2017 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: August 31, 2017 - November 13, 2017

[JerseyJanice]

Germany Booth has been light on beers for a while. Brewer's Collection is right next to Germany's booth and that holds all the beers for that area. It still had the AstroTurf and Picnic Tables the past few years.

Good to know. I did not see the AstroTurf last year, but the hurricane may have had something to do with it.

I will check out what's at the Brewer's Collection. In 2011, they had a kiosk just for various Samuel Adams beers in America in addition to the beer garden set-up in Germany. They definitely cut back on the beer variety since then.

 

[AllThingsMickey4]

Wow, I didn't know about the lack of wine pairing at the culinary demos this year. Way to get cheaper and cheaper, as far as I'm concerned. They used to serve ice water-one big pitcher per table, to be passed around. So I guess that will probably be what we drink with our food sample. I've been toying with the idea of attending the F&G festival instead of the F&W, since they have food booths at the F&G festival. I wonder sometimes.

We've been to F&G many times since we usually travel end of April or end of May. I've never been to F&W (first time this October), but I hear F&G is much smaller than F&W.. not as many food booths and no culinary or beverage seminars. All of the seminars were plant/garden related I think? The food booths definitely didn't have unique food like it sounds like for F&W (I.e the Moroccan booth had Baklava, the Italian booth had Chicken Parmesan, the Mexican booth had some kind of burrito).. it was all very predictable. And there are only booths for the countries in WS.. no Brazil, New Zealand booths, etc.

Anyway, we have a great time at F&G, but we don't go specifically for the festival. Not trying to talk you out of it, but I wonder if one feels disappointed going to F&G after F&W

 

[brewhome]

@JerseyJanice, they do have a Black & Tan at the Rose & Crown. Great choice!

 

[JerseyJanice]

@JerseyJanice, they do have a Black & Tan at the Rose & Crown. Great choice!

One of my favorites at our local pub. Half Guinness stout, half Harp ale.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Didn't there used to be a seafood and mashed potato casserole available at Ireland? I thought I remembered that there and I loved it. But it's not on the menu there this year. Was it removed or is it somewhere else?

 

[pepperandchips]

We've been to F&G many times since we usually travel end of April or end of May. I've never been to F&W (first time this October), but I hear F&G is much smaller than F&W.. not as many food booths and no culinary or beverage seminars. All of the seminars were plant/garden related I think? The food booths definitely didn't have unique food like it sounds like for F&W (I.e the Moroccan booth had Baklava, the Italian booth had Chicken Parmesan, the Mexican booth had some kind of burrito).. it was all very predictable. And there are only booths for the countries in WS.. no Brazil, New Zealand booths, etc.

Anyway, we have a great time at F&G, but we don't go specifically for the festival. Not trying to talk you out of it, but I wonder if one feels disappointed going to F&G after F&W

My family actually prefers Flower and Garden. We have been attending both the last couple of years and I prefer the weather and crowd levels at the times we are able to travel in the spring. In my experience, lines are much longer at the food booths during Food and Wine. While it is true that there is less variety at Flower & Garden, I like that they mix it up and do booths dedicated to certain themes rather than countries. The Food and Wine festival brings back a lot of returning favorites each year, so at least it is more manageable for me to know what I want to try, but so many choices at Food and Wine can be overwhelming.

Food booths aside, Epcot never looks more beautiful to me than when dressed up for Flower and Garden. But yes, if you are dedicated to sampling a greater variety of dishes, you should very clearly choose the Food festival over the Flower festival.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My family actually prefers Flower and Garden. We have been attending both the last couple of years and I prefer the weather and crowd levels at the times we are able to travel in the spring. In my experience, lines are much longer at the food booths during Food and Wine. While it is true that there is less variety at Flower & Garden, I like that they mix it up and do booths dedicated to certain themes rather than countries. The Food and Wine festival brings back a lot of returning favorites each year, so at least it is more manageable for me to know what I want to try, but so many choices at Food and Wine can be overwhelming.

Food booths aside, Epcot never looks more beautiful to me than when dressed up for Flower and Garden. But yes, if you are dedicated to sampling a greater variety of dishes, you should very clearly choose the Food festival over the Flower festival.

Thanks so much for your comments. We were thinking of trying the F&G this coming spring and possibly skipping the F&W next fall.

 

[AllThingsMickey4]

My family actually prefers Flower and Garden. We have been attending both the last couple of years and I prefer the weather and crowd levels at the times we are able to travel in the spring. In my experience, lines are much longer at the food booths during Food and Wine. While it is true that there is less variety at Flower & Garden, I like that they mix it up and do booths dedicated to certain themes rather than countries. The Food and Wine festival brings back a lot of returning favorites each year, so at least it is more manageable for me to know what I want to try, but so many choices at Food and Wine can be overwhelming.

