Epcot Festival Tips for a First Timer?

[rosieposie3]

Hi! So, i'm currently planning for my April/May 2021 trip. It's our first time at Disney World. We are two adults. We have three park reservation days made for Epcot. I've noticed that our stay should coincide with the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival. Of course, I know that is all up in the air given the current restrictions. However, assuming the Festival does go ahead while we are there, what are everyone's best tips/strategies?

Do you not plan any meals on your Festival day and just eat from the booths throughout the day?
Does it take more than one day to get the best out of the Festival activities/offerings?
How much do you budget for eating and drinking from the booths?
We're not huge drinkers but we would probably get the occasional alcoholic drink to try. Also, Do we have to bring ID into Epcot to purchase alcohol or how does that work?

Thanks for your help!

 

[loves to dive]

As you noted, it's hard to say what F&G will be like but pre-Covid here is what we did. I will mention, we are frequent visitors and always have PHs. We tend to eat at least one day, all our meals at the booths. If it's my son and I, we will get one thing at each booth and share, that way you can get more booths in. I do look at the menus in advance and sort of try to figure out what I want, that goes out the window once we get there and actually see people with stuff. We don't go any certain way around since we stay at the Epcot resorts, just wander around. With PHs, we tend to spend some part of every day at Epcot so at least one meal a day comes from booths. I'm not sure how we would do it under the current conditions. If, I were planning on not park hopping, I would not plan a true meal for my Epcot days and just eat at booths. They don't open until 11 so you would need to get breakfast somewhere. We try to get a least one thing at every booth and even having park hoppers and going to Epcot every day, we have yet to meet that goal, especially if we actually get two things.

As far a budget, if you need to budget, I would look at the menus in advance and do a spreadsheet of the things I think I might want and go from there. The menus and prices are almost always available in advance. We buy a wrist gift card and put an initial couple hundred bucks on it and use it at the booths. That way there is no fumbling for cash or cards, it is on my wrist and I just hold up my arm for them to scan. It would be an easy way to budget as well. You can refill them (and I do) when you run out of money on them. I always make sure to have a little cash with me because somethings the registers go down and they can't scan cards or if it's raining heavily they tend to only take case (that is pre-Covid).

 

[DebLovesPooh]

I usually spend one day just for the festival activities. On this day we just eat and drink around the world. Another day for the park itself and the rides. This is the day we reserve a sit down meal. To be honest, festival day is the one day we don’t worry about the budget. I usually expect $200-$300 given that we love our food and beer.

Deb