Let me start with saying I am not here to bash or judge anyone who is an aficionado of the food and wine festival and in fact we used to be.......until today! We are here now enjoying a wonderful family vacation. We have done the food and wine festival almost every time we have come here but, I was truly SHOCKED at the change in the atmosphere the food and wine festival has now. While I completely understand crowds and know you can't change crowd numbers but I have never seen this many people there for the festival. The lines were so long that the thought of waiting in them to spend that kind of money for a small sample (although good samples) was not worth it. The part that really disturbs me is that to me Disney has always portrayed a family atmosphere in their parks but what we saw and experienced was far from family atmosphere. I saw stumbling drunks, people laying down on the side of the walkways with friends laughing at them, cuss words left and right, people casually smoking in all areas around the park, groups of people shouting, and trash everywhere. Now correct me if I am wrong, isn't Disney a big proponent of their image and pride themselves on no trash allowed around the parks. I saw ZERO security patrolling (I would think with the amount of drinking going on, security would be enhanced), I saw minimal staff members lingering doing the their usual clean up work. We attended with our daughter who is 9 and even she commented on how different this was compared to our last visit and at one point just wanted to leave. Now I know some will say we could have just left and yes we could have but, we paid to be there, why should we have to waste our money because Disney doesn't have a better system in place. We did our best to stroll through quickly and tried to enjoy the shops but our usual stroll through was just not enjoyable. We felt like we were attending a spring break drunken frat party. You may look at what I am saying is just a big ol' giant complaint and yest technically it is but, google reviews for this and you will see a lot of people saying the same things! Get it together Disney! I know everyone has a right to come here, everyone has a right to enjoy themselves and I would never say you can't allow people to drink but if they want to promote this as a family destination than it should be kept that way! Can't some of this be solved by allowing people to continue to drink and enjoy themselves by doing something like a prepaid wrist band that requires you to show ID when you buy it. As you enjoy the festival and get your drinks you get a hole punched on your band and after you reach a certain number say like 10 or 12 alcohol drinks you can't get more? I mean I had to spend over $200 to attend the Very Merry Christmas Party and had to have wrist band to be able to get cookies and hot chocolate but Disney can allow people to just drink themselves stupid because they spend more money. I did not do any research on the food and wine festival because we have done it so many times before but, lesson learned and this long time foodie will not be attending this again unless we arrive first thing in the morning on a weekday for it. Just not impressed with the image portrayed to children today! end rant!
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Trip Report Disappointed!
- Thread starter natolij02
- Start date
alissafalco
Well-Known Member
If the crowds are anything like F&W, and if the over priced samples are hit or miss..then yes I will be over that too. I went to F&G in 2014 and you are right, the park was really beautiful, and it wasn't crowded. I did enjoy it, but we'll see this time, it seems the festivals are changing and not for the better.
Last edited:
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
I think you hit the nail right on! Without knowing too much about it and never attended (until this fall), I thought it was just that a culinary event. It is not that anymore. The taste of Chicago is better civilized.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
I tend to go this time of year. Not because of just F&G but because late April and early May are less crowded than the summer months (a bit less). Never really have done any of the events for F&G.
Been to F&W twice (2013 and 2014) and loved it both times. But as I think I mentioned on a previous post, I didn't go on the weekend so I think that is probably why I have never had any issues with it.
Arthur Wellesley
Well-Known Member
draybook
Well-Known Member
Atlanta Falcons' fans such as me call that: "Just another Sunday."
We went to Atlanta on Halloween weekend(technically that Sunday) and I didn't realize that they had a home game against the Bucs. I figured that they would mob the CNN food court after the game but they never did. I guess the loss had them sad and ready to go home...
Arthur Wellesley
Well-Known Member
True, or they just got stuck in the post-game traffic & didn't have the patience to head your way.
draybook
Well-Known Member
Sadly, I wasn't even aware they were building a new stadium until we got within distance of downtown. And I call myself an NFL fan.....
MinnieM123
Premium Member
I love the Flower and Garden Festival. The food kiosks are nice for small plates, but I really only go to see the beautiful floral arrangements, topiaries, etc. There's also far less emphasis on alcohol at F&G. They also have guest gardeners and chefs who give demonstrations each day. It's a really wonderful event.
May is a nice time of year to visit.
(Note: I also don't go on weekends, so I'm not familiar with the crowd size.) @alissafalco , I think you would also enjoy F&G Festival in the spring.
Tinkerbella16
Well-Known Member
I just returned Saturday from my trip and I have to agree. I really do not enjoy Epcot during F&W and Epcot is my favorite park. It is the park I frequent the most on my trips, and this trip I spent the least amount of time there because it was just crazy, even on a weekday. This trip was just overall crowded in all of the parks, more than I've ever seen it in November. Next trip will be the first week of September in 2016, so hopefully it won't start yet since it usually starts towards the end of the month. I enjoy Epcot so much more when F&W isn't going on, it is such a difference.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
ehh, if you haven't gone before, you kinda are missing something. It is worth doing at least once. But that is just my opinion.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
I don't think the OP was saying that Epcot shouldn't allow adults, or that children shouldn't ever see adults behaving badly -- but she was making the comment that Disney promotes itself as a family-friendly vacation spot rather than a destination for heavy drinkers, and that trying to navigate World Showcase during F&W can present some unpleasant surprises for anyone expecting the kind of physically safe and suitable-for-all-ages experience that Disney actively advertises. You don't need to be rearing your children "in a cocoon" to simply desire that they not be stepped upon, cursed-at, or stumbled-into-and-knocked-down by the overserved (something that did happen to my 4 and 6-year-olds as we tried to "escape" World Showcase after dinner on a random Wednesday evening during the 2012 F&W Festival - we thought we were playing it safe by avoiding the weekend, which was the prevailing advice on these forums at the time, but not so).