Food booths aside, Epcot never looks more beautiful to me than when dressed up for Flower and Garden. But yes, if you are dedicated to sampling a greater variety of dishes, you should very clearly choose the Food festival over the Flower festival.

Interesting to hear from someone who has been to both!! I have heard about the lines at the booths at F&W.. which will definitely be a change from F&G. I don't think I ever waited more than 5 minutes at any of the F&G booths on any day of the week. And I agree- Epcot is absolutely gorgeous during F&G. It's going to be so different seeing the park without all the flowers and topiaries.. it's the only way I've seen it for the past 4 years! We will be going at the end of October and the Beach Club is completely sold out, so I'm sure the crowds will be very different from Spring as well!

 

[Tess]

Didn't there used to be a seafood and mashed potato casserole available at Ireland? I thought I remembered that there and I loved it. But it's not on the menu there this year. Was it removed or is it somewhere else?

Fisherman's Pie and sadly it is gone.

 

[randumb0]

Interesting to hear from someone who has been to both!! I have heard about the lines at the booths at F&W.. which will definitely be a change from F&G. I don't think I ever waited more than 5 minutes at any of the F&G booths on any day of the week. And I agree- Epcot is absolutely gorgeous during F&G. It's going to be so different seeing the park without all the flowers and topiaries.. it's the only way I've seen it for the past 4 years! We will be going at the end of October and the Beach Club is completely sold out, so I'm sure the crowds will be very different from Spring as well!

expect to see twice as many booths and twice as many people

 

[loves to dive]

Interesting to hear from someone who has been to both!! I have heard about the lines at the booths at F&W.. which will definitely be a change from F&G. I don't think I ever waited more than 5 minutes at any of the F&G booths on any day of the week. And I agree- Epcot is absolutely gorgeous during F&G. It's going to be so different seeing the park without all the flowers and topiaries.. it's the only way I've seen it for the past 4 years! We will be going at the end of October and the Beach Club is completely sold out, so I'm sure the crowds will be very different from Spring as well!

I've been to both for the last 4 years. They have different feels to them and each offer something different. The Festival Center for F&G is only open on weekends and doesn't really offer that much, and as mentioned the booths aren't as varied. We love them both, I enjoy the food and wine pairing meals and the different booths at F&W. I enjoy the gardening merchandise during F&G, although I did notice there wasn't as much of that last year. I never have to stand in very long lines at the booths at either one of them but I might be more line tolerant than most. I enjoy the little deminars, it really doesn't bother me that they have stopped the wine servings with the food demos, last year they only had the festival wine at them and frankly I wasn't too thrilled with it and more than one occasion I turned it down and just drank water. I usually go in September since that is when my AP expires and I try to get 3 trips a year out of it and it is a little aggravating that they tend to offer more of the extras in October than September but it is what it is.

 

[jkh36619]

I haven't seen it but maybe I have missed it somewhere. Have they announced an AP F&W gift yet?

 

[marsh0013]

Didn't there used to be a seafood and mashed potato casserole available at Ireland? I thought I remembered that there and I loved it. But it's not on the menu there this year. Was it removed or is it somewhere else?

This was my favorite. Always out first stop when we arrived. And multiple times after (we stay for 2 weeks). Very sad that it's gone.

 

[Sona99]

This will be our first time going. I'm going to try to have a plan and a budget done this coming month. Been reading through this thread - great stuff! Thanks!

 

[randumb0]

I haven't seen it but maybe I have missed it somewhere. Have they announced an AP F&W gift yet?

nothing has been announced yet

 

[MakiraMarlena]

as of last year I noted that I was buying food from the booths but not beverages. Unless I wanted to taste a beer. If I wanted a beverage I'd buy it from Rose & Crown or La Cava or someplace else that is there year-round and serves normal size beverages.

 

[AquaDame]

Same, with a few (frozen) exceptions.... heat and alcohol together do not work well for me!

 

[loves to dive]

as of last year I noted that I was buying food from the booths but not beverages. Unless I wanted to taste a beer. If I wanted a beverage I'd buy it from Rose & Crown or La Cava or someplace else that is there year-round and serves normal size beverages.

I rarely buy alcohol from the booths either. If I want a glass of wine, I'll go into one of the air conditioned wine shops and get a real glass of wine. When my son goes with me to F&G we will get beer flights and share them but I go solo to F&W. I go to the little deminars and that is pretty much all the tastings I get.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Fisherman's Pie and sadly it is gone.

Thanks-I didn't imagine it after all!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Fisherman's Pie and sadly it is gone.

It looks like roasted Irish sausage with colcannon potatoes is the replacement for the seafood and mash pie.

I never tried the pie because I have a sensitivity to shrimp, but sorry if it was a favorite of yours. I have seen many positive reviews of it so I'm sure you're not the only one who will miss it.