Epcot Food & Wine Festival = Booze Fest

[Minthorne]

I must be much older than you. We had dollar Buds, and on Thursdays it was $3 Coors Lt pitchers.

Forget that - it was 75 cent for the Pabst Blue Ribbon and a quarter left for the pool table!

 

[thomas998]

I agree, but that's where the pre-planning comes in...if you have no choice, you have no choice. If you know you'll be there during F & W, don't book FP+'s during that time at WS. If it's a last resort, and you wouldn't be able to go any other time, then so be it...just be prepared.

That was out situation. The trip required some last minute changes and we knew from past experience that EPCOT during F&W wasn't going to be fun... but in order to get the rides we wanted at EPCOT it was our only real option beyond doing a rope drop.

 

[Horizons '83]

I must be much older than you. We had dollar Buds, and on Thursdays it was $3 Coors Lt pitchers.

Im up there, but I was using Miller as an example, I think Icehouse was my choice of brew, or basically anything that was less than a buck haha. I remember those .25 cent pitcher nights at one of our local bars, and that right there was quite the scene.

 

[geekza]

$5.00 "Buckets of Bud."

Ah, yes. Drinkin' with Lincoln.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

That was out situation. The trip required some last minute changes and we knew from past experience that EPCOT during F&W wasn't going to be fun... but in order to get the rides we wanted at EPCOT it was our only real option beyond doing a rope drop.

Totally understand. You gotta make the DF happy...If we HAD no other choice than to be there or lose, we'd be there, but it would be hit the ride and out, and keep our guards up.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Do you know, I had to Google "streamer"? Either I'm really old or really dense (or both). I was picturing a long piece of festive paper bouncing about Epcot.

Age has nothing to do with it. My parents in their 60's and they know what what streamer is. I am part of Generation X. I am not a member of Twitter, facebook, or instagram.

People that live stream are called streamers. People who livestream do it on social media including Youtube. People live stream by using stuff like video recording equipment and I'm guessing by smart phone.

I'm guessing you don't go on youtube a lot. My parents go on youtube for WDW stuff. My parents even communicated with me at for letting me when someone is live streaming something at WDW live.

Disney live streamers record Epcot, MK, DHS, AK, Disney Springs, Disney hotels live. Yes, People do live stream paid events Disney has at WDW theme parks. There is a streamer that live streams Disney hotels including entertainment at the hotels.

People on Youtube that do live streaming for WDW includes Resort TV1, and Spokesmayne. There are more people that live stream at WDW on their youtube channel than I mention. People on youtube that livestream actually get money donations for videos they livestream.

Here is an youtube channel that is capable of doing live streams: https://www.youtube.com/user/Spokesmayne

 

[Sundown]

Wait, lol you go to Oktoberfest and no one is drunk?? Lol around here that's pretty much the Definition of Oktoberfest.

Sorry you didn't enjoy it Op

Thanks eliza61nyc. Yeah, as mentioned what seemed to be a prioritization on drinking did color my experience of the Word Showcase section of this Disney park. A section I typically enjoy more for the foreign-local emersion. Future World was much better IMO.

Agree with the Oktoberfest experience. One expects over-imbibing there of course, as that's often the intent in attending an Oktoberfest.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Ah, yes. Drinkin' with Lincoln.

God that brings back memories. Hungry Sailor. Coconut Grove.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Thanks eliza61nyc. Yeah, as mentioned what seemed to be a prioritization on drinking did color my experience of the Word Showcase section of this Disney park. A section I typically enjoy more for the foreign-local emersion. Future World was much better IMO.

Agree with the Oktoberfest experience. One expects over-imbibing there of course, as that's often the intent in attending an Oktoberfest.

I'm in Philly and a few years ago we had a huge fiasco because an Oktoberfest festival started at 10 am one year, lol well you can guess what happened by 5 pm.
Whether in college, Oktoberfest or St paddy's day, I never understood the idea of drinking to get ratty drunk. nowadays it's like some "badge" of honor to pass out drunk. How is this fun??

 

[geekza]

I wish I'd known that during my college years in Theatre. lol

 

[draybook]

We learned last month to NOT even attempt going around the World Showcase with two strollers. Granted, our 2 year olds stroller is one of those little compact foldable ones and we're VERY cautious and courteous when operating them, but that was Hell on Earth. I don't know which was worse, the drunken groups spread out so it was hard to navigate, or the idiots who stop dead in their tracks in the middle of the walkway to take a sip/gulp. Then there's the fools who walk right into our straight line path even though there's plenty of room on the other half. One guy even assumed that his larger size was going to overpower my 17 year old son but he found out that the skinny little guy has an Eric Lindros worthy shoulder check. Ah yes, good times...

 

[networkpro]

On October 6th of this year, there was a streamer on youtube that went to party for the senses at Epcot. That Streamer was in Epcot before going into the old Millennium Village building for the event. That streamer was showing more than half of the guests at very packed Epcot were drunk by 6.30 at night with some even having problems standing up. October 6th was on a Saturday.

We went to the Party of the Senses a few years ago and that you can only describe as a Bacchanalia. If you really want to see alcohol abuse, that's the place to go. Open bar with small bites, but at $179 to $329 a head, too many folks are just trying to "Get their money's worth" as Disney Death Marchers go about their OCD routine. Definitely a one and done experience for us. Worse behavior than a frat party with Epcot's Largest Restrooms full of puking guests.

