saturday night in October. This Grand Tasting Event is one of the most popular events of the entire festival and has been for years now. This past weekend was my first chance to experience this party first hand. The event is from 7:00 until 9:30pm and does require admission to Epcot in addition to the party ticket. It is a sensory experience, with the party focusing on smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound. From dozens of different food and beverage offerings to music and performances by Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba cast, your senses will certainly be stimulated by the Party for the Senses.

Some things to know before you go to the party that might be helpful: There are three types of tickets to this event. First is general admission, which runs $169. including alcohol for guests age 21 and up and taxes. This gives you access to the party starting at 7pm, but no seating guaranteed. There are high top tables, but not necessarily seats to go with them, so if you are going with this option, get here early so you can be first in line to get in. Guests were checking in around 5:30pm when we arrived, so be prepared to stand and wait for a couple hours before the party starts if you want to be first in line to get a table. The next option, which is what I’d recommend, is to get a reserved table for $199. per person. In addition to guaranteed seating, you also get early access at 6:45pm, and a cocktail to kick off the party. The third option is the Wine View Lounge, which is a separate section in the middle of the floor, right in front of the stage. These tickets are $319. each and include early access at 6:45pm and the special cocktail to start. Also included is a private reserved table, premium bar access, and an artisanal cheese station.

Waiting area before the Party
Waiting area before the Party
Stations set up in World ShowPlace
Stations set up in World ShowPlace
Reserved area for Wine View Lounge
Reserved area for Wine View Lounge
Menu and place setting
Menu and place setting

My guest and I were seated in a reserved section just adjacent to the main stage where we found it to be convenient to the stations spread out around the World ShowPlace building. We decided early on that we would attack this like we do Food and Wine kiosks where we pace ourselves and split all of the tastes between us. This allows us to enjoy more and not fill up since we are doing half of everything. We then went back for some favorites to get seconds since some were that amazing.

The party features prominent chefs from all over the country as well as Disney chefs from all over property to showcase individual tastes. Some were quite simple with just a taste of one or two items together, and others were magnificently constructed compilations of almost a dozen ingredients combined. If you get a chance to go, remember to pace yourself. This is a two and a half hour event and I didn’t see any of the dozens of stations run out of food or drink.

Pistachio macaron
Pistachio macaron
Chocolate display
Chocolate display
Chefs at their station ready to serve
Chefs at their station ready to serve
View of the floor
View of the floor

One thing that we found extremely helpful was the menu that we got that was color coded to the location on the floor, which made finding specific items you hadn’t tried yet easier to track down. We tried every main food item, missed one of the cheese stations, the dessert with pistachios was skipped since I’m allergic, and I think I skipped the chocolate station. Other than that, we tried everything in the way of food at least once. Since I was driving I limited my alcohol intake to the cocktail at the beginning, which was a nice dry white sparkling wine, and a fantastic strawberry-lime cider from Sweden. My guest on the other hand, took it upon herself to sample quite a few of the wines.

For those who have any food allergies, it is very important that you ask at each individual station if you have any concerns. I mentioned I avoided one of the desserts since it was labeled on the menu with pistachios, but I did find one other location that didn’t list them as an ingredient, but I saw green nuts and figured I’d ask. I was glad I did because they were able to make me the dish without the pistachios and it ended up being one of my favorites of the night.

We grazed through the night sampling dozens of great food items and eventually musicians from Cirque du Soleil took to the stage to sing and perform selections from La Nouba. Later into the evening some of the clowns and other performers mingled on the floor interacting with guests. Towards the end of the night, about six or so of the La Nouba gymnasts and acrobats joined the clowns on stage to replace the musicians. They put on parts of the show, if you’ve ever seen La Nouba or commercials for it, the section with the trampoline and gymnasts going into the house facade with windows, bouncing in and around them and up to the roof. It is quite amazing to see them perform this inside the smaller height of the World ShowPlace building compared to their auditorium at Disney Springs.

