HELP! F&W Festival - need advice!!!

[OhioDisneyDad]

My wife and I will arrive @ Epcot on 9/30 around 2:00pm for the start of our vacation. This is our first time visiting for the F&W Festival and I had read that there is a soft opening on 9/30. Will all the booths be open? I know we're going to be hungry and would like to "eat around the world" before we head over to the MK for MNSSHP. Will we be able to buy the wrist strap cards on 9/30?

Second question, I've read that Saturdays at the F&W Festival are VERY crowded. We've got park hoppers so would we be wise just to avoid Epcot on Saturday (night especially)? I was figuring we would be hitting Epcot in the late afternoon/evening on each day of our trip so skipping Saturday altogether wouldn't be too bad.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[redzinner]

All the food kiosks should be open on 9/30, unless the odd one is running into difficulty. But that is the purpose of the soft-opening, to iron out some potential problems. They may not be open exactly at 11 am when the World Showcase opens but sometime that afternoon.

Wrist straps ... I can't say for sure if they will be available. Gift cards will be but I don't know about the special food and wine wrist straps.

Avoid Friday and especially Saturday nights around the World Showcase if at all possible ... unless you love to walk shoulder to shoulder with drinking buddies you don't really know yet.

Weekday late afternoons and evenings will be your best bet for an enjoyable World tour.

Lastly, enjoy!

 

[2BusyPlanning]

I've been to F&W, but what are the wrist straps for?

 

[vicki_c]

I've been to F&W, but what are the wrist straps for?

During F&W, they sell small gift cards on a stretchy band that you can wear on your wrist.

 

[redzinner]

I've been to F&W, but what are the wrist straps for?

It's a 'wear & pay as you munch your way' around the World Showcase wrist band. Very Convenient. You load the card up with moola (via cash, credit card, rewards card, etc) at various stations around the park or the Festival Welcome Center, slip the wrist band on and be about your merry eating and drinking way.

It is sold as a plastic card but can then be separated to just wear half of it on the wrist. This is from 2 years ago. The image on the card will be different this year.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . soft opening on 9/30. Will all the booths be open?

1) Usually they all get open by the end of the afternoon.
2) However, they typically do not have all the manpower trained.
3) So, some booths go wanting for help on Soft Opening day.
4) It is just a matter of luck which booths
. . . are open on time
. . . are open at all
. . . have all the food items they are suppose to serve

NOTE: During one soft opening, almost half of the booths were not open until after 5:00pm, and several never opened at all. During another soft opening, we saw most open by 3:00pm. You just never know . . .

 

[beroh2253]

My wife and I will arrive @ Epcot on 9/30 around 2:00pm for the start of our vacation. This is our first time visiting for the F&W Festival and I had read that there is a soft opening on 9/30. Will all the booths be open? I know we're going to be hungry and would like to "eat around the world" before we head over to the MK for MNSSHP. Will we be able to buy the wrist strap cards on 9/30?

Second question, I've read that Saturdays at the F&W Festival are VERY crowded. We've got park hoppers so would we be wise just to avoid Epcot on Saturday (night especially)? I was figuring we would be hitting Epcot in the late afternoon/evening on each day of our trip so skipping Saturday altogether wouldn't be too bad.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

We have been there the first Saturday and is very crowded the first weekind and found it is much better during the week. In fast we moved our vacation a month later at the end of October and the temps are cooler and less crowded. Can't wait for the last week in October.

 

[2Tiggies]

Are the little F&W gift cards different to the regular gift cards? I was wondering if they can ONLY be redeemed at the F&W or if someone had placed more funds onto it than required, they would be able to redeem the remaining credit in the same way as a regular gift card. I don't need it myself this year with the QSDP, but I was curious nonetheless.

 

[redzinner]

Are the little F&W gift cards different to the regular gift cards? I was wondering if they can ONLY be redeemed at the F&W or if someone had placed more funds onto it than required, they would be able to redeem the remaining credit in the same way as a regular gift card. I don't need it myself this year with the QSDP, but I was curious nonetheless.

The gift cards with the F&W logo/wrist band on them can be used anywhere a Disney Gift card is accepted, at any time of year. I use mine all year. If this year's F&W logo is the 15th Year Birthday Cake ... I'm getting a new one.

