Food and Wine Festival one day trip

Shadow Jedi Rhy · #1 (**permalink**) 10-16-2005, 12:11 PM

Hey all, I made a quick one day trip over to the World and figured I'd let those of you going in the next few weeks a few key notes to keep an eye out for.
Started the day off at the Studios when it first opened, got on ToT 3 times in the first hour (good bet is to get a fastpass and go on it a few times if you're a real fan, same works with RnR next door). Finished up the rest of Disney Studios that I was looking to do and headed over to Epcot about 12:30.

First major note: if you want to go on Soarin I'd encourage getting a Fastpass early or just making it your first stop. I decided against it as I've been on it a few times, but they ran out of fastpasses at 10:30 that morning for the day (I asked a cm about it). Also by the time I got there the wait was up to 90 minutes and during the mid afternoon the wait was up to 210 minutes. In contrast Test Track was about an hour with 30 minutes for single riders and Mission Space was 40 minutes or so all day. Epcot is pretty busy on the weekends during Food and Wine, I met a bunch of locals like myself, so that seems to be pretty common.

On the FaWF:This isn't to sound mean spirited b/c I love it, but if you have little kids or don't want them to see somewhat embarassing behavior by people who have had a little much to drink maybe do World Showcase and FaWF a little earlier in the day as after 7 or so I saw a lot of dumb behavior. Not terrible, but people doing things and saying things I wouldn't want a younger kid seeing. Sorry for that downer, but overall I really enjoyed it. Canada has an awesome cheese soup, and Italy has an amazing cannoli, all the booths have a lot of interesting selections and there are more this year than I remember last. Also, if you go to the wine tasting sessions, show up about 30 minutes early. If you like me are planning on culinary demo's then show up about 40 minutes early to ensure you're going to get a place at a table to get to sample what the chef will be cooking. A gentleman yesterday made rock shrimp crepes that were amazing. How often do you get to eat amazing gourmet food for free? Oh and it's nice they're using the Odyssey Building for something (demo's) I miss the old restaurant. If anyone has any FaWF questions feel free to post them.

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Go Noles!

Ryan

Mickey Crazy · #2 (**permalink**) 10-16-2005, 12:53 PM

Excellent Trip Report ! Thanks !

DisneyBound2005 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-16-2005, 06:11 PM

Great report!! But I didn't realize that they COULD run out of fast passes!!!

I will definitly have to keep that in mind when we get there....

...note to self....get fast passes early....may run out....will then need wish granted to ride...

sefrali · #4 (**permalink**) 10-17-2005, 01:54 PM

Thanks for the report!

I arrive this Saturday and plan on hitting the Food & Wine Fest first.. I cannot wait

SnoWhite · #5 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 08:35 AM

Good report

Were you there Saturday? I was at Soarin when the line was 90 minutes and the Fast Passes were for 8:05-9pm. It was pretty early in the morning too, not park open early but not afternoon either. We didn't wait

Tinksmyid · #6 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 09:37 AM

Yeah, I didn't realize they COULD run out of FastPasses so early in the day. I mean it seems like eventually on any day, the FPs could run out but yikes, that's early... ugh... ok.... will have to assemble giant team and plan strategy. Must...think.... must...wear...speedy....track shoes.....

DisneyBound2005 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinksmyid

Must...think.... must...wear...speedy....track shoes.....

LOL

I am packing mine right now. Surely I won't need them for the next 3 months!!

SnoWhite · #8 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 11:03 AM

If you think about it, if they didn't give out a limited number of Fast Passes per day, the FP line would be as long as the standby line

Tinksmyid · #9 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 11:06 AM

Right. I just never realized they would be gone SO fast. On a mega-crowded day I suppose it could be expected. I just didn't think of it in those terms, likely because planning our trips during "off" periods is part-and-parcel with "thin-crowd" mentality. Ah well. It's all good.

Shadow Jedi Rhy · #10 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 11:22 AM

Sno, I probably went by Soarin and the Land about 12:00 or 12:15. Could have been a few minutes later but they had a couple of cm's posted outside telling us what the wait was for Soarin and that FP's were gone. I've seen 90 minutes for Soarin before, but I think a lot of the wait shooting up to 210 minutes was the crowds coupled with Test Track being down for some time.
I understand the mentality with having a limited number of fp's, I mean you want to ensure that getting one means like a 10 minute wait. Those of you worried about having to get one, if you're going to be at Epcot on a weekday you should be better off, the weekends seem to be much busier with the natives coming out.

SnoWhite · #11 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 11:24 AM

How funny, we were there so close together!

The weekends with F&WF are always much busier than the weekdays because the locals all go there. It was much busier at Epcot than MK or Studios that day.

Shadow Jedi Rhy · #12 (**permalink**) 10-18-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoWhite

How funny, we were there so close together!

The weekends with F&WF are always much busier than the weekdays because the locals all go there. It was much busier at Epcot than MK or Studios that day.

It really was, I was almost amazed at the difference. Studios seemed almost empty comparatively when I was there.