Epcot International Food & Wine Festival *2011*

[Catira]

We are attending F&W.. for the first time. Total newbies.. our trip is planned for 10-22 until 10-29

 

[Pink Mouse Ears]

We'll be there the last 2 days! We were there in Oct 09 and we didn't really take the time to try anything...I feel like we missed out! Excited to give it another go.

 

[sue_gowin]

We've been there during the first week a couple of times now, and it is nuts!!! The crowds are huge and people go way overboard with the drinking. I agree with staying clear of it Friday-Sunday. If you really can't wait, try friday afternoon, but I'd get out of there just before dinner. This is our first year missing it in 4 years! I don't know what I'll do with myself!

 

[beroh2253]

I am so excited to be attending the F&W Festival in Epcot for the first time this year. There will be 2 less people there opening weekend since we switched our dates to mid-October 19-25 for possible better weather and crowds while we are there.
I am now anixously awaiting the announcement of who will be in the 'Eat to the beat " concerts and when they will be appearing at the Festival.

15th to the 23rd of October this year for us. My favorite is the crab cake with a Sam Adams right by the concerts. Darn still 7 months to go.

 

[1971DBday]

First timer here for the F&W!!!!! We have been going to WDW in Nov/Dec for the past 5 years (plus scattered trips) and we are celebrating my 40th and DBILs 50th.....I cannot wait and I am the planner of the family.

I am not a huge eater though and during our trip 10/5 - 10/10 (shorter than usual 10+ day trips) my DBIL and others want to do two ADRs - O'hana's and Le Cellier....I will be up Thursday morning ready to do my job!

I just need to plan it out right so that we get a good night for F&W, get in our ressies and not stuff ourselves and miss out on F&W or MNSSHP! I don't know how we are going to get everything done! We are more of a as you go family then planners.

 

[rice00]

We will be there the last week of October. Usually the weather is great. The weekends are crazy but the during the week you can really take your time wandering the countries and trying something you always wanted to.

 

[sjs314]

We were going to go the last week but then changed our dates pushing it to Oct 19-25. I am hopeing for good weather I have been in October years ago but it was the first week and before they started the F&W Festival.

It seems a lot of people are going that last week going by the trip dates I keep seeing people posting

 

[TDC Nala]

There will be a sticky thread started for the festival, probably next month.

The schedule is expected sometime in June or July.

The dates of two signature dinners are known (although they have not been announced by Disney): Citricos 11/1, Jiko 11/3 (it is possible that this will be a regular Jiko wine dinner and the festival dinner will be in October, but I believe this is the festival dinner).

Right now Steve Soares is listing three acts for Eat to the Beat but I can't access his site at work so I can't quote them now. The one I remember is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy appearing 11/11 - 11/13.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Joining in

This will be our 5th F&W Festival (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010).

We went during the 1st week in 2009 and it wasn't bad at all in terms of crowds. However, there are certain crowd levels you can count on at F&W. The opening weekend will be VERY busy. The weekdays of opening week, in our experience, were quite calm. As a general rule, Friday after 5, Saturday & Sunday are crowded. Early afternoon tends to be the best time, and the later into the evening you get the longer the lines grow.

Don't be intimidated by lines though! Last year we went towards the end of the festival and it was very crowded every night. We often saw lines of 20-30 people deep. But those lines took 10 minutes or so and viola! You had your food.

So what new booths do you think they will have this year?

I'd be interested to see a Scandanavian booth return...Portugal could be an interesting addition as well. Maybe Vietnam? I'd love to see a bahn mi sandwich

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

There will be a sticky thread started for the festival, probably next month.

The schedule is expected sometime in June or July.

The dates of two signature dinners are known (although they have not been announced by Disney): Citricos 11/1, Jiko 11/3 (it is possible that this will be a regular Jiko wine dinner and the festival dinner will be in October, but I believe this is the festival dinner).

Right now Steve Soares is listing three acts for Eat to the Beat but I can't access his site at work so I can't quote them now. The one I remember is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy appearing 11/11 - 11/13.

The Festival dates are up on the WDW website, Sept 30th - November 13th

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/pa...s/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/

Here are the Eat to the Beat acts listed by Steve:
Gin Blossoms September 27-28
Taylor Dayne September 29-October 2
38 Special October 3-5
Starship Starring Mickey Thomas October 13-16
Boyz II Men October 24-26
Hanson October 31-November 1
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy November 11-13

 

[skunk]

The Festival dates are up on the WDW website, Sept 30th - November 13th

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/pa...s/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/

Here are the Eat to the Beat acts listed by Steve:
Gin Blossoms September 27-28
Taylor Dayne September 29-October 2
38 Special October 3-5
Starship Starring Mickey Thomas October 13-16
Boyz II Men October 24-26
Hanson October 31-November 1
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy November 11-13

A bit curious that there are concerts listed for Sept 27-29, when the Festival begins on Sept 30th.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm hoping the fact that concerts are scheduled before 9/30 means some of the booths will open early, too. We LOVE the F&W Festival and are going this year. However, our APs expire so that we can only go to the festival for the first couple days. But we'll be there the last week in September, so here's hoping for some early openings.

