I'm a Food&Wine Festival Rookie.....

[MAGICX2]

and I am overwhelmed!
I have read just about everything I can on the F&WF and at this point I think I have forgotten more than I have read! Here are my main questions:
1. Can I get an "Eat Easy" card with the wrist band still? I read you can get a prepaid card that has a bungee bracelet so you can wear it on your wrist and not have to dig for it. If I can still get that, where do I get it?
2. Do they still offer special beer and wine flights for the F&WF? If so where do I purchase those? How do they track it?
3. We are going with our kids, 10 & 7. How can we get them excited about the different food experiences?
4. Are there any of the more inexpensive seminars/demonstrations that we could still enjoy with our children?
5. Any thing we should label as a "must taste" or "must do?" Likewise, what are the "must haves" as far as F&WF souveniers go?

 

[earthfaries]

and I am overwhelmed!
I have read just about everything I can on the F&WF and at this point I think I have forgotten more than I have read! Here are my main questions:
1. Can I get an "Eat Easy" card with the wrist band still? I read you can get a prepaid card that has a bungee bracelet so you can wear it on your wrist and not have to dig for it. If I can still get that, where do I get it?
2. Do they still offer special beer and wine flights for the F&WF? If so where do I purchase those? How do they track it?
3. We are going with our kids, 10 & 7. How can we get them excited about the different food experiences?
4. Are there any of the more inexpensive seminars/demonstrations that we could still enjoy with our children?
5. Any thing we should label as a "must taste" or "must do?" Likewise, what are the "must haves" as far as F&WF souveniers go?

We go multiple times every year and just went last night so I'll try and answer any questions I can.

1. They sell the gift cards that have a bungee for your wrist pretty much everywhere. I saw them in all the gift shops I visited and at some of the outdoor kiosks. They are really handy BUT be warned, I lost mine last year. It fell off so now I get one and super glue it closed so it doesn't get lost. I know that will be impossible for you if you're just visiting once, so just keep your eye on it

2. Not sure sorry, don't drink ...

3. Do they like food? If so they will love the food and wine festival! My kids love it because they get to try so many different foods. Most of them are very good. I just have them try at least one bite. If they like it I buy another for them. We start with one ...

4. Not sure ... we just go to eat and enjoy the countries, lol

5. I had the most incredible thing last night! The Pumpkin Mousse at Hops and Barley right before the American Adventure. Don't let the craisens and orange sauce fool you ... it truly is one of the most delicious deserts I have EVER eaten! Can't wait for more!!! The kids like the lamb slider also, tasted like meatloaf ... the bbq and sweet potatoes from Africa is yummy too.

Have fun!

 

[vicki_c]

We took our kids last year and we all had fun sampling things. Mine were 11 and 9 at that time. The kids, of course, were partial to any of the desserts, but they were also good about trying some other things. They both liked the escargot in France, even knowing what it was! And it is really yummy.

As the PP said, the wristband thing is just a regular Disney gift card made smaller and attached to a wrist band. I've never heard of it called an Eat Easy card.

As for the demos, I've always had the impression they were pretty much adult things. Doesn't mean that you can't take children to some of them, I don't know that answer, but I certainly don't think any of the ones I know of would be of any interest or fun for kids to sit through, and could be bothersome to the others there for the demo. Maybe someone knows of a particular one where kids would be welcomed. We didn't do anything like that with our kids.

 

[TDC Nala]

1. Can I get an "Eat Easy" card with the wrist band still? I read you can get a prepaid card that has a bungee bracelet so you can wear it on your wrist and not have to dig for it. If I can still get that, where do I get it?

It is not really a "prepaid card." It is a Disney gift card and it operates like any other Disney gift card. It just looks different. You can load it with as much money as you wish.

2. Do they still offer special beer and wine flights for the F&WF? If so where do I purchase those? How do they track it?

They're not really "special" but at the beer booths you can order a flight of smaller pours of any of the listed beers. I haven't seen anything like that for wine this year.

4. Are there any of the more inexpensive seminars/demonstrations that we could still enjoy with our children?

People bring children to the culinary demonstrations but they are not geared for children. The festival is mostly adult oriented. The larger-scale special events are NOT recommended for children. Take the kids by to see the cranberry bog and taste some food around the world.

 

[MightyDuck001]

Does any one have any recommendations for places to sit and eat? We were there last year but had a hard time finding a place to sit down and eat our food...

 

[TDC Nala]

If you mean at the World Showcase, once again there are not many chairs provided. A few tables and chairs at Belgium, a few in South Africa. Other than that, they have put up some of the higher tables you stand at, and no extra chairs. There are still the regular benches around the Showcase, but they have to be unoccupied at the time you need them.

 

[shortypots]

Sit on the ground in the shade, especially if it is a warmer day.

 

[sckennedy12]

Since you asked about must-have souveniers...mine are the F&W festival wine glasses! We get a lot of use out of them, and every time I use them to drink wine at home, it brings back great memories! I have the 2009 glasses, and I hope they have some 2011 glasses when we go in a few weeks! I think we've just decided to go every year from now on , so maybe they will be a new family collector item!

 

[MAGICX2]

Thanks everyone!!

We took our kids last year and we all had fun sampling things. Mine were 11 and 9 at that time. The kids, of course, were partial to any of the desserts, but they were also good about trying some other things. They both liked the escargot in France, even knowing what it was! And it is really yummy.

As the PP said, the wristband thing is just a regular Disney gift card made smaller and attached to a wrist band. I've never heard of it called an Eat Easy card.

That's just what I call it. I thought it sounded good! My DS10 is good about trying new things so will probably just let him sample ours and if he likes it we will get him his own. DD7 is so picky that unless they are offering PB&J from around the world she will be a no go.

As for the demos, I've always had the impression they were pretty much adult things. Doesn't mean that you can't take children to some of them, I don't know that answer, but I certainly don't think any of the ones I know of would be of any interest or fun for kids to sit through, and could be bothersome to the others there for the demo. Maybe someone knows of a particular one where kids would be welcomed. We didn't do anything like that with our kids.

People bring children to the culinary demonstrations but they are not geared for children. The festival is mostly adult oriented. The larger-scale special events are NOT recommended for children. Take the kids by to see the cranberry bog and taste some food around the world.

I didn't figure there would be, but DS10 asked about the chocolate seminar and the cheese seminar he heard me telling DH about. We will be sure to hit the cranberry bog. My kids love those OceanSpray commercials. They would think its really neat to see a real bog.

Since you asked about must-have souveniers...mine are the F&W festival wine glasses! We get a lot of use out of them, and every time I use them to drink wine at home, it brings back great memories! I have the 2009 glasses, and I hope they have some 2011 glasses when we go in a few weeks! I think we've just decided to go every year from now on , so maybe they will be a new family collector item!

Those sound awesome! I will definitely be on the look out for those.

 

[TDC Nala]

I didn't figure there would be, but DS10 asked about the chocolate seminar and the cheese seminar he heard me telling DH about. We will be sure to hit the cranberry bog. My kids love those OceanSpray commercials. They would think its really neat to see a real bog.

The chocolate seminars are sold out. I can't recommend any of the higher-cost seminars for children younger than maybe 13. There's no child price and no substitute for the wine, they will be paying full price and drinking water. There was an 11 year old at my French Regional Lunch. She was very well behaved but also very bored. She was also the only sober person in the room, as wine was served with every course. The restaurant manager did offer her a soda but not until halfway through the lunch.

If you feel you must take the children to a seminar, I recommend the culinary seminars at the Festival Center.