Is the food and wine aspect of Flower and Garden Festival working?

P

ptaylor

Premium Member
Original Poster
Ever since Disney announced that food and wine would be introduced into the 2013 Flower and Garden Festival I have been interested to see how successful it would be. Disney decided to start slowly, with 12 kiosks around World Showcase for this first year. I am in the parks frequently, and have been keeping an eye on how busy the kiosks are. So far, the kiosks do not look to be anywhere near as busy as the Food and Wine kooks are.

Now is this due to people not being aware of the new food and wine additions, or less desirable menus, or are people just overloaded with all the food and wine options as it is?

What are your thoughts and observations?
 
jrogue

jrogue

Well-Known Member
I love the F&WF and I was excited to see this addition for the Flower and Garden! Personally I only liked a few of the options offered. The ones I had were delicious, though! :) I do like the idea of offering the booths during the festival and I think it adds something nice to it. I also like that they tried to tailor a lot of the foods to be "springy"
 
Dasnowz

Dasnowz

Well-Known Member
We thought it was to much. It was way overload for us. We had never been before to flower and garden so its was new for us. We felt it over took the flower and garden part and we missed alot. It felt like the focus was the food part and we did not enjoy it.
 
michmousefan

michmousefan

Well-Known Member
I think it's a very worthwhile addition. I didm't sample as many of the items as I do during a F&W visit, but I did like what I had. THe BBQ outside the AA was great; the Lasagna Primavera and the potato pancake were other standouts. The tacos Carnitas at the booth outside Mexico was the only offering that seemed too similar to what is usually offered there for F&W. The peach dessert at L'Orangerie in France was quite tasty.
 
71jason

71jason

Well-Known Member
Dasnowz said:
We felt it over took the flower and garden part and we missed alot.
Click to expand...

Honestly I can't think of anything "flower and garden" that was taken away this year. There hasn't been a lot to the festival besides the topiaries and a few seminars for a couple years now.

As to the lack of popularity--I haven't visited since Spring Break kicked in but I think initially it was a lack of knowledge. A week after it started I still saw Facebook posts from CMs excited to "discover" the Dole Whip with rum. Outside of fan boards like this one, I don't think Disney did a good job of advertising this new aspect of the festival.

Overall I think it adds a great deal, and dare I say some of the dishes seem more adventurous/creative that what you'll find during F&W.
 
DisneyDebRob

DisneyDebRob

Well-Known Member
This addition was a great idea and I hope it continues into the future. It's not a overload of food which makes it a added experience while your making your way around world showcase. If they added kiosks then I would be against it. I think the reason your not seeing long lines at the kiosks is because its doing exactly what it was supposed to do. A little bite to eat, a little cold drink while you enjoy the topiaries. The food is pretty good also which helps!
 
dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
wdwfan22 said:
I think they have the right amount of offerings at the moment and from what I've seen and heard its been a successful addition and will return as part of the festival next year as well.
Click to expand...

But in the current WDW manangement style, does a successful addition simply mean that (revenues > costs = money)? Or are guests actually clamoring for these booths? I think that the two are very different.
 
bmarkelon

bmarkelon

Well-Known Member
Well, I have to say that I am thrilled that they added it to Flower and Garden because we just decided to go last minute and leave tomorrow!! I will definitely be checking out those kiosks when we're there. But I have to say that I forgot even reading that this was added. I think that it wasn't overly advertised. I did get a little brochure in with our ME stuff.
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
I did not like the idea of adding F&W to F&G. I adore F&G. Look forward to it every year. It's all so pretty. I can just walk around Epcot looking at it for days. I gave up taking pictures, but I used to take hundreds because I love it all that much.

Food and Wine, OTOH, has a bunch of drunk people, some of them fighting with each other, some just being obnoxious...and long lines...it's crowded and is the opposite of pretty. If I want to be the sober person with a bunch of drunks, I can go to any corner bar. Frankly, I'd rather go to a bar where there are professional drinkers who are generally much better behaved (and more easy-going) than the amateurs.

