Epcot on a Saturday in October

[jenhum]

How much am I going to hate myself for being at Epcot on a Sat during F&W? We are doing a half Epcot/half HS, so I won't have any FP+ for Epcot either because I decided to use those for HS. We're planning on being at Epcot by 8:15 (9 open). Do Soarin' first, then TT (single rider if line is more than 30 mins). Then Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, and Living with the Land if the waits are reasonable. After that we'll head back to World Showcase to peruse the countries and their food offerings (hopefully fairly close to 11am), and will be headed to HS around 3-4.

Any tips to dealing with the crowds? Does this plan sound doable? Other than Soarin' and TT, the rides aren't super important, so if lines are really bad we will still head back to the WS around 11. And I'll check out the food/drink offerings before we go so I'll have an idea of where we'd like to sample.

 

[MataHari22]

I've found that Saturdays during food and wine are more crowded in World Showcase. TBH, I would not want to do it again, and I would really try to avoid doing it again. It was shoulder to shoulder people, and when we wanted to partake in the food and wine offerings, the lines for food were super long, and then there was no where to sit or set your food down. Also, there were a lot of people who were drinking to excess.

If you get there at rope drop and do everything you want to do in FW, and get into WS straight away, and get out by 3 that might be ok.

I know some people say it's not that bad, and they never see people that are super drunk, but I have. I definitely would not want to take my kids, if I had any. I would stick to a week day. Never seems "as bad" to me then.

 

[cel_disney]

We have done it (and will be doing it again this year). The key is rope drop the rides and be at WS in line at 11 when they open! Also - I STRONGLY recommend having a good plan instead of just strolling around to decide and also consider if there are a few stands near each other that your family may want to try - split up to acquire the food instead of standing in line together everywhere!

I find that there ends up being undesirable behaivor mid afternoon and VERY undesirable by the end of the affair...so definitely go in 'eyes wide open' on expectations!

 

[mjmgsssp]

We have done it (and will be doing it again this year). The key is rope drop the rides and be at WS in line at 11 when they open! Also - I STRONGLY recommend having a good plan instead of just strolling around to decide and also consider if there are a few stands near each other that your family may want to try - split up to acquire the food instead of standing in line together everywhere!

I find that there ends up being undesirable behaivor mid afternoon and VERY undesirable by the end of the affair...so definitely go in 'eyes wide open' on expectations!

I wholeheartedly agree!!!

 

[Missyrose]

I find that there ends up being undesirable behavior mid afternoon and VERY undesirable by the end of the affair

I'm always curious to hear what people mean when they say something like this...

 

[HopperFan]

Agree with previous posters - Saturday is the worse and I avoid it completely. If you must your plan sounds like best case scenario - sooner heading to DHS the better.

Used to do F&W a few days each year, now if I go at all it's a weekday.

 

[Wackdawg]

We are going to be there October 15th and really don't expect it to be to bad. After all we were there at Halloween time in 2014 it was just fine. No real disturbances with people and as far as lines it's wdw, that's the name of the game.

 

[cel_disney]

I'm always curious to hear what people mean when they say something like this...

In our experience - public puking, lewd behavior, and just anything that can happen at a very drunk backyard party! it's one thing if you are joining them, another if you have to take your kids to use a disgusting restroom with those cleaning up the puke they got in their hair when they couldn't make it to the restroom in time!

I find that for a family vacation it's easiest to just avoid this situation...

 

[goofyintoronto]

I've been on a Saturday last October and to be honest....I honestly didnt find it too bad. Maybe im more patient on vacation? I dunno. Sure there were crowds, but they move fast! I honestly didnt wait too long at each country. Yes you'll spot drunken folks, but i just avoid them and move along my merry way. F&W is a lot of fun. If you can be at F&W at 11am when it opens, great. But I wouldnt stress over it.

 

[Missyrose]

We avoid the World Showcase on Saturdays during F&W because of the wall-to-wall crowds. We've been every October for the better part of 10 years -- spending most of our fall trips enjoying F&W -- and we've never seen the public drunkenness that others claim is plaguing Epcot.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

How are Sunday's? Also are the F&W booths open when Epcot has evening EMH?

 

[Missyrose]

How are Sunday's? Also are the F&W booths open when Epcot has evening EMH?

Sunday is better than Saturday, but still crowded. You will have the best success when you get to the kiosks right when the World Showcase opens at 11 a.m., no matter the day.

Kiosks are not open for EMH.

 

[TigerLilly's Mom]

Sunday is better than Saturday, but still crowded. You will have the best success when you get to the kiosks right when the World Showcase opens at 11 a.m., no matter the day.

Kiosks are not open for EMH.

Thank you.

 

[1lilspark]

Future world ride lines should be pretty standard though I'd try to rope drop or FP+ frozen cause WS is usually packed especially on weekends with good musical acts at eat to the beat

Unfortunately with work schedules Saturday trips are standard and were planning on going the 8th the worst Oct Saturday for the band/my birthday though we may end up at magic or Disney Springs instead

 

[LilyWDW]

It will be very busy in World Showcase. Lines for the food locations will be long and it will be hard to move, even when it first opens. I have been there and done that... and won't do it again.

That said, I have never seen the crazy drunks other people seem to find. Only person I saw puking during Food and Wine was a young child so I doubt that was booze related.

 

[2binak]

Should we be ok if we stick to Future World on a Saturday? We've been going to Epcot on our departure day for a few years, but not during F&WF. We'll leave the park at 2:30 to catch our flight home.

 

[Missyrose]

Should we be ok if we stick to Future World on a Saturday? We've been going to Epcot on our departure day for a few years, but not during F&WF. We'll leave the park at 2:30 to catch our flight home.

If there's no other option, make a plan and use your FP+ reservations wisely.

 

[2binak]

If there's no other option, make a plan and use your FP+ reservations wisely.

Thanks! The plan is to arrive around 10:30, use a FP for Test Track, get lunch at Sunshine Seasons then use a FP for Spaceship Earth (DD's favorite ride) and leave after that.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

I think you'll be fine. The crowds during F&W on Saturday are mostly for the Food & Wine and also mostly in the evening. It will start getting more crowded based on your schedule around 1pm or so in World Showcase, but not that bad. The HUGE lines we saw were on Friday and Saturday nights at the kiosks.

 

[Straughn]

This will be my ninth consecutive F&W festival and it sounds like there are others with more years there than I. I have the option of avoiding the place on Saturdays, except when I have to walk thru to get to the PFTS on Sat. evening. The place is wall to wall and there are always large groups of folks (mostly in their 20's) who are "drinking around the world" and have the T-shirts to prove it. Some of these groups are very well behaved like any other large group traveling together that you might encounter at a time other than F&W. The others of these groups, by late afternoon are plowed out of their minds. There is no way to know what you are going to get. The hotter it is, the more likely the effects of the alcohol will kick in faster. I have been there when, other than being crowded, I did not witness any bad behavior. I have been there and seen Disney security escorting people out who were well over their limit and behaving badly. I would think that, if you are out of there by mid afternoon, you shouldn't have too much of a problem as long as you are prepared to deal with crowds.