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

[mbtohill]

DW and I just spent the weekend and thouroughly enjoyed ourselves as usual:

Favorite food:
Ricotta and Zucchini Ravioli - Sustainable Chew
Olive Oil Poached Salmon and NY Strip - Chew Lab
Beef Tenderloin - Africa
Buttered Chicken - Africa
Lettuce Wrap - South Korea
Pork Belly - Brazil
Chicken Sausage with Polenta & Onion Jam - Canada
Everything from New Zealand
Kielbasa and Pierogi - Poland
Haggis - Scotland

We went Friday and Saturday. Crowds on Friday were totally manageable, never felt like we were overwhelmed. Saturday was a different story, by 2pm it was INSANE, we actually left for a few hours and did the Monorail Pub Crawl, which was a lot of fun. Came back for a 6:45 ADR at Spice Road and then saw The SOS Band at 8pm (THEY PUT ON A GREAT SHOW). After the concert we were able to hit a bunch of kiosks without much wait at all.

All in all, Food & Wine is still a GREAT experience. We will be back again next year, but will be sure to during the week.

 

[westfield13]

When you pick up your tickets, tell them you have a Chase credit card. You will be given a priority seating ticket along with your tickets for the seminar (s). They start letting the folks with the priority tickets in about ten minutes before everyone else. You are able to select any seat you want. There is a separate entrance for people with priority tickets. There have not been that many people in line with priority tickets for the seminars that I have attended so far.

Thanks so much - will be sure to do this for our demo!!!

 

[Mkm172]

How long are the culinary demos? I have a 1pm one scheduled and trying to arrange Possible other events

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

DW and I just spent the weekend and thouroughly enjoyed ourselves as usual:

Favorite food:
Ricotta and Zucchini Ravioli - Sustainable Chew
Olive Oil Poached Salmon and NY Strip - Chew Lab
Beef Tenderloin - Africa
Buttered Chicken - Africa
Lettuce Wrap - South Korea
Pork Belly - Brazil
Chicken Sausage with Polenta & Onion Jam - Canada
Everything from New Zealand
Kielbasa and Pierogi - Poland
Haggis - Scotland

We went Friday and Saturday. Crowds on Friday were totally manageable, never felt like we were overwhelmed. Saturday was a different story, by 2pm it was INSANE, we actually left for a few hours and did the Monorail Pub Crawl, which was a lot of fun. Came back for a 6:45 ADR at Spice Road and then saw The SOS Band at 8pm (THEY PUT ON A GREAT SHOW). After the concert we were able to hit a bunch of kiosks without much wait at all.

All in all, Food & Wine is still a GREAT experience. We will be back again next year, but will be sure to during the week.

We were there this past weekend also and I absolutely agree...I thought friday was very manageable. It was busy but not insanely busy like I thought it may be. We liked everything we tried..thought all the food was very good.

Saturday was insane!! We went early and tried to get a few booths in...got to canada right at 11 which was good because that line got insane later!! Got a few booths in that we really wanted to try and then we left about 2 also...just too hot and crowded then went back that evening for PFTS, which was very nice...we really enjoyed our evening

 

[only hope]

Hi. I tried searching this thread (and the forums as a whole) and did not find an answer. Does anyone know if the Chase lounge is giving out Illuminations wristbands for the special viewing area, and if so, what time they typically run out? Thank you.

 

[loves to dive]

How long are the culinary demos? I have a 1pm one scheduled and trying to arrange Possible other events

45 min

 

[sunflare]

Hi. I tried searching this thread (and the forums as a whole) and did not find an answer. Does anyone know if the Chase lounge is giving out Illuminations wristbands for the special viewing area, and if so, what time they typically run out? Thank you.

I've heard that they're giving them out at the reserved area before the show (by Italy, maybe?)

 

[Mkm172]

There is a spot in Italy that you can get into with only the chase Disney card. No wristbands, just show your card.

