2016 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: September 14 - November 14, 2016

[crazy4wdw]

The Parisian breakfast sounds amazing, and I see now on the website that one of the "select Saturdays" falls during our trip! The time is 9:00-10:30. If the park opens at 9 that day, will we be allowed to enter early to make it to France on time?

Yes! When Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles opened several years ago, they started allowing people to go over to France when Epcot opened as breakfast was offered.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

The Parisian breakfast sounds amazing, and I see now on the website that one of the "select Saturdays" falls during our trip! The time is 9:00-10:30. If the park opens at 9 that day, will we be allowed to enter early to make it to France on time?

You can. They will hold you at the bridge until 9:00. There's a little bit of a mad rush to be one of the first parties in the door because the seating process is a bit slow.

 

[NicoleLarson]

So PFTS falls on my birthday. I'm contemplating going but the thing is this, my DH doesn't really care about food. He could have cereal or steak, it doesn't really matter to him. Also he doesn't drink wine, just beer, mostly craft beer but beer. Anyways, I don't want to pay $400+ for him to not really be that happy. Is it just mainly about stuffing your face or is there more to do than this?

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

So PFTS falls on my birthday. I'm contemplating going but the thing is this, my DH doesn't really care about food. He could have cereal or steak, it doesn't really matter to him. Also he doesn't drink wine, just beer, mostly craft beer but beer. Anyways, I don't want to pay $400+ for him to not really be that happy. Is it just mainly about stuffing your face or is there more to do than this?

There's some entertainment, but the point really is mostly to eat & drink yourself into happy oblivion.

Oh, and to play musical tables if you don't reserve a seat. It's much more fun as a spectator than as a participant.

 

[NicoleLarson]

There's some entertainment, but the point really is mostly to eat & drink yourself into happy oblivion.

Oh, and to play musical tables if you don't reserve a seat. It's much more fun as a spectator than as a participant.

Ok, thanks. We'll probably skip this then and maybe try one of the France meals instead.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I am quite impressed. It's over a week before booking and Disney actually released the info on the seminars and dates on some of the special events. Progress!

 

[loves to dive]

Disney Food Blog had everything posted on his website so I had my trusty pencil ready and made notes of what I thought I might be doing. No, I don't use no spreadsheet, trusty pencil and paper. I'm going strictly for F&W but I've learned the hard way in the past not to try to pack too many extras in because #1 it gets expensive, #2 a girl can only drink so much wine (who knew) #3 even though I tell myself I'm only there for F&W I can't not go to the other parks. I've even added an extra day this year and might go ahead and add another day to the beginning of the trip just to get those other parks in, I'm trying to get a third trip on my AP, which expires 9/22 so I will miss a lot of the parties and meals I might have wanted to go to but my bank account will thank me. I always have to have tea at the GF when I'm at WDW so factoring that in sort made me re-arrange some of my thoughts and is the reason I'm thinking of adding another day on front. But right now I'm thinking:

9/14 - Mediterraean Food & Wine meal 1-3. I did this last year and was really hoping to do something different this year but the only other one available during my time frame was the Italy beer and wine pairing meal, which I'm not opposed to but considering everything else I want to do I figured I might ought to do the less expensive one. $75

9/15 - Cooking demo Pastry 2:00, Wine tasting either 1 or 5:30 just according to which one I can get. This is a Thursday so if I book it in advance I can get my AP discount. $26 total for the two ($13 each with the discount)

9/16 - Cooking demo Pork 12:00, Wine tasting 1:00. No AP discount for weekends. $30.

9/17 - Cheese seminar 9:15 - 10:45, British cheeses. $89, Wine tasting either 1 or 5:30, according to whichever one I get on Thursday. No AP discount. $104.

I leave on 9/18 and I drive so no wine for me.

I might wander into the Festival Center on any of these days and pick up another either food demo or wine tasting, just according to my mood and tummy. I find the food demos actually fill me up a little and between that and attempting to get something from every booth, my tummy gets very full.

So, not including booths I'm at $235. There are about 27 booths I want to taste at so figuring at least one food item and/or one drink at each booth at about an average of $6 each. I know I won't get a drink at each booth, again a girl can drink only so much wine/alcohol even spread out over 4 days so I'm estimating about 12 drinks, 27 food items so around $234 for the booths.

I'm guessing if I budget $500 for the event, I should be o.k. I should be one fat, happy, tipsy girl by the time I'm done.

 

[TheNotSoEvilQueen]

Were going down September 30th - October 2nd and I think we are going to wing it. I think the plan is to start in Mexico and attempt to drink our way around the world!

 

[mejo]

Were going down September 30th - October 2nd and I think we are going to wing it. I think the plan is to start in Mexico and attempt to drink our way around the world!

