Food & Wine with kids

[NJlauren]

Is Epcot totally not doable with kids during Food & Wine? I am debating if I should avoid WDW all together during Food & Wine with kids or if I could just avoid Epcot on weekends during Food & Wine?

Any thoughts/opinions

ETA: I'm most worried about crowds and not being to enjoy world showcase due to, too many people

 

[JimmyV]

No reason to avoid it. Epcot during F&W is just like Epcot any other day except that World Showcase will be more crowded; there will be booths selling small plates of food and small glasses of beer/wine/cocktails;and on the weekends, you will see more people walking around with a plastic cup in their hands. Nothing else about the place changes. Don't get the impression that World Showcase turns into Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras or Cancun during Spring Break. It isn't anything like that. Kids can handle it.

This is as "bad" as it gets...

 

[Mom2Kids2003]

We are going in September with our two kiddos (ages 13 and 8); I've heard it gets pretty crowded on the weekends so we will stick to the weekdays. They are excited to try out some new foods so I'm thinking it'll be totally doable.

 

[Chelley00]

We always have our kids with us and they love F&W. We spend the entire day there and try to leave right after dinner time to avoid people who might "sample" a little too much. We also avoid weekends.

The kids like trying new things and we get them a gift card on a wrist strap and let then pick and pay for their own samples. We also do all the Kidcot stations for them.

 

[tinkerbella16]

After last year, I made sure to plan our trip in the beginning of September when F&W is not going on.. not because it is not good for kids (some will say it isn't), but because I enjoy Epcot and WS so much more when it is not going on. It does get crowded, especially on the weekends. I went on a weekday in November, this past year and it was really crowded then too. Future World does not get crowded because of it, at least not that I've seen. I just enjoy a more quiet, less crowded atmosphere in the park, so I prefer to go when it is not happening. You should be fine taking the kids.. you will get a lot of different opinions on that.

 

[LilyWDW]

Weekends get quite a bit busier and you will most likely see more people drinking on any day of the week, but it's not some wild and crazy frat party. I have never seen anyone overly drunk (weekday or weekend), swearing (I hear more swearing at the other parks usually), stumbling around (unless it's to dodge a stroller because the parents thought it would be fun to let their 4 year old push it), or anything like that. It's a good time with good food and drinks.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

We go without our kids just because it's easier for us, and we're selfish parents who take trips to Disney and leave our 3 kids at home so we can have more fun. However, if I had to bring them, it would be fine. As previously stated, lines are longer at night and on the weekends, so if you're going to the WS to sample the food and drinks, keep that in mind.

I will add the only time H & I said we would NEVER take our kids to Epcot was for New Years. It was a mess. We had a blast, and can't wait to go back, but I felt bad for the kids there. Lots of drunks, bad language, bad behavior, etc. Fine for us -- I was pretty buzzed and enjoyed the people watching -- but I wouldn't want my kids there.

 

[BrianL]

It's fine for the most part. There are stories about some drunken shenanigans but I've never witnessed it. There may be a few more tipsy people than usual and it will be very crowded. I mean, inappropriate behavior can happen anywhere. I heard a lady cursing at the top of her lungs to the others in her party at Disneyland and they don't even serve alcohol there. I wouldn't worry about the kids at all.

 

[NJlauren]

I am worried that the crowds will be so insane I won't even be able to enjoy world showcase. More then I am worried about inappropriate behavior.

My daughter would be rather young a little over 3.

 

[Misha72683]

We did F&W with our 2.5 and 4 YO and it was great. crowds were fine and they were happy in their stroller. They weren't super impressed with the offerings from the festival (my 4 YO only liked the slider from Hawaii and the desserts), but they liked people watching and walking around World Showcase.

 

[ELSA711]

We have always gone during F&W festival and my kids love it. They like trying new things from the kiosks too!

 

[LilyWDW]

I am worried that the crowds will be so insane I won't even be able to enjoy word showcase. More then I am worried about inappropriate behavior.

