Is the Food & Wine still as crazy as it was in 2013?

[jim01]

I have a trip planned for next September during the Food & Wine and I was curious if the festival is still as crazy as it was the last time I was there in 2013. I would imagine that Disney would have toned it down because of how many people were throwing up in the bushes the last time I went. I like to drink but even I thought that giving flights with 3 shots of scotch/tequila/etc was a bit much.

I added a picture of my flight from Scotland

 

[BrianL]

I have a trip planned for next September during the Food & Wine and I was curious if the festival is still as crazy as it was the last time I was there in 2013. I would imagine that Disney would have toned it down because of how many people were throwing up in the bushes the last time I went. I like to drink but even I thought that giving flights with 3 shots of scotch/tequila/etc was a bit much.

I added a picture of my flight from Scotland

Well, it certainly can be, though I've never really seen anything wild so I don't think it happens as much as some say. It can be extremely busy though, especially on weekends and Friday and Saturday nights in particular.

 

[freshmanjs]

It's much more popular than it was in 2013. Weekends are very crowded, especially in the evenings. Weekdays during the day, not crazy at all. I've never seen anyone vomit at Epcot after at least 25 trips to F&W, so can't comment on that one.

 

[Hopefully]

I’ve been for years since2013. I have never seen anyone vomit either.

 

[jenjersnap]

I’ve been to Food & Wine most years since 2006 and, funny enough, the only year we were bothered by intoxicated people behaving badly was 2013!

Samples are certainly scaled back since then.

 

[kylenne]

The Antics tend to be confined to the weekends...I never went to one until last year and then had my first ever Gran Fiesta Tour closure due to Drunk on Pyramid.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We have gone multiple times the last 3 years (now semi-local) and have never seen anyone puking in the bushes. Though we have seen people who had clearly had too much, that seems to happen year round. Just a few weeks ago we saw 2 friends basically holding up their very intoxicated friend right before the fireworks.

We always avoid Saturday night but Sunday night is one of our favorite times and we rarely run into long lines or big crowds. Course it depends a lot on time of year, too!

 

[kylenne]

We always avoid Saturday night but Sunday night is one of our favorite times and we rarely run into long lines or big crowds. Course it depends a lot on time of year, too!

There was a huge difference between Saturday and Sunday night when I went last year too. I only came back Saturday for fireworks and it was awful. Sunday was so much more pleasant.

 

[Hobbes]

is Flower & Garden the same on Saturdays-I know there's less booths but does it get busier on the weekends?

 

[kiddo76]

F&W continues to grown in popularity. I've been several times and have never seen a single person, never mind "many people", puking in the bushes.

 

[Moliphino]

I went to F&W in 2016 and 2019 and never saw anyone throwing up. Well, once a kid was puking in the bushes out by the bus stops in the morning, but I'm assuming that wasn't alcohol related. It's very crowded in the evenings and on weekends, but I didn't see anyone causing problems.

 

[jim01]

I am glad to know my experience was unusual. And by "many" I mean only 2, one that I overheard someone speaking about and another that I saw in the middle of the walkway that a poor cast member was cleaning up. On top of that some of the people that I met there were clearly having a very good time.

It was a Saturday night and the opening night of the festival so maybe that caused it to be a little more chaotic than normal.

 

[buzznina]

Friday and Saturday nights are the worst days to go, because that is also when a lot of the younger locals go to hangout and drink. When I lived in Orlando, we always made it to the F&W at least a few times during the event and yes occasionally we would have a friend who over did it So it does happen, probably a lot more than people notice

 

[winthropf]

The serving sizes of the beer and wine have been cut down. Normal beer size from the booths is now 6 or 8 ounces rather than 16. The price didn't get cut in half though.

 

[gharter]

F&W seems to be much busier in the last few years.
We made the mistake of going to EPCOT early Saturday evening the day we arrived to get a drink there before our dinner.
It was a mob and many very intoxicated people. I have never seen anything llike that during the week.
We now avoid EPCOT Friday night and the weekends if possible.

 

[holden]

I’d say it’s more crowded. I’ve been going to FWF for eleven years and have never seen anyone throw up.

 

[Hopefully]

I am glad to know my experience was unusual. And by "many" I mean only 2, one that I overheard someone speaking about and another that I saw in the middle of the walkway that a poor cast member was cleaning up. On top of that some of the people that I met there were clearly having a very good time.

It was a Saturday night and the opening night of the festival so maybe that caused it to be a little more chaotic than normal.

Saying that 2 is "Many" is certainly misleading and you only saw one

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I went in 2014 and my parents are AP and go several times each year. I see people on the boards always talking about people being heavily intoxicated, but we've never seen it and haven't once seen any of this. We find that the Epcot drinks aren't very potent...well, except for China...they were giving people more generous amounts. So, that could be part of it. It was crowded, but lines moved quickly and it was a fun time to have Disney conversations with other guests.

 

[mckennarose]

I’ve been for years since2013. I have never seen anyone vomit either.

Same.

I've also been on a weekend several times and didn't see the roving bands of vomiting drunks people complain about either. I guess I must've missed them? It definitely is more crowded on Friday or Saturday night, though.

The most "drunk" I've seen someone was not at F&W, but was in R&C pub women's restroom. She and a friend were talking about men and she gave me some relationship advice. Nevermind that I'm married 30 years and old enough to be her mother! It was funny and she was harmless.

is Flower & Garden the same on Saturdays-I know there's less booths but does it get busier on the weekends?

We go in the Spring for F&G and usually again in the Fall for F&W and I would say that F&W is definitely more crowded. That's not to say that F&G isn't more crowded on the weekends as compared to the other days of the week for F&G, but in general there are more locals out. It could be the time of year too, as we find the parks in May to be less crowded overall than the Fall.

The serving sizes of the beer and wine have been cut down. Normal beer size from the booths is now 6 or 8 ounces rather than 16. The price didn't get cut in half though.

Thankfully you can get full size beverages at the regular outdoor locations available year round.

 

[gwynne]

We have been to F&W many times over the years. We have never noted anyone that fit these descriptions of drunken vomiting guests.
Our visits are relaxing, fun and pleasant. Sometimes one or another booth line is long. When that happens, I choose a different booth.