2017 Epcot Food and Wine Festival beginning August 31st

[rael ramone]

See, this is an actual, practical solition. Couple real bartenders to fix people who way over do it with the extra festival/extended F&W to fix overcrowding and we have a real solution to the problems with F&W that won't hurt the fans of it.

Perhaps they could also link the number of drinks to a person's magic band and have per person limits, but that much be tough if some people only drink a bit of each to sample everything.

Now if they could pair that with fixing the problem with the aggressive lowering of the quality & quantity of food samples and the aggressive price increases on the same then F&W might be worth attending again...

 

[NothingRhymeswithOrange]

I personally love the F&W festival and I am glad that they are extending it again. The drunk crowds are inevitable, especially with all the college kids going on the weekends to drink around the world. I've attended the festival many times and yes I have encountered many annoying drunks, but this doesn't take away from the experience of the actual festival. The last time I was there for F&W 2015, there was a drunk college kid wearing a Kimono he bought at the Japan Pavilion cursing up a storm in front of children, which bothered me enough to say something to him. Other then that though there hasn't been much to complain about. The only cause for concern I have is the increasing prices of all of the food/drinks that are offered.

 

[The_Jobu]

I've never been for FW, just FG, but it's starting to sound like entering the thunderdome (which makes me more curious to visit)...

 

[BuddyThomas]

I love the food and wine event. Funny how I don't see all these drunk people that always seem to be brought up. Maybe I just miss them, yeah that's it, they just completely miss me when I go there for a week or two.

You have to remember that most of these stories are either highly exaggerated or delightful works of fiction. I keep asking them for photographic evidence but it has yet to arrive.

 

[jmp85]

My wife and I were unlucky enough to be at EPCOT on a Saturday recently in October with Food and Wine going on. All I can say is, wow, what a disaster that was. We encountered multiple people passed out from too much drinking as well as various CM crews scrubbing sidewalks where people had vomited. One poor CM was tasked with a toothbrush like tool and was scrubbing in-between cobblestones near England. We do not have kids, but I can't imagine taking them there if we did.

Like many, I certainly enjoy my fair share of drinking, however I never expected EPCOT to resemble my younger days on spring break.

 

[Nickels5]

To be fair, I've seen groups of obnoxious drunks running around Epcot during non-festival times. There's always the bachelorette parties with idiots dressed up in tutus, spandex, tiaras, & matching t-shirts drinking WAY more than they can handle. Bachelor parties with dudes in hats they've bought around the world showcase, chest bumping, and challenging their "bros" to man up & drink another shot. And finally, the groups of 6 or more idiots in matching shirts indicating their mission to drink around the the world. (Sometimes celebrating a birthday, sometimes not.). I can't remember a trip to Epcot in the last 6 years were I haven't seen a minimum of 3-4 of these groups in the park on any given day. We live about 2 hours away and come down about 8 weekends a year. Not all of those times are festival days. Folks should have more self respect for themselves and behave appropriately. If you can't handle your liquor, stop before making an *** out of yourself.
I'm now going back to drinking my whisky and yelling at kids to get off my lawn. Happy college football Saturday.

I went to EPCOT twice in September during food and wine and I didn't see anything that you mentioned. I have gone to food and wine many times and never once have I seen any of the behavior people here are complaining about. My advice would be not to worry about the people around you and fixate on everything they are doing, enjoy yourself and the company you are with.

 

[BuddyThomas]

My wife and I were unlucky enough to be at EPCOT on a Saturday recently in October with Food and Wine going on. All I can say is, wow, what a disaster that was. We encountered multiple people passed out from too much drinking as well as various CM crews scrubbing sidewalks where people had vomited. One poor CM was tasked with a toothbrush like tool and was scrubbing in-between cobblestones near England. We do not have kids, but I can't imagine taking them there if we did.

Like many, I certainly enjoy my fair share of drinking, however I never expected EPCOT to resemble my younger days on spring break.

And when I was there earlier this month, I saw Tinker Bell sprinkling pixie dust all over the place, and hundreds of people were floating in the sky over the lake. And a good thing too. Because a swarm of ravenous great white sharks had somehow found their way into the water supply and Disney was actually making the employees try to fish them out with nothing but a butterfly net! It was horrifying I tell you. But like some other tall tales, at least it was only in my imagination.

 

[Nickels5]

Then you're being purposefully oblivious to the slob fest that emerges.

I would actually argue the opposite. You are the one who would be going out of your way to notice other people, instead of just enjoying your own visit you are fixated on what everyone else is doing.

 

[jmp85]

And when I was there earlier this month, I saw Tinker Bell sprinkling pixie dust all over the place, and hundreds of people were floating in the sky over the lake. And a good thing too. Because a swarm of ravenous great white sharks had somehow found their way into the water supply and Disney was actually making the employees try to fish them out with nothing but a butterfly net! It was horrifying I tell you. But like some other tall tales, at least it was only in my imagination.

Thanks for your valuable input. Where would we be without people like you to guide us and point us towards your version of the truth?

 

[BuddyThomas]

I would actually argue the opposite. You are the one who would be going out of your way to notice other people, instead of just enjoying your own visit you are fixated on what everyone else is doing.

^
^
THIS. A million times this.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Thanks for your valuable input. Where would we be without people like you to guide us and point us towards your version of the truth?

