F&W- Is It Worth It?

[BWV Dreamin]

I am contemplating a 5 day trip at BWV in the fall. Is F&W worth it? Really don't want to fight people for food. My main goal is to pick a time with fewer crowds. Right now leaning towards last week of September. Thoughts?

 

[spiceycat]

the food & wine is definitely worth it.

just don't go last week in Oct or New Jersey week - generally 1st or 2nd week in Nov.

 

[DebbieB]

I am contemplating a 5 day trip at BWV in the fall. Is F&W worth it? Really don't want to fight people for food. My main goal is to pick a time with fewer crowds. Right now leaning towards last week of September. Thoughts?

I was just there last week and it was great! We arrived on Saturday 10/23 and it was very crowded. But the rest of the time it was great, short lines. It's fun trying out all the different foods.

Most of the attractions had short lines during the week. Space Mt was 5 minutes at 1:30pm on Tuesday! EE was 15 minutes in the afternoon on Thursday! My friend didn't want to ride it so I went through the single rider line and rode it twice in 10 minutes! TSM and Soarin were about 60 min at peak, we used fastpass.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I was just there last week and it was great! We arrived on Saturday 10/23 and it was very crowded. But the rest of the time it was great, short lines. It's fun trying out all the different foods.

Most of the attractions had short lines during the week. Space Mt was 5 minutes at 1:30pm on Tuesday! EE was 15 minutes in the afternoon on Thursday! My friend didn't want to ride it so I went through the single rider line and rode it twice in 10 minutes! TSM and Soarin were about 60 min at peak, we used fastpass.

Ok, now you have me re- thinking this!! what days were the most crowded for F&W and least for the parks? Days of your trip?

 

[DebbieB]

Ok, now you have me re- thinking this!! what days were the most crowded for F&W and least for the parks? Days of your trip?

The weekends are most crowded for F & W. We were there Oct 23-29. Weather was hotter than expected, there were record highs 2 days in the low 90's. Normal is mid 80's. No rain.

We did:

Saturday - arrived afternoon, went to Epcot (crowded)
Sunday - MK (not crowded)
Monday - DHS (little crowded)
Tuesday - MK (not crowded)
Wednesday - Epcot (not crowded)
Thursday - AK (not crowded), Epcot in evening (not crowded)
Friday - MK (little crowded)

 

[Havana]

F&W is the BEST! I wish we could go more than one weekend a year. Going at 11am is the best way to beat the crowds.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Great advice! Well I am now changing my dates! can we still use snack credits towards the samples? Thanks for your itinerary DebbieB!

 

[jekjones1558]

Great advice! Well I am now changing my dates! can we still use snack credits towards the samples? Thanks for your itinerary DebbieB!

Snack credits can still be used and are a great value. Some of the F&W samplings are in the $4 - $5 if you pay cash.

 

[DenLo]

We stayed at BWV in October and noticed a definite increase in crowd levels not only on the weekends, but the crowds tripled with Columbus Day weekend.

Since snack credits can be used for F&W we are thinking next year of getting a Quick Service DP because you get two snacks. Some of the F&W food items were more like $5 or $6 each and that's a pretty good deal to use a snack credit for.

 

[Ms. WDW]

i is sooooooo worth it! I go every year! Was just there 3 weeks ago and had a fantastic time. Weekends are defiately more crowded than the week days so I tend to stay away then.

 

[sissy_ib]

I was at WDW last week Oct 23-31. Crowds were great all week. I was at F&W the 28-30. 30th was Saturday and it got busy, some lines for the booths were quite long. We had an amazing time and would go the same week again. Next time I go I will skip the weekend if possible, but I think really only seamed bad compared to the rest of the week.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We don't go for the food tastings, it drove us crazy to wait in lines for little tastes of food. However, this time we did our very first special event. It involved Grand Marnier, and it was great! It was on a weekend, and we're definitely going to look at the offerings like that next year.

Bobbi

 

[spiceycat]

We don't go for the food tastings, it drove us crazy to wait in lines for little tastes of food. However, this time we did our very first special event. It involved Grand Marnier, and it was great! It was on a weekend, and we're definitely going to look at the offerings like that next year.

Bobbi

how much was it?

still remember when we got free wine tasting....

 

[sissy_ib]

We don't go for the food tastings, it drove us crazy to wait in lines for little tastes of food. However, this time we did our very first special event. It involved Grand Marnier, and it was great! It was on a weekend, and we're definitely going to look at the offerings like that next year.

Bobbi

We did the Grand Marnier tasting on the 30th. It was the BEST! We did the tequila tasting the day before and I was so disappointed in it and afraid the Grand Marnier event would be similar. They went above and beyond I felt. If this is offered in future years we will definitely do it again.

 

[dgaston]

And we attended one of the French Regional Lunches (Bordeaux). This is my new favorite special event. We have done 4 Party for the Senses, and I'm not sure I'm going to spend the big $ on that again. We had a great time at the Food Booths, and with one French Regional Lunch, we can still have a terrific long weekend at Food and Wine.

Yes it's worth it -- we fly down from New England for four days!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We did the Grand Marnier tasting on the 30th. It was the BEST! We did the tequila tasting the day before and I was so disappointed in it and afraid the Grand Marnier event would be similar. They went above and beyond I felt. If this is offered in future years we will definitely do it again.

We had done it on October the 2nd. Yes, it was very special. I saved my little bottle of GM as a momento. Glad you enjoyed it too!

 

[Simba's Mom]

We don't go for the food tastings, it drove us crazy to wait in lines for little tastes of food. However, this time we did our very first special event. It involved Grand Marnier, and it was great! It was on a weekend, and we're definitely going to look at the offerings like that next year.

Bobbi

Lines can spoil the whole experience. What we do to avoid lines is enter through the IG, after having a light breakfast relatively early, so we'll be ready to eat again at 11:00. At 11:00, when they dropped the rope by France, we walked swiftly toward Germany (or some fairly far spot). See what "lines" Guy encountered?

Then we worked our way around until it got too busy, and we were out of Epcot by 3:00 or so. On another day, we started at Ireland promptly at 11:00 (they had lines by 11:30 and headed toward FW. I suppose it helps if you're prepared to eat at 11:00 or shortly thereafter.
For us, like others have said, the F&W festival is most definitely worth it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

That's great Simba's mom! One year we were at F&W during some weekdays, and we did enjoy the tastings. Recently though, we've only managed to go during long weekends, like this past one that began in September before F&W.
DS mentioned going for Halloween week next year. If I can wiggle a day off, we can try again!

 

[paults]

I am contemplating a 5 day trip at BWV in the fall. Is F&W worth it? Really don't want to fight people for food. My main goal is to pick a time with fewer crowds. Right now leaning towards last week of September. Thoughts?

it's worth it. and you don't have to fight other people for food anymore, Disney now makes you stand in line in an orderly fashion and give them money for food.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Ok, this what I've gathered from all of you F&W experts:

Avoid weekends( ESP. Columbus Day Weekend)

Eat early, starting at 11a.

Go to the furthest country possible and work your way around.

End of October seems to be the least crowded for both parks and F&W.

Grand Marnier event is a must! Am I leaving anything out?