Can someone going to EPCOT solo in late October actually AVOID this Food & Wine thing? There seems to be a lot of information out there about the Food & Wine festival, but not exactly where on EPCOT this is located (unless it is spread out all over the World Showcase!), and if it is just going on during weekends or basically all the time for 2 months. I will be going to the parks from Monday, October 24 to Friday, October 28 and decided to spend only one day on EPCOT and the rest at the MK, to avoid the Food and Wine craziness, except going to EPCOT for a few hours on the other days, when the MK closes at 7 PM. Any thoughts?
Solo at EPCOT - question about AVOIDING the Food & Wine Festival....
- Thread starter Alfredo68
- Start date
lpizzuro123
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2005
Yes, most all of the food booths are placed around World Showcase. If you want to avoid the F&W, just do not stop at any of the booths. There will be evening concerts at the American Garden Theater (Chaka Khan and Billy Ocean are scheduled to be there while you are there) and some F&W seminars in the Festival Center (located in Future World). There are also some booths selling F&W items (special posters, cook books, wine glasses, hot plates, etc). World Showcase does get a little busier I guess but we have never had a problem. I have heard that some guests have had a bit too much to drink but honestly in the more then 10 years we have been attending this I have only seen this one time (happens more on the weekends).
Linda
Linda
lpizzuro123
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2005
Also, F&W does go on 7 days a week - but weekend do get busier.
Linda
Linda
Thanks Linda!! I will try and stay clear as much as possible. I have dinner reservations at Tokyo Dining for Tuesday and Friday, and at Restaurant Marrakesh for Tuesday early afternoon. One dinner I have on Thursday evening, but it is in the Coral Reef and not in the World Showcase. I will try to get myself there. I am an introvert, so huge crowds are hard for me to handle, but it seems there is no longer a 'best month' to do to Disney anymore. The MK has the Mickey-Not-So-Scary Halloween thing going, but at least it is after they close to park at 7PM and easy to avoid. I wish they did the same for the Food & Wine event at EPCOT, but I totally understand their business reasons for doing it the way they do it. Guests having too much to drink? What a surprise. LOL.
I totally get what you're saying. As an introvert, 'blending in' is safe for us. However, the times I have been at EPCOT where the crowds were really high, I eventually got to the point where I just hated everyone. You cannot walk from point A to point B without people cutting you off, bolting in front of you and completely ignoring the fact that you, too, take up some physical space in the park. I can't tell you how many times I had to stop dead on my tracks as someone cut me off and simply said out loud, "No, by all means, after you...." But, I had made the mistake of being there for Spring Break because I wanted to be there for my birthday, which falls on March 9. That was the last birthday I am doing at WDW and rather go at a different time, like I am doing this October. I also figure that now Disney has some kind of event going on all the time and the days of "the best slow times to go to Disney are..." ....over.
bryanb
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2013
This is so true! It's pretty smart of them to spread out the crowds year round. In the very old days, when my uncle was a cast member, the very off season meant that Disneyland was open 10am - 6pm, and you could both open and close the park in the same shift. Seems like ridiculously short hours, but all of the rides were walk-on. I'm guessing the only way to experience that kind of quiet time at Disney is to go to Disneyland Paris during a winter snowstorm.
I was looking in my photo albums at photos at WDW in the early 80's. One photo my parents took from the now defunct Skyway and looking down onto an almost empty Fantasyland! I guess those days are long gone. I also remember while living in FL, during the colder months the park would indeed close ridiculously early. But, living an hour away, it was not a big deal (except I'd always get really depressed when it was time to leave the park! LOL) The funny thing, i still get that sinking feeling when it is time to leave.....
purple figment
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
Tokyo Dining is at the back of World Showcase so if you're coming from the MK or AK take the bus to the Beach & Yacht Club or Boardwalk Inn and enter Epcot via the International Gateway. If you're coming from DHS, walk or take the Friendship Boat from DHS to Epcot which will dock by the International Gateway. Since your Marrakesh reservation is early on a Tuesday afternoon, it probably won't be very crowded in World Showcase. Again, since it is at the back of World Showcase the same transportation suggestions will work. For either restaurant, if you use the front entrance to Epcot, you can walk through Future World and take the Friendship boat across the lagoon. One route travels between Canada and Morocco.
We've found that from 11 AM until mid to late afternoon on weekdays it isn't too busy/crowded for F&W. Friday nights and weekends are a very different experience.
Thanks Linda! I have been to EPCOT since 1982, so I know my way around pretty well, but the Food & Wine thing is new for me. I am staying at the PORS and will have my car, so I could drive to the B&YC and go into EPCOT from there. Either way, for my dinner reservations at EPCOT I will probably have to fight through the crowds to get to Japan all the way in the back, especially for my Friday dining reservation. This October will be an experience to see if I ever want to be there again during the Food & Wine event. I am glad I plan to spend most of my time at the MK. And the full day I plan at EPCOT will be on a Tuesday, which should be good.
As an ISTJ on Myers-Brigss, I feel your pain and share your frustrations with crowds and large groups of strangers. This is my eighth F&W Festival, so I speak from experience on the crowds. For the most part, they are easily managed during the day. Things get a little more crowded at night and on the days they have EMH. The weekends are to be avoided! The locals come out starting on Friday night and things settle down late Sunday afternoon. Add to that the "drinking round the world" groups and the weekends are a nightmare. Since you are there during the week, you should be fine. It should not be as crowded as spring break generally is. Plus, you might try a tasting or two from some of the outdoor kitchens. I have done F&W as a solo several times and feel very comfortable doing that. You can usually find a quiet spot to enjoy your tasting and have some decompression time. One of my favorite spots for that is the covered tables by the American pavilion.
Imagine me, being an INFJ! I am glad I chose to be at WDW Monday through Friday, checking out on Saturday. My full day at EPCOT will be on Tuesday. I will be at EPCOT Thursday and Friday after 7 PM as the MK closes at 7 for their Mickey Halloween thing. I have dinner reservations at EPCOT for both days, Friday being at Tokyo Dining which is usually quiet. It sounds like, by the time it starts getting crazy, I am out of there! And maybe since this year the Food and Wine event goes on for two months, the crowds may spread out a little (here's hoping).
wilkeliza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2013
During Food and Wine unless you havw a reservation at Beach/Yacht or Boardwalf they usually don't let you park. I had a friend meet me for a reservation at Yachstman and she was actually told she had to valet as the regular lots were full or park at Hollywood Studios and take the boat or walk back.
I will probably park at MK and monorail to EPCOT, then monorail back at closing and drive back to my resort. Otherwise, I may park at EPCOT early AM and monorail back and forth from EPCOT to MK to EPCOT. Since that Friday I will be at EPCOT only from 7 PM to closing each night, I can handle it. My only full day at EPCOT will be on Tuesday, and it seems it will be less crazy that day.
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