Food and Wine Festival

[jackal]

Can someone explain this to me. We are going in October. I heard of it but do not understand how it works? Are there boths set up and you pay for a sample of something in all the countries? I'm confused

 

[madalex]

There are booths set up all around the World Showcase offering food and drink from many places not represented by the exisiting 11 country pavilions. Last year, the theme was "Cities in Wonderland" so each of these booths had a city theme, but they included offerings of food from Greece, India, Australia, France, Africa, Louisiana, New England, Italy, etc. I don't know the exact number, but I would guess there are about 20+ additional booths set up offering various local foods and beverages.

In addition, there are seminars and special dinners offered at various times during the festival.

 

[jackal]

If you want something, do you just pay right there at the booth or do you have to pay in advance somewhere else?

 

[DisneyInDel]

If you want something, do you just pay right there at the booth or do you have to pay in advance somewhere else?

Right at the booth..most things are under $5..It's awesome!!!

 

[cepmom]

OP, I'm glad you asked this question. I just booked a Free Dining trip for September and I didn't realize at the time that we would be there for the begining of the Food and Wine Festival. I've never been and I don't really know what it's all about. I am wondering if you can use snack credits from the dining plan at any of the kiosks.

 

[Nutty4Disney]

OP, I'm glad you asked this question. I just booked a Free Dining trip for September and I didn't realize at the time that we would be there for the begining of the Food and Wine Festival. I've never been and I don't really know what it's all about. I am wondering if you can use snack credits from the dining plan at any of the kiosks.

I am not sure because we haven't been before during this time, but I have heard you can use your snack credits for food at the booths. We plan on saving our credits and doing this one day and having a CS if we are still hungry. This is our first time in September, first free dining, first Food and Wine Festival and hopefully our first MNSSH. Looks like it will be a busy trip.

 

[cepmom]

I am not sure because we haven't been before during this time, but I have heard you can use your snack credits for food at the booths. We plan on saving our credits and doing this one day and having a CS if we are still hungry. This is our first time in September, first free dining, first Food and Wine Festival and hopefully our first MNSSH. Looks like it will be a busy trip.

cool! I hope this is true!

 

[Hopefully]

The last few years we have been able to use our Snack credits for most food items at the international booths during the Food & Wine festival. But this is not guaranteed. It is not advertised as part of the Dining Plan and Disney could change it at any time. It was great though.
We completely love the festival.
The food items are small appetizer size tasting portions of foods represented by the booth. Most items are in the $4 - $7 range. Most booths also have wine and/or beer from their country as well. Snack credits can NOT be used to purchase adult beverages at the booths.
All of this is included with Epcot admission.
In addition to the food booths there has been a concert series each night. There were 3 free shows in the American Gardens Theartre. They were mostly 70's and 80's performers. Disney cut this back to just weekends for the Flower and Garden fesetival this year, and I fear they will do the same for the F & W festival entertainment.
There are also free seminars offered throughout the day.
In addition to all of this, there are many, many additional cost events offered during the 6 weeks. There are special lunches, dinners, wine tastings and parties. I find these to be fairly expensive, althought they are very special. Many of these events sell out well in advance.
Have a Great Trip.

 

[ntsammy5]

I hate threads like this - I'm drooling all over my key board now!

F&W is the BEST time to be in Epcot - there's lots of rbeer, wine and food.


It's PERFECT!

 

[MinnieTink]

We went to F&W this past November and we loved it! They do have booths set up from many countries. I'm not sure about using snack credits, but a CM did tell us that the easiest way to pay is to get a Disney gift card loaded up with some $$ and use that to pay. A lot less of a pain than getting cash out constantly. My two DDs loved this. DD13 enjoyed potstickers from the China booth and sushi from the Japanese booth. DD9 went back for seconds of Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee from the Parissienne booth and also liked the beef tenderloin over cheddar polenta. Each dish was about $3.50-$5. (I believe there were 3 potstickers on the plate for $3.50, to give you an example.) Each booth also has wine and maybe a cocktail from the region. Have fun!!!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

The last few years we have been able to use our Snack credits for most food items at the international booths during the Food & Wine festival.

In 2007 and 2008, snack credits were good for ALL food items at the booths regardless of cost (this included the nearly $7 New England lobster roll, by far the most expensive booth item), or any non-alcoholic beverage.

