Meat Pies are a big thing down there.
Fosters is not, but Busch would no doubt serve it there.
Fosters is not, but Busch would no doubt serve it there.
Food and Wine Festival 2019
- Thread starter Gavin
- Start date
There is the iconic Vegemite, as well.
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I'm very appreciative that the park did the free F&W item for members each visit again this year. That perk has been one of the best ones for the memberships to me. I do think it is odd that the last weekend wasn't included in that promotion though?
Other random thoughts from this year's event, I think the food quality overall was very good, lines seemed the longest I've seen and despite the decreased savings lanyards still seem very popular. Also I still really miss the Schnitzelwich, please bring it back!
For next year I would love to see them open around 3 stands every day of the week. Rotate through them or choose the most profitable. It would enable them to continue making money from the event without the full extra staff.
My suggestions for next year's new booths, South Africa or just African overall like they did the first years with Asian and a Kid's Booth in FoF. Have foods that kids love, make it fun and get them involved in the event. That icee stand is the perfect place since it's one of the worst kiosks in the park the way it is.
Other random thoughts from this year's event, I think the food quality overall was very good, lines seemed the longest I've seen and despite the decreased savings lanyards still seem very popular. Also I still really miss the Schnitzelwich, please bring it back!
For next year I would love to see them open around 3 stands every day of the week. Rotate through them or choose the most profitable. It would enable them to continue making money from the event without the full extra staff.
My suggestions for next year's new booths, South Africa or just African overall like they did the first years with Asian and a Kid's Booth in FoF. Have foods that kids love, make it fun and get them involved in the event. That icee stand is the perfect place since it's one of the worst kiosks in the park the way it is.
I enjoy Japanese cuisine, and it’s good business practice to offer a variety of culinary options. That said - Welcome background/ insights into why the Japan food stand was plopped down in the middle of the Italy area of the park? Outside of the obvious: “J” being alphabetically close to “I.”
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I'm sorta not sure what you're asking to be honest.
Why it's there in general? The Food & Wine Festival has expanded well beyond the countries represented inside the park during the main season and hence, festival booths have to be placed in unrelated hamlets.
Why the Japan booth specifically was placed in San Marco? It reused the booth from the now defunct Asia F&WF booth.
Why it's there in general? The Food & Wine Festival has expanded well beyond the countries represented inside the park during the main season and hence, festival booths have to be placed in unrelated hamlets.
Why the Japan booth specifically was placed in San Marco? It reused the booth from the now defunct Asia F&WF booth.
For the same reasons that Mexico and Virginia were in Scotland, Hawaii was in Ireland, Cuba was in France, Brazil was in New France, Jamaica and Philippines was in Germany and South Korea was in Festa. None of these areas share any large connection to the area they are in. Would you rather the park limit themselves to only the countries that are currently represented in the park? That wouldn't make for a very interesting Food and wine festival. All the booths are similarly in a place where they are plopped in the middle of a Hamlet and can seem slightly out of place.
As for why Japan and the Asia kiosk was placed in that specific location. You have to remember that the first year of Food and Wine there was not a kiosk in that location. When the event provided successful the park looked to expand and the spot where Japan currently sits was a logical choice as it is in the main path and has enough room for a large kiosk. Asia was most likely chosen because it represented an area of the world that at the time BGW didn't offer and cuisine from or inspired by. Then in 2018 when BGW began the process of transitioning from kiosks that represented entire regions to kiosks that represented only a single country they changed Asia to Japan and added South Korea in Festa. The reason for the is like @Zachary said the park reused the Asia booth which already was inspired by Japanese architecture.
Thank you, Zachary, for the context and explanation. Just a concern about hamlets being experientially ‘compromised’ for 51 weeks of the year because there’s no place to store/place the festival eateries. Exacerbated when they’re not serving a function off-festival by being closed.
They are removed from the area after the event is over. BGW uses a large crane and places them before the festival and then removes then after the festival. They are normally placed in the back area nearby
Thanks. They were probably running behind when I visited the week of Independence Day.
So, I think I get what you are asking: you want to know why there are still F&WF booths up after the event ends?
Occasionally, they reuse them for other things, like the Cuba booth last year. I found that a bit jarring, to be honest. Others are actually permanent quick service locations that are temporarily appropriated by the Festival. The Mediterranean booth is a great example of that. The rest they do remove.
I haven’t been to the park in a few weeks, so I don’t know if any are still out. If the Japan booth in particular has not been removed, hopefully they will get to it soon.
Interestingly, given the actual theme of Festa, which that booth is near, a Japanese booth does make some sense. The hamlet is meant to be a celebration of Marco Polo, who claimed to have traveled through Asia.
I would note that the F&WF actually ran 17 May through 30 June. So, leaving it up would break the immersion for 45 weeks, not 50.
Edit: if you were there 4th of July weekend, then absolutely they hadn’t gotten to it yet. It was only a week later, and there was a ton work to do to switch over in those 5 days.
Occasionally, they reuse them for other things, like the Cuba booth last year. I found that a bit jarring, to be honest. Others are actually permanent quick service locations that are temporarily appropriated by the Festival. The Mediterranean booth is a great example of that. The rest they do remove.
I haven’t been to the park in a few weeks, so I don’t know if any are still out. If the Japan booth in particular has not been removed, hopefully they will get to it soon.
Interestingly, given the actual theme of Festa, which that booth is near, a Japanese booth does make some sense. The hamlet is meant to be a celebration of Marco Polo, who claimed to have traveled through Asia.
I would note that the F&WF actually ran 17 May through 30 June. So, leaving it up would break the immersion for 45 weeks, not 50.
Edit: if you were there 4th of July weekend, then absolutely they hadn’t gotten to it yet. It was only a week later, and there was a ton work to do to switch over in those 5 days.
The only thing I have to add about the Japan booth, was I overheard several people think they rethemed San Marco to Japan.
Thank you. My larger concern was/is thematic experience juxtaposition 'the things that make you go hmmm.'
I can make the transition from erudite to creative license fairly easily - perhaps BGW might consider a focus on food types for the festival, e.g. pasta, and serve sesame soba in Italy.
As long as the temporary food booths are just that—temporary—I have no problem with them. Things like the Cuba kiosk being left up year round last; however, really bother me.
I always like to go back to my tried and true test, WWED (what would Epcot do). Epcot puts festival booths up in unrelated World Showcase pavilions, but they go up as late as possible and they come down as early as possible. As long as BGW follows that example, I'm perfectly happy.
I always like to go back to my tried and true test, WWED (what would Epcot do). Epcot puts festival booths up in unrelated World Showcase pavilions, but they go up as late as possible and they come down as early as possible. As long as BGW follows that example, I'm perfectly happy.
The change over is not finished. Japan is gone, but Brazil still has the bight painted wood and Mediterranean still had menus and stands posted. I was actually hoping they decided to keep that one going. They didn't.
If Cuba was just painted so it didn't look like a giant traffic cone, I'd be fine with it staying there. Don't intentionally have it look closed up and waiting for next F&W, have it blend in and just add aesthetically to the town.