WDW has indeed created false expectations of what F&W is all about (note the F&W advertising photo below), and it really ought to adjust the way it is represented, so that parents of young children who don't spend lots of time on forums like this one can make educated decisions about whether they want to visit World Showcase during that time of year. It's all well and good for grownups to let loose and have a good time (that's certainly what I'd be doing if DH and I were by ourselves), and there's no reason they can't do that at Disney World, but Disney shouldn't mislead guests by insinuating that Food & Wine is a great event for families, as opposed to a really expensive, adult bacchanale -- they're setting people up for the exact kind of disappointment the OP describes.
THANKS TO DISNEY, YOU EXPECT THIS:
...AND GET THIS:
Last edited:
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
I don't think the OP was saying that Epcot shouldn't allow adults, or that children shouldn't ever see adults behaving badly -- but she was making the comment that Disney promotes itself as a family-friendly vacation spot rather than a destination for heavy drinkers, and that trying to navigate World Showcase during F&W can present some unpleasant surprises for anyone expecting the kind of physically safe and suitable-for-all-ages experience that Disney actively advertises. You don't need to be rearing your children "in a cocoon" to simply desire that they not be stepped upon, cursed-at, or stumbled-into-and-knocked-down by the overserved (something that did happen to my 4 and 6-year-olds as we tried to "escape" World Showcase after dinner on a random Wednesday evening during the 2012 F&W Festival - we thought we were playing it safe by avoiding the weekend, which was the prevailing advice on these forums at the time, but not so).
WDW has indeed created false expectations of what F&W is all about (note the F&W advertising photo below), and it really ought to adjust the way it is represented, so that parents of young children who don't spend lots of time on forums like this one can make educated decisions about whether they want to visit World Showcase during that time of year. It's all well and good for grownups to let loose and have a good time (that's certainly what I'd be doing if DH and I were by ourselves), and there's no reason they can't do that at Disney World, but Disney shouldn't mislead guests by insinuating that Food & Wine is a great event for families, as opposed to a really expensive, adult bacchanale -- they're setting people up for the exact kind of disappointment the OP describes.
THANKS TO DISNEY, YOU EXPECT THIS:
...AND GET THIS:
what's wrong with the second picture?
GoTheDistance
Member
I attended my first ever F&W last year (2014) and I'm in no rush to go back. I did copious amounts of research and planned out which days we would hit which booths, what we would get from each booth, the order we'd go in, etc. We planned to hit the festival 3 separate times but we wound up only going twice after having two disappointing experiences. The food was amazing, and my husband said the drinks were as well (I don't drink), but the absurd crowds severely hindered our experience. We waited at least 15 minutes for most booths and struggled to find a place to even stand still to eat our food, which is very obnoxious when you are traveling with multiple people and not everyone eats from the same booths. I knew this was going to be a thing, but I was more taken aback by the -type- of crowds I was surrounded by. Many people were pushing, yelling, tripping, trying to cut in line, dropping/spilling food and drinks, and just generally chaotic. I'm not sure what Disney could do about this, but the crazy stressful atmosphere was more than enough for us to turn around and not spend money at F&W.
Flower and Garden is much better, at least in March! Granted, the options aren't as plentiful but it sure is pretty!
Flower and Garden is much better, at least in March! Granted, the options aren't as plentiful but it sure is pretty!
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
I've always thought that would be a great idea limit guests to 2 drinks per hr per band.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
I don't think the OP was saying that Epcot shouldn't allow adults, or that children shouldn't ever see adults behaving badly -- but she was making the comment that Disney promotes itself as a family-friendly vacation spot rather than a destination for heavy drinkers, and that trying to navigate World Showcase during F&W can present some unpleasant surprises for anyone expecting the kind of physically safe and suitable-for-all-ages experience that Disney actively advertises. You don't need to be rearing your children "in a cocoon" to simply desire that they not be stepped upon, cursed-at, or stumbled-into-and-knocked-down by the overserved (something that did happen to my 4 and 6-year-olds as we tried to "escape" World Showcase after dinner on a random Wednesday evening during the 2012 F&W Festival - we thought we were playing it safe by avoiding the weekend, which was the prevailing advice on these forums at the time, but not so).
WDW has indeed created false expectations of what F&W is all about (note the F&W advertising photo below), and it really ought to adjust the way it is represented, so that parents of young children who don't spend lots of time on forums like this one can make educated decisions about whether they want to visit World Showcase during that time of year. It's all well and good for grownups to let loose and have a good time (that's certainly what I'd be doing if DH and I were by ourselves), and there's no reason they can't do that at Disney World, but Disney shouldn't mislead guests by insinuating that Food & Wine is a great event for families, as opposed to a really expensive, adult bacchanale -- they're setting people up for the exact kind of disappointment the OP describes.
THANKS TO DISNEY, YOU EXPECT THIS:
...AND GET THIS:
Exactly - You head for DISNEY instead you are in the middle of the worlds largest pub crawl.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Nothing if you want to be at a frat party
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Really? A selfie with mickey ears, a 1st visit pin, and a woman with an excited face? It has been a while, but that is not how I remember frat parties (well, maybe the excited face part could have been someone's look at a frat party).
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
Nothing in the world -- it's just some people drinking around the World and having a good time (and I didn't want to post a picture of actual sloppy drunk people, because I don't want somebody suing me for painting them in a bad light). My point is simply that Disney doesn't represent the F&W festival as a drinking party -- which is what it actually is.
Last edited: