Park Spotlight: 2017 Food and Wine Festival
The Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2017 will be here before we know it. If you've never experienced it let me tell you what you've been missing out on! This year the festival will run from August 31st - November 13th. Every year this amazing event has grown longer and longer and it's one of the most popular at Walt Disney World for good reason. There is no additional cost to attend, it comes with your admission to Epcot. I know that some people have been confused about what this "Food and Wine Thingy" is all about so let me fill you in on what the hoopla is all about!
First, let me try to describe the joy that is the Food and Wine Festival as eloquently as I can manage... I would call it an elevation of what is so great about eating in World Showcase at Epcot already. The World Showcase is PACKED with 30+ kiosks with different food styles from around the world for you to sample. There is also an Eat to the Beat concert series that features some amazing music at the American Gardens Theater every night for free and culinary demonstrations with some very popular celebrity chefs for an additional fee.
Let's talk about the food because I know that's what I go there for! I am a seriously picky eater. Like, I make my husband nuts with the foods that I will not eat:
Meat with bones?
Nay!
Milk?
Absolutely not!
Eggs?
Gross!
Seafood?
Horrifying!
Mayonnaise?
Eeek!
See what I mean here, and I'm a 30 something-year-old woman folks!
However, there is so much variety of foods there I dare you to go and not find something that you will love! Foods come in snack-sized portions, a great way to use those Dining Plan Snack Credits! Each kiosk has a few food items to try and its own alcohol pairing. The plus side to small sized portions is that you can try as many foods as your wallet and/or dining credits will allow.
My husband and I will be attending this year in October and will actually be there on a date night! We have three small kids so this unto itself is like a total miracle!!! The last time we went I ended up loving the food from the Germany kiosk (yes, I tried and loved all 3 items that they offered) I had the bratwurst on a pretzel bun, a ham and cheese noodle dish that I would not care to try and pronounce, ever, and finally an apple strudel. Yum!!! I also liked the pot stickers from China, the kielbasa and potato pierogi from Poland, and the cheddar cheese soup from Canada. No judgment! It was over the course of the whole day! Plus it is snack size AND calories do not count at Disney people!
There are some tips that I will leave you with so you can maximize your enjoyment of this fabulous festival. First, try to avoid going on a weekend if you can, this will be the most crowded time to visit. Second, if you are visiting with children get there early and leave early, as you can imagine it can get rather rowdy with all that lovely alcohol "tasting". Third, check out the kiosk menus online before you go. You do not want to go in without a plan of what you would like to sample.
Stay tuned to Walt Disney World's website for all the latest news on the Food and Wine Festival found here: Disney's Food and Wine Festival. As we get closer to the opening there will be menus posted as well as the performers for the Eat to the Beat concert series and a listing of the food demonstrations that you will not want to miss.
Adria Wenz is an independent contractor for Fairytale Adventures Travel Agency. She specializes in family travel to Disney, Universal, All Inclusives and Cruising. You can contact Adria at Adria@fairytaleadv.com or on her Facebook Adria Wenz- Destination Specialist.
