EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, Sept. 25 - Nov 16 2015

[2xcited2sleep]

I saw on another site that they'd released a tentative menu with photos for the tequila tasting lunches (no $ announced, as yet). Anyone have experience doing these, or other premium events, solo? I'm assuming you are seated with another party/parties and, like anything else, that experience could vary. But would love to hear from any that attend these solo. I am newly local and hoping to maximize my F&W time!!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I saw on another site that they'd released a tentative menu with photos for the tequila tasting lunches (no $ announced, as yet). Anyone have experience doing these, or other premium events, solo? I'm assuming you are seated with another party/parties and, like anything else, that experience could vary. But would love to hear from any that attend these solo. I am newly local and hoping to maximize my F&W time!!

I have done a lot of things solo. At most of them you are seated with others. At the Parisian Breakfast we wound up with a table of 6 solo women (all of whom were rather tipsy by the time it was over but we had a GREAT time LOL!) Did the Tequila Lunch last year and had a very nice time also.

For Party for the Senses if you are going solo and do the reserved seating they seat you at a solo table... and I STRONGLY recommend paying for reserved seating at this event if you are going solo. The "table hogs" who apparently don't understand cocktail parties can aggressively defend their "reserved" table leaving you wandering around with no place to perch for hours. (One year someone came on this thread and pitched a fit about the 'rude' people who dared to sit at the empty seats at her table that she reserved with her Disney shopping bag. Apparently even though the table had several seats only she and her friend were allowed to sit there and the "rude" people would not move even after she whined and glared at them LOL!)

 

[loves to dive]

I saw on another site that they'd released a tentative menu with photos for the tequila tasting lunches (no $ announced, as yet). Anyone have experience doing these, or other premium events, solo? I'm assuming you are seated with another party/parties and, like anything else, that experience could vary. But would love to hear from any that attend these solo. I am newly local and hoping to maximize my F&W time!!

I went to the food and wine pairing seminar and the Moroccan dinner and wine pairing solo last year (well I went to everything solo but those were the only premium events) and yes they sit you with everyone. At the f&w pairing it was in the special building between Canada and England a big seminar room with long tables and you set wherever you wanted, at the dinner there were about 8 people and one long table. Again you just took a seat. I enjoyed both of them and met some really nice people both times. I also attended a few of the mini seminars in the festival center and again you just sit at a big table wherever you want and again I met some really great people. One was a local woman who goes often every year and she was a fountain of information, had so much fun talking to her and getting the 411 on everything.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm anxiously awaiting culinary demo information, especially since I heard that some of the chefs I've seen on the Food Network are going to be there-like Buddy Velasco and Robert Irvine. I'd love to know who's there when, hoping that someone "known" will be there my week. If not, maybe I'll be lucky enough to have happen what happened several years ago. I chose a seminar based on what the chef served, then a few years later I saw him on a cooking show on TV.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I have done a lot of things solo. At most of them you are seated with others. At the Parisian Breakfast we wound up with a table of 6 solo women (all of whom were rather tipsy by the time it was over but we had a GREAT time LOL!) Did the Tequila Lunch last year and had a very nice time also.

For Party for the Senses if you are going solo and do the reserved seating they seat you at a solo table... and I STRONGLY recommend paying for reserved seating at this event if you are going solo. The "table hogs" who apparently don't understand cocktail parties can aggressively defend their "reserved" table leaving you wandering around with no place to perch for hours. (One year someone came on this thread and pitched a fit about the 'rude' people who dared to sit at the empty seats at her table that she reserved with her Disney shopping bag. Apparently even though the table had several seats only she and her friend were allowed to sit there and the "rude" people would not move even after she whined and glared at them LOL!)

I went to the food and wine pairing seminar and the Moroccan dinner and wine pairing solo last year (well I went to everything solo but those were the only premium events) and yes they sit you with everyone. At the f&w pairing it was in the special building between Canada and England a big seminar room with long tables and you set wherever you wanted, at the dinner there were about 8 people and one long table. Again you just took a seat. I enjoyed both of them and met some really nice people both times. I also attended a few of the mini seminars in the festival center and again you just sit at a big table wherever you want and again I met some really great people. One was a local woman who goes often every year and she was a fountain of information, had so much fun talking to her and getting the 411 on everything.

THANK YOU! I appreciate the feedback. You make solo sound much less scary than I was imagining. Maybe I will meet up with you this year! Would love to meet other DISers. Can't wait for details on all the events!!

 

[dundey]

This will be my / our first year at F&W, very excited!! We'll be there 10/24 - 10/29, staying at BLT (also for the first time!).
Can't wait!

 

[samsteele]

THANK YOU! I appreciate the feedback. You make solo sound much less scary than I was imagining. Maybe I will meet up with you this year! Would love to meet other DISers. Can't wait for details on all the events!!

