2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: August 30 to November 12, 2018

[jerseygal]

THANKS for the info on the app!

 

[dachsie]

Thanks guys! I’ve decided to skip DS and do another afternoon at F&W. With over 30 items on my list I think I’ll need the third day!

Only 30?

 

[Haley R]

Apparently there are 31 things I want to try at the booths. That list doesn't include anything DH might want because he hasn't looked through the list yet. We might need to narrow it down a little more lol

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’m at 70. From 80. But that includes drinks (no wine and beer. Just the hard stuff lol) I’m gonna need to get this down by a lot.

 

[Haley R]

I’m at 70. From 80. But that includes drinks (no wine and beer. Just the hard stuff lol) I’m gonna need to get this down by a lot.

I didn't choose any drinks since I don't drink alcohol so that might be why my list is so much shorter.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Does anyone know when Taste Track opens? I'd love to have one of those croissant donuts for breakfast, and it's in FW, so it should open at 9:00. However, it's listed as part of the F&W Festival, and none of those booths open until 11:00. So which is it?

 

[Castillo Mom]

I must say, I’m surprised to see Swine Brine returning!

We really liked it when we tried it last year. The trick is to dip the pork into the drink. I know it may sound weird to some but the flavors worked.

 

[Elitravelor]

I love the app! This is our first Food & Wine and our first adult only trip!! It will be a whole new adventure.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Does anyone know when Taste Track opens? I'd love to have one of those croissant donuts for breakfast, and it's in FW, so it should open at 9:00. However, it's listed as part of the F&W Festival, and none of those booths open until 11:00. So which is it?

Right now the site says its hours are 12:30 - 5:30. Hopefully it will expand for the festival.

 

[holcomb-mania]

No Crispy Chicken with Griddled Cornbread and Red Eye Gravy at Farm Fresh - Boo
Seems as if several booths have eliminated dessert items this year - Boo (for variety, but leaves space)
Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles in China - Great success!

 

[ksromack]

I have the app, but haven't really used it yet so I don't know if it works like this or not, but I like to build myself an Excel spreadsheet each year which includes all the menus and prices and I check a box that adds up the cost of everything I want to try. And if it doesn't really fit into my budget I get to play the game of "What do I REALLY want". lol

I'm excited that I'll be there twice this year! We're going down on Sept. 2nd just for F&W, and then we'll be down again Sept. 13th -16th for a trip with some friends!

I just love Excel spreadsheets.....my friends will make fun of me but will thank me later!

I need prices to calculate just how much I'm gonna spend! I loved how much seafood and vegetarian options they added, it's nice to have something at almost every booth to eat!

I'm nervous about booths with seafood options as I'm allergic....concerned about cross contamination

I’m at 70. From 80. But that includes drinks (no wine and beer. Just the hard stuff lol) I’m gonna need to get this down by a lot.

Dh and I are at 77 items which includes everything (including several flights, which count as ONE, right)?

 

[gottalovepluto]

They're covering my precious salmon in a SPICE CRUST?! You heathens Disney!!!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Maple Bourbon Cheesecake: OMG YES
Beer braised beef in France: What the heck? I already want my Cab braised beef back (not a beer fan admittedly)
Short rib tostada: I won't be able to pass up trying that and I'm from CA, I don't do MX food outside of my hometown and MX. Kinda excited!
Cronut on steroids this year: I'm gonna eat WAY too many cronuts this trip!

@Doug S There is an error in the drinks, the Almond Orchard booth will have Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne this year instead of last year's rose (but Veuve gets the rose this year as stated in the list, last year Veuve had the brut. Idk why they switched but cool to try new stuff. But devastating that the sampler tabs won't be back to pay for them!) THANK YOU for putting that list together! That PDF is AWESOME!!

Does the wine list seem a little more varied this year? I seem some things that look kinda interesting (they probably won't look interesting once I get hold of the price list and find out I can buy the whole bottle at BevMo for what wdw is charging for taste, lol, but for now I'm a bit intrigued to look into some of them)....

