Registration for the "Signature Events" of this year's Disney's California Food and Wine Festival is now open on Disney's web site: http://www.disneyland.com/foodandwine.
We have all of the updated information on All Ears HERE
They were pretty late in getting all of the event information out this year - prices didn't go up until Monday, and registration opened on Tuesday!
One thing they've done this year that I really like: Theme park admission is no longer required for certain events, such as Taste, the World Celebration dinners and the "Behind the Scenes with..." events. I know that in past years the theme park admission requirement is one thing that has prevented us from inviting friends/family to join us at Taste - pay $125 for the event, PLUS then pay $60 for admission to the park - when you're not even going to the park??? That's pretty cost prohibitive! So hooray for that.
Of course, the waiving of park admission comes with a price - a price increase. Taste is $150 this year, up $25 from last year. But for those who had to purchase park admission, including many Annual Passholders who had to pay $40 for a blockout day ticket, I guess it's actually a decrease in price. :-)
I have to say the one that really shocked me was the $185 price tag on the "Behind the Scenes with..." events. I had been planning to sign up for the John Lasseter event, but $185 for wine and appetizers is too rich for my blood. So we'll be passing on that one.
We do plan to attend one of the Winemaker dinners (up $10, to $135), and one of the Sweet Sundays events ($65), and I want to make it to one of the World Celebration dinners ($135), but their mid-week schedule makes it more difficult since I don't live in the L.A./Orange County area.
Another new pricing wrinkle this year - in the past the event price has included tax and gratuity - this year it's just gratuity, so tack another 8% or so onto the price, which of course makes the price increases that much more.
The events look great, but with those prices in this economy I have to wonder how well they are going to do in filling them this year.
Posted by Laura Gilbreath on February 27, 2009 5:00 AM | 
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I was also surprised that the Behind the Scenes With... dinners had gone up in price and only included wine/appetizers. I was fortunate enough to attend the Guy Fieri dinner last year and had a wonderful experience, and I too was planning on attending the John Lasseter event this year until I called Disney Dining and realized it did not include a full dinner. Hopefully next year Disney will return to their old generous habits.
Posted by Ashley Quan | March 18, 2009 12:57 PM
Posted on March 18, 2009 12:57