How bad is World Showcase (not F&W booths) on F&W weekends?

[Rach3975]

We have 1 weekday planned at Epcot during our upcoming trip. Although we'll go to a couple of F&W booths, we're more interested in the non-Festival parts of Epcot. We'd love to spend longer than 1 day in Epcot, but our only chance to make that happen would be to add a second day this Saturday evening after we fly in. We'd probably be at Epcot from 4-7 or 5-8. (Yes, I know that's about the worst possible time to be near F&W!)

So tell me--I know the F&W lines will be insane and there may be drunk people, but how crowded will the WS pavillions be? Does the F&W crowd tend to stay outside at the F&W booths, or will they be in the pavillions, too? Will there be room to move around in WS? Will QS restaurants be mobbed at dinner time?

(Going to Future World isn't the solution we're looking for--we'll do that before WS opens on our planned Epcot day. We might ride a few of the Future World rides on Sat., but if we can't do WS we'll just pick another park and avoid the F&W crowds entirely. Thanks!)

 

[Ceilidhscot]

Was there on the 13th October and it was bordering on hell. World showcase was really busy and long lines at most of the booths we walked past (we arrived about 12 noon as had a couple of fastpasses booked - last of which was Frozen in Norway. Mexico was rammed with people (inside the Pavillion) and they were out the door at the bakery place in Norway. By the time we hit Japan, my daughter wanted to leave so only stopped at Ireland booth for the Guinness / Bailey shake.

If I was going back during F&W, I’d avoid it like the plague at the weekend personally. Tuesday (our first day there) was busy but much nicer and far fewer drunk “I’m drinking round the world”, t-shirt wearers.

 

[PSUGuy]

Go to your grocery store, buy a can of sardines, open it. WS will resemble the contents. We were there Oct 18 - 27 and hit F&W all 9 park days, trust me. Next trip we'll be going from a Tues to the second Thurs to limit the weekend days which includes Fri as locals start packing in that afternoon.

Bill From PA

 

[snappy]

Also there Saturday 10.11.18 to sunday 10.21.18. Headed to food and wine every day except 10.11.18. The walkways were jammed to the point I felt uncomfortable in it on the weekend days except for right before and just after opening at 11 am. Sundays early in particular seemed ok. Saturday night 10.20 was the worst. Being stuck in the French quarter after a Mardi gras parade bad as a frame of reference.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

We are going on Saturday night unfortunately. Our only plan is Frozen and a few autographs. Hopefully do Test Track and Soarin. How are the rides up front? Crammed like WS? We have an 8 am ADR the next morning just in case but would really like to get it done in 1 day.

 

[ClapYourHands]

How are the Future World crowds on F&W nights? There's a 10pm close there this Saturday, and I was thinking of heading over after we finish at DHS (8pm close).

 

[sharonabe]

We are going on Saturday night unfortunately. Our only plan is Frozen and a few autographs. Hopefully do Test Track and Soarin. How are the rides up front? Crammed like WS? We have an 8 am ADR the next morning just in case but would really like to get it done in 1 day.

You'll be fine in Future World. The crowds are only in WS. Getting to Frozen will be your only crowded time. Prepare for it. Maybe make a game out of it. Make sure you hold any little ones hands to keep them near you. The only autographs you'll be able to get are the ones in FW.

 

[Princess Katelet]

When is Food and Wine this year?? I'll be there next weekend... If we just run in and do our FP Frozen ride and then return to Future World will it be bad? Although apparently my daughter wants to sample some foods from various countries (not the 'booths' I've heard mentioned, but the actual restaurants...I've never done Food and Wine so have no idea what it really is).

 

[ClapYourHands]

You'll be fine in Future World. The crowds are only in WS. Getting to Frozen will be your only crowded time. Prepare for it. Maybe make a game out of it. Make sure you hold any little ones hands to keep them near you. The only autographs you'll be able to get are the ones in FW.

Awesome! My kids are 8 and 10, so I'm not as worried about losing little ones, and they're not into autographs. I'm hoping to knock out one or two of the "big" rides with semi-low crowds. Just the way my days worked out with park hopping, we don't have any FP booked for Epcot this trip. We will be rope dropping morning EMH on Tuesday, so I think we'll be okay. But YDS has requested TT and ODS has requested FEA, and I want to go on Soarin', so I was hoping to get a jump on the wish list.

