Nov. 2011

[spreadingpixiedust]

We are planning to be at the F&W on the last day. This year my "kids" will all be at least 21 and they want to go but I'm wondering if we should skip it?
My DH and I went in Oct last year and found it to be too expensive to try everything soooo ... what is everyones opinion here? should we save Epcot WS for later in the week when the festival is over? Will we miss anything special besides huge crowds? HELP PLEASE

 

[basketlacey]

We are planning to be at the F&W on the last day. This year my "kids" will all be at least 21 and they want to go but I'm wondering if we should skip it?
My DH and I went in Oct last year and found it to be too expensive to try everything soooo ... what is everyones opinion here? should we save Epcot WS for later in the week when the festival is over? Will we miss anything special besides huge crowds? HELP PLEASE

I love the F&W festival so I think it is worth tolerating the crowds - even for just a little while. We are going to be there on the last weekend and we are going to do the F&W for a while that Sunday and then leave when it gets unbearable.

 

[lfigment99]

We have benn there on the last week-end the last three years. It wis pretty crowded as the pictures in other postings show, but it was rare when we had to wait in line at any of the food booths for more than four or five minutes.

When I think of going to Food and Wine Festival or to any of the four parks I know there will be lots of people and long lines but where else would you rather be. Certainly beats work.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

so bad news for me.... well good and kinda bad

we got word that we'll have our free AP for booking a disney wedding a few days before our november trip. yay for not needing tickets... but that non-changable pop up offer included tickets and they can't take them off.

i keep looking at the rack rate and freaking out wanting to call and change to movies... but i guess i just need to be patient and wait for the AP rates/GP offers to come out. my patience is running out!! i want to know how much this trip is going to cost, lol. we've never stayed value before, but i'm afraid with all the wedding deposits right now, we may have to!

 

[skier_pete]

I love the F&W festival so I think it is worth tolerating the crowds - even for just a little while. We are going to be there on the last weekend and we are going to do the F&W for a while that Sunday and then leave when it gets unbearable.

Hey, we'll see you there! I am hoping Sunday won't be as bad as Friday and Saturday...admitting it's the last day and they're will be crowds.

 

[Colleen27]

We are planning to be at the F&W on the last day. This year my "kids" will all be at least 21 and they want to go but I'm wondering if we should skip it?
My DH and I went in Oct last year and found it to be too expensive to try everything soooo ... what is everyones opinion here? should we save Epcot WS for later in the week when the festival is over? Will we miss anything special besides huge crowds? HELP PLEASE

If you aren't going to be doing the tastings, there's no real reason to go during Food & Wine. I take it you're arriving over the last weekend? Would it be possible to do a Food & Wine evening and still go back to Epcot later in the week for the "real" park touring?

We've never gone at the end of the festival but made the mistake of trying to tour Epcot during the opening weekend once and won't do that again; those were some crazy crowds! The festival is fun but the weekend crowds it draws make for unseasonably long lines at the attractions. If we got early enough in the month to be there for the end of the festival we'll plan to be there mid-week for "normal" touring, and then a short day just for the festival over closing weekend (because I want to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy).

 

[amy1976]

I got a pin code today for November!
It says Stay! Play! Dine! And the dates are 11/1-11/18 and 11/26-11/30

Anyone else get this? I am not sure what it is. It says $480 for 2 adults at a value, a savings of 22%. Is it just a % off?

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

I've just added 3 more days to my Oct/Nov vacation so I could use a great room discount .... but then who couldn't?

 

[amy1976]

So I called and it's a free dining pin! Yay! The CM said I will be the envy of all my friends because they have been getting hundreds of calls everyday asking about free dining.

 

[shystalips]

I got a pin code today for November!
It says Stay! Play! Dine! And the dates are 11/1-11/18 and 11/26-11/30

Anyone else get this? I am not sure what it is. It says $480 for 2 adults at a value, a savings of 22%. Is it just a % off?

I also got the pin code you recieved. It's for free QS dining. So far it's the best pin code out there for those dates. Congrats.

 

[amy1976]

But if you upgrade to mod or deluxe it's regular free dining.

 

[FourBees]

Actually the pin is for quick service dining for values and mods. If you want regular dining you have to pay to upgrade.

 

[tmfranlk]

so bad news for me.... well good and kinda bad

we got word that we'll have our free AP for booking a disney wedding a few days before our november trip. yay for not needing tickets... but that non-changable pop up offer included tickets and they can't take them off.

i keep looking at the rack rate and freaking out wanting to call and change to movies... but i guess i just need to be patient and wait for the AP rates/GP offers to come out. my patience is running out!! i want to know how much this trip is going to cost, lol. we've never stayed value before, but i'm afraid with all the wedding deposits right now, we may have to!

Remember that you could use the AP and them save the package tickets forca future trip I'd you can't get another discout along the way. As long as you don't use the tickets at all the don't expire.

 

[losmabies]

For all of those vertan pin code watchers.

Are we pretty much out of getting a pin which is applicable since our stay is 11/18-11/23? I know it is a holiday week and I am thinking they are just going to go full price for everything then.

Has anyone seen codes good over holiday weeks?

I am getting antsy to book our package, but I am trying to hold out for a good deal.

 

[Tandksmom]

I'm going to be booking around mid-August. Here's hoping for FD or a good room discount!

We're going Nov 5-10.

 

[tmfranlk]

For all of those vertan pin code watchers.

Are we pretty much out of getting a pin which is applicable since our stay is 11/18-11/23? I know it is a holiday week and I am thinking they are just going to go full price for everything then.

Has anyone seen codes good over holiday weeks?

I am getting antsy to book our package, but I am trying to hold out for a good deal.

The key for you will be what the discount is. With the pin above you would probably get free dining for the full stay because your start date it within the valid dates. However a room only discount you're only going to get for your non-blackout days since they're priming room rates nightly now. Good luck!

 

[PixieDustFanatic]

Save yourself! It looked like this and got even busier. Even the rest rooms had long lines.

Shoot!!!

I think I might need to re-evaluate our plans. Are the other parks pretty manageable that weekend???

 

[Colleen27]

Shoot!!!

I think I might need to re-evaluate our plans. Are the other parks pretty manageable that weekend???

Yes. The uptick in crowds on the weekends during Food & Wine is mostly locals going just for a day and DVC members and AP/resident passholders who book weekend trips just for the event, so the higher crowds are pretty much contained to Epcot.

 

[basketlacey]

Hey, we'll see you there! I am hoping Sunday won't be as bad as Friday and Saturday...admitting it's the last day and they're will be crowds.

It'll be worth it! As long as my kids can hang in there, we will eat (and drink) around the world. We have never done either of the rides back in WS so I am hoping that can buy me some more time!

 

[skier_pete]

It'll be worth it! As long as my kids can hang in there, we will eat (and drink) around the world. We have never done either of the rides back in WS so I am hoping that can buy me some more time!

We did a Sunday of F & W last year, and while it wasn't THAT bad, it was definitely the most crowded I've seen WS. There was an actual line at the Gran Fiesta Tour (Mexican Boat Ride). It was all the way out the queue, and a good 5 minute wait. I say this because I had never actually seen this ride when it wasn't a walk-on!

That said, the food lines were never longer than at most 5 minutes, and frequently less. This was a Sunday in October, not the last Sunday of the festival. I am hoping it is comparable as opposed to worse.

Also - in case you are on the DDP - F & W festival = the greatest use of Snack Credits EVER!

Back on-topic - where is my discount, Disney!