DVC Must-Do Festivals and Events

[twinsouvenirs]

I'm trying to etch out vacation planning for the next 5 years (yeah, maybe ridiculous) to ensure we have a good concept of when & where to book, and how many points we'll need, and all my favorite podcasts (DIS Unplugged, Resort Loop, WDW Radio, WDW Today, Dis After Dark...are torturing me with fun reviews of various special events.

So what do fellow DVC'ers do if they can make it down approx 2 times a year (we're coming from Ohio and will fly a lot at first, then drive). We have 1 year olds that will get older...so obviously our needs will change but so far I am thinking our hot list includes:

Food & Wine (especially Swan/Dolphin)
Christmas lights at the resorts
Halloween Party in a year or so
Fourth of July at some point at HHI


Do you have any other 'must dos'? I'm attracted to Festival of the Masters and Flower and Garden, but perhaps these are things we should save for adults-only weekends?

Any other age suggestions would be helpful too (like 'wait till they are at least 2 for Halloween... or whatever). Obviously we'll be down there often enough anyway but perhaps events are better age tailored.

Thanks all!

 

[disneygolfer1985]

The Food and Wine festival is definitely a must do. I went last year for the first time with some friends and it was great. That is definitely something I want to go back for. I'm going for Christmas this year for the 5th time. I my mind, I think this is the best time to go because there are so many different things to do. You could pair the Halloween Party and the Food and Wine Festival at the same time. I've never been to the Halloween party. I've been over the Fourth of July and the fireworks at Epcot were great. I've been there for the Flower and Garden Festival in late Spring. I would recommend Christmas and the Halloween party for sure.

 

[twinsouvenirs]

What did you think of Flower and garden, and did you do festival of the masters?

 

[dianeschlicht]

What did you think of Flower and garden, and did you do festival of the masters?

We love Flower and Garden, but we have not done many of the masters classes. I just love the special flower displays, concerts, butterfly tent, topiaries etc. etc.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

What did you think of Flower and garden, and did you do festival of the masters?

I know I probably stand alone in this, but F&G is probably more fun to us than F&W. Don't get me wrong, we enjoy both, but we split (generally) years on Christmas and F&W simply because it's not practical for us to go two times that close together. We never miss F&G. It's really a rite of passage for us. Spring is in the air and it's really like the start of a new year to us after a cold winter. We generally try to go near the middle so it's just starting to really get warm back home in Carolina when we get back home.

I think F&G is fun for everybody, not just the adults. There's nothing quite like the parks and resorts at Christmastime but there's nothing quite like Epcot at F&G either. It's just different and uniquely Epcot and Disney.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I always go to Epcot's F&G and I've enjoyed the workshops with the "take it home" projects. I was sad when they discontinued weekday Flower Power Concerts. Since they now have food kiosks at F&G, maybe attendance will pick up and they can get the weekday concerts again.

There usually is at least one special playground for kids to go on. Next year Disney Nature will have Bears coming out in the spring, and I hope there's a sand sculpture announcing that. There have been some awesome sand sculptures in the past.

Bobbi