 

[TDC Nala]

There is generally a "preview" on the Thursday prior to opening. That would be September 29. Not all the booths may be open for the preview. They call it a "cast preview" but they do not check to see if you're cast when you buy stuff.

 

[butiflfeet]

So excited for this! We went in 2008 for our anniversary and are planning on another trip for our anniversary this year. Perhaps doing the half marathon that weekend too!

 

[joeandmel]

We are going the first week of Oct for the FW Festival. I can't wait. I've never done Disney except in the dead of summer, so I am pumped about a fall trip.

Be carefull for what you wish for. My wide and I and friends family when then in 09. It was the worst heat wave they had all year including the summer. The lowest days high was 95. Good chance this won't happen for you but that what we thought.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Be carefull for what you wish for. My wide and I and friends family when then in 09. It was the worst heat wave they had all year including the summer. The lowest days high was 95. Good chance this won't happen for you but that what we thought.

Sounds like you were there the same time I was in 2009, in October. What was funny was that the following week (I was there for 2 weeks), it was freezing cold! I remember that week sitting outside at the Movies on the Beach with hot chocolate to keep warm, wrapped in a blanket.

 

[Tess]

SO... i know it's seven months from the start date, but I want to start a thread for the 2011 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. I have been twice (2008 & 2010) and can't wait for this year's festival!!!

We are planning to go for the first week of the festival. I wanted to find out if anyone here has been to the first week in previous years, and if so, what are the crowds like? We've been during the third week in previous years, and the crowds have been manageable, but we have not heard what the first weekend into the first full week are like. Any experienced F&W veterans who have been during the first week who can share your experiences? We'd love to know what to expect!!!

In 2009 and 2010 we were there from opening day through the 2nd weekend. In fact, we're going the same time this year (9/30-10/8/11). Crowds were reasonable both years BUT FOR the late afternoon/evening hours on Saturday--horrendously busy. Sunday was also busy, but not ridiculously so.

Mornings we would spend at other parks, which I have to admit are busier than I would expect for that time of year. Afternoons at EPCOT through the week were perfectly fine. We take our afternoon pool break and head back to WS at dinner time and while it was busy, we were able to nibble and drink our way around.

Earlier in the week at WS is less busy than later in the week. The closer to the weekend, the more lively things became. We really didn't mind--it made the event somehow more festive!

Counting down until September (but not wishing away my summer)!

 

[29apr00]

There is generally a "preview" on the Thursday prior to opening. That would be September 29. Not all the booths may be open for the preview. They call it a "cast preview" but they do not check to see if you're cast when you buy stuff.

so so so so so excited to hear this!! Thursday is supposed to be our Epcot day....we had decided to stay away from Epcot on Friday because of our small children but I really want to atleast see some of the booths! Plus i'm doing the 1/2 Marathon Saturday night so i hope to see more during that time too.

 

[sjs314]

Be carefull for what you wish for. My wide and I and friends family when then in 09. It was the worst heat wave they had all year including the summer. The lowest days high was 95. Good chance this won't happen for you but that what we thought.

Sounds like you were there the same time I was in 2009, in October. What was funny was that the following week (I was there for 2 weeks), it was freezing cold! I remember that week sitting outside at the Movies on the Beach with hot chocolate to keep warm, wrapped in a blanket.

I read that the weather in October could be quite inconsistant but even so switched my dates for Sept 25-Oct 3 to Oct 19-25 fearful of the dreaded hot and humid weather I kept hearing about in September.

I just want it not to be hot hot hot and I am going to be upset if it is since it is costing me more for 6 nights than the previous dates did for 8 nights due to discounts , although I have read that cooler weather is likely after Oct 15th I was not thinking "freezing"

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

Count us in!! We are going for a long weekend (Wednesday-Sunday) 9/28-10/2 and we have no choice but to be there for opening weekend! I'm not too worried about the crowds. I'm used to going in the summer so I don't think anything will shock me. This will be our second time at F & W and the last time was a long weekend too (not the first weekend, maybe the second?). It was definitely crowded but totally doable!