 

[gottalovepluto]

I had homecomin booked and switched it to Wine Bar George. So many places I want to try and not enough time!

I didn't realize Wine Bar George did anything but wine but now that I see the menu I think I need to scout out some Yelp reviews for some pics of those family platter plates...

 

[gottalovepluto]

So I think we're going to put the kids in the new Pixar Play Place at the Contemporary and have a date night at F&W. Am I way off base in thinking that the evening of Columbus Day won't be too crazy crowded? Locals may not be out because of work on Tuesday?

Somebody on here mentioned the bright side to heavy crowds is they can be very entertaining. If that's your chance to go I'd do it and just roll with the flow

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Maple Bourbon Cheesecake: OMG YES
Beer braised beef in France: What the heck? I already want my Cab braised beef back (not a beer fan admittedly)
Short rib tostada: I won't be able to pass up trying that and I'm from CA, I don't do MX food outside of my hometown and MX. Kinda excited!
Cronut on steroids this year: I'm gonna eat WAY too many cronuts this trip!

@Doug S There is an error in the drinks, the Almond Orchard booth will have Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne this year instead of last year's rose (but Veuve gets the rose this year as stated in the list, last year Veuve had the brut. Idk why they switched but cool to try new stuff. But devastating that the sampler tabs won't be back to pay for them!) THANK YOU for putting that list together! That PDF is AWESOME!!

Does the wine list seem a little more varied this year? I seem some things that look kinda interesting (they probably won't look interesting once I get hold of the price list and find out I can buy the whole bottle at BevMo for what wdw is charging for taste, lol, but for now I'm a bit intrigued to look into some of them)....

I was also upset about the beef in France but there are still mashed potatoes so I’m holding out hope.

I do not get the champagne and almond booth combo other than that used to be the champagne and desserts booth. So sad there’s no sampler. I think I used all 8 tickets at that booth over a 10 day trip. Sorry if I’m why we can’t have nice things, LOL.

There does seem to be more variety in wines and more flights. I’m excited to hear first reports later this month!!

 

[gottalovepluto]

How are the culinary demonstrations? I see "chicken" as the description for one of my dates, and that doesn't tell me a ton. Are they worth the time? Are there samples?

There are samples of the dish, there is no wine anymore (a couple years ago they used to give you a wine sample). We did a couple last trip and one was excellent, we're returning to see that chef again this year. The other sucked so much. We went to a crab demonstration where they spent the ENTIRE time making pasta (ravoili maybe for a crab filling?), our gluten free fam member loved that (especially when they slammed gf a bit "you just can't make good pasta with gf" or something like that)). No wait, I exaggerate- they did say "taste the crab first to make sure it's not too salty". So, they did give us a few words not on freaking pasta. What exactly you're supposed to do if your crab is too salty they didn't cover.

As pissed as I was about the crab demo we had a great duck demo and that's the chef we'll return to see, and heaven help us we're trying a new one as well. The value isn't great or even good TBH, the sample is equivalent to what you'd get at a booth, but we do like the time off our feet and usually learn a little something about cooking. I like to grab a champagne/wine to sip on during the demo

 

[gottalovepluto]

I was also upset about the beef in France but there are still mashed potatoes so I’m holding out hope.

I do not get the champagne and almond booth combo other than that used to be the champagne and desserts booth. So sad there’s no sampler. I think I used all 8 tickets at that booth over a 10 day trip. Sorry if I’m why we can’t have nice things, LOL.

There does seem to be more variety in wines and more flights. I’m excited to hear first reports later this month!!

Well Mom and I bought 3 samplers between the 2 over our days there so if you wanna share some blame....

 

[jenjersnap]

We know for sure the sampler has been dxed? Boooo!

The Maple Bourbon cheesecake is so up my alley!

 

[jenjersnap]

Well Mom and I bought 3 samplers between the 2 over our days there so if you wanna share some blame....

We bought three too, LOL, and used all of them on drinks.