epcot food and wine festival

[elsaj]

I am planning my November Disney vacation. For the night we plan on spending at Epcot, I wondering if we should make a dinner reservation or is it more fun walking around to the different vendors that are at Epcot because of the festival?

 

[disneyag]

If you are adventurous about foods and would like to try a wide variety, then I definitely recommend "Eating your way" around the WS. My SIL and I did it last fall and had a fabulous time!!!

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

My DH and I look forward to the Food & Wine Festival all year! We definitely skip a sit-down lunch and dinner when we're there and instead do laps around the WS eating and drinking and eating and... I can hardly wait!!

 

[1833]

I was going to just post a similar thread-- I'm trying to decide where I need to make PS. This is our first visit during F&W, and was curious as to what was actually happening other than "special events" listed. Are food /wine samples throughout the day? Are there places to sit and eat if you buy some?

Thanks!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

We loved the Food & Wine Festival when we were there! You can definitely skip sit down meals if you are the type of person who likes to sample things, sort cocktail party style. Other than the big events that are listed, there are booths set up all along the main walkway -- and each booth represents a countyr or region. They offer about three or four different things at each booth. The portions are small, to encourage or allow you to try many different things. Since the items are small, youc an hold a small plate in your hand and eat as you walk or you can sit on a nearby bench. There aren't tables set up around each booth or anything like that -- it's more the atmosphere of a street fair.

Hope that helps! Enjoy!!

 

[ElizabethB]

We also like to skip dinner and eat our way around the booths. However, don't plan this for a Friday or Saturday night. The locals come out those nights and the booths are usually lined up with 25 or so people wanting the beer who've already had too much beer. We got very tired of that scene very fast.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Another vote for skipping dinner and doing the booths. We were there last year on opening weekend and the place was packed. We went back during the week and it was much better crowd wise.

It was quite nice, we wandered from booth to booth, at some places we samples a couple things, others we skipped. We tried a few things we would not have ordered on a full menu and were pleased with our choices.

The only disappointing place was Canada's booth. I wanted to get the cheddar cheese soup but they were also serving Salmon I think. Whatever it was, the whole area smelled like stinkbait! Bleah, could not stand in line with the smell.

All in all, we had a good time. Hubby LOVED the Sam Adams beer tent (free samples, must be over 21 and they check ALL id's), discovered a lovely new dessert wine, had some yummy desserts and grazed our way around the world. Can't wait for this year!

 

[gatour]

I would definetly recommend avoiding the opening weekend as it can be packed. Weekends later in the festival are slightly less crowded or as someone else mentioned go on a weekday.

 

[aladdinsgirl]

Does anyone remember what some of food selections were at the booths? We'll be there the 1st night of the festival, and I would like to do some grazing, if lines aren't too long. I know the menus probably change, but if I could get a general idea, that would be great. TIA!!

Krista

 

[B'rer Karen]

This is what I remember off the top of my head, but mind you I probably sampled not even 1/10th of what was offered. Plus I was drinking at each of these stands and that fuzzes the memory a little bit. Some of these things may have been from my trip 3 years ago :

-kielbasi
-pierogis (only thing I did not think was good as I am a homemade pierogi gal and these were obviously the MRS. T brand you can get in the grocery store).
-maple fudge
-cheddar cheese soup
-pasta carbonara
-pizza
-some sort of chocolate thing in Norway
-tempura
-apple strudel

 

[B'rer Karen]

Sorry, double post

 

[mom2cinderella]

2003 Food Booths

Expected 2004 Booths

HTH

 

[JayBee]

The 2003 booths in the above post gives you an idea how much is offered...there's also various beer and wines in other places. We will never go on a Fri or Sat again(gangs of local older teens acting obnoxious)....weekdays are MUCH less crowded. You need at least two different times to experience a majority of the foods...DH and I split each tasting, so we can try more foods.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

During last year's F&W Festival, my girlfriend and I were doing just what the OP is thinking. We were just walking from country to country sampling, when we arrived at Morocco. I was pleasantly surprised at how great the food tasted and I will definitely eat at the main restaurant because of it. So, you never know where your next great meal will come from if you don't try some new foods.