But it hasn't turned F&G into F&W as I'd feared it might. It's more crowded, with all the booths, but not many people at them. No drunks that I saw in my limited time at F&G.

F&G is not quite as good as it used to be. I hope adding booze wasn't a last-ditch attempt at making money before they nix the whole thing.

Most of the year, I debate whether F&G or Halloween is my favorite time in Orlando, but every Spring, I know. F&G is the best.

And little, tiny baby ducks! Love F&G. (Get rid of the booze.)
 
C

COProgressFan

Well-Known Member
luv said:
F&G is not quite as good as it used to be. I hope adding booze wasn't a last-ditch attempt at making money before they nix the whole thing.
Click to expand...

I'm worried about this as well. F&G has been downsized in recent years and I know this was sort of a pilot year to determine whether adding more food/bev stands would generate additional revenue. Actually, I'm surprised they didn't think of adding them sooner.
 
Prince-1

Prince-1

Well-Known Member
Dasnowz said:
We thought it was to much. It was way overload for us. We had never been before to flower and garden so its was new for us. We felt it over took the flower and garden part and we missed alot. It felt like the focus was the food part and we did not enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Now you can have your opinion but how did it overload it???? There is one small booth in each country which doesn't take away from the F&G Festival at all. Half the time you walked right passed it without noticing it and if you did see it who cares???
 
Z

Zman-ks

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
I just wish that the pineapple spiced rum Dole whip had pineapple juice in it. Instead you wind up with a shot of melted dole whip and rum at the bottom of the cup.
75.gif
Click to expand...

Its really hit or miss...mine was awesome...my wife's not so much.
 
Uncle Remus

Uncle Remus

Well-Known Member
Absolutely loved the addition and would be disappointed if they took it away. Normally we go to the flower and garden festival once a year. This year we went three times. My wife only liked a couple food items while I found something at every booth I liked. Additional alcohols to choose from is always a plus as well.
 
71jason

71jason

Well-Known Member
luv said:
How much booze does Epcot really need? I ask you.
;)
Click to expand...

Enough to make me forget how much more awesome it was in 1983.

It is a testament to Disney's marketing power, tho, how they've turned F&W into an unofficial "drinking around the world" event that every CP and every resident of Winter Park feels the need to partake in. There's very little for sale these days you couldn't find elsewhere around Orlando--at much better prices--yet people still fill the park up and stand in lines 50 people deep.
 
danv3

danv3

Well-Known Member
I'm a F&W veteran but this year was only my second trip ever to F&G, largely because of the food booths. The booths seemed a lot less busy than F&W, but overall I thought it was a nice addition. I also thought the number of booths was just about right...a good variety, but not so many as to be overwhelming. Actually, as much as I love F&W, it can be too much. It takes days to get through it all if you really want to sample most of the dishes.

I doubt I'll become a F&G regular, but I hope the festival continues with these added food offerings.
 
Uncle Remus

Uncle Remus

Well-Known Member
ptaylor said:
Ever since Disney announced that food and wine would be introduced into the 2013 Flower and Garden Festival I have been interested to see how successful it would be. Disney decided to start slowly, with 12 kiosks around World Showcase for this first year. I am in the parks frequently, and have been keeping an eye on how busy the kiosks are. So far, the kiosks do not look to be anywhere near as busy as the Food and Wine kooks are.

Now is this due to people not being aware of the new food and wine additions, or less desirable menus, or are people just overloaded with all the food and wine options as it is?

What are your thoughts and observations?
Click to expand...

I personally think people, mostly newcomers, don't realize they are additions and think they are a normal fixture and tend to overlook them. Probably assume they are an extension of the "country's" restaurant.
 
michmousefan

michmousefan

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
I just wish that the pineapple spiced rum Dole whip had pineapple juice in it. Instead you wind up with a shot of melted dole whip and rum at the bottom of the cup.
Click to expand...
Yes, I'd recommend to mix the whip and rum with a straw after you are served. Gives you a rum-enhanced whip, which is what the original intent was, at least for me... they must have thought it appeared to be a higher quality if the spiced rum was distinct from the whip...
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom