How do YOU do Food & Wine?

[MatzoBelle]

Am thinking of taking in the F&W Festival one of these years because so many here love it. What are your favorite and least preferred special events? Do most of you just sample the wares without doing any of the special seminars/meals/parties? Do you go on any rides? I like the idea of scheduling just a few events over perhaps three days, and wandering around the rest of the time (no rides, no FP+), not racing to get anywhere for once. A true vacation. Experiences that sound appealing are the Premium Package, the Parisian breakfast, the Late-Night Party, a few of the low-cost seminars, and maybe a special meal at Jiko. But a lot of these opportunities are expensive and probably sell out quickly. Hmm. Not sure about the 3D Dessert Party. Party for the Senses seems too loud. Would love to hear what has (and has not) worked for you. TIA!

 

[MsHook]

We did F&W back in 2011 and loved it. We took 3 days, set ourselves a budget and spent the majority of the days just sampling food. But we did go on a few rides in the morning before World Showcase opened. We just couldn't skip them. 3 days is plenty of time if you're just sampling. Didn't do any of the special events as it just wasn't in the budget. Your plan sounds good, take your time and enjoy it!

 

[MatzoBelle]

We did F&W back in 2011 and loved it. We took 3 days, set ourselves a budget and spent the majority of the days just sampling food. But we did go on a few rides in the morning before World Showcase opened. We just couldn't skip them. 3 days is plenty of time if you're just sampling. Didn't do any of the special events as it just wasn't in the budget. Your plan sounds good, take your time and enjoy it!

Glad to hear you loved it even without additional experiences. Sounds like a low-stress way to do it. I wish they offered more breakfasts, but rides in the morning, especially at Epcot, also sounds like a nice plan if not pre-scheduled. I really don't want Disney to dictate the pace.

 

[DWillowBay]

In my experience, the additional events are good, but I would suggest identifying just one or two events. It can get very time consuming to do a lot of the cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, chef appearances, etc. I agree with the 'less is more' approach to F & W.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We have been at WDW during Food and Wine for the last 4 years. We usually plan 2 days at Epcot. We tend to get there at RD and do Future World rides in the morning and then head to WS at 11:00 when it opens. DH really likes the little passport book idea, so we just stroll around trying things and getting our passport stamped. Last year I was so disappointed because on our main Epcot day I had a horrible case of Acid Reflux and didn't feel like eating/drinking anything.

 

[loves to dive]

Did it last year and the year before. Last year I did a food and wine pairing seminar, can't remember the cost but I think it was around $70 and well worth every penny. The presenter was excellent, I think we tasted 3 or 4 wine/pairings and got a little gift bag with a couple of wine glasses and some other wine related things. I also went to a seminar in the center presented by the dessert chef at the GF, it was $5, really interesting he made a biscotti/chocolate combo and we had a wine sampling with that presented by the distributor. I also went to a seminar given by a small grower from California, I think we may have tasted 2 or 3 wines at that, again at the center and $5. I also did a dinner at Morocco where the chef prepared a special 3 course meal to go with wine brought by a distributor, excellent. I was at DW for 4 nights 5 days, spent the first two at POR and did MK, AK and HS then the last two nights I was at OKW and did F&W. I think next year I'll go one more night and spend 3 days at F&W, two just wasn't enough for all the seminars and to sample the booths as well. There were a few more seminars I was interested in but they were only available on days I wasn't there. I tried something from just about every booth but there were a lot more things I wanted to try and just didn't have time.

 

[MatzoBelle]

Did it last year and the year before. Last year I did a food and wine pairing seminar, can't remember the cost but I think it was around $70 and well worth every penny. The presenter was excellent, I think we tasted 3 or 4 wine/pairings and got a little gift bag with a couple of wine glasses and some other wine related things. I also went to a seminar in the center presented by the dessert chef at the GF, it was $5, really interesting he made a biscotti/chocolate combo and we had a wine sampling with that presented by the distributor. I also went to a seminar given by a small grower from California, I think we may have tasted 2 or 3 wines at that, again at the center and $5. I also did a dinner at Morocco where the chef prepared a special 3 course meal to go with wine brought by a distributor, excellent. I was at DW for 4 nights 5 days, spent the first two at POR and did MK, AK and HS then the last two nights I was at OKW and did F&W. I think next year I'll go one more night and spend 3 days at F&W, two just wasn't enough for all the seminars and to sample the booths as well. There were a few more seminars I was interested in but they were only available on days I wasn't there. I tried something from just about every booth but there were a lot more things I wanted to try and just didn't have time.

Great detail, loves to dive! Thank you for sharing all that. There are so many options, and it sounds as if you made a valiant effort to sample as many as possible. Three (or more?) days sounds perfect for you (and for me).

 

[btk2333]

we pair our F&W trips with the Wine and Dine half marathon. it's great because the park is open until 4 AM on race night- can sample a ton of food in that time with very minimal lines! Then at 4:00 we wobble back to the room (BCV), sleep until 11:00 and wobble back down to EPCOT

We generally spend race day and the day after race day at EPCOT- don't really do any of the rides on those days (really not fans of any EPCOT rides except Spaceship Earth at this point). We haven't done any of the special events because the race is a big enough budget killer as it is! Love food and wine though- it's a great time!

 

[tchrrx]

Where can I find more info about the F&W events? We will be attending our first time this year. DH loves cooking seminars, so I'd love to sign him up for some.

 

[MatzoBelle]

Where can I find more info about the F&W events? We will be attending our first time this year. DH loves cooking seminars, so I'd love to sign him up for some.

The Disney Food Blog is a great resource. The 2015 daily schedule is not yet available.

 

[MatzoBelle]

we pair our F&W trips with the Wine and Dine half marathon. it's great because the park is open until 4 AM on race night- can sample a ton of food in that time with very minimal lines!

Never knew that. What fun.

 

[figment_jii]

I went to the F&W Festival in 2014 and did a couple of the special events: 3D Dessert Party, Party for the Senses, and the Parsian Breakfast. I enjoyed all of them. I wrote up a trip report (with pictures!)...Figment’s Villainously Good Food & Wine Festival, 2014

The Party for the Senses was loud...near the stage area. The edges of the room were less loud (I wouldn't say quiet but you could hear others when they were talking to you).

 

[MatzoBelle]

I went to the F&W Festival in 2014 and did a couple of the special events: 3D Dessert Party, Party for the Senses, and the Parsian Breakfast. I enjoyed all of them. I wrote up a trip report (with pictures!)...Figment’s Villainously Good Food & Wine Festival, 2014

The Party for the Senses was loud...near the stage area. The edges of the room were less loud (I wouldn't say quiet but you could hear others when they were talking to you).

What a fantastic and helpful trip report! Please thank Figment for sharing his experiences. Those are all events I've been looking at, and your beautiful pictures help to clinch the Parisian breakfast.