Food and Wine question

[Hikergirl]

I just did something totally spur of the moment, I booked BWI for F&W so dh and I can celebrate our anniversary. I really hadn't planned on going back to WDW for awhile but I've always wanted to do F&W and this is our 20 year so I figured why not.
I ended up booking free dining but now that I think about it, it might be better to just do a room only discount and add the quick service dining plan. We will only be there for 5 days and I think we'll pretty much stay at Epcot so I don't think we'll need the hoppers.
Anyway, my question is this for those who have done F&W did you guys just eat at the booths and skip regular table service restaurants? I plan on trying as much as I can, and we aren't big eaters so I'm thinking I could just do the quick service meal and use all our credits at the booths instead of doing a TS dinner at night after eating at the booths all day. What do you guys think?

 

[PSUGuy]

We're usually there for 8 or 9 days during F&W, 10 this year. We 'Graze Around the World' for the most part. We made 2 ressies for the Clam Bake, we might drop one of them and we're doing Raglan Road on Sat night because WS is crazy crowded all day Sat. We have a studio unit at Board Walk so we do have a kitchenette for breakfast and a mid day break if needed. So, basically, no need for TS if you'd rather skip that, that's our plan for the most part. Be sure to try the Fisherman's Pie in Ireland, right next to the Rose &Crown patio. We grab a couple of those and a Guinness or a Stella, plop down in the patio for breakfast.

Bill From PA

 

[craigkerstiens]

We've done F&W a number of times. We don't normally have a meal plan but we do often do a number of TS dinners, well at least most nights, there's often a night or two we may do only F&W. Our usual habit is do F&W for lunch meals, and occasionally for dessert after TS dinner. In reality, it's really up to you, you can very much find enough food there without a dining plan, it's plenty of fun to munch from booth to booth trying a ton of different things. As you mentioned you're light eaters this may be the best bet. At the same time if you prefer a sit down dinner you could possibly do some of the two credit ones to consume those a bit more to leave plenty of snacking around the showcase.

 

[hedberg1661]

Honestly, I think you are better off not doing the dining plan and just eating your way around the world. If you want something different, and are fine with QS options, just pay OOP for these. I would see if the discount is better with room only.

 

[BrianL]

I usually just eat at the food booths during F&W. You can get full after a while!

 

[PSUGuy]

Another thought, get the Gift Card on a wrist band. They're small credit card things, you wear them like a bracelet and you 'load' them with $$ either by handing over cash or swiping your real credit card. When you buy something at a kiosk you swipe the card thus avoiding accumulating pockets full of change, you get a receipt telling you how much you have left. We still have 20.62 left on last year's, you can use the card anywhere in WDW, at least every place we bought stuff over the years, bars, merch stores etc., we just left the money on ours because we knew we were coming back, the $$ never go away.

Bill From PA

 

[hedberg1661]

Another thought, get the Gift Card on a wrist band. They're small credit card things, you wear them like a bracelet and you 'load' them with $$ either by handing over cash or swiping your real credit card. When you buy something at a kiosk you swipe the card thus avoiding accumulating pockets full of change, you get a receipt telling you how much you have left. We still have 20.62 left on last year's, you can use the card anywhere in WDW, at least every place we bought stuff over the years, bars, merch stores etc., we just left the money on ours because we knew we were coming back, the $$ never go away.

Bill From PA

I agree. Scanning the card is much easier than juggling items and drinks plus cash.

 

[MegMac]

We have done the Food & Wine Festival several years in a row. I would say it depends on the year, as to whether or not you will want to eat elsewhere. The first year we did it, I could nearly squeeze in all the booths. It was so tasty, and we never had something we didn't like. The last year we did it, we tried a few things, and all agreed the food had gone majorly down in taste and value. We ended up eating a few of them as "snacks" but then did Via Napoli or the Mexico counter service for our actual meals.

 

[PSUGuy]

We have done the Food & Wine Festival several years in a row. I would say it depends on the year, as to whether or not you will want to eat elsewhere. The first year we did it, I could nearly squeeze in all the booths. It was so tasty, and we never had something we didn't like. The last year we did it, we tried a few things, and all agreed the food had gone majorly down in taste and value. We ended up eating a few of them as "snacks" but then did Via Napoli or the Mexico counter service for our actual meals.

I never dispute a DISers reported experience, if quality seems in decline to you, then that's how it is. Wifey and I haven't noticed the same thing, perhaps we are sampling different items. Our repeat favorites like Fisherman's Pie in Ireland and Lamb Meatball in NZ are as we remember them over the years.

Bill From PA

 

[Hikergirl]

Thanks guys, you've given me alot to consider.

I don't usually buy the dining plan when its our family of 5 because we can do better OOP when its all of us. Since its just dh and I, I was considering just a room only discount and maybe adding the QS plan because I wasn't sure how much the snacks cost at booths and thought it might be worth it money wise. I haven't really looked at the number yet. It was such a spur of the moment thing I just booked it without putting too much thought into it. After I booked, I thought, are we really going to need to do a TS every night if we are munching and drinking all throughout the day.

 

[holden]

If we did 5 days for FWF, I would book one, maybe 2, meals. We generally graze there and aren't hungry for dinner. I would book meals for days you wouldn't be in Epcot.