Forecasting: Epcot's Food & Wine Festival, HELP!

[AgentXero]

Hey Mousekateers,

I'm heading down to WDW in October (1st or 2nd week), because thanks to my fellow Mice-Chatters that was the overall best time recommended in the Fall for very little people traffic. Now, I've always wanted to go the International Food & Wine Festival, being a big food lover that I am. What I wanted to know, since I was delighted to see that it was in the same time frame as my vacation, is how much does this event cost? What does the program do (I've heard about a "eat around the world showcase pass")? Etc, etc, etc?

Any and all information is appreciated, and if you'd like, share some stories about your experience with the IF&WF! Was it fun? Worth the money?

Thanks!
___________________________________

- Agent Xero
Member of the 30+ Visits Club (WDW, DL, DCA)

[Kate]

The only admission you need for the Food and Wine Festival is a ticket to Epcot. Booths are set up all around World Showcase selling samples of food and wine; Most go from about $1-$4; the food portions are tiny, but that's good -- if they were any bigger, you'd get too full, too fast! Eat to the Beat concerts are free and in the America Gardens Theater. There are often complimentary culinary demonstrations and wine tastings in the Odyssey building, between Future World and WS.

However, there are hard tickets for most of the special events. There are reserve dinners presented by different vineyards, signature dinners prepared by some of Disney's best chefs, beer dinners, and tons of other events. More specific information on the planned events for 2005 will be released this summer.

[BigDaddyKyle]

Kevin did some really great articles on this festival, but they are not up in the archives anymore.

Hey Kevin, do those articles still have web space or have they been archived!?!?!?!?!?

[xzoocrew]

This is my favorite event that Epcot has. I've never done of the extra cost events thought. They have temporary food booths set up around World Showcase and rather than eat in the year-round restaurants I snack my way around the world by stopping at all the booths. The cost is 1-4 dollars an item and the portions are small but by stopping at all of them you don't need to buy a full meal during the day. At the relatively low cost of the items I have tried many foods and wines/beers I would have never risked the price of a dinner on. Often I am happily surprised.

Now to the special advice I have for you. There are several free food and wine seminars that involve preparation and sampling. The times and locations are listed in the special free Festival guidebook available when you first enter the park. Get to the location around 30 minutes ahead of time to get a seat. You need a seat to get the samples.

[AgentXero]

Hey,

Great stuff guys! Thanks for the advise so far. Keep it coming!

- Agent Xero
________________________

Member of the 30+ visits club

[Rainfully]

MAN this is something that I've really been wanting to do... however I've never been down there at that time. I've been really getting into wines lately, and Lord knows I love food! :lol:

Someday I'd definitely love to get down there to participate!

[KevinYee]

The Food & Wine Festival articles have, in fact, been archived. They will probably have to remain off-line, and at some point (hopefully soon!) we can put out a CDROM of back-articles. Sorry!

[sir clinksalot]

Anybody know what the dates of the Festival are this year? We are going in November and would love to sample wine while going around Epcot.

[xzoocrew]

Anybody know what the dates of the Festival are this year? We are going in November and would love to sample wine while going around Epcot.

From the official Disney site Sept 30- Nov 13.

For a good update of events and ride closings check out . I don't have any affiliation and don't vouch for them but have found their info helpful. It's where I found the link to the dates.

[sir clinksalot]

Dangit, we will miss it by 5 days ...

[rad]

If you go to F&W fest I'd recommend not going on the weekends. Last year the Fri/Sat/Sun were very crowded, Monday was very nice.

[disneygirl]

I think we went on a Thursday. There wasn't a great big crowd. The food was great! I think it's really nice to sample other foods and not have to pay a heafty price.You never know if it's good or not. My husband and I were on our honeymoon, so that was an added bonus.

Sabrina

[xzoocrew]

Just to make this clear. The Food and Wine Festival guide and the daily entertainment schedule are two different things. You should pick up both.

[danyoung]

I'm always torn on my fall visit whether to wait till early December and get in on the holiday stuff or go in Oct/Nov for the F&W. It is most enjoyable to stroll around the World Showcase, flitting from booth to booth and sampling. Usually the lines are only a few people long, and if they're any longer, just skip that booth - there are plenty of others. Each of the countries represented in the WS will have a booth, and then they add in another 15 or so countries. Most people will start at one end (Canada or Mexico) and try to work around. I've never made it past America in either direction - there's just too much good stuff!!! Don't miss the spiced plum wine in China - not like anything I've ever tasted, and totally delicious!

[RonNYC]

Hello... first post here...!

I was at WDW at the end of September into the first weekend of October expressly to experience the Food and Wine Festival. Sept. 30 was a preview day for the festival and Epcot was a virtual ghost town! It was a nice way to experience it for when I went back after it was officially underway, the World Showcase was PACKED with people and lines were long at the various wine and food booths.

So, perhaps if you're going the first week of the Festival go a day before it officially begins.. they may have the preview. If not, another poster above suggested a weekday to beat the weekend crowds.

Either way, the Festival was a blast! I went back to WDW a month ago and actually felt myself missing the festival being there. It's a very lively addition to World Showcase and I had a great time while there. Enjoy!

[thinkpink]

Last year we attended the F & W Festival on the Saturday before it ended. I got a free wine tasting glass from one of the booths as they were clearing out merchandise. I was thrilled to get a little souvenir for free.

[AuroraRose]

I'm always torn on my fall visit whether to wait till early December and get in on the holiday stuff or go in Oct/Nov for the F&W. It is most enjoyable to stroll around the World Showcase, flitting from booth to booth and sampling. Usually the lines are only a few people long, and if they're any longer, just skip that booth - there are plenty of others. Each of the countries represented in the WS will have a booth, and then they add in another 15 or so countries. Most people will start at one end (Canada or Mexico) and try to work around. I've never made it past America in either direction - there's just too much good stuff!!! Don't miss the spiced plum wine in China - not like anything I've ever tasted, and totally delicious!

I totally agree with Dan, except me and my man made it all the way around, we started at one end as soon as showcase opened and 10 hours and 300.00 later came out on the other side it was totally worth it we did the sam addams beer school (free) in america and a wine tasting (free) somewhere--hmmm... but we averaged about 15.00 a booth for two this was a food and drink sample at each booth---totally not to be missed. add creme brulee from france to your have to try list.