The 2010 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival Thread

[dgbg100106]

Dates this year start 10-1-2010 and end 11-14-2010

We are going the first week,but have never been. Will it be a total zoo? We really don't feel like fighting crowds
thanks!!

Avoid the weekends and go with an expectation that things will be laid back, take it easy and slow and you should be fine. Enjoy the food and the wine and relax and have fun!

 

[dgbg100106]

??the 'marathon' crowd

more like the crowd from the marathon, not just a marathon crowd

 

[TDC Nala]

Avoid Saturdays if you can.

If you really want to avoid crowds don't go on Friday nights, Saturdays or Sundays (anytime during the festival, not just the first weekend; the most crowded festival days of 2009 were Saturday, October 17, and Saturday, October 24).

Weekdays (Mon-Thurs) are usually uncrowded.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

I have done a Friday, but start early..>Evening is what gets crazy.. It was extra magic so F&W went till Midnight...So after 9pm it really calmed down too. It was so fun....

Have a great time.....Slow down and just take it all in....

 

[beachgirl2000]

We are going for the first time ever this year!!! I cannot wait -- it looks like a lot of fun -- we were planning on trying a Monday hoping it would be the least crowded! My 3 favorites things to do: Eat, Drink and DISNEY!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Avoid Saturdays if you can.

If you really want to avoid crowds don't go on Friday nights, Saturdays or Sundays (anytime during the festival, not just the first weekend; the most crowded festival days of 2009 were Saturday, October 17, and Saturday, October 24).

Weekdays (Mon-Thurs) are usually uncrowded.

And on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nites if you're looking for something to do and are lucky enough to be staying in the Epcot resorts area, go on over to the movies on the beach at the BC. For the last couple years, that's been my habit every day, not just weekends. Get through the IG before 11:00 (sometimes the booths open about 10 minutes early so you can hit Canada and the other ones over there). Graze all afternoon, then go back for the movie on the beach in the evening.

 

[smcabee]

more like the crowd from the marathon, not just a marathon crowd

This ^^^^^^^^^

 

[LuvtoPlan]

We have never done the Party of the Senses before and want to do it this year. I was reading last year they added an additional wine package option to the Party of the Senses. Can anyone tell me if this is worth doing? It adds another $75 to the cost. Do you get samplings of wine in the fee for just the Party of the Senses or can you at least buy a glass of wine or is the only option to buy the additional ticket for Wine package?

 

[Kteacher]

This was the Wine View Lounge. It included earlier entrance into the PFTS, a reserved table within a seperate area, wait staff, a signature drink -candied hibiscus and sparkling wine, and a gift bag. For us it was worth it-this is the only ticketed event we do during the festival.

 

[ReggieB]

Avoid Saturdays if you can.

If you really want to avoid crowds don't go on Friday nights, Saturdays or Sundays (anytime during the festival, not just the first weekend; the most crowded festival days of 2009 were Saturday, October 17, and Saturday, October 24).

Weekdays (Mon-Thurs) are usually uncrowded.

Interesting to see that stat. We went to PFTS on the 17th and were hovering around the following Saturday 24th. It was super busy, but it didn't really bother me all that much. Maybe it's because food was my reward!!

 

[ReggieB]

We have never done the Party of the Senses before and want to do it this year. I was reading last year they added an additional wine package option to the Party of the Senses. Can anyone tell me if this is worth doing? It adds another $75 to the cost. Do you get samplings of wine in the fee for just the Party of the Senses or can you at least buy a glass of wine or is the only option to buy the additional ticket for Wine package?

Samplings of wine are included in the regular admission. The Wine View Lounge was an upgrade. Not sure if they are planning this again.

 

[ReggieB]

A friend & I met Robert Irvine at PftS last year. What a really wonderful, warm, open, friendly man. It was obvious that he was really enjoying himself. I have a great picture of us with him. Very cool.

