News Round Up 2016

[jlundeen]

Consider yourself lucky. Terrible crowds, overpriced food, and towards the end of the day (on weekends, at least) much "staggering" and some beligerent guests. Was there one year and swore we would never go back during the festival. We left yesterday, the day before it started.

We encountered the same thing last year...didn't seem like there was any crowd (make that drunk and disorderly crowd) control at all...we were so disgusted with the crowds, noise and swearing (this from parties with very young children) that we left before Illuminations. Swore never again, at least at night. Daytime wasn't so bad, but still VERY crowded.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Coca Cola Bear is super cute. I'd love to meet him.

He was made by Jim Henson's Creature Shop

Thanks for posting - I must admit when I first heard of this I was like "um, ok, it's a bear" (well, my hole view of the Coke store has been ... is there really demand for Coke paraphernalia? But we don't drink soda so perhaps it's just us) - but he does look really cool!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

News

Disney was once planning to do something with the old discovery island... And it involved a video game

http://www.slashfilm.com/myst-theme-park/

that sounds really cool! We loved Myst - and they way it is described makes it seem almost like a more elaborate "Escape the room" activities

 

[rteetz]

Consider yourself lucky. Terrible crowds, overpriced food, and towards the end of the day (on weekends, at least) much "staggering" and some beligerent guests. Was there one year and swore we would never go back during the festival. We left yesterday, the day before it started.

Well I'd like to go at least once in my lifetime. Not every day is bad crowds either. It's also Disney, food isn't reasonably priced especially during an event like that. For this year they came out with a new food card of sorts that you can use. You pay a one time price and can use 8 or 16 tickets on any food or beverage items with a few exceptions. To each their own though.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Consider yourself lucky. Terrible crowds, overpriced food, and towards the end of the day (on weekends, at least) much "staggering" and some beligerent guests. Was there one year and swore we would never go back during the festival. We left yesterday, the day before it started.

Guess to each their own - Food and Wine Festival is my favorite - so much fun. I will say the weekends are crazy so we avoid going to EPCOT on the weekend ... but if you go during the week days crowds are low and we sample the food as a replacement for at least once meal so the cost is similar.

Seen a few tipsy people but never anyone beligerent

 

[skier_pete]

Consider yourself lucky. Terrible crowds, overpriced food, and towards the end of the day (on weekends, at least) much "staggering" and some beligerent guests. Was there one year and swore we would never go back during the festival. We left yesterday, the day before it started.

Wait - the food is overpriced? At Disney?

Seriously though - I would agree it's a madhouse on Friday and Saturday nights and we avoid that like the plague. It's more crowded than normal at Epcot even during the week - but it's really not that bad Sun-Thurs. Most food lines are at most 5 minutes. I find we spend about $75-100 per day eating both lunch and dinner at the booths - so I don't really think that's THAT much more than we would spend if we made ADRs. We are doing three F&W days on our upcoming trip (Sun, Mon, Wed), and the result is we only have 4 ADRs for the whole week, so overall the food costs will end up being about the same as if we were dining normally. One of the coolest things they have are the wine and food seminars in the afternoon. They only run about $15 per person and you get to do either a wine/drink tasting, or you get to see a chef prepare a meal/dessert and then sample it. We aren't doing any this year because DD is with us, but it is one of the rare inexpensive experiences at Disney. (F&W has a lot of REALLY expensive experiences as well.)

Edit: Oh, and I would TOTALLY agree that they need to consider some crowd control, especially on the weekend. Behavior that is tolerated their is a complete shame.

 

[dac7265]

Consider yourself lucky. Terrible crowds, overpriced food, and towards the end of the day (on weekends, at least) much "staggering" and some beligerent guests. Was there one year and swore we would never go back during the festival. We left yesterday, the day before it started.

Our family loves Food and Wine! We have done it for years.

 

[Gastonecrosse]

Consider yourself lucky. Terrible crowds, overpriced food, and towards the end of the day (on weekends, at least) much "staggering" and some beligerent guests. Was there one year and swore we would never go back during the festival. We left yesterday, the day before it started.

I will say that the crowd issue is dependent on when you go. Last year my wife and I went twice. We went the first weekend to see David Cook and about a month later to see the Osborne lights and Herman's Hermits. That first weekend was horrific in terms of crowds in my opinion (and the opinions of multiple cast members we either overheard or spoke to directly). We didn't even bother visiting a single booth but that didn't stop the congestion from lines making the World Showcase incredibly unpleasant. Interestingly the ride lines were, if anything, shorter than usual as the crowds were there for the Food and Wine and not to ride. The second time was significantly more peasant. None of the food or wine lines were particularly heinous and most were very reasonable if not almost lacking a line all together. If I were to plan it again I would probably pick a date ~2 to 3 weeks out from opening, however that would be dependent on who is playing the theater as Eat to the Beat is a good time.

