Tell me about food and wine festival

[PETE FROM NYC]

Never been, don't know what to expect. Going down mid-September.
What does it cost, and what do you get?

Any and all info appreciated.

[Dopey's Girl]

Food and Wine is my second favorite time to go...right behind Flower and Garden.

The menu varies every year, check back here for full menu details once they are released. Generally speaking, you get a larger sample size of whatever taste treat you choose. Prices vary depending on what you choose, usually between $3-$5.

My biggest tip would to be to avoid weekend nights...it's a zoo then! I like to make snacking around world showcase my lunch and dinner over the course of a few days. It's a lot of fun!

[GAN]

Best advice I can give -avoid the weekends when many locals hit the Festival! It's been a few years since our last time for F & W ...it's a great time. Enjoy it.

[Mitzie]

Wow -Where to begin. We love the F&W Fest. As others have mentioned. Avoid weekends. The menus do change from year to year but there is always some old favorites. If you like to partake in libation there is plenty of that as well. Last year they even had a Scotch flight. We like the DDP and use snack credits on the more expensive food items like the lobster items which can be around $7. There are cooking demonstrations and special events that you can pay extra for and attend. As you can see from my signature this October will be our 7th year in a row of attending the festival. As the time draws near we print off the menus with the prices and mark which items we will use snack credits on and which we will pay oop. Combined with the MNSSHP it is a fun time to visit.

[DKA041177]

I am also doing F&W for the first time this year. I'm really excited about it. So...just how bad are the weekends during F&W assuming I did try to take a chance and go?

[Mitzie]

I am also doing F&W for the first time this year. I'm really excited about it. So...just how bad are the weekends during F&W assuming I did try to take a chance and go?

Weekends equate to longer lines at the food booths and more crowded walkways. We haven't seen longer lines on top attractions. We have gone on week days and week ends. Last year we were there on a Saturday. At night it can get to be very much a "party" atmosphere. We are not big drinkers but others can get kind of rowdy. This year we are attending on a Monday.

[mdricks]

I have been for many years. On the issue of cost I don’t think it has been mentioned yet, this is NOT a hard ticket event. Regular gate entry is all you need.

The food and wine offerings are varied and ubiquitous. There are fewer kids than you would normally see, especially at night.

Keep your foodie plans for the daylight hours. If you want to taste lots of food don’t go at night. Lines are so long you will find yourself wishing you were in the Peter Pan line instead.

In the evenings and night time, especially on weekends, the World Showcase takes on a night-club vibe with large numbers of 20-40 something’s hanging out and having a good time. There are some who drink a few too many but for the most part that’s not a problem. Everyone is well behaved and very open to meeting new people. If you try, you will definitely meet some new best friends. Don’t plan on getting into the Rose and Crown, Tutto Gusto or Cava on a weekend night. It aint happenin.

When making your plans be sure to check out the Disney website and find out who is playing at the outdoor theater. Mostly VH1 "where are they now" bands but a lot of fun nonetheless.

The performances last about an hour and are free. There are 2 or 3 appearances each day and some of the bands will play a different set each appearance so it’s worth it to find out. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was particularly fun.

This is the very best time of the year to go disney as an adult. Relax, unwind and have a nice Leffe Blond with some steamed mussels.

[amorillo]

As the time draws near we print off the menus with the prices and mark which items we will use snack credits on and which we will pay oop. Combined with the MNSSHP it is a fun time to visit.

This year will be our third year, not in a row, attending. My DH and I also love to print out menus in advance and sit together and make our lists of must haves! We also use snacks credits and usually plan at least two lunches just snacking around the world!!

Most countries will have samplings of some of there regular menu items plus a few new things. Plus additional countries, not normally represented in the world, will have booths with foods from their respective countries! I'm sure your could do a search for last years menus to get an idea of what is available.

Be sure to grab a F & W fest passport for each person in your party, then you can check off each item to try; and each country will stamp your passport for you at the check out! It makes for a great FREE souvenir!

NOW I'M HUNGRY!

[angua85]

At the risk of starting an opposing and dissonant view, I feel a balanced view must be presented.

We were very disappointed with the F&WF after hearing so many positive things on this and other boards. The food was just not up to our expectations. It tended to be overcooked and dry. Our plan had been to share plates among our small group, but the portions were too small to do this fairly. But really, the food was unappetizing-looking, so after a few purchases, we stopped buying.

The overall experience was also disappointing. The plates were flimsy and there were not enough places to place the plate down while we ate, so it was a balancing act. Supposedly there were trays that could be bought, but I could not find them. And yes, I did check the main conference building along with all the miscellaneous F&WF vendors.

As always, ymmv. Good luck.

[DonaldDuckUSA]

I don't really have anything new to add.

We've been when it was busy and slow. We've had perfect food and not so perfect food, but overall it is ALWAYS a positive experience.

We alternate sides. So one year we start with Canada and the next year we start in the Mexico direction.

We usually spend $50-$100 on food, but we usually go all out. We're stuffed and slugish at the end, but it's become a great tradition for us. Also, it's a great way to get our "Non Disney friends" to Disney.

[garymacd]

When we did the festival a couple years ago, we used some snack credits for the more expensive items. For the rest, we got and loaded about $50 on a card we carried around on a wrist band and just swiped at the point of sale. It made it much easier than signing every time or getting out money every time we tried something.

Hopefully they still have those cards when we go back in September this year.

[missastrocat]

Our last vacation happened to begin on the last weekend of the F&WF as well as the runDisney races. We still wanted to go to Epcot to try it out on the weekend, so we went on a Saturday night. I'm talking craziness. My husband and I were amused by the crowds, as most were a little tipsy. The food lines as someone mentioned were a bit crazy so we didn't get to try as many foods as we wanted to.

If I could be there again during the F&WF, i'd go during a weekday and enjoy a slower pace of it all.

If you do go at the tail end, it's crazy to see all the F&WF decoration at the entrance of epcot, and then two days later, it's all decked out in christmas decor! It's soo cool to see the quick turnover. Have a great time!