2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival *HAS ENDED*

[rentayenta]

Oh no. pleeeze don't turn the festival into a sales vehicle for Duffy. and the LE pins have Duffy on them too. stop with the Duffy already.

+ 1 I've never been to F&W and while that bear is cute and all, I hope he's not the main attraction and on all of the merchandise.

 

[Naima1922]

1. Weekends are certainly more crowded than during the week, you will have to wait for certain foods, recommend getting to World Showcase early.

2. The food costs vary from $3 to $8 or $9 if I remember correctly. Small bites, but delicious stuff.

3. As far as the concerts go, if you want a seat in the American Gardens Theater then YES you do have to get in line really early. However, if you just want to HEAR the music and not worry about lines, sit across the walkway outside the American Pavilion and enjoy the music without the hassle.

You say you are going on a weekend. Unless the weather is really bad, this is how it will go. Friday morning from about 11 to 3 will be fine. After that it will start getting crowded. By the evening it will be slammed. Saturday will be totally slammed from about noon on. Get there when they open. The lines at the kiosks will look deceptively long but will move rather quickly - however, by afternoon there will be enormous crowds of people and lines for EVERYTHING in WS including the bathrooms. Sunday will be a little better, but weekdays Mon-Thurs are the most uncrowded days.



The samples cost between $3 and $8 for food. Some alcoholic beverages may be more than that. Each kiosk will have about 3 or 4 food options. Desserts tend to be the least expensive. Last year there were 28 separate kiosks.



Actually Fantasmic without the dinner package requires about an hour in advance.

They open the theater about 30 minutes before each concert at Epcot. There will be a line that has formed to get in. If the performer is very popular, the line may be down into Germany. Can't say you wouldn't get a seat if you got in line right when they open the theater but you won't be down in front and probably not under the overhang (meaning you'll be sitting in the sun at the earlier concerts if that's OK with you). With some of the concerts you will be able to walk in right when it's starting and get a seat, with others you will need to get there earlier, with some a good bit earlier. There's also standing room at the back of the theater on the walking path.

If you don't care whether you see the concert and can do with just hearing, you can hear from anywhere in the America pavilion and pretty much to the outskirts of Japan or Italy.

Thank you BOTH for your excellent responses! This helps a TON! Based on your responses, we have chosen to go on the last day of our trip (Monday). It may be a little easier for us to navigate!

 

[MissScarlet]

We are flying in on Nov 12th, the last day of the festival and thinking of going for a couple hours that evening since we have never been. Do all the booths stay open until the park closes on the last day? Do they ever run out of items at the very end?

 

[tiggspring]

I got about halfway through the thread so I hope this hasn't been asked. Could someone tell me about the crowd levels weekdays/ weekends, nights versus days? I have a friend who is thinking about avoiding the park altogether because her dh has pain while walking. They will not be doing the wine festiville events just strolling Epcot should they be worried or is it like the flower show in May where crowds are manageable? Thanks!

 

[marinadca]

This is going to be our 2nd trip to Disney and first food and wine festival. We will be going from the 26th-29th in October. So we will be there on a Saturday/Sunday. Cannot wait!

 

[megveg]

I dont think ive seen this question answered but, where can you get the wristlet gift card, and is it reloadable? I want to build a JUST food&wine fund on the gift card. any info would be great thanks!

 

[Spanky]

wrist card is sold at the festival - I would assume it is reloadable - what gift card is not?
It is really handy - no getting out your money - or holding something in your hand besides food & wine.

 

[AJW]

Anyone else having trouble booking a ticket for the F&W Sneak Preview Tables in Wonderland event? None of the numbers on the back of my card are working for registration. :-(

 

[TheLodgeLady]

Anyone else having trouble booking a ticket for the F&W Sneak Preview Tables in Wonderland event? None of the numbers on the back of my card are working for registration. :-(

I had trouble. What you need to put in is the -

WED : 008 10/10/12 19

Make sure you put a space between the colon (front and back).

Hope this helps.

 

[AJW]

Thank you so much. I also heard some folks had to put "TK" in there! Argh! ;-)

 

[marinadca]

I have my eye on the Victoria and Albert's dinner. Has anyone been that can tell me about it?

We ate at V & A (I have food porn pictures to post, but DIS wont let me yet) last weekend and we loved it so much.

 

[TDC Nala]

We are flying in on Nov 12th, the last day of the festival and thinking of going for a couple hours that evening since we have never been. Do all the booths stay open until the park closes on the last day? Do they ever run out of items at the very end?

typically they run out of some items. Usually beer. Yes, the kiosks should stay open until the park closes, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has extended their stay to do the ETTB concert.

 

[aprincesswannabe]

I dont think ive seen this question answered but, where can you get the wristlet gift card, and is it reloadable? I want to build a JUST food&wine fund on the gift card. any info would be great thanks!

You can buy them just about anywhere at EPCOT during F&W, and yes, they are re-load able. We love using them!

 

[megveg]

You can buy them just about anywhere at EPCOT during F&W, and yes, they are re-load able. We love using them!

I wont be going until Oct 2013 but I'd love to somehow get two of these wrist-cards. I could load them for my travel partner and surprise him with a giftcard for some drinks hmmm

 

[jlkoontz]

Sorry if this has been asked, I did read most of the pages. But, we are flying in to Orlando Monday morning on November 12. So, last day of the food & wine festival. We will have our 5 year old son with us. We love ethnic food and son included in that. So I think he'll enjoy the food sampling aspect. DH would like the wine! My question is has anyone gone on the last day? Having never been, I guess I wouldn't know what was missing but I don't want to go there that day if it's like "the leftovers" if you kwim.

 

[gometros]

Sorry if this has been asked, I did read most of the pages. But, we are flying in to Orlando Monday morning on November 12. So, last day of the food & wine festival. We will have our 5 year old son with us. We love ethnic food and son included in that. So I think he'll enjoy the food sampling aspect. DH would like the wine! My question is has anyone gone on the last day? Having never been, I guess I wouldn't know what was missing but I don't want to go there that day if it's like "the leftovers" if you kwim.

If you back up a few posts, somebody else just happened to ask a similar question. The basic answer is, that while they might run out of some things, the booths should all remain open until closing.

 

[GoBirds]

This has probably been asked 1000 times before, so sorry if this question is redundant. Is there any word on when Disney will be announcing the countries and menus for the various kiosks at the F&W Festival? Thanks!

 

[robinbutterfly]

This has probably been asked 1000 times before, so sorry if this question is redundant. Is there any word on when Disney will be announcing the countries and menus for the various kiosks at the F&W Festival? Thanks!

I would like to know this too! Last I heard was in June (which is obviously not the case) or July. I wonder if there are any more specifics of when in July the info will come out.

 

[crazy4wdw]

This has probably been asked 1000 times before, so sorry if this question is redundant. Is there any word on when Disney will be announcing the countries and menus for the various kiosks at the F&W Festival? Thanks!

This info was released last year on July 26 so we're getting closer!

 

[RCharnay]

I went to YouTube to look up some of the Eat to the Beat artists to make sure I knew their music and Aulani commercials popped up. Boy, does the internet have my number!