***Official December 2022 Thread***

[sherlockmiles]

How do people feel price/value/size of Holiday Kitchens offerings compare to Food and Wine? More or less very similar?

I’m not the biggest fan of Food and Wine. It’s fun, but for the same (or less) money, DH prefers to be seated, relaxed and served at a nice TS place vs standing in multiple lines and trying to eat standing over a garbage can.

Food and Wine (IMO) offers much more savory options than Festival. I found the "value" to range from good to poor depending on individual items. If you prefer to be served, the kitchens are probably not for you and you can be very selective on which items to try. We love the kitchens and don't consider TS when the booths are available. We like getting lots of items and sharing them. The variety is appealing to us. Definitely we try new things because of the small plates and smaller price.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

We didn't end up sampling anything since the lines were always so long but the stuff at Canada smelled AMAZING!

 

[elaine amj]

Food and Wine (IMO) offers much more savory options than Festival. I found the "value" to range from good to poor depending on individual items. If you prefer to be served, the kitchens are probably not for you and you can be very selective on which items to try. We love the kitchens and don't consider TS when the booths are available. We like getting lots of items and sharing them. The variety is appealing to us. Definitely we try new things because of the small plates and smaller price.

I’ll definitely keep an eye out in case there are a couple of standout items that would be “worth it”. (I do love that lamb chop from Food and Wine!) Otherwise we will mostly stick to our usual QS and TS. It’s kinda fun to walking from booth to booth but every time I try to make a meal of it, it ends up about $20-30pp to sample enough food.

I gave it my best shot at Festival of the Arts one year and ate all day at the booths without considering price. When I added it up at the end of the day, we weren’t too impressed. Especially since half the food was great but half the food was blah.

 

[sherlockmiles]

If I could only buy 2 dessert items at the festival booths, they would be the Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie and the Alfajores: Vanilla shortbread cookie with dulce de leche and coconut.

 

[Disturbia]

Tips/Tricks for NYE (park hopping to MK 12/31 will be next to impossible as the park will close and have phased closures)

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/new-years-eve-disney-world-tips/

https://touringplans.com/blog/how-to-survive-new-years-eve-at-disney/

How do people feel price/value/size of Holiday Kitchens offerings compare to Food and Wine? More or less very similar?

I’m not the biggest fan of Food and Wine. It’s fun, but for the same (or less) money, DH prefers to be seated, relaxed and served at a nice TS place vs standing in multiple lines and trying to eat standing over a garbage can.

We are skipping it during this trip (don’t have time, more sweet vs savory). We have only been to flower & garden and food & wine and love food & wine more (esp. Australian grilled lamb chops with mint pesto-when they had them and the Beef in the Canadian booth-hit or miss if you get a chewy/fatty piece).

here is a list of all the food and pictures for festival of the holidays:

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022-epcot-festival-of-the-holidays-booths-menus-and-food-photos/

 

[Disturbia]

I’ve been reading that MK will reach capacity before noon on 12/31 so park hopping will not be allowed.

We have park passes for that day for Mk. If we enter before noon and take a mid day break will we be allowed back? We are staying onsite

 

[CJK]

I didn't think the parks have closed to capacity since the park pass reservations were introduced (other than on the actual 50th anniversary). I can see park hopping could be a problem though, but I'm hoping guests with reservations for MK on Dec. 31st can still come and go.

 

[Disturbia]

duplicate

 

[gadget118]

I'm going to be in Studios with kiddos on NYE so hoping everyone is able to park hop away lol.

 

[Disturbia]

Per DFB:

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022...parks-are-open-til-midnight-on-new-years-eve/

 

[Disturbia]

Closest answer is for Epcot but I don’t believe it has reached capacity

https://plandisney.disney.go.com/qu...ay-park-new-years-eve-epcot-ones-park-475342/

 

[Disturbia]

Found this post and it gives some parking tips (leave the car in one place)

https://allears.net/walt-disney-wor...-how-do-you-celebrate-new-years-in-the-world/

 

[Disturbia]

In case anyone was wondering, you can’t take alcohol from a table service restaurant into Magic Kingdom (have to consume it at the restaurant). You can add champagne as a gift from Disney floral to drink and toast in your room:

https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2020/04/06/6-surprising-rules-about-about-drinking-in-disney-world/

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/disney-world-new-years-eve/

 

[cjlong88]

I didn't think the parks have closed to capacity since the park pass reservations were introduced (other than on the actual 50th anniversary). I can see park hopping could be a problem though, but I'm hoping guests with reservations for MK on Dec. 31st can still come and go.