 

[networkpro]

Mein Freund, du hast wirklich kein Oktoberfest in München erlebt, wenn du nicht viele betrunkene Leute gesehen hast. Es ist die Hauptattraktion, die Epcot nicht zusammenbringen kann. Jedes der 14 Hauptzelte fasst 1 bis 1000 Personen. Typische Übertreibung und falsche Äquivalenz. Diese Art von dummem Argument bekommt meine Ziege.

For those who dont understand Deutsch, "My friend, you really have not experienced Oktoberfest in Munich, if you have not seen many drunken people. It's the main attraction that Epcot cannot match. Each of the 14 main tents holds between 1 and 1000 people. Typical exaggeration and wrong equivalence. This kind of stupid argument gets my goat"

 

[Sonconato]

Here’s the thing to me with some of the rebuttals- yes, you can get ‘slammed’ at several other places that serve alcohol, but for the most part, people don’t, because said places are not conducive to drinking. There’s a reason people drink in excess in bars and not Chuck E Cheese or the gas station- the social element, variety of drinks, and atmosphere. You really don’t see people sloshed at HS or MK because even the places w alcohol are small and have limited options- who wants to sit there in BOG and get lit on Amstel lights and gray stuff? It’s kind of a logical fallacy statement

And while I don’t think it resembles a biker bar on a Friday night, the atmosphere in the WS at times feels like a powder keg- where you really don’t want to get bumped into the wrong person and have Mr. .25 BAC want to fight because you spilled his $12 drink.

In a way it feels a lot like a pro football game. Tens of thousands of people crammed into a small space, many of them past their limits w drinking, in a hot and sometimes contentious environment. And then probably way too many getting back into their cars and driving when they shouldn’t. As with F&W, I have no idea why people would want to pay into the hundreds of dollars at either event just to wind up getting brown out drunk and only vaguely recalling the entire thing later.

I’m not trying to be the fun police, but they could stand to dial it down a bit. That many people getting that liquored up is occasionally asking for trouble.

Very well said. I felt the same way.

 

[moosie]

I was excited to go to Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival. I like my local festivals where I can grab a beer & some food, like town-day celebration or Oktoberfest. I read about the different opinions of the F&W experience here, but wanted to make my own opinion.

And sadly it was not a good experience. The realization came upon me slowly as I did a normal journey through the World Showcase. It dawned on me how many people were there just to drink. I laughed a bit and told myself they should just call it the "People Walking Around With Drinks In Their Hands Festival".
And it was apparent they were not there to enjoy the park, it's design, it's showcases, and rides vs. drinking. That is what hit me the most...seeing this at a Disney park where you are usually among other guest who have the same agenda to experience the park.

And there were the drunks...

1.) Couldn't quite believe this one. There was a large/macho guy in the Japanese pavilion...I kid you not, wearing a bluetooth speaker on his belt and blasting Spanish rap music, while his group of friends (girls & guys) were having a great time drinking on the steps. Oh, and they were all Americans, not foreigners where "perhaps" it could be a not-knowing-it's-bad-form-thing. They showed no respect for the showcase, it's atmosphere, and the Japanese music and most importantly....other guest's experiences. Was really sad to see. And it was also sad to see that no cast-member asked them to stop.

2.) At the end of the night an intoxicated woman kept speaking to a Vietnamese woman, who spoke limited English. The intoxicated woman was telling her how much she loved Vietnamese food and culture and continued to mention all the food, etc...none of which was Vietnamese. And it continued the entire bus ride.

So I'm glad I experienced it once, so I know not to ever go to Epcot during the Food & Wine Festival again. Just wanted to type out my thoughts about my experience. I think if you are on vacation as a break from normal life, you may be annoyed to see so many people there that aren't there for same reasons you are.

Oh my and we had a similar experience and now refer to it as the Drunk around the World festival.

 

[Phonedave]

Im up there, but I was using Miller as an example, I think Icehouse was my choice of brew, or basically anything that was less than a buck haha. I remember those .25 cent pitcher nights at one of our local bars, and that right there was quite the scene.

Icehouse, wow, I think we must be around the same age. Icehouse made it's brief stint with popularity just at the end of my college career. .

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Icehouse, wow, I think we must be around the same age. Icehouse made it's brief stint with popularity just at the end of my college career. .

Wow...I think I've got you all beat...1981/82...case of Red, White & Blue cans (Pabst's "budget" beer)... $3.99/ case...mmm,mmm,good!

 

[jaklgreen]

Don't forget the old Milwaukee beer. I remember my dad drinking that when I was young. gross

 

[Disorbust]

So I have seen this happen without any festival going on,. What amazed me during the F&W was how many middle age adult groups had "drinking team shirts". Honestly, I thought they were a hoot and I did not see anyone really out of hand. I was more surprised anyone could get hammered due to cost and frankly the weak drinks of WDW, unless they are pre-gaming.

 

[gopper@q.com]

I'm not going to defend the behavior but I was there for 8 days in October and never saw any bad drunken behavior. Does it happen? Yes, but sometimes people like to think every person in Epcot is hammered and that's not the case.

I agree with you! This year My husband and I were only able to go for one day on our first ever trip to F&W. We did our research, got there at 9 am on a Monday and by the time we left at 8 pm, we had tried most of the booths we had planned for, had a wonderful day and observed no bad behavior. Maybe they came after we left!?!