Suggestions for first trip to Food and Wine fest?

[danyoung56]

My friend Phonedave has a right to his opinion, but I totally disagree with it. I find many tasty morsels, as well as lots of great wines, and eating outside off of trash cans it totally fun. I'll be missing the F&WF for the first time in over 20 years, and I'm very sorry I'm missing it!

 

[Phonedave]

I am kind of a mix of this. I still like certain items at the food booths, especially some of the ones that I can't get at home like the African booth. But I go and do a bunch of seminars and special events. I always do the Party for the Senses and the Hibachi Experience along with the Sunday event(that the name keeps changing) with whatever celebrity chef they have that week. So many people just talk about the food booths and make it sound as if that is the whole of the event when there is so much more. OP, go to the Disney Food Blog, they have all of the events and food booth menus. It is the best place for F&WF info.

There are a few items that are quite good - in fact, as you said, the African booth is one of them. The bobotie was really quite good a few years back (I went back for an other in fact). However the vast majority of the items are not that special. We do some of the wine and cheese seminars, and a couple of the lunches. Many of them were quite memorable. We did one in Via Napoli (we have done that wine and food lunch 3 ro 4 times now) and aside from the food and wine, they had a great host. They had these almond cookies on the menu, and apparently these were the hosts favorite when it was a kid. With his accent, they came our as "oookies". "When I was a child, I loved these oookies. I would ask my mother for the ooookies". My wife and I still call them "oookies"


-dave

 

[Phonedave]

My friend Phonedave has a right to his opinion, but I totally disagree with it. I find many tasty morsels, as well as lots of great wines, and eating outside off of trash cans it totally fun. I'll be missing the F&WF for the first time in over 20 years, and I'm very sorry I'm missing it!

You and I seem to disagree on a number of food choices, but we always seem to have a pleasant time doing so.

 

[Disneyfreak Jen]

Definitely look at the menus online before you go on your trip and make a list of the places you want to try. There’s so many it’s easy to forget!

 

[danyoung56]

You and I seem to disagree on a number of food choices, but we always seem to have a pleasant time doing so.

No problem disagreeing with someone, as long as you're not being disagreeable!!!

 

[Spectro]

We have done this many times and I do enjoy the atmosphere now our kids are grown ups. We are going on September 26 for the sugar ray eat to the beat. I’ve checked the menus and picked out my favourite choices so plan ahead is my tip, and keep a note of where you wish to eat. I always go to Canada for cheese soup and fillet mignon and last year we tried the tuna at Hawaii and thought that was excellent. I love seafood so coastal eats is a must for us. I’m also looking forward to lobster roll at hops and barley and the beef brisket and poutine at refreshment port this year.

 

[thomas998]

Less drunks during the day, get there at opening.

Very true, in the afternoon you also don't have to deal with line much at all. But at night get ready to feel like your waiting for the 7 dwarves mine train, you'll be standing in lines continually... Also the portions seem to have gotten a little smaller on some of the food items from times gone by. If you do know what you like food wise then don't just order one order two because nothing is more annoying than having to go back and stand in the same line you just got out of.

 

[Bigcityblues]

We enjoy the fest in general and the food booths quite a bit. Yes, portions seem to be getting smaller, and they really add up. Our DD has loved the fest since she was about 5 - this kid loves to eat! We haven’t attended since 2016 because she’s a college kid now; we all really miss it.

We go when it opens during the week, avoiding nighttime and weekends whenever possible. Crowds are low at those times and very manageable. I wish I could have a cocktail at each booth, but I’d be sweaty and tipsy by #3!

Enjoy!

 

[Epcotfan21]

Very true, in the afternoon you also don't have to deal with line much at all. But at night get ready to feel like your waiting for the 7 dwarves mine train, you'll be standing in lines continually... Also the portions seem to have gotten a little smaller on some of the food items from times gone by. If you do know what you like food wise then don't just order one order two because nothing is more annoying than having to go back and stand in the same line you just got out of.

The food and alcohol portions have definitely gotten smaller as the popularity has risen over the last few years. Such is life, I guess.

 

[Phonedave]

We have done this many times and I do enjoy the atmosphere now our kids are grown ups. We are going on September 26 for the sugar ray eat to the beat. I’ve checked the menus and picked out my favourite choices so plan ahead is my tip, and keep a note of where you wish to eat. I always go to Canada for cheese soup and fillet mignon and last year we tried the tuna at Hawaii and thought that was excellent. I love seafood so coastal eats is a must for us. I’m also looking forward to lobster roll at hops and barley and the beef brisket and poutine at refreshment port this year.

I saw Sugar Ray there a number of years ago. They still put on a great performance.

Don't get your hopes up too high for the lobster roll. I don't know what your experience with lobster rolls is, but if you have had any at a local shack anywhere in New England, the one in EPCOT is a far cry from those.

-dave

 

[danyoung56]

You just gotta watch that Phonedave! I've had the F&WF version of the lobster roll, and really enjoyed it. I don't have anything to compare it to, coming from Texas as I am. But on its own, it's very tasty!

 

[Hockey89]

You just gotta watch that Phonedave! I've had the F&WF version of the lobster roll, and really enjoyed it. I don't have anything to compare it to, coming from Texas as I am. But on its own, it's very tasty!

Ok now you have crossed the line...Living in New E, these are fighting words lol

 

[Phonedave]

You just gotta watch that Phonedave! I've had the F&WF version of the lobster roll, and really enjoyed it. I don't have anything to compare it to, coming from Texas as I am. But on its own, it's very tasty!

Nantucket - I thinks that beats out EPCOT.

Sorry, now that I think about it, that is not Nantucket. That's Spanky's Clam Shack in Hyannis - close enough.

Just to compare (not sure whos picture that is, it's from an other thread on here)

 

[Minthorne]

Nantucket - I thinks that beats out EPCOT.

From MA here and yeah that's a lobstah roll! But at WDW, even the one at the QS at SSR beat Epcot F &W one for me -

 

[Phonedave]

From MA here and yeah that's a lobstah roll! But at WDW, even the one at the QS at SSR beat Epcot F &W one for me -

I never had the one at SSR.

The one at F&W is not BAD, if you have never had a lobster roll before. But it is very light on lobster and very heavy on the mayo.

I suspect that it is spiny lobster as well and frozen. Again, it comes down to volumes. You are not going to get enough live lobsters in Florida to be able to handle food and wine. Instead you are most likely going to get frozen lobster. And since it is frozen anyway, they are going to go with spiny lobster.

As somebody who prefers claw meat to tail meat, going with spiny lobster just further makes it unappealing to me. If somebody happens to like lobster tail better, then maybe that works out for them.

-dave

 

[danyoung56]

I'd eat either one, but I admit yours looks better, Phonedave!