 

[Dcorey73]

Thank you, I wasn't aware they handed out wristbands for that.

 

[Hibiscus]

There is a spot in Italy that you can get into with only the chase Disney card. No wristbands, just show your card.

Thank you! Does it fill quickly over there?

 

[jerseygal]

There is a spot in Italy that you can get into with only the chase Disney card. No wristbands, just show your card.

THANKS, I read this somewhere else. The area by Italy, is this a good viewing area in your opinion?? TIA!

 

[gottalovepluto]

For those still to go to the festival easy wdw has the in-depth pdf review up for this year. http://www.easywdw.com/worth-2/epcot-food-and-wine-festival-2015-review-pdf/

 

[MulanyBelle]

Better to go during week or on a Wed, Thursday or weekend? I anticipate large crowds regardless.

 

[mommyrosa2]

DH & I attended the Tutto Gusto wine pairing luncheon yesterday and loved it!! Food was great, wine was very good and we got to meet some very nice people at our table...would definitely do again!!

 

[jerseygal]

For those still to go to the festival easy wdw has the in-depth pdf review up for this year. http://www.easywdw.com/worth-2/epcot-food-and-wine-festival-2015-review-pdf/

THANKS for the link! Took copious notes;SO EXCITED; yum!

 

[mbtohill]

Better to go during week or on a Wed, Thursday or weekend? I anticipate large crowds regardless.

100% better to go during the week. Really should try to avoid the weekends if at all possible

 

[larandtra1990]

Was at the festival this past weekend both Friday and Saturday nights. I didnt see this disaster of lines and so forth everyone is talking about. I also didnt see the inordinate amount of drunk people everyone is talking about. The longest line I waited in Saturday evening was maybe 10 minutes at France. Dominican Republic has it down to a science. One line to order, one line to pick up and easily the best booth in the festival.
But I digress, In Order Best we tried:
Dominican Republic: Every main entree was excellent, the Sugar Cane cocktail is very good
Scotland: Every Main Entree very well done, Thistle was spectacular
Brazil: Fried Pork Belly..All you need to know
France: Food was consistent and tasty. Ice pops are addictive
Ireland: Again, consistency and great flavor, the pudding is smaller now but still so good
Mexico: Yes, the chicken Dish is amazing
Japan: Hand roll and tempura rolls were excellent
Canada: The sausage and polenta makes it worth it for the overpriced and average filet
Africa- Butter Chicken and Nan is worth the short wait
Tie Hawaii/Poland: Hawaii is always consistent with sliders and the perogies at Poland are very good

Worst:
Italy- Tasted like it came out of a stouffers entree box
The Chew Lab; Overhyped and not even close to good. I see why the lines diminished as the day went on. The food isnt good
Greece: Could get that at any mall Gyro place..bring back the cheese
America: The Lobster roll is overpriced and the sliders were below average
China: Any chinese restaurant could make that stuff
Fresh : Mac and cheese. another overhyped dish, not worth the wait.

The beer flights have gotten smaller but the sampling isnt bad.
If I didnt list a booth, we tried it but it didnt stand out as great or bad

 

[gottalovepluto]

Does the F&W Passport for this year list each item at the booths? I'm thinking of sitting down with one on my first day and marking everything I want to try so I don't have to pull out my iphone every time. Also, what size are they? Are they something I can stick in the back pocket of my jeans? (I've been searching images online but want to make sure I have this right and I really can't get a feel for the size.)

 

[larandtra1990]

The passport will fit in your pocket and it does list each item

 

[pepperandchips]

Was at the festival this past weekend both Friday and Saturday nights. I didnt see this disaster of lines and so forth everyone is talking about. I also didnt see the inordinate amount of drunk people everyone is talking about. The longest line I waited in Saturday evening was maybe 10 minutes at France.

Exactly my experience as well. I was dreading the Saturday night crowd on October 10th but we had a great time and plenty of places to sit, even.