Help with F & W planning

[jupers]

Hi
As some of you may have read in my previous posts I'm taking mom to the F&W for a long weekend in October. This is my first DVC stay as an owner and I'm thrilled. We are staying 1 night at AKV and 3 nights at BWV. Anyway, the first day (Thurs) we are spending at MK and going to MNSSHP. Then we are planning Fri and Sat to mostly be at Epcot for F&W. Hopefully popping into DHS and AK.

What are the don't miss things at F&W???? We are not doing any seminars just hoping to wander and eat and drink. Any advice for first timers??? I know it'll be crowded but just wondering if it's like July crowded????

Any suggestions on things for just Mom and I to enjoy???

 

[DMKEDM]

We were at WDW during F&W for the first time last year...didn't plan anything...there are a LOT of "food booths" (all ethnic w/a wide variety to choose from), each of which offered a few (3 or 4) small-ish servings of various dishes...most were fairly "exotic" and while we did sample some (and enjoyed what we got), mostly we're not terribly adventurous eaters and so probably didn't fully appreciate the food part of it...

I did stop in front of the American Pavillion a couple of times to enjoy the "Flower Power" concerts...you can sit (and there was plenty of room to sit) in the band shell; I chose not to...I simply sat on one of the ledges across the walkway from the band shell and just enjoyed the music (I'm in my late 50s and much of the music was from the days of my youth...I particularly enjoyed Paul Revere & the Raiders!)...

It was considerably more crowded on the weekend nights, but not crazy-insane crowded, even then. It was easy walking around and "normal" waits for rides (an hour or more for Soarin', for example)...but fast passes were available and we didn't encounter any "issues" doing the rides we wanted to do.

We enjoyed it, and I'm happy that after many WDW trips at other times of the year, I finally got a chance to experience F&W...but I wouldn't plan a trip to do it. You need to enjoy new & different foods (and drinks) and food-related special events--and that's just not our thing...but it was fun to see the different offerings and cultural "tidbits" from the various countries participating in F&W. There were lines for food at each booth--but the lines tended to be 5-6 people deep, not outrageously long...

Have a great time!

 

[Cee]

I guess since you have to be there on the weekend, just try to go early when the World Showcase opens(11:00 a.m.) and do what you can before it gets too crowded to maneuver. Have fun!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Fair warning...

Saturday is going to be very crowded at those food booths...

 

[bobbiwoz]

I would definitely plan on doing the food booths when the open, through lunchtime, not dinnertime. Also, do check out the Eat to the Beat concerts!

 

[dgaston]

And I would recommend visiting the booths in a different order between your two days. For one I'd head to Mexico, and the other towards Canada. I get full long before I've made it around the world.

Things I especially enjoy (though YMMV) -- lamb sliders from New Zealand, chocolate cake with Bailey's from Ireland, pretzel sausage in Germany, cheese soup from Canada. This year I'm curious about the lobster in US since one of the providers is from the Bean family in ME.

HTH