We will be there Sep 23 - Oct 3, doing the same. Start with a tequila flight and don't forget to eat while you go.

 

[patster734]

Were going down September 30th - October 2nd and I think we are going to wing it. I think the plan is to start in Mexico and attempt to drink our way around the world!

My wife and I have been to a few F&Ws. Each year we go, we learn or do something new. Our first year, we didn't know about the festival center in the "body" pavilion and missed it. It is now a must do on every trip. Last year, we did a special event (Mediterranean Food and Wine Pairing) and greatly enjoyed it. I suspect that we'll book another event this year. I also see that Robert Irvine is a guest speaker at an event during our trip, so we may purchase tickets to that event.

Be sure to get a passport (it's free!) which lists all of the food booths and their menus.

 

[rwcmath]

Book a day earlier with AP? TIW? Where can I find that info?

 

[figment_jii]

The Parisian breakfast sounds amazing, and I see now on the website that one of the "select Saturdays" falls during our trip! The time is 9:00-10:30. If the park opens at 9 that day, will we be allowed to enter early to make it to France on time?

I did the Parisian Breakfast two years ago and they had a separate queue for the guests attending the Parisian breakfast. They held attendees at the bridge leading into France until both groups arrived (I assume one was from the the front of the park and the other from International Gateway). Then they walked us to Les Chefs to check-in for the event at a few minutes before 9:00 am. Check-in was really quick and then it was on to the food! Seating was assigned, so it didn't really matter if you were in the front or back of the group.

 

[beesly]

I did the Parisian Breakfast two years ago and they had a separate queue for the guests attending the Parisian breakfast. They held attendees at the bridge leading into France until both groups arrived (I assume one was from the the front of the park and the other from International Gateway). Then they walked us to Les Chefs to check-in for the event at a few minutes before 9:00 am. Check-in was really quick and then it was on to the food! Seating was assigned, so it didn't really matter if you were in the front or back of the group.

Great information - thank you!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Book a day earlier with AP? TIW? Where can I find that info?

Disney Food Blog. But according to them you can book only the lower cost seminars starting at 9 AM on 7/19. The other experiences will be booked on 7/21.

I am still watching for Chase Visa booking. I expect it will be 7/20, but....

 

[crazy4wdw]

Chew Tickets: There's a post on the rumors and news board that tickets for the taping of The Chew at Epcot were available starting today at 12:00 PM, Pacific Time. I can't seem to locate a link for requesting tickets.

Edit: Sorry, this was the event for D23 members, not the general public. If you're a D23 member, it appears that tickets are still available.

 

[mmps108]

We'll be at WDW for the first time during F&W. We're traveling with our DD (20, culinary student) and DD (3.5, picky eater). I would say this trip is NOT focused on F&W, it is focused on our DD (20)'s first trip to WDW. We have a 1/2 day planned around World Showcase and we were just planning to snack around as we toured; NOT on a Friday or Saturday.

Here's my real question, do you think I should cancel our dinner reservation on the day we plan to spend the afternoon snacking around the world OR just plan on that being our lunch that day? I realize this might be a personal preference question based on our eating habits, but I just wondered if there were others on this thread who were just casual F&W attendees.

(Moderator: please move this to a different board if I am off-topic)

 

[crazy4wdw]

Updates: For everyone's convenience, I've updated the first few pages of the thread with today's information.

Post #2 has the Eat to the Beat Concert schedule

Post #3 has the links to the information for the beverage seminars, culinary demonstrations, and other special events.

Post #4 has the menus for the global marketplaces.

Have fun planning for this year's Festival . . . . only 64 more days!

 

[AngiTN]

We'll be at WDW for the first time during F&W. We're traveling with our DD (20, culinary student) and DD (3.5, picky eater). I would say this trip is NOT focused on F&W, it is focused on our DD (20)'s first trip to WDW. We have a 1/2 day planned around World Showcase and we were just planning to snack around as we toured; NOT on a Friday or Saturday.

Here's my real question, do you think I should cancel our dinner reservation on the day we plan to spend the afternoon snacking around the world OR just plan on that being our lunch that day? I realize this might be a personal preference question based on our eating habits, but I just wondered if there were others on this thread who were just casual F&W attendees.

(Moderator: please move this to a different board if I am off-topic)

If I only had a half day at F&W there is no way I'd eat a meal too. I'd want to fill myself up on the various offerings at the booths. There are more than enough for both lunch and dinner!

 

[old feller]

Where is this magical Festival Center ?

 

[beesly]

Disney Food Blog. But according to them you can book only the lower cost seminars starting at 9 AM on 7/19. The other experiences will be booked on 7/21.

I am still watching for Chase Visa booking. I expect it will be 7/20, but....

I just received my July passholder newsletter. It states that AP booking for event seminars will open on 7/18.