PFTS 2008 - He got down on one knee and gave me my dish!! I've never have been (and probably will never be again) proposed to with a piece of Salmon!!! He was having a lot of fun with eveyone.

 

[sebastian75_99]

Robert Irvine was great. He told my mother that he would be her future son-in-law. Such a flirt. I'm pretty sure he is married and his wife is a very lucky lady.

 

[disneyjunebug]

I'm planning on going to the F&W fest this year for the first time in 8 years! I know it has really changed since then. I used to go every year, even bringing school groups with me and making poor little 8th graders try food that was not pizza, tacos or hamburgers! I am so excited!

 

[rjy]

We're looking to head to WDW for F&W 10/30 - 11/2. Many folks recommend avoiding F&W on the weekends... any sense how Halloween weekend plays into it - is it much more crowded, or does it work well to hit F&W on whatever weekend date is opposite MNSSHP at the MK?

 

[BriarRosie]

We're looking to head to WDW for F&W 10/30 - 11/2. Many folks recommend avoiding F&W on the weekends... any sense how Halloween weekend plays into it - is it much more crowded, or does it work well to hit F&W on whatever weekend date is opposite MNSSHP at the MK?

Welcome to the message boards.

Since the MK closes earlier for the party, the people who don't have tickets to the Halloween party might just park hop to Epcot.

I always suggest that you avoid weekends, period. It's much easier to navigate the food kiosks around World Showcase. It's a huge difference in crowd levels. I'm a festival veteran and would never try the kiosks on weekends if I can avoid it. Mostly because the festival is very popular with the people from the local area, and most of them attend on weekends.

I was in Epcot on a Saturday during the festival, but not to eat at the kiosks. I had a pre-paid festival event and an ADR at Bistro de Paris for later. I walked through World Showcase and have never seen it so crowded. Ever. The weather was around 60 degrees after a bout of 90 degree weather, so all the locals came out in droves. I was really glad I didn't want to eat at the kiosks. But the crowds were really well behaved. Cool weather must calm people.

 

[sissy_42]

Do events like the food and wine pairings and party for the senses sell out fast? And is it something I need to pay for up front? I am all set to go but work never gives DBF answers so things are always up in the air. Scared to pay for too much up front since we have already had to change the dates of our trip once and I am out some $$$.

 

[BriarRosie]

Do events like the food and wine pairings and party for the senses sell out fast? And is it something I need to pay for up front? I am all set to go but work never gives DBF answers so things are always up in the air. Scared to pay for too much up front since we have already had to change the dates of our trip once and I am out some $$$.

The wine pairing meals at specific resort restaurants sell out very quickly. Party For the Senses usually does not. You can usually book that even a week early and get in. But I tend to book it when I book everything else just to be consistent.

The food and wine pairing demos at the Festival Center sell out fast if there's a popular chef there, but they tend to be easier to book, too.

All the paid festival demos and tastings are paid in advance and non-refundable. So you better really know what you want because you're stuck with it! Since you're on the fence about your dates, you probably still have some wiggle room if you want PFTS.

 

[conandrob240]

When will the events open for booking? I forget when we were able to book last year but I remember it felt really late. Also, has anyone corrected the Eat to the Beat dates error for Air Supply? I can't figure out when they are there.

 

[sissy_42]

The wine pairing meals at specific resort restaurants sell out very quickly. Party For the Senses usually does not. You can usually book that even a week early and get in. But I tend to book it when I book everything else just to be consistent.

The food and wine pairing demos at the Festival Center sell out fast if there's a popular chef there, but they tend to be easier to book, too.

All the paid festival demos and tastings are paid in advance and non-refundable. So you better really know what you want because you're stuck with it! Since you're on the fence about your dates, you probably still have some wiggle room if you want PFTS.

Thanks so much. As of now we are going the last week in October. The schedule comes out in July right? By then I will feel a little more confident in it. But I think I will have him book it with his credit card just in case