What to expect at Food and Wine Festival

[tinkerbell211]

We will be attending for the first time this year. Can some experts share some details.
Crowds?
Favorite foods?
Fav wines?
Entertainment?
I've seen a few pictures on the food photo thread. Anyone else have any to share?
Thanks!

 

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

I am wondering about this too.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We go every year and the crowds are low IMHO and there is never a line for the food at any stand. The food is very good, DH and I share everything and if we really like it we get anther one. It can get costly though, everything is $3 to $5 per item. We skip the wine as we are not wine drinkers, we justify spending more money on food since we skip the wine ha ha. I do not remember and entertainment but I know they have some cooking shows and wine pairings and stuff like that. Enjoy yourself and pace yourself, at the entrance to the park where they have the maps they have the festival booklets and it lists all the stands and the food, wine and drinks they sell there.

 

[Anthony1971]

You can expect a lot of food and wine

this site is a BIG help http://www.allearsnet.com/tp/ep/foodwine.htm

Enjoy

 

[tinkerbell211]

Anthony1971 thanks for sharing the link. It is very informative.
I would still be interested in hearing from DIS members personal experiences and their favs ( of course more pics would be great too!).
Thanks again

 

[laurabelle]

We've been twice, in 1997 (didn't even know it was going on! This was back in the day when we were clueless as far as planning goes!) and last year. We love it! We weren't on the DDP, but I read that people were allowed to use their snack options at the booths.

The weekends get more crowded, especially in the evenings, so it's good to go around earlier in the day too. Starship and the Beach Boys played when we were there. We saw Starship, but the night the Beach Boys played was our last, and it was after Hurricane Wilma, when we were allowed back into the parks. The food booths were closed so we ended up going to MK and didn't get to see them play, but there was a crowd lining up early for them!

Our kids weren't interested in any of the demos and we didn't do any of the special dinners. It would be so much fun to do those as an adult trip! There are so many opportunities to learn more about food, wine and beer...Even having skipped all that it's just such a fun time noshing around the world!

It's hard to remember everything we ate and drank, as we went around several times. Our family did alot of sharing too. Using the wonderful list from Allears.net here are some that stand out in my memory...
CANADA
Cheddar Cheese Soup $2.50
Maple Glazed Salmon with pecans $3.50
Maple Walnut Fudge $1.50
GREECE
Spanakopita $2.75
WILD AND WONDERFUL FLORIDA SHRIMP
Sauteed Shrimp with lime and ginger chutney $4.25
Florida Orange Groves Mango Wine $3.00
MEXICO
Quesadilla con Pollo y Chorizo - Chorizo and Chicken Quesadilla $3.50
AUSTRALIA
Shrimp on the Barbie $4.00
Aussie Beef Tenderloin on a skewer $3.75
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Dream $2.00
CHAMPAGNE
Banfi Rosa Regale $6.00
UNITED STATES
Lobster Corn Chowder $2.50
JAPAN
Spicy Tuna Roll $3.25
Tokyo Sushi Roll $3.00
INDIA
Red Curry Chicken $1.75
FRANCE
Escargot Provencal $3.25
Quiche Lorraine $3.00
Chocolate Creme Brulee $2.50

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We were there the first week of Oct. last year and it was very manageable. It was our first F&W festival and we really enjoyed it. We will be back again this Oct. for the festival again. The only time we avoided it was on the weekends when all the locals come out. It was very crowded then. PM me if you have any other questions.

 

[webray]

We will be attending for the first time this year. Can some experts share some details.
Crowds? Weekends can get very very busy, but if you are planning on staying at a disney resort, last year they left the booths open for resort guest on the night EPCOT had its time to stay open late, that was excellent..not one line. I hope they do that again this year.
Favorite foods? Hard question, as everyone will like something different..and it is just fun to try new things.

Fav wines? Again, you have to try to decide what you like. Wine is very subjective, and they don't usually have the same wines every year.

Entertainment? Way to much in the form of seminars/free tastings etc. Some are repeated on multiple days, so just grab the schedule and pick what you want. You can't attend them all. For the most popular you sometimes need to wait in line a good hour or so before hand to be able to get in.

I've seen a few pictures on the food photo thread. Anyone else have any to share?
Thanks!

The best thing to do is just go and enjoy, depending on how many days you devote to the F&W will help you determine how much you can actually accomplish, and that isn't including if you attend any of the paid events. F&W has a really full schedule.

 

[ttfn3]

If you like wine, try to catch a free wine seminar. It's a great way to taste some new wines - and it's FREE. I enjoyed sampling the wines at various countries. Don't miss the Ice Wine from Canada. Yummmmm... I also enjoyed the wine flight at Australia.

We like to get various samples of foods - and share if possible. If we really like the dish, we'll get a second. The countries have a display of the food they offer, so you can see what the dish looks like before you order it.

I highly recommend going during the day. Much less crowded. And you can munch plus watch the entertainment.

 

[byoung]

You will love it there.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We went to the Festival once in 2003, twice in 2004, and twice in 2005 (long weekends each time). We plan to go at least twice this year, including a celebration of my 50th birthday!

Expect to have the time of your life. Expect to be totally spoiled for any other vacation, ever. Expect to be sprinkled with pixie dust and to yearn for Walt Disney World forever after.

Crowds: Weekends are pretty crowded, with fairly long lines at the food and drink booths, but the crowds are still NOTHING compared to the Magic Kingdom on a weekend.

Entertainment: We went to a tea tasting last year and saw Three Dog Nite the year before and the 5th Dimension one year (it all kind of runs together in one blissful, slightly tipsy memory ). Other than that, our favorite entertainment is always the bands in Canada (Off Kilter), the UK (British Invasion) and Morocco (Mo' Rockin'), who are there year round, not just for the Food & Wine Fest.

We love walking from country to country sampling food and wine (me) and beer (DH). The food is not in any way gourmet, but it's great to have so many food choices. My favorite wine is always the Paul Thienot champagne in France (also there year round).


Australia always sets up a really fun-looking wine tasting area that we've never tried, only because we've usually reached our drinking limit by the time we walk by. You walk from kiosk to kiosk sampling wines out of tiny plastic cups for a total of about 5 or 6 dollars.

Whatever you do, make sure you take in at least part of the Festival after dark. Epcot in the dark, under twinkling lights, is just not to be missed.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

You will love it! I agree with what most other folks have posted. Weekends are more crowded (but still worth it!). Definitely take advantage of the free wine seminars. You'll have to wait in line but it is SO worth it! I've learned so much at these seminars and you get SO much free wine!

Hmm...favorite foods...maple salmon at Canada, flourless chocolate cake with Bailey's at Ireland kiosk, spanikopita at Greece kiosk, hummus in Morocco...there is so much good stuff! And it's fun to try new and different things.

I can't wait for the Festival this year!

 

[TDC Nala]

for a total of about 5 or 6 dollars.

Last year I think it was more like 8 or 9 dollars.

 

[Robert P]

Yes, it was either 8 or 9. My memory on that event has been fuzzy.....