The 2010 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Thread

[JDUCKY]

Stay away from the World Showcase on Saturdays during the Festival if you can. I have never seen a bigger crowd at WS than Saturday, October 17, 2009. Not just for the booths, but for everyplace that sold food or drinks in WS. The line for the bar at La Cava went all the way around the Mexico pavilion. The line at the wine shop in Italy stretched into Germany. I'm not kidding. The only short line was at the Thailand booth.

They were all there celebrating my birthday!


Yeah, no kidding. Weekends during Food and Wine were crazy! The weekend before, World Showcase was a ghost town.

 

[Hopefully]

Stay away from the World Showcase on Saturdays during the Festival if you can. I have never seen a bigger crowd at WS than Saturday, October 17, 2009. Not just for the booths, but for everyplace that sold food or drinks in WS. The line for the bar at La Cava went all the way around the Mexico pavilion. The line at the wine shop in Italy stretched into Germany. I'm not kidding. The only short line was at the Thailand booth.

This was the first night of our F & W trip. We had friends drive from Savannah to join us and they only had one day in the parks. We wanted to share our love of the festival with them, and it really was miserable. I have NEVER seen so many people in WS. I knew from prior experience that weekends were crowded, but this was incredible. Even the next Saturday was no where near as crowded. I would avoid weekends if possible, but enjoy the festival, it is wonderful.

 

[choirchic]

I posted a food review of my Food and Wine Festival trip, linked as Gluttoberfest in my signature. All my reviews (with "food porn") are linked in my first post in that thread.

Starting late June or early July, you will probably find a dedicated thread here about festival discussions. You'll be sure to get the most up to date info when things are announced.

Thanks for the tip...I'll keep an eye out!

This was the first night of our F & W trip. We had friends drive from Savannah to join us and they only had one day in the parks. We wanted to share our love of the festival with them, and it really was miserable. I have NEVER seen so many people in WS. I knew from prior experience that weekends were crowded, but this was incredible. Even the next Saturday was no where near as crowded. I would avoid weekends if possible, but enjoy the festival, it is wonderful.

Duly Noted...I will most definitely have to take the family mid-week and avoid the weekend!

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

We LOVED the F & W 2009!! We are going back this year, but are planning on going to EPCOT on Mon-Wed. 2009 was our first trip, and it was the weekend.....crazy-mad crowd, with nowhere to really sit! Didn't stop us from enjoying the wonderful food though!! We even ate the escargot!! Goes to show you, if you add enough garlic and butter, even Disney can make snails taste good!

 

[BriarRosie]

The general consensus about October 17th was that it was the first day in months where the temps were not hot and humid. I believe it was in the 50s / 60s, so all the locals came out in force. I felt a little weirded out by the crowds that day.

 

[leelip1982]

You will have an amazing time. My Dfi and I went to both 2008,2009, and are going n 2010. Be prepared it can be very expensive as everyone has said. If you have the money go to the party for the senses we went last year and had so much fun. We went on opening night and it was packed! I loved the all you can have wine. We also did the tequila tasting in Mexico which was a blast. The demonstration was only an hour and we stayed there for like 3 hours. We had margaritas and had so much fun talking to everyone. I believe the waitress called it the tequila effect. Anywho, go it will be a blast!

 

[grace&philipsmom]

We did the festival in 2005, but we didn't get to really enjoy it as we were with a 2 year old who was having a bad day.

This year we are going back with a 6 yo and a 4 yo old so I am anticipating greater things!

 

[choirchic]

We LOVED the F & W 2009!! We are going back this year, but are planning on going to EPCOT on Mon-Wed. 2009 was our first trip, and it was the weekend.....crazy-mad crowd, with nowhere to really sit! Didn't stop us from enjoying the wonderful food though!! We even ate the escargot!! Goes to show you, if you add enough garlic and butter, even Disney can make snails taste good!

Too Funny!