You'd be exactly where you are now. Making up stories of people passed out all over World Showcase and employees cleaning vomit with toothbrushes. As Judge Judy says, "If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true."

 

[jmp85]

You'd be exactly where you are now. Making up stories of people passed out all over World Showcase and employees cleaning vomit with toothbrushes. As Judge Judy says, "If it doesn't make sense, it isn't true."

Excuse me, I didn't realize I was speaking to the omnipresent.

Doesn't make sense? Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been to an event where thousands of people were drinking. I'm assuming you have. If people vomiting at such an event "doesn't make sense" to you, then you must really live life with blinders. Statistics aren't on your side on this one.

 

[Nickels5]

Hard to enjoy yourself when you have to swim through hoards of drunkards yelling expletives every breath or acting like what I can only assume cave people, with zero concept of class, acted like in their time. Yeah, a truly rosy experience.

Again nothing like this has ever happened during any of my visits during F/W and I can honestly say that. I was also at the opening day of F/W this year and yes it was crowded but I didn't wait longer then 30-45 mins for any ride and I was able to move through world showcase perfectly fine and I will be going back next September for two days again. My question would be why wouldn't you record this obscene situations that go on and show them to a cast member? I would also like to add I'm not saying people have seen some things that have no place in any theme park, but I believe that is greatly over exaggerated on how often people see things and to the extent that they describe. Just try enjoying yourself and the people you are with instead of worrying about everything going on around you.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Excuse me, I didn't realize I was speaking to the omnipresent.

Doesn't make sense? Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been to an event where thousands of people were drinking. I'm assuming you have. If people vomiting at such an event "doesn't make sense" to you, then you must really live life with blinders. Statistics aren't on your side on this one.

Yes they are. Security is EVERYWHERE at Disney, even if you can't see them and if you think that they are going let people lay passed out all over the place then you are truly living in Fantasyland.

 

[jmp85]

Again nothing like this has ever happened during any of my visits during F/W and I can honestly say that. I was also at the opening day of F/W this year and yes it was crowded but I didn't wait longer then 30-45 mins for any ride and I was able to move through world showcase perfectly fine and I will be going back next September for two days again. My question would be why wouldn't you record this obscene situations that go on and show them to a cast member? I would also like to add I'm not saying people have seen some things that have no place in any theme park, but I believe that is greatly over exaggerated on how often people see things and to the extent that they describe. Just try enjoying yourself and the people you are with instead of worrying about everything going on around you.

Sincerely curious here, which day(s) did you attend? We had no issues on two weekdays, however the unfavorable experience occurred on a Saturday night. Let me clarify, by no means am I saying most, or everyone was intoxicated, however I sincerely saw two crews cleaning up with towels and brushes.

Related, a group of people I know were given the boot by Disney the next weekend. I still haven't gotten the whole story out of them but one of them posted a picture on Facebook with a CM badge that most certainly wasn't his

 

[BuddyThomas]

What good does pulling out my cell phone and video taping the rabble do?

So you can back up your totally absurd lies, I mean claims, for one.

 

[jmp85]

Yes they are. Security is EVERYWHERE at Disney, even if you can't see them and if you think that they are going let people lay passed out all over the place then you are truly living in Fantasyland.

I agree with you, in that Disney was certainly not allowing anyone to lie around passed out. To be fair and objective, I'll clarify by stating I saw two girls being pushed around by friends in wheel chairs who were clearly not handicapped. Granted I may have made it seem like there were many more by using the word "multiple" earlier. I apologize for that.

Regarding the use of a toothbrush/brush tool and towels, that I can promise you I did witness. To add some levity, while we walked by the situation another young guest walked by (who was a little tipsy) and yells "what happened, did someone die here?" (in reference to all the towels laid out). The truth probably lies somewhere in between and I'm sure experiences differ among guests.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

You have to remember that most of these stories are either highly exaggerated or delightful works of fiction. I keep asking them for photographic evidence but it has yet to arrive.

I didn't exaggerate about the concert I was at with a drunk a couple rows front of me starting to start a fight.

There was no way for taking a picture at that concert unless you use a true camera due to the time frame it happened. That means Cell phones didn't have a cameras yet.

 

[Nickels5]

Sincerely curious here, which day(s) did you attend? We had no issues on two weekdays, however the unfavorable experience occurred on a Saturday night. Let me clarify, by no means am I saying most, or everyone was intoxicated, however I sincerely saw two crews cleaning up with towels and brushes.

Related, a group of people I know were given the boot by Disney the next weekend. I still haven't gotten the whole story out of them but one of them posted a picture on Facebook with a CM badge that most certainly wasn't his

I was there opening day of F/W this year which was the 14th and then I was there on the 16th as well, didn't see any person acting out of line, or anything for that matter.

 

[peter11435]

Then you're being purposefully oblivious to the slob fest that emerges.

Yeah... No. I'm not oblivious to anything. I've seen people drinking. Some probably more than they should. But I don't see nearly the amount of drunkenness that people on here describe. Maybe it's because I avoid Friday and Saturday nights, that's certainly possible. Or maybe it's because the problem is not as widespread as some (and you) seem to believe. I've been to Epcot during food and wine easily over 100 times and I have never had to "swim through drunkards."