It’s now time for Chuck Canzoneri’s second photo report back with us at Disneyland News Today:

This weekend celebrated the opening of Disney California’s Food and Wine Festival

One of the big highlights are the specialty menu items. This year, instead of putting them all in one place at the Pacific Wharf area, they were spread throughout the park

The special item at Award Weiners

The special item at Taste Pilot’s Grill

The special item at Pacific Wharf Cafe

The special item at Cocina Cucamonga

The special item at Bountiful Valley Farmer’s Market

The special item that most interested Chuck was the one at Pizza Oom Mow Mow

Each location has an additional “World Celebration” sign which hangs down from the main menu

And this is the Chicken Panzarotti

Chuck states: “I would definitely say this was a couple of notches above usual counter service fare. It’s a shame they won’t keep it as a permanent menu option.”

This is the Food and Wine information and greeting center, located right next to DCA’s regular information booth

This year the Festival Gift Shop is located in Sunshine Plaza next to the Chef’s Showcase Stage

The other side of the Gift Shop. The big guest that day was “Dinner Impossible” chef Robert Irvine. By the time he took the stage at 2:30PM, all of his books were sold out

In total, there are 4 stages set up around the park. This is the Chef’s Showcase Stage in Sunshine Plaza

Chuck’s ticket for the 10:30am Culinary Demo

The table set-up for the Culinary Demo presented by Dole

The two chefs, Dieter Preiser and Rick Perez, were very entertaining. They talked a lot about their vast experience and made light of the fact that they’re here to tell you how to make your food taste better with Dole melon products

Chuck states: “I got to sample grilled chicken in Dole mango salsa and a special fruit smoothie. Even if it’s all about selling you Dole, these are top quality chefs and the food was incredibly delicious.”

The Beer and Spirit Seminar stage in Pacific Wharf

The table set-up for the Beer and Spirits Seminar

The Bountiful Farm Stage offers Kitchen Conversation, sensible advice and making simple dishes during the week. Friday through Sunday, it is used for Jr. Chef, where kids can learn to cook

Perhaps some kind of ice cream was involved in Jr. Chef?

The set up at the Jr. Chef table

Above the Golden Winery, they have The Lounge offering samples of various festival foods and wines

The Wine Seminar set-up is very similar to the other 3 stages

Across the bridge to Pacific Wharf and on your right you will find the Festival Beer Walk

Unlike the very contained Beer Walk, the Festival Wine Walks spread out across the Wharf and down the path leading to the main entrance to A Bug’s Land

After paying a small fee, you are handed a Passport, which allows you one free sample from each of the regional wine booths

Inside the passport is an explanation of what makes a specific region’s wine so unique

There were some press people scattered about the park

And for the kids, a grape-stomping photo-op themed to ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters”

Chuck had planned to attend Robert Irvine’s 2:30pm cooking demo, but by noon it was already sold out

At 4:15pm, an autograph session was held with Robert Irvine

It was only supposed to go until 5pm, but he was still meeting and greeting well after 6pm

Over at Disneyland Park… Timothy Mouse is back at Dumbo, The Flying Elephant

The donkey is once again missing from Pirates of the Caribbean

Celebration Roundup and Barbecue is still usually empty (this was taken at 5:30pm). Chuck counted 10 tables with guests at of around 35 total tables

Cast Members were outside the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique trying to entice customers by using wands to “turn little girls into princesses”

They had a fair amount of success

One of the neatest little secrets of the new “Celebrate! A Street Party” is if you hang by the entrance of the first stop, you can catch a sight like this

The lead Billy Hill made an uncommon appearance after the 1pm show to meet the fans

Chuck couldn’t let the opportunity pass him by!

Back over at DCA… A Definite Disney Don’t!

Relatively new DCA merchandise on sale featuring an awesome new logo

A hat featuring the “Just a Dream Away” Blue Sky Cellar slogan

Chuck played a very broken round of Toy Story Midway Mania. The gun would only fire across the middle of the screen, no matter how much he raised or lowered it. When Chuck got to this game, the Little Green Men stayed inside their holes!

A Cast Member gave Chuck this for his troubles

Thanks for your report Chuck!