2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival 9/19-11/10

[Inkmahm]

seriously? I finally get through to hold music and i am now on chorus 47 of iasw? That's just mean.

lol!!!

 

[Tamar]

SOOOO disappointed this am. I could not get through for 2 hours and then when I finally was able to get through I was only hold for about 30 minutes only to be told the wine view and reserved seating are both sold out for the party for the senses on 11/1. It was our 20th anniversary....we were so excited to book the wine view lounge. I have called four times and have gotten the same answer every time that only general admission is available for that day.

ANYWAYS...I'm over it now. I have some questions though....has anyone here done a recent party as general admission? How "bad" is it or really is it that bad...i.e. crowded. etc. Give me the lo-down. Also....does anyone know that if I keep calling over the next few days that maybe they hold back a few seats everyday so they are not completely booked on the first day? Any help/guidance would be appreciated. THANKS!

Last year was the first year in several that we haven't gone to PFTS. We probably will go this year. For us, the premium seating just isn't worth the extra money, and so we will continue to enjoy the GA experience.

We have found that we are actually happier if we arrive about 15-20 minutes late. The mad scramble is over, and we can walk right in. The campers have all found their spots, and we walk toward the back of the room and find a stand-up table to make our home base. Sometimes we start out alone, often, we join others. People come and go. A few years ago, we shared a stand up table with a couple of the members of Night Ranger.

My advice is, don't try to be first in, and don't try to claim a table. Just plan on wandering around and enjoying the ambience (and the food and the wine).

 

[pepperandchips]

I agree. I just can't stand to be left out. I am their target demographic.

This is so true for me too, so I went ahead (after an hour and a half of crunching numbers) and booked the premium package. The cm found it right away, no problems booking.

$211.95 per person is STEEP but my October trip is already my blowout "fantasy" trip anyway (staying at a 1BR Grand Floridian Villa) so what's another $635.85? I feel like with the late night party, the gift card, the welcome bag, and the wine I don't mind paying ~$50ish for the VIP access, seats, and another magic band (that I need like a hole in the head). Oh Disney, just take my WHOLE paycheck, that's fine!

If anyone knows how this might work with a split stay, let me know. Thinking of adding another day to our trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

Here is something that someone was told by Disney on another board about the late night event.

1. The pavilions are, Canada, Greece, Hawaii, Desserts and Champagne.
2. You get 6 complimentary items, hard limit.
3. Drinks are part of your 6. So if you get 3 glasses of wine, that leaves you with 3 food items.

This indicates that you can get 6 items IN TOTAL from these 4 marketplaces.
You can choose either food or beverages. So you could have 4 food items and 2 drinks or 3 drinks and 3 food items, or 6 drinks, or 6 food items. But 6 in total.
Pick expensive stuff to increase your value if this is the case.

You MAY be able to pay for additional items. Nothing for sure on this yet. and we know that Disney sometimes says the wrong things. But this sounds like it may be sensible.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

This is so true for me too, so I went ahead (after an hour and a half of crunching numbers) and booked the premium package. The cm found it right away, no problems booking.

$211.95 per person is STEEP but my October trip is already my blowout "fantasy" trip anyway (staying at a 1BR Grand Floridian Villa) so what's another $635.85? I feel like with the late night party, the gift card, the welcome bag, and the wine I don't mind paying ~$50ish for the VIP access, seats, and another magic band (that I need like a hole in the head). Oh Disney, just take my WHOLE paycheck, that's fine!

If anyone knows how this might work with a split stay, let me know. Thinking of adding another day to our trip.

I will justify this to myself by saying I didn't book the "Food for Thought" thing with Andrew Zimmern or Jamie Deen. This was actually cheaper than that, because of the gift card. So there.

 

[KCSherri]

What I'm not clear on is whether or not you can only use your credentials for the day you booked

I just booked the Premium Package, and Brandon, the CM on the telephone, said I had up to a "week" to use my credentials. Which would be totally awesome.

 

[TDC Nala]

yes, if I can use it Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday AND the next Monday it'll be the awesomest.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

My Premium Package just shows in MDE as the Tuesday night party thing. Hmm.

 

[MollysWorld]

My Premium Package just shows in MDE as the Tuesday night party thing. Hmm.

Nothing about a day from the Premium area? That could be a good sign.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Comment on Disney Food Blog indicates they were told it is one gift bag & gift card per room with the premium package...

 

[Linda67]

Nothing about a day from the Premium area? That could be a good sign.

This is the question I was asking myself
So the premium package gets you those reserved areas over multiple days?
If I am understanding this correctly, the only part of this event that is date specific is the night you want to attend the after hours party? Is that correct?

 

[pepperandchips]

Comment on Disney Food Blog indicates they were told it is one gift bag & gift card per room with the premium package...

If that is true they will be refunding me. NOWHERE on the details does it say one gift card per room.

 

[MollysWorld]

This is the question I was asking myself
So the premium package gets you those reserved areas over multiple days?
If I am understanding this correctly, the only part of this event that is date specific is the night you want to attend the after hours party? Is that correct?

I think that is the great unknown. Some folks have been told that the reserved areas are not restricted to just one day, only the late night event is limted to one night. But I think there is still confusion.

 

[MollysWorld]

Comment on Disney Food Blog indicates they were told it is one gift bag & gift card per room with the premium package...

I don't think that could be right. Or maybe you have to share the one Magic Band.

 

[andeesings]

All of my food and wine reservations (seminars and Shake & Indulge) SORT of show up in MDE (the time shows but they're blank) but when I click them to modify the guests on them, the app crashes. EVERY single time. Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[Linda67]

I think that is the great unknown. Some folks have been told that the reserved areas are not restricted to just one day, only the late night event is limted to one night. But I think there is still confusion.

See that's the deal breaker for me - if the reserved area access is for several days, I would book it but if it's only for one day, I don't think the value is there

 

[pepperandchips]

All of my food and wine reservations (seminars and Shake & Indulge) SORT of show up in MDE (the time shows but they're blank) but when I click them to modify the guests on them, the app crashes. EVERY single time. Does anyone else have this problem?

Same thing. Also online i'm getting the Donald Duck screen of death if I try to click for more information.

 

[TDC Nala]

I would think based on further info that you get in the swag bag:


1 bag per room (it's probably some kind of tote bag that you can keep) with:
1 premium credential per person you booked for
1 wine glass per person
1 magic band per person
1 bottle of wine per room
1 gift card per room

Can't even guess about the truffles.

Since it's just me I'm not going to be annoyed if it's just one gift card and one bottle of wine is definitely plenty. If true it does cut down on the value of multiple participants per room to get only one gift card and bottle of wine.

 

[MollysWorld]

See that's the deal breaker for me - if the reserved area access is for several days, I would book it but if it's only for one day, I don't think the value is there

That is kinda where we are falling right now. I'm not even sure how much we would use/need it during the week, but nice to have the access.

And, if it is only for one day, we have to rethink some other plans.

 

[marsh0013]

I would think based on further info that you get in the swag bag:


1 bag per room (it's probably some kind of tote bag that you can keep) with:
1 premium credential per person you booked for
1 wine glass per person
1 magic band per person
1 bottle of wine per room
1 gift card per room

Can't even guess about the truffles.

Since it's just me I'm not going to be annoyed if it's just one gift card and one bottle of wine is definitely plenty. If true it does cut down on the value of multiple participants per room to get only one gift card and bottle of wine.

Unless they offer a discount per person if you're in the same room, it really doesn't seem to make sense to only offer 1 bottle of wine and 1 gift card per room. Your'e right, it really devalues it if you're more than 1 person in a room.