Hi Heather:
The
Epcot International Food and Wine festival is a wonderful experience where Epcot will have upwards of 25 or more food and wine kiosks sprinkled throughout World Showcase that will feature small plates of delicious cuisine (and beverages) from around the world.
Disney World is such a popular destination that I've found that there aren't many times when the Parks are "uncrowded," however, the Parks seem to be "less crowded" whenever school is in session, such as in October. During our October trip last year, I did
not notice that the Food and Wine festival impacted crowd-levels
except at Epcot's World Showcase, where we normally schedule several meals during our trip.
If you avoid Epcot's World Showcase, you'll likely not notice any of the extra foot traffic the Food and Wine Festival attracts. However, I would not avoid World Showcase entirely during your visit. While there may be more people in World Showcase than normal, I didn't feel that the crowd-level ever became unbearable or wholly unmanageable. If you are worried about the crowds in World Showcase, you can help mitigate this concern by planning meals on the early side.
In sum, don't overreact to rumors that the Food and Wine Festival makes Disney World too crowded. October is a great time to visit Walt Disney World, crowd-wise and weather-wise. Enjoy your vacation.