This should not be construed as a guarantee that the same will occur in 2009. Disney could possibly change this at any time.

 

[skunk]

The last few years we have been able to use our Snack credits for most food items at the international booths during the Food & Wine festival. But this is not guaranteed. It is not advertised as part of the Dining Plan and Disney could change it at any time. It was great though.
We completely love the festival.
The food items are small appetizer size tasting portions of foods represented by the booth. Most items are in the $4 - $7 range. Most booths also have wine and/or beer from their country as well. Snack credits can NOT be used to purchase adult beverages at the booths.
All of this is included with Epcot admission.
In addition to the food booths there has been a concert series each night. There were 3 free shows in the American Gardens Theartre. They were mostly 70's and 80's performers. Disney cut this back to just weekends for the Flower and Garden fesetival this year, and I fear they will do the same for the F & W festival entertainment.
There are also free seminars offered throughout the day.
In addition to all of this, there are many, many additional cost events offered during the 6 weeks. There are special lunches, dinners, wine tastings and parties. I find these to be fairly expensive, althought they are very special. Many of these events sell out well in advance.
Have a Great Trip.

Appears there will be concerts every day as in the past. List of acts and dates so far, from Steve Soares site:

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy September 25-27
Starship Starring Mickey Thomas September 30-October 3
Better Than Ezra October 7-8
Kool & The Gang October 12-13
Taylor Dayne October 23-25
Boyz II Men October 26-28
John Waite October 29
Billy Ocean November 3-5

 

[ntsammy5]

Yeah concerts during f&g are only on the weekends this year too.

 

[skunk]

We went to F&W this past November and we loved it! They do have booths set up from many countries. I'm not sure about using snack credits, but a CM did tell us that the easiest way to pay is to get a Disney gift card loaded up with some $$ and use that to pay. A lot less of a pain than getting cash out constantly. My two DDs loved this. DD13 enjoyed potstickers from the China booth and sushi from the Japanese booth. DD9 went back for seconds of Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee from the Parissienne booth and also liked the beef tenderloin over cheddar polenta. Each dish was about $3.50-$5. (I believe there were 3 potstickers on the plate for $3.50, to give you an example.) Each booth also has wine and maybe a cocktail from the region. Have fun!!!!!

Gift card is the way to go. No digging for cash, and nothing to sign. Add more money to card if/when you run out

Food booth menus from 2008:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/FW-menus-08/index.htm

 

[BriarRosie]

Here's a visual aid for you. Each little "hut" that serves the festival food will have a menu board above the counter, and handy standing signs like this next to the queue entrances:

See the little purple icon to the right of the food items on this sign?
Those are the DDP icons for valid items for snack credits.

Here's another sign to show the difference between valid and invalid items.

As you can see, the beef and corn casserole has a DDP icon next to it, but the Malbec wine item does not. You can get the food with the snack credit, but you'd have to pay for the wine.

I hope this helps with how Disney was handling the DDP snack credits, at least in the past couple of years. If I were to see the kiosk signage this year without the DDP icons, I would assume that DDP isn't accepted anymore. But it is always a good idea to ask the cast member before ordering.

 

[mb168]

Love FW, we've been going every year since 2002. You've pretty much heard about it but one thing we've started doing is waiting to find out who will be there both performing and guest chefs. We are DVC members and used to make room ressies 11 months out so in Nov the year before but never knew who would be there, now we wait and see who we may want to see. For instance, we ate Robert Irvine's (of Food Network's Dinner:Impossible, new shows coming in MAY!) filet mignon and then got to meet him afterward.

Click the picture for a trip report, it was pretty neat.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Gift card is the way to go. No digging for cash, and nothing to sign. Add more money to card if/when you run out

And no change to load you down! That, in itself, was a great enough feature!

 

[TDC Nala]

The problem with waiting to see who the guest chefs are is that you likely won't find out until August, or shortly before that. This works okay for locals or people driving and those who are not picky about what hotel they stay in, but for anyone shopping for airfare it probably isn't workable.

 

[mb168]

Fortunately I'm in Savannah, Ga. about 3.5 hr drive away, this wouldn't work as well if I had to fly.

 

[TDC Nala]

I have all my October airfare! So now it's just waiting to see who is doing what on certain dates. Wish I could plan the events before the trip, but cheap airfare must be pounced on immediately.