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CALIFORNIA
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AT A GLANCE...
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HOLLYWOOD PICTURES BACKLOT
Disney Animation Building
--Animation Academy
--Courtyard Gallery
--Sorcerer's Workshop
--Art of Animation Gallery
--Turtle Talk with Crush
Drawn to the Magic
Hyperion Theater -
    Aladdin
Monsters, Inc.
MuppetVision 3D
Playhouse Disney Live!
Tower of Terror

GOLDEN STATE
Bay Area
Golden Dreams
Bountiful Valley Demo
    Farm

A Bug's Land
Flik's Fun Fair
--Heimlich's Chew Chew
     Train
--Flik's Flyers
--Francis' Ladybug Boogie
--Tuck'n'Roll's Drive 'em
     Buggies
--Princess Dot Puddle Park
It's Tough to be a Bug

Condor Flats
Soarin' over California

Golden Vine Winery

Grizzly Peak
Grizzly River Run
Redwood Creek Challenge
    Trail

Pacific Wharf
Boudin Bakery Tour
Mission Tortilla
    Factory Tour

PARADISE PIER
Boardwalk Games
California Screamin'
Golden Zephyr
Jumpin' Jellyfish
King Triton's Carousel
Maliboomer
Mulholland Madness
Orange Stinger
Sun Wheel
S.S. Rustworthy

Toy Story Midway Mania!
Now Open!

SUNSHINE PLAZA

ENTERTAINMENT
Disney's Electrical
    Parade
Pixar Play Parade

SPECIAL EVENTS
Disney's
   HalloweenTime
Food & Wine
   Festival
Mickey's Halloween
   Treat

ARCHIVES
Block Party Bash

OTHER THEME PARKS

Disneyland

Animal Kingdom
Disney's Hollywood
   Studios
Epcot
Magic Kingdom

Universal Orlando
    Resort
--Universal Studios
--Islands of Adventure

Food and Wine Weekends have returned to Disney's California Adventure this year, with a new logo, new venues, and several new events. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from April 27 though May 20 park visitors can attend complimentary demonstrations, including cooking demonstrations (samples included!), lifestyle seminars, and beer and wine tasting events in the park, and try the food items at the Taste of California Marketplace.

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WHAT'S NEW
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The Golden Vine Winery area continues to be the focal point of the festival. In addition to hosting the Festival Welcome Center, culinary demonstrations take place on the upper terrace of the Golden Vine Winery, and the wine tasting seminars and the Merchandise area are located on the lower patio. New this year are Health and Wellness seminars in the Seasons of the Vine theater, and on Saturdays, Chef Jamie Gwen broadcasts her radio show live from the Wine Terrace.

There are several new events and venues, including the addition of a second demonstration kitchen and, for the younger set, a Junior Chef cookie baking session, both in the Pacific Wharf area. The wine and beer tasting program has been expanded, with the Beer Education area now in a separate location, also at the Pacific Wharf, thus permitting up to five wine tastings and three beer tastings per day. One advantage to the new cooking and beer tasting venues is that they are more accessible - those who don't arrive in time to get a seat for the cooking demonstration or beer tasting can still stand around the perimeter and see and hear the presentation.

One area where the Festival has cut back is the Taste of California Marketplace - last year there were two locations, but this year the food selections are available at only one - the Lucky Fortune Cookery - and there are fewer choices. There are seven different food items and two dessert items, plus six wines and two beers available. The food/beverage prices range from $3.00-$5.00, and the portions are fairly small. About half of the food items are new this year.

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SIGNATURE EVENTS
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There have been a number of changes in the Signature Events (e.g. the ones you pay extra for) this year. The first being a fairly hefty price increase for most events. The popular Winemaker and Celebrity Chef dinners are back, though this year they are all being held outside the park, at Steakhouse 55 (Disneyland Hotel) and Napa Rose (Grand Californian) respectively. The very well-received Napa Rose Cooking School has also returned - and once again these very limited sessions sold out quickly. The Guest Sommelier Education Series has been replaced by an Introduction to Wine Tasting session held on Saturdays - and this is the only event that costs less this year ($20) than last year ($60).

New this year are the Festival Wine Receptions on Saturday evenings. At this wine and hors d'oeuvres party attendees may sample a selection of 12-15 different wines from several different wineries and partake of a number of hot and cold appetizers, such as cheese, fruit, bread, grilled vegetables, empanadas and crab cakes.

Also new this year is an event called Taste. This event will be held on one night only (May 12), and tickets are available only to annual passholders (though they may purchase for up to 10 guests). From the limited information available, Taste sounds like California's version of Epcot's Party for the Senses, featuring a series of food, wine, and beer tasting stations, as well as live entertainment.

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TOURING TIPS
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The complimentary sessions, particularly the wine tasting and cooking demonstrations, tend to fill up, especially later in the day. A limited number of tickets are handed out prior to each cooking demonstration. After obtaining a ticket guests may return later to stand in line for admission to the demonstration area. Tickets are not used at the wine tasting seminars, and guests must be in line when Cast Members go through with wristbands about 10 minutes prior and do a head count.

While the venues for the various seminars/demonstrations are in the shade, the queue areas are not, and can get quite warm on a sunny California day. Guests should come prepared with hats, sunglasses, and plenty of sunscreen.

NO ONE under the age of 21 is permitted in the wine tasting or beer education areas.

Reservations for Signature Events can be made on-line at the http://www.disneyscaliforniafoodandwineweekends.com web site. Same day reservations for the Signature events (if available) can also be made at the Festival Information Center at the Golden Vine Winery.

A nicely designed and printed program guide is available this year, making it much easier to determine when and where the various complimentary sessions are scheduled. (The schedule is also available on the web site).

The Festival Wine Shop, located at the Golden Vine Winery, offers a variety of wines from the group of wineries participating in the wine tasting sessions. Any wine purchases must be picked up at Package Pickup at the main entrance upon exiting the park. Also available at the wine shop is a variety of festival-themed merchandise including books, wine coolers, wine stoppers, cheese boards, pins, pepper mills, etc.

Recipes for items prepared during the various cooking demonstrations are supposed to be available on-line on the web site, but have not yet made an appearance.

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RELATED LINKS
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If you have comments or tips to share with others about touring Disney's California Adventure, please email us. Thank you.

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