Cirque du Soleil musicians
Cirque du Soleil musicians
Cirque du Soleil gymnasts
Cirque du Soleil gymnasts
Clowns bouncing around
Clowns bouncing around
I liked how they also had screens all around the room so you could see the stage no matter where you were seated
I liked how they also had screens all around the room so you could see the stage no matter where you were seated

Once we had completed the list of all the bites we wanted to try, we went back for a few of our favorites before heading out. The party allows you to take home your wine glass, which is the 20th Anniversary edition for the Food and Wine festival. We felt completely full, but not overstuffed with the many appetizers we had tried. Some of our favorites were the Lobster Lo Maine, the roasted cauliflower, the bison, and the lamb with roasted potatoes.

Lobster Lo Maine
Lobster Lo Maine
Roasted cauliflower
Roasted cauliflower
Bison
Bison
Roasted lamb and potatoes
Roasted lamb and potatoes

Overall it was a fantastic evening of friends, food, fun, entertainment, and trying new things. I am not particularly a fan of lamb or cauliflower, but these ended up being two of my favorite dishes of the entire night. I got to try a sip of the Chewtini that is being offered at the Food and Wine kiosks to celebrate the show the Chew. The music was great, and I didn’t get too scared of the clowns since I knew what to expect having seen La Nouba before.

This is a fantastic way to spend an evening with friends or family enjoying sips and bites from different restaurants all over the country and even world. We even timed our exit just right to come out a few minutes before Illuminations started, and if you come early, you also get the chance to see the Eat to the Beat Concert. I highly suggest that you try to book this soon if it isn’t already sold out, and if it is, add it to your calendar of must dos for next year. The Party for the Senses is a great way to experience Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival in a unique way where you can sit in air conditioning, and enjoy many different offerings for food and beverages while being entertained by the Cirque du Soleil cast.

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Monsters Are On The Loose This Halloween At Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Monster Doughnuts at Krispy Kreme

Monsters Are On The Loose This Halloween At Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Celebrate the Halloween season with the new, frightfully delicious Monster doughnuts – perfect for sharing with the ghouls and goblins in your life now through October 31 at the following Central Florida Krispy Kreme Doughnuts locations:

Krispy Kreme Winter Park – Drive thru Open 24 hours

1031 S. Orlando Avenue (17-92), Winter Park, FL  32789

Open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Sunday–Thursday) and

5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Friday and Saturday)

Krispy Kreme Millenia– Open 24 hours

4080 Millenia Blvd., Orlando, FL 32939

Krispy Kreme Kissimmee– Open 24 hours

5310 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

(192 / Mile Marker 11.5), Kissimmee, FL  34746

Monster Doughnuts at Krispy Kreme

“There’s no better way to celebrate the Halloween season than with Krispy Kreme,” said Dwayne Chambers, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts’ chief marketing officer. “Our guests will love the new monster doughnuts we added to this year’s Halloween sweet treat collection. Along with the pumpkin doughnut and spider web doughnut, we’ve created a unique and delicious way to celebrate Halloween.”

Krispy Kreme’s Halloween sweet treat collection includes:

  • the new Monster doughnut, which is a Kreme filled shell dipped in either electric purple or ghoulish green icing and hand-decorated with white icing and sugar eyes in a variety of six monster faces
  • the Pumpkin doughnut, a pumpkin-shaped, Kreme filled doughnut topped with orange colored icing with a hand-decorated jack-o-lantern face
  • the Spider Web doughnut, a Kreme filled doughnut topped with chocolate icing and a spider web design.

Monster Doughnuts at Krispy Kreme

Save the Date: Get a FREE doughnut when you wear your costume in store on October 31.

For those not daring enough to try the Monster doughnuts, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts’ line of fall flavors are also available now through Nov. 26 including the New Salted Caramel Latte and New Salted Caramel Latte Doughnut, as well as the very popular Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut.

Krispy Kreme Flavors of Fall 2015

*The Salted Caramel Latte and Pumpkin Spice Latte are available hot, iced or frozen exclusively at the Krispy Kreme Millenia shop.*

Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Dozen

About Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is a global retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed® doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Krispy KremeDoughnuts is proud of its Fundraising program, which for decades has helped non-profit organizations raise millions of dollars in needed funds. The Company has more than 1,000 retail shops in 24 countries. Connect with all things Krispy Kreme® at www.KrispyKreme.com, or on one its many social media channels, including www.Facebook.com/KrispyKreme, and www.Twitter.com/KrispyKreme.

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