After being cancelled for the 2020 season, Busch Gardens' Food and Wine Festival will be back Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays April 2 thru May 23.
Food and Wine Festival 2021
- Thread starter Gavin
- Start date
I Love how it says 14 dining options and then lists 8
I would assume that means 6 kiosks location but definitely badly done.
I am not thrilled with that ride line up I was hoping for at least one more coaster to be added given the crowds but given that they are currently trying to hire up maybe more will be added and they just don't want to over promises right now.
Yeah, honestly, I think the lineup—as announced—is horrific.
I easily expected to see another two coasters added and I thought the third and/or Le Scoot seemed like a good possibility too. I definitely didn’t see DROPPING one of the only two major open eateries as even a possibility—especially when that limits people to only the single indoor one.
I’m sure staffing is a major limiter right now, but if this lineup comes to fruition in a couple weeks.... Yikes.
I easily expected to see another two coasters added and I thought the third and/or Le Scoot seemed like a good possibility too. I definitely didn’t see DROPPING one of the only two major open eateries as even a possibility—especially when that limits people to only the single indoor one.
I’m sure staffing is a major limiter right now, but if this lineup comes to fruition in a couple weeks.... Yikes.
Kinda disappointing that there’s no new kiosk. However I am glad to see some of my favorite food options for this event. One of them being Churrasco and a Brazilian Lemonade ?
I am not sure how feasible Marco Polo is especially for this event as it's probably one of their biggest staff users on the culinary side. The booths are certainly going to both take up staff as well as spread out the crowd so that hopefully Festaus will be less crowded. My thought would be that they could have possibly opened either Squires or the Irish restaurant as both use less staff and that also balances the park with a full service dining option on both ends of the park.
If they are at the same capacity requirements as this past Sunday when I went, more definitely needs to be open. There were too few rides, eateries and activities open this past weekend for the level of capacity. People spilled out onto the walkways around a lot of the attractions, eateries, and shops. It was quite a mad house in multiple areas....
If last Sunday is going to be the norm for awhile, I'll be very selective about going if at all. I would think Food and Wine would be more popular and more should be open to accommodate the kinds of crowds they can expect.
The Hell??? Before today, Platinum members were getting two free samples per day. Now, it's two only on April 16 & 23, and May 7 & 14.
I'm sorry to be negative, but I am really unhappy about the number of dishes and the lack of European booths. Look back at the event in its first few years. They served interesting food from primarily European countries. It suited the park and it provided a fun experience for foodies. Now it feels completely dumbed down and dramatically reduced. Especially since there are so few regular eateries open, and given that no one wants to stand in long lines during COVID, it seems like a really bad time to minimize the food options.
I wish they would go back to the distinctively European food and do countries not represented. So jarring to see a Jamaican stand in Germany or a Pacific Islander stand in Ireland.
I am OK with having some non-European booths, but when there are only two European ones left, I think the park needs to rethink its event.
For context, here is our review from 2014. There were twice as many dishes and a majority were European.
bgwfans.com
(I apologize for the formatting. It got messed up when we switched [insert software terms that Gavin and Zachary would know here].
There used to be so many amazing booths: Scandinavia and Spain come immediately to mind. Just ugh.
For context, here is our review from 2014. There were twice as many dishes and a majority were European.
Food & Wine Festival 2014: The Full Review – BGWFans
As you all probably know, a group of pleasure-seeking people has invaded Busch Gardens Williamsburg. From May 23rd through June 29th the park is hosting the second annual Food & Wine Festival. Once again, Busch Gardens has been turned into a playground for foodies, wine-lovers, and other brave...
bgwfans.com
(I apologize for the formatting. It got messed up when we switched [insert software terms that Gavin and Zachary would know here].
There used to be so many amazing booths: Scandinavia and Spain come immediately to mind. Just ugh.
I actually think that this is a fairly decent menu for THIS year's situation. Food prices and availability are still some what in flux at the moment and taking those factors into consideration thus menu looks fairly decent in my opinion. Now if there isn't a decent change in it next year I will be right there with many of you in the outrage but I think that this year a smaller more trim event with already existing items is perfectly reasonable.
I was impressed by Kings Dominion with 26 menu items for Taste of the Season, an event literally thrown together from nothing in four weeks. I'm less impressed by another reduction, by half, of Food and Wine's menu.
I have to agree. They usually put an Indian food station in Oktoberfest, and, as much as I love Indian food, that’s not why I come to Busch Gardens Europe. I like that they still use pretty, bright colors for the food stands, but the Mitch-match takes away from the charming European atmosphere the park is known for. I would rather see traditional Oktoberfest food stands in the Oktoberfest part of the park like those heart-shaped cookies and stuff.
I'm surprised and disappointed that they are going to have new show in the Festhaus so soon. Celtic Celebration only gets four weeks, while the Oompa Band gets almost eight weeks. It seems like a lot of wasted effort to create such a great show and only run it for four weeks.
Have we gotten any clarity on what the park experience will be like on non-F&W weekdays? Or why the park would (seemingly randomly) be open on Monday April 19?