 

[ClapYourHands]

We are going on Saturday night unfortunately. Our only plan is Frozen and a few autographs. Hopefully do Test Track and Soarin. How are the rides up front? Crammed like WS? We have an 8 am ADR the next morning just in case but would really like to get it done in 1 day.

Maybe we'll see you there, Mambo Junkie! Fingers crossed for both of us in Future World on Saturday!

 

[sharonabe]

Awesome! My kids are 8 and 10, so I'm not as worried about losing little ones, and they're not into autographs. I'm hoping to knock out one or two of the "big" rides with semi-low crowds. Just the way my days worked out with park hopping, we don't have any FP booked for Epcot this trip. We will be rope dropping morning EMH on Tuesday, so I think we'll be okay. But YDS has requested TT and ODS has requested FEA, and I want to go on Soarin', so I was hoping to get a jump on the wish list.

You're still going to have some wait times. I haven't kept up with FEA, but you could check easywdw to see what wait times have been like. If you can do TT in the single rider line, that will shorten your wait, otherwise, I'd expect an hour wait for that one. Soarin' is actually easier to get into with the third theater. If you're not going to watch Illuminations that night, I'd leave TT for the end and get in line just before closing.

 

[snappy]

I noticed the booths called Next Eats near the rose bush walkway from FW to world showcase was easier to access. Good offerings. Also liked the wine and dine a cross the way. The cheesecake was so good we shared it several times.

 

[gharter]

the booths before getting to WS usually are not as crowded.
WS itself, is a zoo on the weekends.
We arrived on a Saturday afternoon. Walked through the IG heading to Futureworld and the Festival Center. It was a zoo from the IG till we left WS. Futureworld was not crowded at all.
If you have no choice, just plan for it to be very crowded.

 

[SaintsManiac]

World Showcase is chaos on weekends whether it's F&W or not. My last 3 experiences were not great at various times of the year. It was better on Thanksgiving Day than on Saturday!!

 

[snappy]

The festival center was the calm in the center of the storm.

 

[ClapYourHands]

You're still going to have some wait times. I haven't kept up with FEA, but you could check easywdw to see what wait times have been like. If you can do TT in the single rider line, that will shorten your wait, otherwise, I'd expect an hour wait for that one. Soarin' is actually easier to get into with the third theater. If you're not going to watch Illuminations that night, I'd leave TT for the end and get in line just before closing.

Thanks, I figured there would be lines, but if I can manage even one of the big three, I'll consider it a win. We will be back at Epcot on Monday night, and thought we'd do WS and see Illuminations then. Hopefully WS crowds will be more manageable on a weekday afternoon/evening. With daylight savings ending this weekend, I've got an extra hour Sunday morning to sleep off our late Saturday night, so an end-of-night ride, might be perfect!

 

[ars0525]

Saturday night near the end of F&W is going to be a mess. Lines of people. People on top of people. Drunk people. It is what it is. If you know that going & still want to go, then brace yourself & enjoy of some of the stupid people watching while you meander around. There is no moving fast anywhere when it gets that crowded so take in the snail pace & be in the moment.

I got there Sunday the 21st about 5pm & was pleasantly surprised how quiet it was. I was expecting mass chaos, but it was already clearing out, the drunk people were minimal & it was quite enjoyable. The line to the margarita stand in Mexico was only about 8 people long (I use that to judge crowds too) so it was quite a nice evening.

 

[stinkpickle]

We went last Saturday night just for fun, since the temps were in the 70s. Yes, the walkways were packed and the lines were long. HOWEVER, we were able to find openings at many of the WS table service restaurants (ended up at Rose & Crown for dinner at 6:30PM), and we even scored 8:30PM FPs for Frozen just one hour beforehand. Futureworld attraction wait times were longer than during evenings earlier in the week, but not terrible. That said, I still wouldn't recommend a Saturday during F&W to anyone else.

 

[DavidNYC]

I've found it's fine on weekends until about mid-afternoon and then I'd really avoid it if you have alternate days to choose from. But if that's your only option, just be prepared for longer lines and lots of congestion in general (and a handful of really obnoxious and loud drunks . . .)

 

[Duck143]

It's insane and starts early. I found a ton of Bridal parties, bachelor parties, and other groups starting to drink around the world starting very early and it gets worse as the day goes on. It's pretty much wall to wall people in the walking areas. When we were there, they shut down the parking lots because they were full.