**2010** Epcot Food & Wine Festival ENDED 11/14. 2011 FESTIVAL 9/30-11/13

[redzinner]

3 1/2 months to go and already eager. Like kidz at Christmas.

Couldn't agree more! Marking the calendar for mere 'possibilities'.

 

[minie_meese]

We'll be there Oct 14-20 - just me and my husband - first time at F&W without kids and REALLY looking forward to it!

 

[shordiebecka]

Question from a F&W newbie...we're going Oct 2-9, the first week. Is it more crowded the first week? What days are typically the best to enjoy the food without tons of crowds?

 

[huey578]

Question from a F&W newbie...we're going Oct 2-9, the first week. Is it more crowded the first week? What days are typically the best to enjoy the food without tons of crowds?

Monday's thru Thursday's are usually the best time unless there is a PM EMH

 

[BriarRosie]

Wow, can't believe I missed this thread for so many days! It's like the harbinger of summer when I see the annual F&WF sticky thread.

I see - it's not exactly a new marketplace though, as it was represented in 2005. So I'm not going to add it as new for 2010.

Now if they'd only get the Russia kiosk out of retirement, I loved their beef stroganoff.

Yeah, bring back Russia and the beef stroganoff. And Scandanavia with their tasty smoked fish dishes. I miss that, too.

Which booth are you going to hit first?
Ours will be France
hope lava cake is still at Ireland

Oh, I would be shocked if the Bailey's lava cake disappeared from the offerings. I think it was way too popular to remove. I could be wrong, though.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I am so excited! I will be on a girls trip October 24th - 29th and was planning on MNSSHP but had no idea it was also the F & W festival.

I've never gone during the fall before, so much to look forward to!

 

[MadilynnsMomma]

Anyone care to guide a newbie down the road that is F&W? Do I pay as I go, order a little here, a little there - or are the booths set up like sample tables at the grocery store... I'll be traveling solo with my DD3, so F&W isn't really high on our priorities... but it could be

 

[heathers4um]

does this mean its going to be more crowded if I chose the wednesday w/ EMH than if I went another regular day? This is my first F&W and I am doing our daily planning now for 10/31-11/5. Also, having never been, do you think one day will be enough or should I plan 2?

I am so excited - this will be our:

~1st trip 'home' to OKW and F&W
~ our 1st trip alone with no kids EVER
~ DBF's 1st trip to the world (except once to the sports complex when his son played a championship basketball series)

Monday's thru Thursday's are usually the best time unless there is a PM EMH

 

[Stormin'theCastle]

Anyone care to guide a newbie down the road that is F&W? Do I pay as I go, order a little here, a little there - or are the booths set up like sample tables at the grocery store... I'll be traveling solo with my DD3, so F&W isn't really high on our priorities... but it could be

I'm clueless too - we will be in WDW 10/9 thru 10/17 (staying at BC so easy access to Epcot ), and my friend LOVES Howard Jones (she grew up in London, he was even bigger there than in the States) and I want to know if we'd need tickets to see his show?

What about for food/wine tastings? Need tickets? How exactly does F/W work?

Help for us newbs???

 

[lurkyloo]

Anyone care to guide a newbie down the road that is F&W? Do I pay as I go, order a little here, a little there - or are the booths set up like sample tables at the grocery store...

I want to know if we'd need tickets to see his show?

What about for food/wine tastings? Need tickets? How exactly does F/W work?

Help for us newbs???

You don't need tickets for any of the Eat to the Beat concerts—they are free with park admission—but you may want to line up early to get a good spot.

You pay as you go for the food booths set up around World Showcase. Each booth takes cash, credit cards, Disney Dining Plan snack credits (well, they have in previous years), or Disney gift cards. The food booths are only one aspect of the festival, though—they also have special "hard ticket" events like the Party for the Senses and the weekly dessert parties, plus seminars and cooking demonstrations, chef/author meet-n-greets, etc.

This page offers a great overview of last year's event so you can get a feel for what all is involved: http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/events/

 

[arbolita]

does this mean its going to be more crowded if I chose the wednesday w/ EMH than if I went another regular day?