I attended 2 of the inexpensive $15 deminars last year solo. You book and prepay online (dates usually released at the end of the summer). The tickets are non-refundable & can be picked up on the date of & just inside the pavilion at the welcome table. You are seated at a long table at fairly close quarters with others but I met some interesting people and had a good time. Many attendees are locals who go to many (if not most) of the deminars every year so they definitely know what's what at F&W. The deminars take a little over an hour (the deminar isn't that long but people start to line up approx 20 mins or more before the start time). I found the glass of wine & appetizer-sized food to generally be good value. I suspect many attendees are after the recipe so they can replicate the entree at home. I found that the ingredients list was often so extensive & hard to find in my small community that I really just went to nosh & try something different than what I find at home. At the first one I went to, I forgot to hand my ticket over to the CM as I walked in . . . much to the amusement of the people behind me. Looked like I was "crashing" the deminar LOL. This year, I may only book one rather than two because they do eat up prime time at F&W when I could be out sampling at the kiosks

 

[BradyBrenMom]

Has anyone ever used any of the F&W ebooks to plan their trip? If so, what did you think? I'm thinking about getting one as a gift for my dad to get him excited about our upcoming trip.

 

[adoptnky]

So excited! Headed down in October for an adult only trip with my hubby. He doesn't know it yet.....going to surprise him. Now to just keep it from the kiddo.......

 

[crazy4wdw]

I attended 2 of the inexpensive $15 deminars last year solo. You book and prepay online (dates usually released at the end of the summer). The tickets are non-refundable & can be picked up on the date of & just inside the pavilion at the welcome table.

I did several beverage seminars and culinary demos solo last year and generally had a great time with the others at the table where I was seated. All of the seminars I attended last year were at most 50% full so I'm thinking of waiting until I actually get to the festival to book any events this year. That way I will not be on the phone for an hour or two when the events can be reserved.

 

[loves to dive]

I did several beverage seminars and culinary demos solo last year and generally had a great time with the others at the table where I was seated. All of the seminars I attended last year were at most 50% full so I'm thinking of waiting until I actually get to the festival to book any events this year. That way I will not be on the phone for an hour or two when the events can be reserved.

I didn't pre-book any of the seminars in the festival center, frankly I didn't even expect to attend any. I was just walking around the festival center and found a few that looked interesting and bought tickets on the spot. I don't know if it was the time of year or the topic of the seminars or what but I had no problem getting tickets. The two that I attended were about 90% full.

 

[Straughn]

For the solo folks out there, I have attended a number of special events at F & W alone: Citrico's wine dinner, Frunch, Party for the Senses to name a few. At the wine dinner and the lunch, I was seated at table with others and had a great time. For PFTS, I strongly concur with the PP who said to get a reserved table. I had a table directly across from the Cirque show. It is really difficult to enjoy all the party has to offer without having a place to sit and eat.

 

[TDC Nala]

If you want the discount on the deminars for AP/TIW/DVC (which is usually about $2 off on Monday-Thursday, not valid for weekends) then you have to book ahead of time by phone. The discounts weren't available online or if you booked in person.

Some of the celebrity chefs will also sell out quickly, like Robert Irvine if he does a demo. Celebrity chef demos are generally on weekends.

 

[FeralCatRogue]

They also seem to not give many spots for discount, when I booked Cat Cora's deminar ($15 one) 30 mins after phones opened I was told it had been sold out to AP but they booked me under a general admission price.

 

[pooch]

Just joining the crowd. I will be visiting DD for the last week of the festival. Anxiously awaiting menus!!

 

[chrisc88]

Wasn't planning on going this year...BUT...have made reservations for early October

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

If you want the discount on the deminars for AP/TIW/DVC (which is usually about $2 off on Monday-Thursday, not valid for weekends) then you have to book ahead of time by phone. The discounts weren't available online or if you booked in person.

Some of the celebrity chefs will also sell out quickly, like Robert Irvine if he does a demo. Celebrity chef demos are generally on weekends.

I got an AP discount on at least two seminars when I showed up day of the seminar last year.

 

[starswilldiex]

so excited we are going to our 1st F&W during sept. 25th-30th and my hubby is turning 35 and loves food and wine so i want to try to surprise him somehow. his actual birthday (28th) we will be dining at California Grill and we have MNSSHP on the 27th but I know we will be at Epcot multiple times drinking and eating. I'd like to do some kind of experience or culinary demo or something for him though.

Last trip (May 2015) we did the wine tasting class at Jiko and that was so much fun, can't wait for whole festival!

 

[KPSmithSr]

DW and I will be at Fort Wilderness from Oct 23rd to Nov 17th. Retirement is great!! I hope they don't change the French thing too much, either in content or $$$. That is our favorite event. The Tequila Lunch is another favorite. This will be our 12th Food and Wine Festival and we still look forward to it. This year we are traveling west for the summer so we may have another 4:00 AM call time . Oh well, I can always take a nap. We hope to try the Italian Regional Lunch this year. We got tired of having to beg for more wine a couple of years ago so skipped it last year, but have heard they were more generous with pours last year. Can anyone comment on that? The Parisian Breakfast in another one we have repeated and hope to attend this year again. We also liked the Mediterranean Food & Wine Pairing at Spice Road Tables which was new last year, but we eat at Spice Roads a lot anyway. Hope to see you there.

 

[Scottishbrit]

I cant wait till they release the menu's. For those that have been there is it more "meat" items and less "veggie" items? When I went to flower and garden last year I loved all the non meat items they had. I do eat Chicken but dont eat red/white meat or fish..