2014 Food & Wine Festival Planning

[klwdisney]

My mom and I have taken our last few trips during the spring but I miss WDW in the fall ... especially the F&W Festival!!

What week would you suggest going for next year (2014) to ensure we'd be there for the festival (i know they haven't released next year's dates yet) but also with cooler/drier/less humid weather (i have NO interest in going during Sept!!) and lower crowds.

At the moment I am considering the first week in November. We have tentatively booked the Poly for that week. But as usual I am second guessing myself.

Any suggestions??
We are 2 adult women with no children with most of our plans centered around the MK and Epcot and specifically the F&W Festival as my mom's never been and I haven't gone to the festival since 2007.

(also considering a resort change if Poly turns out to be a construction zone at that time. may change to CR garden wing to stay on monorail line or beach club - possibly with rented points - to be close to epcot).

Thanks In Advance!!

 

[ghtx]

First week of November sounds great.

The festival will still be around, and it won't be so hot outside.

 

[klwdisney]

Thanks! That's my hope!

 

[jennylyn_b]

I would caution you against the first week in November. Depending on when Veterans Day and Jersey week are next year that week gets extremely crowded. I just looked it up and it looks like Jersey Week is November 1 next year. It will add significantly to the crowds.

Its a great time to go weatherwise and we do it every year but I just wanted to let you know !

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It's getting harder and harder to pick a good week....

Disney now has two races during Food & Wine which add "people" to the event. In addition, you have a couple of holiday weekends and "Jersey Week" This year one of the races is the weekend of November 8 and 9... but who knows what the 2014 schedule will be.

I went with the third week in October after debating a lot

 

[klwdisney]

I would caution you against the first week in November. Depending on when Veterans Day and Jersey week are next year that week gets extremely crowded. I just looked it up and it looks like Jersey Week is November 1 next year. It will add significantly to the crowds.

Its a great time to go weatherwise and we do it every year but I just wanted to let you know !

Actually Veterens Day is November 11th next year. We'd be going November 1st - 8th so I think Jersey Week would be the week after we were there. I think we'll be all set since our last park day would most likely be Friday. Whew!! Dodged a bullet there! (hopefully!)

 

[kbonner]

Actually Veterens Day is November 11th next year. We'd be going November 1st - 8th so I think Jersey Week would be the week after we were there. I think we'll be all set since our last park day would most likely be Friday. Whew!! Dodged a bullet there! (hopefully!)

Veterans' Day is always on the 11th, but Jersey Week starts on the 1st of November in 2014.

 

[klwdisney]

OHHHH! ok well the last few times i've gone have been mid-may. This year we went the week before memorial day weekend. Would Jersey Week be more crowded than that?

At this point we're pretty flexible in our dates. Especially since we don't travel with kids and so don't have to worry about school. I just REALLY want to go during the Food & Wine Festival but later in the festival when the weather is milder/cooler and the crowds are lower than our last few trips.

 

[Redheaded Sunshine]

It's still warm but we always go in the first week of October. The crowd levels are usually pretty low with the exception of around Columbus Day.

 

[PSUGuy]

This Oct 10th will mark our 4th F&W during Mid Oct in the last 5 years. We used to go the first week in March when my school is off but switched to Oct for F&W , lower crowds and more reliable good weather.

Bill From PA

 

[klwdisney]

Ok it's been so long since I've been in the Fall that I don't even remember how much Jersey Week affects crowds.

As I said before I'm pretty flexible in that general range.

I really wanted to catch the Food & Wine Festival but am almost more interested in low crowds and better weather than anything

So... (keep in mind I'm talking 2014 here... so yes I realize I'm crazy for fixating on this right now but at the moment i need the distraction )

Do I do the week that ends with Halloween and just try to avoid the MNSSHP crowds? (10/25-11/1/14)

Do I do the first week in November (11/1-11/8/14) even though it's Jersey Week?

Do I do the following week that has Veterans Day in it (11/8-11/15/14) and hopefully catch the last day or 2 or the F&W Festival (basing on this years F&W Fest dates) but maybe see some Christmas Decorations?

