F&W Questions

[cdrn1]

Would someone be so kind as to fill me in on the Food and Wine Festival? I have read about it but still have some questions.
Are the food and wine tasting areas set up as booths around WS? Or are they in Horizons or something like that? What time do they open? Is it 11:00 like WS? Will there be a program or something that we can pick up that tells us what is offered at the different countries, so that we can get an idea of what we want to try before we actually start trying them? Are there any free wine tastings, and if so do you have to sign up or something? How big (and how much) are the samples that you buy at the countries? Do the regular countries in WS do anything different/special for the Festival? Are there extra areas to sit and enjoy your samples or is it walking-around style? Is it ALWAYS crowded, or are there some days/nights that have normal crowds?
Sorry for so many questions, but I am a fanatical planner and this is my first time at the F&W Festival! Thanks for any input.

 

[ufgator]

I'll try my best to answer your questions. The food and wine tasting areas are set up as booths around WS. Of course, there are special areas like the Sam Adams area where you can listen to their presentation about beer and then taste it. One time Spain (maybe it's every year; I can't remember) has a special area where they had info about their country. They have special events in locations like the Odyssey (sp?). I think they open at 11 am like WS.

You can get a program when you enter the park that lists everything. If you want to know some info before you go, check out All Ears.

I don't remember if there are any free wine tastings. I know there's a beer one that I mentioned before.

The samples aren't too big so you have room to try many things. I think they range in price from $2.50 to $5.

I don't remember any extra seating to eat your samples at.

I'm not sure about the crowded question. There are definitely a lot of people there (we try to go at off times so it seems more crowded to us), and it seems to get busier later in the day.

I hope this helps. F&W is a lot of fun.

 

[mrslane]

www.allearsnet.com has a lot of info. from last years F&W that will be very helpful in planning for this year. There is also a lot of info. for this year, but not specific menus for the booths. Last yr. was my 1st time and it was wonderful! All Ears helped me as well as Disboards.

 

[Minnesota]

I have only been to F&W once but am a fanatical planner like you. We practically have a minute byt minute schedule we actually do pretty good at following. Anyway her is what I have heard that would answer your questions

The booths are set up between the standard countries around the World Showcase, for the most part they are about the size of vendor carts.

The carts all open at the same time as WS, usually 11am and you can get a program at park entrance or the F&W Festival center in Inoventions (I think, there is a center but I can;t remember exactly where it is but it;s somewhere in future world)

I don't think there are any free wine tastings but I have heard there will be free tea tastings this year near the UK pavillion and possibly free champagn tasting in the Festival center.

As Far as I know you only have to sign up for the really special events (and expensive) but they fill fast and are probably already filled. I think the number to call for that would be 407-WDW-Dine

The samples are small but people can still seem to get enough to be drunk. I never saw anyone really drunk but a few other posters have later at night. Also if you have the dining package last year they let you use your snack options for food samples at the festival

The usual pavillions did have booths too, just further back into their pavillion. I did not see any extra seating areas, just the normal places that are always there. Most people just walked and ate at the same time.

Last we were typically there during the day and it was fairly normal crowds, about the same as a summer month. I have never been to WDW in the fall without F&W so I'm not sure about that but it was more than off season winter in WDW.

Hope that helps.
Minnesota

 

[mouse]

Last year we went to three wine seminars. Each was about a particular type of wine or wine region. Each had one or two speakers. There were 2 or 3 small samples of wines at each place setting. There were also baskets of wafers or crackers and pitchers of water on the tables. As the speaker discussed each sample, we were asked to taste the corresponding wine. The samples were poured in standard sized wine glasses and the glasses were filled with anywhere from a few sips to half a glass, depending on the seminar and the pourer. The glasses were set on paper placemats on the tables at each seat. You could use these placemats to write notes and then take them along with you. I don't remember paying for any of these seminars. They took place in one of the buildings just outside of the World Showcase in Future World. The same building had the F&W souvenier, wine, and gift shop. These seminars were very popular, and even though there was plenty of seating, we had to get in line very early. There was someone stationed at the end of the line to tell people that they probably wouldn't get into the seminar. That was nice. You didn't have to waste your time needlessly standing in line. These seminars were listed in the F&W program. Spain and Australia also had their own wine tasting areas set up. For a fee, you could taste, and ask questions about,(and buy bottles of) several wines in these areas.