Nora Carey, project manager for Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival, is the latest name to surface among the nearly 500 rumored to be laid off by Walt Disney World this week. Carey also oversaw the Tables in Wonderland program and of course we know that it TiW needs anything right now, it's more changes.

Carey had been with the company for a total of 13 years, beginning with Disneyland Paris. Over the years, however, she worked for other companies, including the Paris Ritz. It was while she was there that she was approached by Disney's Dieter Hannig and Rosemary Rose, who convinced her to leave Paris for Orlando to head up the annual Epcot event. Ironically, both Hannig and Rose have also left the company recently, Hannig by voluntary separation and Rose by resignation to accept an executive position with another company.

When Carey was asked what she thinks will happen with the festival this year by the Orlando Sentinel, she was cautiously optimistic. "I think it will be very different in scope," she said. "I think the look and feel of the festival will be different."  Carey said the Marketplace kiosks, the little booths set up around the World Showcase to sell samples of food from various nations, have always been one of the most popular aspects of the weeks-long event, so those are sure to continue. But beyond that she couldn't speculate.

One thing that won't happen is a return of the Bocuse d'Or this year. The biannual cooking competition was a highlight of the 2008 festival and wasn't scheduled to return until 2010. But Carey and Jerome Bocuse of Chefs de France were planning to have the event again this year in order to give the winner a better chance to train for the main competition in Lyon, France, in 2011. That plan has been scrapped, she said, as has one to have an international pastry competition as part of this year's event.

Carey added that Marianne Hunnel and Kelly Block would continue with the culinary programming of the festival and has faith they will keep as much integrity in the project as possible.Carey said she's not sure what is next for her but she finds it difficult to move on. "You work so hard to build up something," she said from her home in Celebration, "it's hard to walk away."

So, those of you who've been complaining about the lateness of the Food & Wine Festival Schedule every year, I wouldn't expect '09 to be the exception.

Thanks Jym, It's great to have news on the "backstage" events so to speak. 

I"ve only been once so when you do it's hard to compare. I still miss the escargot in France..I look forward to going back one year but timing has not panned out, not with the opening of Bay Lake Tower.   I really don't understand these changes. Yes the economy is crippling in many areas but when you go to WDW I  still have trouble getting ressies, the crowds were the worst I've seen in Dec for the 2nd wk I remember the low crowds after 9/11 and it just doesn't compare yet they are making deeper cuts now?? Are they preparing for a blow? I see them cutting into local markets, one after the other. Has anyone seen low crowds and tons of vacant resorts? Or is this just one of those... "these salaries are getting to heavy, lets reload at lower salaries to save $$ and increase our profits? Dare I say what is up?.