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I leave for WDW in two weeks and we're going to the Food and Wine Festival. Anyone been yet? What do you suggest this year? Anything different? I can't wait ---now all I have to do is get through another two weeks of work! (I work in state income tax audits and trust me - it's rough.)

We went earlier this year, and had a pretty good time at all the booths, didn't really have time for any of the events. We made one significant blunder, though... We planned on doing the booths on an extra magic hours evening, however the booths closed at 9pm even though everything else in World Showcase closed at midnight. Since we started eating around 8pm, this put a serious damper in our plans for the evening. We went back for a couple lunch/afternoon sessions and were able to try most of the things we wanted.

Overall it was good, just didn't quite pan out as we had planned.

We went to the Food and Wine a couple weekends ago, and with my 100+ visits to WDW this was the first time to this event. It was fun, food was good and different. BUT, there were way too many people there, it was seriously very crowded. I would not go back to WDW during that time. The normal relaxing time we have in the countries was not relaxing at all. There were lines everywhere, extra coutries in spots all around the lake. At first I thought this was really cool, then it just turned into frustration. Nowhere to sit and eat the food you buy, very difficult to get into some of the tastings, lots of pushing and shoving, elbowing and cranky people. I don't want to discourage you by any means, maybe it won't be as crowded when you are there. On the other hand our stay at the Wilderness Lodge was magnificent!!! I love that resort, and ANY day in Disney World is better than a day at work! Have fun!

PS Went to Hollywood Studios on that Sunday, and it was very un-crowded! Had a wonderful time and was able to see everything before we drove back home later that day. I imagine everyone was at EPCOT!

We just got back and it was interesting to see all the booths. Some of them smelled really amazing, but I only tried the escargot in France and the choco lava cake with Bailey's sauce at Ireland. Both were very good, though the cake size was pretty weak for 3.75 (I think?). I was very pleased with both the portion size and quality of the escargot at France for 3.75. It was 3 pastry puffs filled with snail and garlic butter sauce. $1.25 per isn't great, but not bad, especially for Disney.

The Aregentine beef skewers smelled absolutely amazing and were very popular but I just couldn't bring myself to pay 4.95 (maybe 4.75) for what amounted to a single small beef terriyaki style stick of steak.

The countries are pretty much the same, but a lot of the offerings are different. Brazil and Thailand are the new additions.

I enjoyed and recommend:

Canada- salmon, cheese soup, (spicy)chicken sausage with polenta

New Orleans- crawfish etoufe, gumbo, and the bread pudding

Poland - Kielbasa and pierogies

Ireland- Fisherman's pie, warm chocolate lava cake

France- escargot, braised short ribs, chocolate milk creme brulee

South Africa- mealie soup, beef tenderloin

India- mango lassi (it's like you're drinking mango puree), gulab (tastes like a pancake rolled into a ball with syrup)

Brazil- shrimp stew, grilled pork skewer

Germany - Spaetzle

Italy - polpetini (veal)

Mexico- pina colada and coco mousse

Japan- Sukiyaki beef roll, tuna sensation

Australia- seared barramundi (it's a fish)

cousininmiami wrote:We went to the Food and Wine a couple weekends ago, and with my 100+ visits to WDW this was the first time to this event. It was fun, food was good and different. BUT, there were way too many people there, it was seriously very crowded. I would not go back to WDW during that time. The normal relaxing time we have in the countries was not relaxing at all. There were lines everywhere, extra coutries in spots all around the lake. At first I thought this was really cool, then it just turned into frustration. Nowhere to sit and eat the food you buy, very difficult to get into some of the tastings, lots of pushing and shoving, elbowing and cranky people. I don't want to discourage you by any means, maybe it won't be as crowded when you are there. On the other hand our stay at the Wilderness Lodge was magnificent!!! I love that resort, and ANY day in Disney World is better than a day at work! Have fun!

PS Went to Hollywood Studios on that Sunday, and it was very un-crowded! Had a wonderful time and was able to see everything before we drove back home later that day. I imagine everyone was at EPCOT!

Food & Wine is usually packed during the weekends with the local scene hence why EPCOT was so busy and DHS wasnt. A lot of young college kids and non-disney people usually attend this event so it may not seem so fun to a normal guest.

cousininmiami wrote:We went to the Food and Wine a couple weekends ago, and with my 100+ visits to WDW this was the first time to this event. It was fun, food was good and different. BUT, there were way too many people there, it was seriously very crowded. I would not go back to WDW during that time. The normal relaxing time we have in the countries was not relaxing at all. There were lines everywhere, extra coutries in spots all around the lake. At first I thought this was really cool, then it just turned into frustration. Nowhere to sit and eat the food you buy, very difficult to get into some of the tastings, lots of pushing and shoving, elbowing and cranky people. I don't want to discourage you by any means, maybe it won't be as crowded when you are there. On the other hand our stay at the Wilderness Lodge was magnificent!!! I love that resort, and ANY day in Disney World is better than a day at work! Have fun!

