Food and Wine Festival - advice please!

[mickeywho?]

My hubby and I are thinking about taking a short trip down (without kids!) to try out the FWF that we read so much about. We'd love some advice from you veterans out there!
What are the dates it is running this year? Does it begin in August?
If we go for 3-4 days is that enough time to enjoy the festival and relax or are there different events every day/night?
Where would you prefer to stay - boardwalk? We only need a studio and would plan this for a Monday-Thursday stay.
I'd love to hear about your experiences with this type of trip - any advice and suggestions are most welcome!
TIA

 

[mikesmom]

The festival begins the first weekend before the beginning of October. This year that means it will begin on Sept 28 or 29.

The booths with the food and wine samplings are pretty consistent throughout the festival. The classes change every day and change totally across weeks. For example: If I want a class on New Zealand wine it may be given 2 or 3 times in a given week. if I go another week it will not be available at all, other classes will be given. Specific food classes seem to be given only once.

We enjoy the classes so much we could stay the full 6 weeks and not get bored, but a Sunday through Thursday stay gives us a pretty good time at the Festival.

The "hard ticket" events sell out quickly and many of them are scheduled towards the weekend so we have yet to take any in (plus we are pretty well stuffed just from grazing the Festival booths).

Our favorite place to stay for the Fest is Boardwalk. Reserve early to stay there or BCV - they both fill quickly at that time!

 

[islandbeachnut]

The Food & Wine Fest is SOOOOO worth the trip!!!

It runs through October & the first two weeks of November. We are going again this year, but are bringing the kids this time so they can enjoy Halloween in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[sheryl0521]

We have enjoyed the 'Party of the Senses' in prior years but I think they significantly raised the price last year - will have to look into that for this year.
I booked our studio right at the 11-month mark, so good luck finding a room at this date!
And yes - this is a good trip to do without the kids if you can. Thank goodness for grandparents!

 

[Evil Princess]

Definitely go during the week, as the weekends attract alot of locals looking to just visit the festival.

Last year there were free beer samplings in AA (Sam Adams) and the UK, I found the UK one to be much better, as you got much more beer and more variety! But then again, it all depends on what you're going for The guy doing the seminar was very knowledgable, much more so than the Sam Adams representitive.

October is my favorite time at Disney, for Food and Wine and MNSSHP (okay fine, and I admit it, HHN at Universal if you want to be scared senseless).

 

[VrBchJ]

Food and Wine is the reason I bought BWV. It's a wonderful, fun time and something to look forward to every year.

 

[mikesmom]

Definitely go during the week, as the weekends attract alot of locals looking to just visit the festival.

Last year there were free beer samplings in AA (Sam Adams) and the UK, I found the UK one to be much better, as you got much more beer and more variety! But then again, it all depends on what you're going for The guy doing the seminar was very knowledgable, much more so than the Sam Adams representitive.

October is my favorite time at Disney, for Food and Wine and MNSSHP (okay fine, and I admit it, HHN at Universal if you want to be scared senseless).

It all depends on the rep that Sam Adams (or the wineries) send. I agree that this year the Sam Adams rep was not very knowledgable. We have been in prior years when the class was longer and the rep was GREAT! So you just never know.

 

[byoung]

Food and Wine is the reason I bought BWV. It's a wonderful, fun time and something to look forward to every year.

This is one of the reasons I also bought BWV.