Also, since I've never been when it was decorated for Christmas, what IS decorated in November? Are the Epcot Holiday Storytellers out in November?

Sorry for driving everyone crazy but once I figure this part out I can move on to worry about my hotel choice

 

[TDC Nala]

The festival dates for 2014 should be September 26 - November 9.

Are the Epcot Holiday Storytellers out in November?

They do not appear until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Candlelight Processional will not start until then either.

If you are there during Food & Wine you should see the following:

1) MK will be decorated as the first Christmas party will be likely during that time (except the large Christmas tree which will not go up until after the Christmas Parade television taping)
2) The main Christmas trees at the other parks will go up in that time, but not much else
3) Osborne Lights, if they are still being done (lots of rumors around future construction at DHS) may start about that time

Don't expect too much decoration at the resorts.

If you are sold on the decorations, you'll probably need to go after Thanksgiving. If you are more interested in Food & Wine, I would think the best time to go is between Columbus Day and Halloween. Any further into November and you get Jersey Week (which is planned around Election Day, not Veterans Day), then Veterans Day/Wine & Dine Marathon.

If you want rented points at the Beach Club, remember these rooms will go QUICKLY during food & wine, especially if you want a studio. It is probably best to rent from a member who owns points there so you can book before the 7 month window.

 

[klwdisney]

Thanks!!

So the week of Halloween would be low crowds? I worried it would be crowded with people celebrating Halloween. Good to know!

 

[FRANKTSJR]

Listening to the weather forecast one year while at WDW the weatherman advised that October 15 was considered to be the start of the dry season. I always keep that in mind.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't know if you should expect "low crowds." There really isn't any such thing anymore for the festival. Whatever time you go, there will be huge crowds at the festival on weekends. It won't be dead on weekdays either, but there won't be nearly as many people as weekends.

But there are events that might push crowds higher, at least for the Festival. These include:

Opening weekend
Tower of Terror Half Marathon (which is not at Epcot but might bring in extra people)
Columbus Day
Jersey Week
Veterans Day/Wine and Dine Half Marathon

Halloween does not mean larger crowds at the festival. Everyone is off celebrating Halloween somewhere else. The locals don't usually come because they're at home or coming in for the MK party (plus Halloween is a Thursday). The tourists who have kids will probably be off at DTD or the MK Halloween party.

 

[klwdisney]

I agree about no slow times anymore

But my mom has only been in the spring (i get tempted by the spring sale and she loves the flower & garden festival). To me Spring seems crowded (especially this year when we went later in May). I just wanted to show her how pleasant the Fall is.

I think crowds are a little easier to deal with when you're not in 90% humidity dodging the afternoon t-storm soaked with sweat. lol

Im just unsure what is most appealing to us at the moment the food & wine festival and concerts OR seeing holiday decorations and skipping the festival.

At the moment I am leaning towards changing my reservations to the last week in October and just avoiding the MNSSHP. I will see what Mom's opinion is.

Now I have to decide whether to keep our hotel as the Poly and chance the construction that may or may not be going on next Fall, or changing our hotel to the Beach Club at the same time. At the moment I am considering the Beach Club. I wanted a Monorail Resort this trip but GF is WAY too pricey and does nothing for me theme-wise. and neither of us loves the idea of the Contemporary although it's proximity to our 2 favorite parks makes it a possible contender.

AHHHH After all my trips you'd think these decisions would be easier!! They sure seem it when I say at the end of my trips, "next time i'm going during that week and im staying at that hotel!" haha and then the second guessing begins!!

 

[cygnusx1jg]

If possible, go the last week of it so that the weather should be it's coolest.

The only other suggestion I have for Food and Wine is don't get any chocolate dessert that says it has chili flavor in it. It's just wrong.

 

[klwdisney]

Mom asked what the week BEFORE Thanksgiving would be like? So next year that would be 11/15-11/22/14.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Mom asked what the week BEFORE Thanksgiving would be like? So next year that would be 11/15-11/22/14.

Crowd wise it's good. But no Food & Wine festival

 

[klwdisney]

No F&W Festival but maybe SOME Xmas decorations?