 

[HeroOfWDW]

So, a typical day at Disney then?

It's funny because it's true

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Not true...the festival used to be maybe the best period of the whole year...

But they've exploited it a little and shifting travel patterns have killed it.
I was there 12 outta 13 years...but haven't been for a couple a a wont hurry back.

I an ticked that I'll be in California when TTWS will be there this year

 

[Keels]

Well I'd like to go at least once in my lifetime. Not every day is bad crowds either. It's also Disney, food isn't reasonably priced especially during an event like that. For this year they came out with a new food card of sorts that you can use. You pay a one time price and can use 8 or 16 tickets on any food or beverage items with a few exceptions. To each their own though.

They had them last year too - and a $79 option that included a ticket for premium reserved seating for that night's Eat to the Beat concert. And the secret is, you can use the tabs any time ... not just the day the lanyard is issued! My mom and I shared our tabs and basically had food and drink for five visits from the lanyards. I think I still have one tab left over!

 

[Candlelady]

They had them last year too - and a $79 option that included a ticket for premium reserved seating for that night's Eat to the Beat concert. And the secret is, you can use the tabs any time ... not just the day the lanyard is issued! My mom and I shared our tabs and basically had food and drink for five visits from the lanyards. I think I still have one tab left over!

Does this have to be reserved in advance or can it be purchased in the park?

 

[Keels]

Does this have to be reserved in advance or can it be purchased in the park?

Either - we reserved in advance, but there were also people just walking up to the Festival Center to buy them.

 

[LSUlakes]

Did anyone else hear about #Gumbogate?

http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2016/09/14/news/disney-takes-down-gumbo-recipe/index.html?iid=hp-stack-dom

Hilarious to think anyone would be upset about a Disney recipe not being authentic.

First you make a roux...

 

[Candlelady]

Either - we reserved in advance, but there were also people just walking up to the Festival Center to buy them.

Thanks. Wasn't sure if they ran out after a certain number of sales.

 

[rteetz]

Rumor

Someone new coming to Launch Bay?

https://twitter.com/dcharacternews/status/776216549627572224

 

[circus4u]

The one time we were at food and wine, it was the last week and unfortunately, the last weekend, so that most definitely had an impact on our experience. However, it left such a bad taste in our mouths, that we swore we would never be there at that time again. Oh yeah, you think the people on the scooters are bad on a normal day, be there at the end of food and wine! Have seen stories of cops giving tickets to drunks on lawnmowers and golf carts, they should be there during food and wine!!!!

On a different note, we were in the Magic Kingdom on Sep 8, a day when the Halloween Party was scheduled for that evening. With one exception, everything we saw/rode was a walk-on (Mine train had a 30 minute standby posted). Crowds were very low until the Halloween crowd started showing up. We stayed for the party too, and although the crowds were heavier, they didn't compare to the crowds of 3 and 4 years ago. Saturday, Sep 10, we were at Epcot in the morning (no, we don't due rope drop; like our sleep too much!). Had a fast pass for Soarin' but it was also a walk-on with a 10 minute posted stand-by time. I think they were only running one theater at that time too as they were directing everyone into Theater A.

 

[SureAsLiz]

Rumor

Someone new coming to Launch Bay?

https://twitter.com/dcharacternews/status/776216549627572224

I'm excited to see if this pans out. The Launch Bay is cool, but the only thing that has changed since it opened was switching Vader with Kylo and the novelty of meeting Kylo wears off very quickly

 

[rteetz]

I'm excited to see if this pans out. The Launch Bay is cool, but the only thing that has changed since it opened was switching Vader with Kylo and the novelty of meeting Kylo wears off very quickly

I never got to meet Kylo but I would like them to keep things fresh. I am thinking its from Rogue One.

 

[Disneymom1126]

For this year they came out with a new food card of sorts that you can use. You pay a one time price and can use 8 or 16 tickets on any food or beverage items with a few exceptions. To each their own though.

I feel like this is a great idea. I'd much rather pay once and then just give tickets/get a card punched - feels like it would make lines move faster too if a lot if people take advantage of it. I know it's the same cost either way, but it just seems more convenient/efficient to pay once instead of at each booth.