Dining Plan + Food and Wine Festival?

[tlynk]

We will be staying at WDW 4 nights prior to taking a cruise and it happens to be during the last week of the Food and Wine Festival? I have a couple questions:

1) Does the F&W festival take place during the weekdays?

2) Should I even bother paying for the Disney Dining Plan during this time frame. We are foodies, but don't eat that much. I'm not sure if we can use dining credits towards the food booths? I would love to sample different foods from around the world.

 

[plutolovr]

Yes, the F&W Festival takes place during the week also.

When my DH and I went last year, we bought the Quick Service Dining Plan because it gave us 2 snack credits per person per day. You can use the snack credits at the F&W booths for food, but not beverages. We would use all our snack credits in one day at the festival. Sometimes we would share whatever we got at the booth, sometimes we got our own items.

 

[tlynk]

Yes, the F&W Festival takes place during the week also.

When my DH and I went last year, we bought the Quick Service Dining Plan because it gave us 2 snack credits per person per day. You can use the snack credits at the F&W booths for food, but not beverages. We would use all our snack credits in one day at the festival. Sometimes we would share whatever we got at the booth, sometimes we got our own items.

That is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[ccgirl]

Yes, the F&W Festival takes place during the week also.

When my DH and I went last year, we bought the Quick Service Dining Plan because it gave us 2 snack credits per person per day. You can use the snack credits at the F&W booths for food, but not beverages. We would use all our snack credits in one day at the festival. Sometimes we would share whatever we got at the booth, sometimes we got our own items.

This. This is what we are doing in October too. F&W during the week is great, it is less crowded since the locals typically only going on the weekend. The snack credits can be used on the booths (food only), and they you get an additional two counter service meals plus the refillable mug. We also buy the wrist gift card and load that with some $$ for our adult beverages.

 

[princess aleya]

We will be staying at WDW 4 nights prior to taking a cruise and it happens to be during the last week of the Food and Wine Festival? I have a couple questions:

1) Does the F&W festival take place during the weekdays?

2) Should I even bother paying for the Disney Dining Plan during this time frame. We are foodies, but don't eat that much. I'm not sure if we can use dining credits towards the food booths? I would love to sample different foods from around the world.

You should be able to use your snack crdits towards food, and yes F&F is offered during the week.

 

[pixie08]

We never do the dining plan during F&W (we have regularlt visit during F&W, during other times we do use the plan like this June).

It's too constricting if you really want to enjoy the festival, as the festival is a lot more than just the booths. Actually the booths are fun but my least favorite part about F&W. Often lunches or dinners are seminars and events which do not take the credits and involove food and, well...wine or drinks. Also lunch can be eating at a few booths around the world, so the one snack credit wont get you too far.We like to buy multiple items at each booth and sample them as we go around.

If you are going to go to F&W and just do it like a regular WDW trip but just eat at the booths and skip all the events then it would work for you.

 

[ccgirl]

That's why the counter service dining plan is so great. You get 2 snacks per person per night. We are saving them for the booths. We are there for 3 nights so we will each have 6 credits. Definitely enough for lunch one day! The Counter Service Dining is only $37 per person per night. If you were going to eat at the booths that is around $4 for each serving. Even if you just ate at two booths you would be at $29. Then, you can still have two counter service meals (including dessert) and the refillable mug. You can always pay OOP for any of the seminars (and some are free too). Cost wise you will probably come out ahead getting the DDP.

 

[beroh2253]

Yes, the F&W Festival takes place during the week also.

When my DH and I went last year, we bought the Quick Service Dining Plan because it gave us 2 snack credits per person per day. You can use the snack credits at the F&W booths for food, but not beverages. We would use all our snack credits in one day at the festival. Sometimes we would share whatever we got at the booth, sometimes we got our own items.

We are thinking of doing the Quick service plan this year cause of the 2 snack credits, we have alway gone when on the regular dining plan and kind of wish we had more time for the booths which you don't get with all the sit down meals. Check into free dining which may be offered again this year in October tyou get free Quick service at the value resorts and the regular DDP at Moderate and deluxe.

 

[RDP]

We used our snack credits at the food and wine festival, we used 18 in one evening (2 week stay). Its a very good way to get maximum value out of the DDP.

 

[beroh2253]

I can't wait till October.

 

[ClaudeGobet]

the food & wine is your best place to use dining plan snack credits. some of the "snacks" here are as much as $8! i'd follow the other's advice about the plan that gives you 2 snacks a day. for us, spending one night tasting thru the world is one of the highlites of the entire trip. if i may also offer, we usually start in england (fantastic fisherman's pie) and work clockwise so we finish for dessert in france. there's either a really good crepe stand that accepts dining plan, or the whole bakery of choices (including mousse) complete w/ french courtyard to sit down and finish in. you're going to have alot of fun!

 

[Hopefully]

We are thinking of doing the Quick service plan this year cause of the 2 snack credits, we have alway gone when on the regular dining plan and kind of wish we had more time for the booths which you don't get with all the sit down meals. Check into free dining which may be offered again this year in October tyou get free Quick service at the value resorts and the regular DDP at Moderate and deluxe.

Free dining has not been offered during the F & W fest the last several years. Some folks who checked in at the end of free dining would have been able to use it for the lenght of there stay, but it was not offered for dates checking in during the festival.
The use of snack credits for the F & W festival can be prohibited at any time. It is not guaranteed, but they have allowed it.
Have a great trip.

 

[ClaudeGobet]

Free dining has not been offered during the F & W fest the last several years. Some folks who checked in at the end of free dining would have been able to use it for the lenght of there stay, but it was not offered for dates checking in during the festival.
The use of snack credits for the F & W festival can be prohibited at any time. It is not guaranteed, but they have allowed it.
Have a great trip.

i have heard that possibility about the snack credits, but never experienced it.
as for free dining availability i must disagree. we organize our trip every year at the same time. 10 days, late october, leaving in the 1st couple days of november. food and wine is going on for the entirety of our stay. we have always had the free dining package. that could change, but thus far we've gotten it every year.

 

[beroh2253]

Free dining has not been offered during the F & W fest the last several years. Some folks who checked in at the end of free dining would have been able to use it for the lenght of there stay, but it was not offered for dates checking in during the festival.
The use of snack credits for the F & W festival can be prohibited at any time. It is not guaranteed, but they have allowed it.
Have a great trip.

They extended the free dining last year into December, we went the last week in October stayed at Riverside and got the free regular DDP for 8 days. We used all of our snack credits for snacks atthe wine fest. I'm hoping for the same this year but maybe go to POP and get the QSDDp but I don;t know if it will be offered if not I'll take the annual pass room discount and buy the QSDDP with 2 snack credits per day.