PS Went to Hollywood Studios on that Sunday, and it was very un-crowded! Had a wonderful time and was able to see everything before we drove back home later that day. I imagine everyone was at EPCOT!

Where you there on a weekend? I've been many times and it's great during the week. I was even there one time when it rained mid day and cleared out EPCOT. It was great with nobody there.

packwingfn wrote:

cousininmiami wrote:We went to the Food and Wine a couple weekends ago, and with my 100+ visits to WDW this was the first time to this event. It was fun, food was good and different. BUT, there were way too many people there, it was seriously very crowded. I would not go back to WDW during that time. The normal relaxing time we have in the countries was not relaxing at all. There were lines everywhere, extra coutries in spots all around the lake. At first I thought this was really cool, then it just turned into frustration. Nowhere to sit and eat the food you buy, very difficult to get into some of the tastings, lots of pushing and shoving, elbowing and cranky people. I don't want to discourage you by any means, maybe it won't be as crowded when you are there. On the other hand our stay at the Wilderness Lodge was magnificent!!! I love that resort, and ANY day in Disney World is better than a day at work! Have fun!

PS Went to Hollywood Studios on that Sunday, and it was very un-crowded! Had a wonderful time and was able to see everything before we drove back home later that day. I imagine everyone was at EPCOT!

Food & Wine is usually packed during the weekends with the local scene hence why EPCOT was so busy and DHS wasnt. A lot of young college kids and non-disney people usually attend this event so it may not seem so fun to a normal guest.

We did Epcot last Wednesday and last Sunday and Wednesday was wayyy less crowded. Ironically, DHS was the most crowded park we visited and we did that park on Tuesday and Thursday (both days were actually probably less crowded than Sunday at EPCOT, but because EPCOT is so spread out DHS was more of a mob scene.)

I just came back from WDW last weekend and the Food & Wine Festival was wonderful... as always!

Food and Wine was fantastic! The Beef Empanda was one of my faves from there...so good!!! I definitely made use of my Deluxe Dining snack credits!!!!

I guess I hit a super big weekend and it was my first food and wine festival. Bummer. We live in Miami and go up to WDW a lot. We go for a 3 or 4 day weekend a couple times a year but mostly just hit a fast weekend trip. For some reason, we are always so busy during the Sept-Oct time period which is why we never have been. I think also my expectations were high, as they always are when we go to Disney. Maybe next year we will try another time.

Does anyone know when the least crowded weekend during the Food and Wine is?

Also to tag along with some other comments, yes it seemed to be filled with college kids! Geeeze!

I am looking forward to the first weekend in December! Woo-Hoo!

We just came back from the Food & Wine and the Tower of Terror race.

My wife and I made two "laps" around the World Showcase (a day apart - you have to pace yourself!). We were both impressed!

These were our favorites:

The Chicken Sausage, Cheese Soup and Polenta @ Canada
Fishermen's Pie, Lava Cake and Cheese selection @ Ireland
Beef Tenderloin and Sweet Potato @ South Africa
Potstickers and Ginger Ice Cream @ China
Lamb Slider @ New Zealand

I love Guinness , as a result my wine selection suffered so someone else will have to give that advice.

Have fun on your trip, missynole. I am still on a high from mine (and not because of the Guiness )

How was the race withspirit? This was the last year for the ToT run! We did in '07 and we LOVED it! Wish we could've done that one again. The medals are awesome!

This was my first Disney race. There were two races, a 5K and a 13K. I have been training for the Half Marathon in January, and my wife is training for the Goofy (marathon and a half!). We thought a 13K would be a good event and training run.

I liked the race - I have never run with people cheering - the weather was just right. The start was a bit crowded (this may be normal at Disney). We had a mystery to solve, with clues seen along the course (I will never be a detective). I finished in just under two hours (not blazing fast - but not bad for a runner who started at 50+) and got a great medal (my first).

Next year this race is changing to a Food and Wine event and will increase in length to a Half Marathon. My wife and I are already making plans!

Sorry to hijack your thread, missynole

Sorry to get off topic....I've been a distance runner for years and get excited when there are others! Disney races are the BEST! We did the 13K in '07 and finished in 1:22:30, it was humid. But we didn't have clues along the way, just a normal race. If you're running the half or the full marathon there, your bib will have your name on it, so don't be surprised when you hear people cheering your name! It's pretty awesome! The races tend to be crowded in the beginning and will thin out. The medals are even better for the half and full. Good luck to you and your wife, you're doing awesome!

O.k. let the original thread resume!