News 2021 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

[Horizons '83]

Festival of the Arts is my favorite of them all.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm reminded of when ABC (another Disney company!) had great success with Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. At the time, the network was struggling and they found a hit. So they put it on 4-5 nights per week!!
And then... after a few weeks/months of 4-5 nights per week, the audience disappeared.

The "success" of Epcot Festivals is they are "special" events that get guests to feel a certain sense of urgency. Not, "it's the same stuff and I can go any time." But, "ahh..... a really special month with extra stuff, that's when I'll go."

All Regis...all the time

I remember it well. A++ analogy

 

[castlecake2.0]

Another reason for the long festival is staffing, all these cast working the festivals need their jobs. Usually the cast for festivals are CPs or redeployed from elsewhere, which isn’t possible right now, so the festival needs to run back to back to support the union agreement for all the cast that were called back to work on.

 

[Amidala]

finally getting some tlc?

its 26 years old. I think the novelty is well established/used

I mean, I'm not defending the decision to leave it in disrepair for so long. My point is that the main argument against festivals (at least to my knowledge?) was that they existed solely to distract guests from FW & allowed TDO to avoid investing the time and money necessary to improve the park. And now that's no longer the case.

Not saying it's timely, just that it's happening.

Another reason for the long festival is staffing, all these cast working the festivals need their jobs. Usually the cast for festivals are CPs or redeployed from elsewhere, which isn’t possible right now, so the festival needs to run back to back to support the union agreement for all the cast that were called back to work on.

Hadn't thought of that but it does make sense.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

I love the festivals and the booths. Id much rather walk around and snack than do a sit down.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I mean, I'm not defending the decision to leave it in disrepair for so long. My point is that the main argument against festivals (at least to my knowledge?) was that they existed solely to distract guests from FW & allowed TDO to avoid investing the time and money necessary to improve the park. And now that's no longer the case.

Not saying it's timely, just that it's happening.

that’s still happening...they’ve announced about “half” of a redo.

 

[Clamman73]

If they’re never gonna do anything in the Africa plot...might as well make another World Showplace and consolidate a bunch of booths and have an indoor and outdoor seating area...get some static traffic off the main path around the lagoon.

 

[castlecake2.0]

If they’re never gonna do anything in the Africa plot...might as well make another World Showplace and consolidate a bunch of booths and have an indoor and outdoor seating area...get some static traffic off the main path around the lagoon.

I was saying this the other day to some friends. If the new normal is going to be longer festivals, give guests a place to enjoy it that doesn’t clog up the main pathways. They have a nice area along the rose walk where you can pull off the path and eat at something other than a trash can which is great. I could see mores areas like this in parts of future world, and as you said, in the outpost area. I think people would be more ok with the longer festivals if they didn’t clog up the park so much.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Four months long??!?

Why not just make it a permanent aspect of WDW.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy it will be occurring during my August trip.

But does WDW really think it will attract greater Epcot attendance when it's basically just a never ending event?

They certainly expanded F&W (+6 weeks) and Garden (+4) weeks during the pandemic.

Pre-pandemic, about 1/3 of the year had no festival days.

Pandemic years: only 1/10 of the year will have no festival days.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If they’re never gonna do anything in the Africa plot...might as well make another World Showplace and consolidate a bunch of booths and have an indoor and outdoor seating area...get some static traffic off the main path around the lagoon.

I was saying this the other day to some friends. If the new normal is going to be longer festivals, give guests a place to enjoy it that doesn’t clog up the main pathways. They have a nice area along the rose walk where you can pull off the path and eat at something other than a trash can which is great. I could see mores areas like this in parts of future world, and as you said, in the outpost area. I think people would be more ok with the longer festivals if they didn’t clog up the park so much.

they sell more dispersed...and a central location would become a bar for millennials.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They certainly expanded F&W (+6 weeks) and Garden (+4) weeks during the pandemic.

Pre-pandemic, about 1/3 of the year had no festival days.

Pandemic years: only 1/10 of the year will have no festival days.

sense a permanent pattern there?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So they don’t want to open the ready-to-roll E ticket attraction until fall, but they are happy to start the booze fest another month early?
Priorities are Loud and Clear

...but everyone has forgotten about that.

who wants stuff included in admission?

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

I was saying this the other day to some friends. If the new normal is going to be longer festivals, give guests a place to enjoy it that doesn’t clog up the main pathways. They have a nice area along the rose walk where you can pull off the path and eat at something other than a trash can which is great. I could see mores areas like this in parts of future world, and as you said, in the outpost area. I think people would be more ok with the longer festivals if they didn’t clog up the park so much.

I hear ya. But I also like eating an egg roll while I'm in China, etc. If they were going to centralize it, may as well put it all in th World Showcase pavilion.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I hear ya. But I also like eating an egg roll while I'm in China, etc. If they were going to centralize it, may as well put it all in th World Showcase pavilion.

True, I was thinking more for the booths that don’t go with the pavilion, or it could be just a garden area themed to the pavilion with high tops and benches. I’ve enjoyed the tables they’ve placed around the UK pavilion a few months ago, if they could add more things like this around the park that’s be nice.

 

[havoc315]

Wasn't there a rumor a few weeks ago that Harmonious packages were being sold to Food and Wine sponsors? Does that suggest the possibility of Harmonious over the summer? (I'm not expecting it).

 

[HarperRose]

I hear ya. But I also like eating an egg roll while I'm in China, etc. If they were going to centralize it, may as well put it all in th World Showcase pavilion.

There are booths that don't match with any of the countries.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I hear ya. But I also like eating an egg roll while I'm in China, etc. If they were going to centralize it, may as well put it all in th World Showcase pavilion.

You can purchase an egg roll in china year round....

 

[HauntedPirate]

Wasn't there a rumor a few weeks ago that Harmonious packages were being sold to Food and Wine sponsors? Does that suggest the possibility of Harmonious over the summer? (I'm not expecting it).

I believe the packages sold started Oct 1. IIRC.

 

[Bpmorley]

Also EPCOT has been renamed DrunkCOT.

I've been to F&W quite a few times. I've yet to see all of these drunks people talk about on these forums.

 

[monothingie]

I've been to F&W quite a few times. I've yet to see all of these drunks people talk about on these forums.

Oh they're there, you just have to put down your $18 beer and look.