 

[Grammie3]

FYI-Saturday 10/2 is the F&W marathon, Epcot will be closed early unless you are in the marathon or have a Finish Line ticket. Crowds should not be the typical for the first Saturday. Or maybe it will be worse. We are going to be there with tickets to cheer some friends on.

Grammie3

 

[redzinner]

FYI-Saturday 10/2 is the F&W marathon, Epcot will be closed early unless you are in the marathon or have a Finish Line ticket. Crowds should not be the typical for the first Saturday. Or maybe it will be worse. We are going to be there with tickets to cheer some friends on.

Grammie3

Epcot will have regular hours on 10/2 and not be closing early. The Finish Line Party starts at 10:30 pm.

Inaugural Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend

FINISH LINE PARTY
AFTER HOURS EPCOT INTERNATIONAL
FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Saturday, October 2, 10:30 p.m. - Sunday, October 3, 2010, 3:00 a.m.

Runners participating in Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon will receive a Disney Wine & Dine Finish Line Party Ticket with their registration, which will give them access to the Disney Wine & Dine after-hours Finish Line Party taking place in the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival area after the race.

The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is an autumn special event that transforms Epcot® theme park into a food and wine lover's paradise with specialty food items, culinary events, wine seminars and live musical entertainment. More than 25 international marketplace kiosks are serving up tapas-sized portions of regional specialties. Explore countries on 6 continents through their most mouthwatering foods and beverages!

Spectators will be able to purchase Finish Line Party Tickets to attend the Disney Wine & Dine after-hours Finish Line Party to celebrate with their runner. Tickets for friends and family are now available for purchase by calling 407-WDW-IRUN! Make your reservations by September 17th to receive the commemorative ticket by mail!

Disney Wine & Dine Finish Line Party Ticket includes:

* Entrance into the Disney Wine & Dine after-hours Finish Line Party
* One (1) Complimentary "Taste" and One (1) Complimentary "Sip" at the Disney Wine & Dine after-hours Finish Line Party*

*restrictions apply see details below.

Spectators who wish to attend the Disney Wine & Dine after-hours Finish Line Party to celebrate with their runner are required to purchase a Finish Line Party Ticket in order to attend this separately ticketed event. Disney Wine & Dine Finish Line Party Tickets may be purchased for $35.00 each, tax inclusive. Annual Passes and Cast Member entrance are not valid for this special separately ticketed event. Spectators can enter Epcot® at 10:30 p.m.

 

[Grammie3]

My apologies, did not mean to say closing early, what was intended was not an EMH night, but for the spectators with tickets can enter at 10:30.

 

[purple figment]

Are the little F&W gift cards different to the regular gift cards? I was wondering if they can ONLY be redeemed at the F&W or if someone had placed more funds onto it than required, they would be able to redeem the remaining credit in the same way as a regular gift card. I don't need it myself this year with the QSDP, but I was curious nonetheless.

They can be used anywhere that Disney gift cards are accepted. In fact we had money left on ours so we used it on a trip to Disneyland.

 

[enchantingodin]

Gift Card is like any other gift card. Can be used anywhere. I still have mine from last year. I intend to reload it at the beginning of our stay so I don't have to carry around cash. I usually have mine clipped to my pin lanyard. That way it's in full view at all times.

This will be our first year being able to park hop. So we've never done the soft opening day. Since we usually get the FLR 4-day pass. But we're getting weekday annuals for all of $10 more per person. Anywho - on to the point. Normally we go on opening day - which is always a friday. I've found the crowds to be fine - until just around sunset. Then is gets packed. And QUICK. Last year we had started on the Canada side, made it to about China (around dusk) when I first noticed a pick up in the number of people. Went to Norway and rode Maelstrom, which didn't have but a 10 minute wait. But by the time we got out... HOARDS of people. Everywhere. Me and hubs literally felt the need to hold hands as to not loose each other. Sure there was only a few booths and Mexico left. But it was a mad house. We were glad we had sent grandma and the kiddos back to the hotel early. Unfortunately she is unable to join us this year. So this year I'm making sure to leave world showcase by 7pm... But I fully intend to try and take advantage of the soft opening too.