First time at Food and Wine

[Tiggeroo]

My dh, sis and her dh and I are going in October. It is an adult only trip. We have never been during food and wine. Can anybody tell me a bit about it ? Will we want to leave one or two nights with no dinner reservations to go to this? Are the lines long and do better things sell out? Are the dishes as good as in the restaurants ? Tell me some of your favorite things and any tips for planning the visit.

 

[ibcindyb]

I love food and wine. You can absolutely eat a full meal moving from kiosk to kiosk. That said, I would share tastings and take a break for a sit down at one of the wonderful Epcot restaurants. You will need a break. My suggestions would be Chef de France for a leisurely meal or Biergarten for a fun experience. The food is great at both of them. The service at Chefs is perfect.

 

[Tiggeroo]

We already have a Chefs res. It was our favorite meal during our girls only trip so we can't wait to take the hubbies

 

[vettegirl]

Enjoy walking around and sampling, perusing menus, and the merchandise is really nice also. Plus the concerts are a lot of fun too.

 

[Cando86]

It will be our first time too so I can't speak from personal experience but a lot of tips I've read have said to not make a dinner ADR for at least one of the nights. That's what we're doing - the first night we just plan to have dinner at the booths and the second we have a Via Napoli ADR.

Also Disney Food Blog has a GREAT and very helpful Food and Wine guide!

 

[RunningAriel]

Make sure you follow the Food and Wine Board over on the main Restaurant boards!! Lot's of info shared over there. http://www.disboards.com/threads/epcot-food-and-wine-festival-sept-25-nov-16-2015.3415250/

 

[Vernie822]

We'll be going this November. We were there last September but we only had one day there (the first day of the festival was the last day of our trip). My biggest tip is, don't make a dinner ADR. If anything, I'd make a lunch ADR and then come dinner time you'll be hungry for sampling.

At Flower and Garden (similar concept, but less booths I believe), there were 4 of us and we all picked items we'd like to try. We stopped at each booth, one of us would go up and place the order and pay (we took turns paying), while others would grab a seat or just wait for the food. We split everything so we got to try so much! Between 4 people we each got a bite or two (maybe even 3 depending on if everyone wanted to try or not) at each booth. It worked perfectly.

 

[Mrsd]

Yes there will be lines at the most popular booths, but they move quickly. We didn't make dinner ADRs and enjoyed walking between booths and taking our time tasting. It was a lot of fun and I would definitely do it again.

 

[JMason79]

I recommend buying a Disney gift card before entering the festival. They sell small ones on a bracelet. Put however much you want on that you think you will spend at the booths. SO much easier and quicker than having to take your credit card or cash out several times! We do this every year!

 

[samsteele]

I recommend buying a Disney gift card before entering the festival. They sell small ones on a bracelet. Put however much you want on that you think you will spend at the booths. SO much easier and quicker than having to take your credit card or cash out several times! We do this every year!

I do this every year and highly recommend. The wearable disney gift cards can be purchased at the Festival Gift Shop - its the large wooden kiosk across the walkway when you cross from Future World into the World Showcase. I use it as a "baby budget" by loading a certain amount of money on it and then trying to keep within that amount. If you don't spend everything on your card at F&W, it can also be used in any gift shop in WDW.

Remember if you are on the Dining Plan to use your snack credits for the most $ items at the F&W kiosks. Then use your gift card for the less $ items and for wine/beer. There will be a purple and white symbol next to those items that are eligible for snack credits. Only food items & non-alcoholic beverages are eligible for snack credits (no booze).

Definitely check out online resources before you go to see pics of some of the returning favs eg disney food blog has some good coverage with photo links. Some perennial favourites on the boards are Australia (lamb chop), Mexico (shrimp tacos), Hops & Barley (lobster anything), France (escargot, creme brulee), Ireland (fisherman's pie), Scotland (scallops) and Canada (filet mignon & cheddar cheese soup . . . mini versions of what is sold in signature Le Cellier restaurant). Some like to try the kimchi dog at the South Korea kiosk. While not strictly part of the F&W Festival, the cronut at the Refreshment Port is definitely worth a try as is the School Bread and Lefse at Kringla Og Kafe Bakeri. The Werther's Caramel Shop in Germany is also a must do. No doubt I have forgotten other besties and other posters will remind me of them ABC's The Chew tv show also has 2 special booths that are brand new this year: Sustainable Chew and the Chew Lab. Also watch for the DIS Unplugged online coverage. Last year, they had a show with a lot of time devoted to the F&W offerings and I expect something similar may happen in the next few weeks. While you are waiting, perhaps check the DIS Unplugged archives for last year's F&W Festival show.

If this is your first time at F&W, I wouldn't rush to purchase a bunch of $ add-on packages or events. The kiosks alone in the World Showcase are incredible and if that is your only actual F&W thing, then you are in great company and will enjoy!

 

[samsteele]

Are the lines long and do better things sell out?

The lines can be long as the afternoon draws on and into the evenings. If the F&W kiosks are your top priority, then it would be a good idea to enter World Showcase as soon as it opens for the day and make your way Left toward Mexico (and then onward, clockwise around the Lagoon) as Mexico seems to be where the lines start to form first and it first starts to become congested.

If possible, try to avoid weekends and particularly Sat & Sun nights as it becomes more crowded with more locals attending.

I've never heard of the good items selling out. It's never been a problem for me and I've often gone in the last 2 weeks stretching into November. Disney generally sources enough for the numbers attending.

 

[jcieutat]

We will be in Epcot on the 14th and 16th of November. With the 16th being the last night, will they run out of food early? I ended up booking an ADR this night because I was afraid of them running out.

 

[jesswindsor]

F&W is my most favorite event at WDW, we can make it a full meal just booth hopping. We usually plan days that we are going to enjoy the festival and don't plan any ADR's that day. Sometimes we plan to eat lunch at the festival and then have an ADR for dinner.