2023 EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

[Horizonsfan]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

The limited-time treats are just background noise at this point, solely for vloggers. All of that could go away tomorrow and I wouldn't care.

F&W is the only festival that feels pointless, though the holidays around the world festival is pretty half-hearted anymore.

Two things effectively destroyed the appeal of F&W to me:
1) The introduction & proliferation of food booths at the other festivals. If every festival has unique/limited-time food, why is there another/longer event that's only food booths? Which leads to #2
2) Ditching the edutainment stuff (cooking demonstrations, creative food displays, seminars, etc). Disney stripped away the veneer, so it's literally just a cash grab now with B-list celeb concerts on the weekends.

I'm receptive to there being frequent festivals at Epcot, on three conditions
- Add back substance beyond immobile food trucks and bland merchandise
- Clear out the promenades. Why not utilize the many facilities/expansion plots already in the park?
- Have substantial seating/dining space for people buying booth food/drink.

If they're not going to do those things, then cut it all way back to how it was 10-20 years ago.

 

[Br0ckford]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

At least maybe give a little more time in-between.

 

[MisterPenguin]

At least maybe give a little more time in-between.

You have a full week in between!!!!1!1!

 

[ToTBellHop]

The limited-time treats are just background noise at this point, solely for vloggers. All of that could go away tomorrow and I wouldn't care.

F&W is the only festival that feels pointless, though the holidays around the world festival is pretty half-hearted anymore.

Two things effectively destroyed the appeal of F&W to me:
1) The introduction & proliferation of food booths at the other festivals. If every festival has unique/limited-time food, why is there another/longer event that's only food booths? Which leads to #2
2) Ditching the edutainment stuff (cooking demonstrations, creative food displays, seminars, etc). Disney stripped away the veneer, so it's literally just a cash grab now with B-list celeb concerts on the weekends.

I'm receptive to there being frequent festivals at Epcot, on three conditions
- Add back substance beyond immobile food trucks and bland merchandise
- Clear out the promenades. Why not utilize the many facilities/expansion plots already in the park?
- Have substantial seating/dining space for people buying booth food/drink.

If they're not going to do those things, then cut it all way back to how it was 10-20 years ago.

At least the Arts festival still has real content. Too bad it’s only 6 weeks. I wish they’d move F&G to 4/1.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Since all the festivals are basically Food and Wine now, I'd say they could cut Food and Wine, make Festival of the Arts, and Flower and Garden longer. Give Flower and Garden a refresh halfway through with new summer gardens or something.

 

[SamusAranX]

It’s too much of a “good thing”.

They used to feel unique, and with there actually being a “limited” feel to it. Like I needed to make sure I visited Epcot in October/November if I wanted to sample my favorite foods.

It’s like Oktoberfest. I know I need to go to my local German restaurant or plan a trip to Helen at a specific time or I will miss out.

They need to space them out more and make what sets them apart more clearer. Otherwise I can just go to Bier fest at BG for way cheaper and less travel time (in my years I don’t have an AP)

It’s basically the new pumpkin flavor of culture; used to be I could get and usually would only get pumpkin items in October and November. Now freakin first week of august, I can go to Dunkin for PSL.

 

[vikescaper]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

IMHO, the best festivals are the short ones, Festival of the Art and Festival of the Holidays. Food and Wine wears me out and it was considerably better when it started in September. I was at EPCOT this past Sunday and it was so relaxing without all of the festival booths open.

 

[SaucyBoy]

A first-look inside the Brew-Wing Lab with the Muppets at EPCOT Food and Wine Festival​

A first-look inside the Brew-Wing Lab with the Muppets at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

A first-look inside the Brew-Wing Lab with the Muppets at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

www.wdwmagic.com

Ooh! I know where I will be spending most of my time next Saturday

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

The F&W Festival doesn't have the same wow factor to me that it once did. I remember attending my first one on my CP way back in 2012 and being amazed at the variety of food booths, edutainment offerings, drinks, and the general vibe. I enjoyed it when I was a local and had the chance to really try food from each of the offerings. But that lost its appeal when they kept adding new options each year. I also loved when it was a strictly fall event (not that you really have a true fall in FL), not something that drags out for nearly four months now. This will be my first F&W trip since I moved from Orlando in 2020.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

I wish we got more seasonal attractions, experiences, and entertainment rather than seasonal "festivals" with upcharges and things you have to buy in order to fully enjoy those festivals.

 

[trainplane3]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

There's so many festivals that I get more excited when I go and there isn't one going on.

- Food and Wine is so long and worn out on me, I just don't care anymore.
- Garden is a nice and light Food and Wine festival with flowers tossed on top.
- Holiday is unique with the pavilion story tellers around WS. It feels pretty special without being in your face.
- Art is by far the best of them. Maybe because it doesn't overstay its welcome? Getting to talk to various artists and seeing pieces being made in the park makes it more unique then Food and Garden.

At this point I just want less booths around WS. They should've been integrated into permanent buildings that aren't located in the middle of walkways by this point. It cheapens and cramps WS for a handful of food items.

 

[MisterPenguin]

IMHO, the best festivals are the short ones, Festival of the Art and Festival of the Holidays. Food and Wine wears me out and it was considerably better when it started in September. I was at EPCOT this past Sunday and it was so relaxing without all of the festival booths open.

There was at one time rumor of a new Summer festival. But... pandemic made them extend F&W into the Summer to draw in crowds.

If this current Summer lull has a brightside, maybe it's to send a message that F&W doesn't have the power to draw in Summer crowds and they'll make a new Summer festival.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

Not really - but I also only go like maybe once a year and haven't been there for food an winning a few years so am excited for the offerings

Also have never been to a Halloween party but going next month for the first time so, again, am excited to see the special offering for it

 

[JenniferS]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

They should certainly step back the number of booths and de-clutter the WS promenade.

When every day seems to be part of some or other festival, they all just run together, and none seems particularly special anymore.

 

[Rteetz]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

I miss the extras that actually made these festivals special like add on events or culinary demonstrations. Simple things like the candy sushi making or brunch in Chefs de France were great additions during the festival.

 

[MagicRat]

Can’t wait to enjoy it!

 

[Phicinfan]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

Quite honestly we don't even do much of the food booths or such anymore. I do enjoy some of the artistry, but Food and Wine(which ironically I will be there for in Sept.) isn't all that for us. We just love to walk around WS and enjoy the areas always there.

 

[Andrew25]

Flower & Garden's last few weeks were slow, odd since APs were brought back on sale and I thought it would push attendance a bit... guess not. While it's partially guests having less discretionary spending, I do think it's just that a 3-4 month long festival wears people out and makes it feel less special.

I think more events with different ideas/offerings could work well. Maybe an IP-themed festival - Epcot International Food & Film Festival!?

 

[wdwmagic]

All the menus with pricing now at https://www.wdwmagic.com/events/int...val-marketplace-kiosks,-menus-and-pricing.htm

 

[wdwmagic]

Here is a look at the merchandise in Creations Shop

2023 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival merchandise

2023 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival merchandise

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[castlecake2.0]

Just curious, are any of you burnt out on festivals, special event treats, and seasonal offerings? There is a constant barrage of these things, and I wonder if it makes things like Food and Wine less special? Should Disney step back a little, or keeping going full throttle?

The constant festivals have ruined Epcot for me, there’s nothing to get excited about because it’s just ALWAYS happening, makes world showcase feels like a constant tacky farmer ls market