Food & Wine Festival Info Needed

[Toadi]

Trying to convince my DH to take an adult only trip and wondering if Food & Wine Festival is on during week of Oct 24, 04?
Also, what is the Festival like? Is it terribly crowded?

 

[B'rer Karen]

Yes, the festival will be going on at that time. It starts October 1st and runs until mid-November.

As far as crowds, I went around that time last year, and the crowds were really manageable. The food and wine festival itself is comprised of booths all around the World Showcase that sell samples of food and drink from that country. These are never that crowded. Then there are dinners, parties, and food and wine pairings that you can partake in. You need to make ressies ahead of time (I think they started taking reservations in July last year) and they all sell out really fast. Finally there are food and wine seminars. These you cannot make ressies for (although I did see a couple last year that you could reserve a spot for the day of the seminar). The first X number of people in line are the ones who get in. I only did one last year and I got there about 30 minutes before it started.

So I wouldn't say it's "terribly crowded," but if you want to do anything other than the booths, you will need to plan ahead.


It is a great time and I'm really looking forward to this year when I'll be there for two weeks!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

During lunchine and through the afternoon of Saturday Nov. 1st '03, the lines for the food samplings were very long. We gave up after a few lines, and went to sit down at our favorite lunch counters. We didn't think the waits were worth it.

Bobbi

 

[dahirsh]

I've heard the weekends are much more crowded than during the week, so I planned my Epcot days Mon-Thurs (partial days) and found the crowds managable. Also noticed lines at any individual booths came and went. Even the more popular countries could be found with no line at all 15 minutes after they were mobbed.

Deb

 

[Safari Steve]

Pace yourself, try to avoid following the crowd, and make sure you attend at least one of the complimentary culinary demonstrations (many of them were only half-full this year) and you shouldn't have any problem with lines or crowds.
Due to the popularity of the event, the 2004 Food and Wine Festival will run almost a full 2 months from the beginning of October to the end of November.
That should help even out crowds even more.

 

[kda]

We "ate our way around the WS" for one lunch (between 2-3 PM) and 2 dinners (between 6-8 PM) in early November. The most we ever waited in line was 5 minutes, but we didn't go on the weekend. We split most things, even though they were very small servings, so we could try more --- and only made it 1/2 way around WS for each meal. There were many things we wanted to try and most were very good.

It was a lot of fun, although I missed being able to eat in some of our favorite restaurants. If you like beer and wine, you'll probably enjoy it even more. You could get a sample of the wine before you purchased the glass.

We'd definitely like to go back again. It was something new and different for us.

 

[betterlatethannever]

The dates for this year are October 1 to November 14.

Originally posted by kda
... You could get a sample of the wine before you purchased the glass....

Where could you do that?!! If you ask at the booths, they will give you a small taste for free?

Ed

 

[Safari Steve]

I beg your pardon, the festival was extended from one month (Oct 16-Nov 14) to one and a half months, not 2 months like I posted earlier. I couldn't remember exactly when I posted that.
sorry.
In any event, the extension should help to spread some of the crowds out.

 

[kda]

betterlatethannever

We don't drink, so I wasn't paying a lot of attention, but I saw samples being given at 2 booths --- have NO idea which ones, but one was in the Morocco/Italy/USA area of the WS. About 1/4" was poured into a glass and several friends were tasting. Perhaps it's not a common practice, but I saw it done a couple times, so 'assumed' it was. Don't want to mislead anyone, though --- perhaps this was just some CMs being extra helpful!

 

[kadaten]

Toadi

This is a GREAT time to take an adult trip! It's our favorite time to go to Disney, after Christmas, anyway!! The festival is so yummy! And bonus....you work off some of the calories while you walk around the lagoon!! We usually do a lap for lunch, then explore countries/rides, then a lap for dinner and desserts! Drinks on both if we're in the mood! October used to be a pretty dead time to go, but as the festival has gained popularity, there are more crowds. The only time it's bad, though, tends to be the weekends, as the festival is very popular with the locals, too!! So avoid the weekends if possible, and you should be set! I'm so jealous you actually have dates! We're hoping to go, but with DH in the Navy, won't know if it's possible until much closer to time!

Hope you can talk DH into it! I know this is my DH's favorite event!
Katie