If guests have a park reservation they shouldn't have any problems getting into their park no matter when they enter / exit.

 

[elaine amj]

I’ve been reading that MK will reach capacity before noon on 12/31 so park hopping will not be allowed.

We have park passes for that day for Mk. If we enter before noon and take a mid day break will we be allowed back? We are staying onsite

In the past when there have been phased closures, it has always reopened to guest entry by 6/7pm.

MK closed on the 50th anniversary for a few hours to park hoppers (but folks with reservations were admitted). But by late afternoon/evening, you could hop over.

My worst case scenario is to hop over after 7pm. I figure lots of people will leave after 6:30pm fireworks. I don’t even plan to enter until after 7pm.

I’m set for Dec 31 at Epcot so just stalking for MK on Dec 30. I think I am pretty safe regardless but always nice not to have to worry about backup plans.

 

[Disturbia]

Apparently last year wasn’t as bad as years past and park hopping was ok. I expect MK to be more crowded than 2021 since it’s the last major holiday before the 50th celebration ends.

https://blogmickey.com/2021/12/new-years-eve-eve-at-magic-kingdom/

Hopefully someone can add their experience with younger kids in a double stroller and/or using Genie+.

 

[pixiegoose]

If I could only buy 2 dessert items at the festival booths, they would be the Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie and the Alfajores: Vanilla shortbread cookie with dulce de leche and coconut.

Omg, yeeeeeeeessssssss!! That Spaceship Earth cookie was freaking amazing! I made DH stop by Odyssey on the way out on our last day so I could get another one! I need them to sell that sucker year-round.

 

[elaine amj]

Boo. We were supposed to start the long drive late Thursday night. But just talked to DD21 and she is struggling to finish the papers for her final exams. So we’ve decided to burn the first night at our resort and leave a day later. Oh well - we do have a 2.5 week trip so plenty of time to chill. I just get greedy lol.

Plus it hurts a bit to know that a prepaid room is going to sit empty. I booked a 2 bedroom condo at Sheraton Vistana Resort and was supposed to check in Friday. Now we won’t get there until Sat evening. And because it is a prepaid week booked through Interval, I can’t change the days or cancel just the one night. At least it was only $515 for the 7 nights so wasting $73 hurts less lol.

 

[Disturbia]

In the past when there have been phased closures, it has always reopened to guest entry by 6/7pm.

MK closed on the 50th anniversary for a few hours to park hoppers (but folks with reservations were admitted). But by late afternoon/evening, you could hop over.

My worst case scenario is to hop over after 7pm. I figure lots of people will leave after 6:30pm fireworks. I don’t even plan to enter until after 7pm.

I’m set for Dec 31 at Epcot so just stalking for MK on Dec 30. I think I am pretty safe regardless but always nice not to have to worry about backup plans.

I was looking for information on phased closures. Do you know if they have a separate line for guests with park passes? Or does the park completely shut down?

 

[Disturbia]

Boo. We were supposed to start the long drive late Thursday night. But just talked to DD21 and she is struggling to finish the papers for her final exams. So we’ve decided to burn the first night at our resort and leave a day later. Oh well - we do have a 2.5 week trip so plenty of time to chill. I just get greedy lol.

Plus it hurts a bit to know that a prepaid room is going to sit empty. I booked a 2 bedroom condo at Sheraton Vistana Resort and was supposed to check in Friday. Now we won’t get there until Sat evening. And because it is a prepaid week booked through Interval, I can’t change the days or cancel just the one night. At least it was only $515 for the 7 nights so wasting $73 hurts less lol.

2.5 weeks! I’m sure you’re going to have a blast.

I keep a day or two on either side of our vacation now (after the April 2nd fiasco, flights cancelled drove back 20 hrs).