I believe the thinking here is that typically on days that a park has EMHs they are more crowded because of all the people who want to take advantage of the EMH. So with more people in the park, there will be more people in line for booths for F&W Festival.

 

[heathers4um]

yeah - I guess that would make alot of sense. I think I will stick with it and wrok with the people. Can anyone tell me of this gift card you can get at the front of EPCOT to whip out and use instead of fumbling for cash while you are making your way around the world for F&W? Is it a regular gift card or something special specifically for F&W?

I believe the thinking here is that typically on days that a park has EMHs they are more crowded because of all the people who want to take advantage of the EMH. So with more people in the park, there will be more people in line for booths for F&W Festival.

 

[arbolita]

yeah - I guess that would make alot of sense. I think I will stick with it and wrok with the people. Can anyone tell me of this gift card you can get at the front of EPCOT to whip out and use instead of fumbling for cash while you are making your way around the world for F&W? Is it a regular gift card or something special specifically for F&W?

Any Disney gift card will work, but while you are at the F&W Festival you have the option of purchasing ones with the F&W Logo on it.

 

[JenGC]

I am getting excited for F&W... Have been planning since last years F&W.....

October 12 -15 for us, looking forward to Air Supply....

:singing: I'm all outta love! I'm so lost withOUT you! I can't be too late, to say I was SO wrong! :/singing: sorry. I just HAD to do it!

Now I am scared. I booked this weekend to top off my cruise that is the first of the week (4 nighter). Now I see this. Is opening weekend going to be TERIBALLY crowded? I picked this time of year thinking that all the kids will be in school and the crowds will be EXCELLENT. Now I wonder. We are only going to do Epcot (ironically Oct 1st) and then Hollywood studios. Do I need to take anti-anxiety pills with me just in case?

And what is this about making reservations in August? I am so totally lost with this. <sigh> But I am happy this is happening. A friend that is traveling with us ADORES cooking. I hate it frankly, but I think she will flip over this.

 

[JenGC]

also, Taylor Dane...oh boy. I wonder if her hair will be a freaky as in the 80s

 

[kabuki]

also, Taylor Dane...oh boy. I wonder if her hair will be a freaky as in the 80s

She played when we went last year and her hair is not AS bad!

 

[dgbg100106]

also, Taylor Dane...oh boy. I wonder if her hair will be a freaky as in the 80s

I saw her last year on TV and her hair was fine

 

[BriarRosie]

Now I am scared. I booked this weekend to top off my cruise that is the first of the week (4 nighter). Now I see this. Is opening weekend going to be TERIBALLY crowded? I picked this time of year thinking that all the kids will be in school and the crowds will be EXCELLENT. Now I wonder. We are only going to do Epcot (ironically Oct 1st) and then Hollywood studios. Do I need to take anti-anxiety pills with me just in case?

And what is this about making reservations in August? I am so totally lost with this. <sigh> But I am happy this is happening. A friend that is traveling with us ADORES cooking. I hate it frankly, but I think she will flip over this.

It will be crowded opening weekend because the Wine and Dine Half Marathon is also taking place. I expect there will be lots of people there because it's usually crowded on weekends, period.

The reservations only pertain to the special optional dining events (and food and wine seminars/demos) listed at the foodwinefest.com website linked in the first post. You don't need to plan in advance if you're intending to graze around the kiosks around World Showcase. Pay as you go when you're there.

 

[Quacktatty]

I just called to check the balance on my gift card from last year - I have 31 cents left - woohoo!

 

[kabuki]

It will be crowded opening weekend because the Wine and Dine Half Marathon is also taking place. I expect there will be lots of people there because it's usually crowded on weekends, period.

The reservations only pertain to the special optional dining events (and food and wine seminars/demos) listed at the foodwinefest.com website linked in the first post. You don't need to plan in advance if you're intending to graze around the kiosks around World Showcase. Pay as you go when you're there.

So we will be missing on dates for F&W????
Boo!!!!!
By the way I loved that smoked fish thing when they had the troll booth too!