You will have an amazing time. My Dfi and I went to both 2008,2009, and are going n 2010. Be prepared it can be very expensive as everyone has said. If you have the money go to the party for the senses we went last year and had so much fun. We went on opening night and it was packed! I loved the all you can have wine. We also did the tequila tasting in Mexico which was a blast. The demonstration was only an hour and we stayed there for like 3 hours. We had margaritas and had so much fun talking to everyone. I believe the waitress called it the tequila effect. Anywho, go it will be a blast!

Tequila Effect...sounds like a plan!

 

[tley]

Stay away from the World Showcase on Saturdays during the Festival if you can. I have never seen a bigger crowd at WS than Saturday, October 17, 2009. Not just for the booths, but for everyplace that sold food or drinks in WS. The line for the bar at La Cava went all the way around the Mexico pavilion. The line at the wine shop in Italy stretched into Germany. I'm not kidding. The only short line was at the Thailand booth.

We (DW and I) were there too! It was plenty busy (and a little chilly, if i recall - first night it cooled down) but so much fun. We saved our snacks and dipped into our cash stash for some wine and extras. Our favourite was the seafood shephards pie from Ireland...oh so good and great portion sizes!

 

[Michael188]

How busy are the other parks during the food and wine?

 

[TDC Nala]

Weekends at Food & Wine are crowded because that's when the locals come to enjoy the Festival. If the weather's nice, LOTS of them will come. There's usually no appreciable impact on any park but Epcot due only to the festival, even on weekends. There might be other things like the Columbus Day holiday and school "fall breaks" that will affect general park attendance at certain times during that period.

 

[Sue1016]

so all these are at the individual countries or in the front near the epcot ball

also can you use your DDP snack credits for anything?

to me in theory it's like each country has their own counter service set up with their food? or am i missing something?

never been to the Food and wine festival and my october trip will be smack in the middle of it.

 

[TDC Nala]

so all these are at the individual countries or in the front near the epcot ball

In the World Showcase where the countries are. The booths are added to WS just for the festival.

also can you use your DDP snack credits for anything?

You can't use them for alcoholic beverages.

to me in theory it's like each country has their own counter service set up with their food? or am i missing something?

Sort of. The booths don't serve as much food as a counter service restaurant. You can't make a full meal by purchasing one item from one booth.They serve individual tasting portions, which are a few bites at the most, and small wine/beverage tasting cups.

 

[Vickis3js]

We are so wanting to go to WDW dor F&W. Its my dream to go one year I just don't see it happening. My DS and DD play football and DH coaches and we have not one weekend off the entire festival. I am so jealous of all who get to go. It looks like an amazing time!

 

[drenalin'junkie]

We start early on lite breakfasts and work our way around in one direction til we are to full to continue or crowds get to long a return the next day to go the other direction.Sadly this means we often have to sample France two times

This year we may plan in a 3rd day in order to do something special.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

We are so wanting to go to WDW dor F&W. Its my dream to go one year I just don't see it happening. My DS and DD play football and DH coaches and we have not one weekend off the entire festival. I am so jealous of all who get to go. It looks like an amazing time!

Sounds like a good reason to have a "girls weekend" to me!!

 

[Acctingchick]

Hello Everyone,

Im not sure if this is the appropriate forum for this question but I was hoping someone could tell if the food & wine festival dates have been planned for this year? If not maybe someone would know when the festival generally runs? Any help you all could give is very much appreciated. Thanks so much

 

[lovetoscrap]

I am going to move this to our Restaurants forum.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Well, at last years festival they had printed dates for this year saying Sept. 24-Nov. 7, but then it was changed and the dates are all showing Oct. 1-Nov. 1th, 2010 now. I don't know if there has been an official announcement, but the WDW site has the October start dates.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

Hoping too rent points at the BWV from my point friend!

Epcot only and maybe the MNSSHP....

I love WDW in October.... I want a Fiesta Margarita!!!

My friend has never been too F & W...Love taking first timers.