My daughter would be rather young a little over 3.

Weekdays during the day would be the best time to go to World Showcase if crowds are your concern. Weekdays in general will be less busy then weekends and morning/afternoon will be less busy then evenings. As soon as World Showcase opens it's still pretty much dead as people are still doing Future World.

 

[AngiTN]

We've taken DGD to F&W. DH and I went last year and I would still take her back.

 

[Pesky]

We're totally taking the kids with us to F&W! Luckily our two are adventurous eaters so I think they'll have as much fun trying new things as we will plus Kidcot and/or Agent P. As for drunks around, honestly, they can see those at festivals, fairs, and get-togethers anywhere. I just use it as a learning opportunity that too much makes people not act like themselves and can bring out the worst. I'll let you know if that works for the first couple years of college.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

First I do not have kids, so keep that in mind. However, I don't see any reason to avoid F&W with kids except late at night. It really depends on how much you want to shield them. This last time I never saw bad behavior (in Oct 2015), but in previous years I have seen some pretty drunk people even people laying down on the pavement, but this was pretty late in the day. However, during the day, unless you want to shield your kids from seeing anyone drinking at all, I don't see an issue. We did the Remy's Hide and Squeak game and I think it's great for kids and adults! There's still all the usual stuff to do around World Showcase and I think inside the pavilions is even less crowded because everyone is lined up at the kiosks.

 

[lovethattink]

We go every year! Our son too.

Last year, and just one night was the first we encountered obnoxious drunks in the evening. It was a group of young men who obviously had a few too many. They were really silly and we bumped into them at the Chase Lounge and a couple food booths.

We usually go at 11 am when crowds are low and temps aren't too high. We start at Canada since the filet and soup are super popular.

 

[Pkltm]

I am worried that the crowds will be so insane I won't even be able to enjoy world showcase. More then I am worried about inappropriate behavior.

My daughter would be rather young a little over 3.

Stick to the weekdays then, we went the past couple of years and it does get pretty crowded on the weekends

 

[imthemamahere]

We brought our son (then 5) with us to Food & Wine in 2014. He had a blast - but then, he really enjoys eating.

I'd definitely say to avoid EPCOT on the weekend during F&W. The paths get really crowded, and some people indulge a bit too much for the comfort of those around them. But during the week, especially if you're in World Showcase when it opens at 11am, you should be able to enjoy eating your way around the world. Future World is fairly calm even when the World Showcase gets packed, so you can always head to that side of the park if the crowds start to overwhelm you...

 

[ktlm]

We have a great time at F&W with DD. Go during the week, and you will be fine. Avoid Saturdays. Also, the best thing during the week is to start WS when it opens. It is more crowded at night. We like to start hitting the booths and making our way around when it opens at 11. If it gets really crowded late in the afternoon and in the early evening, we can go over to FW. Last year we did lunch and snacking at F&W starting when it opened and then had a dinner ADR in WS, so we were inside relaxing while it crowded outside and the booth lines were long. That worked great for us.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

First I do not have kids, so keep that in mind. However, I don't see any reason to avoid F&W with kids except late at night. It really depends on how much you want to shield them. This last time I never saw bad behavior (in Oct 2015), but in previous years I have seen some pretty drunk people even people laying down on the pavement, but this was pretty late in the day. However, during the day, unless you want to shield your kids from seeing anyone drinking at all, I don't see an issue. We did the Remy's Hide and Squeak game and I think it's great for kids and adults! There's still all the usual stuff to do around World Showcase and I think inside the pavilions is even less crowded because everyone is lined up at the kiosks.

You mean that's not an acceptable thing to do?!

"Oh, he's taking a nap."
"Uh oh, it looks like she might feel sick! Let's go this way."

Kids, especially little kids, really aren't going to make a big deal out of something like this unless you make a big deal out of it first.

I've been to many weekend nights at F&W and have never encountered a situation that would be impossible to navigate with a child.