EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, Sept. 25 - Nov 16 2015

[Alice28]

Is it safe to assume that the alcoholic beverages like the Happy Lychee in China or the Pomegranite Kir in France would count as an alcohol entitlement?





Epcot Food and Wine Festival Tasting Sampler — NEW!
To celebrate the Epcot Food and Wine Festival’s 20th anniversary, for the first time ever, you can enjoy this sampler package that allows you to Taste Your Way Around the World easier than ever before! You’ll also enjoy priority seating for the 6:45 Eat to the Beat Show!

You’ve wanted that pass to Eat and Drink Your Way Around the World — well, here it is!

This package includes:

• Eight entitlements for food or beverage of your choice at 30 Food and Wine Festival Booths
• Priority seating at the 6:45 Eat to the Beat Concert on the day the package is purchased
• Limited release 20th Anniversary pin that comes in 3 different colors

When: Limited amount of packages available daily
Where: Epcot
Pricing: $59, per person, plus tax. Epcot admission required.

I was curious about this package for my mother and I so I looked into it. First of all, the concert is a moot point for us since we won't be going anyways. Second, the pin is a nice add-on, but not something I would place any value on. Finally, I looked at it as a way to "pre-pay" for 8 food/beverage options at the booths so I checked further to see if there would be any value in it for us.

Each entitlement has an approximate value (to me) of $7.50. I looked at last year's menus (which contained the prices) and saw that most of the food options are around $3-$6, which would make this a bad deal. Then, I checked out the alcohol prices. Mom will drink some wines while I prefer the mixed drinks and neither of us like beer. I assumed that the alcoholic beverages were NOT included. When I called to book our culinary demo, I asked about this package. The CM was very nice and apologetic because she had to put me on hold several times until she could find someone that had the information I needed. This is what I found out...

1) The alcoholic beverages ARE included
2) You can buy the package for ONE person and SHARE the entitlements. This works out great for us since we planned to share the food and drinks anyways.
3) You must select which day you want to use the package and the entitlements are valid on THAT DAY ONLY. There are a limited number of packages being sold for each day. This is a sticking point for us right now because I am not sure yet which day we will be spending the most time at Epcot.

Some things I am not sure about (and I am almost certain that calling would get me nowhere)...Is The Refreshment Port (and other "permanent" booths) included? I'm also wondering about the food "cafe" that is set up at the Festival Center, would that be included?

kristenrice, Today at 12:53 PM
#1498

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I 100% agree! I have worked hard my entire life and if I want to be pamper while on vacation, whose business is that but mine? I cheat no one, take advantage of no one, and in general am a really good person. I stay CL, and go to Disney as often as I can.

,.



I am one who does not understand booking without knowing all the details, but I don't think anyone is attacking you. We are just saying we won't do it.

And at least some people will be upset if it doesn't offer what they "think " it's going to.
I like to be pampered on vacation, but I don't really see this as pampering for me, but then the lines never seem to bother me on weekdays. Plus I actually enjoy the people I meet in line so.

As I said if it was offered on Sat and Sunday I would probably do this. But I probably still would want some details before I pay

 

[gottalovepluto]

Disney has not been magical at the food and wine booking line today, I've called 4 times now to book something and each time i'm told call back in 2 hours when IT fixes it in our systems...yet its still not fixed or bookable :/

Pretty sure IT is down spottedly all over, I called to have a name added to my hotel reservation & they informed me my address was in Chicago and the couldn't do anything when trying to verify stuff... I've never even been to Chicago! Knowing IT's issues are practically legendary from this thread I called back an hour later & all my info was correct. Looks like IT blew it across the board today from food to resorts. *sigh*

 

[kristenrice]

Sounds like the only seminars you can book are either at 2 or 5 Monday - Thursday so your Friday wouldn't have been covered by the package anyway. I am basing that on reports that those seem to be "locked" for booking at the current time.

This may explain why I was unable to book my first choice...Thrusday's 5pm culinary demo. I went with my second choice which is the 1pm on Friday. I had a dinner ADR at Cirtrico's for 5:30pm so I moved it to 7:30pm so that we could do a little more "grazing" at Epcot without feeling rushed to get to dinner.

I keep reading how some posters can't understand how others can book the premium package without knowing the details. There are some of us where the premium areas to sit and have runners are worth the package price. That is my case, I enjoyed the areas last year and I booked it based on that , everything else is a bonus to me. Others may have a different opinion but don't bash people who booked it already as some of us have our own reasons and how I spend my hard earned money is my choice others have a choice how to spend theirs that is great but this is how I choose to spend mine.

This is actually where I am having my dilemma. The idea of the "runners" and the reserved seating (or at least tables) area is very appealing to me...but I don't think it is $200 worth of appealing. For me, there has to be more of a tangible value or I just can't justify the expense. I have a $400 budget for food over my 5-day trip, which is a very extravagant budget for one person. If I want to drop half of it on the premium package, I have to be able to get more than just a seating area and a server because I would have to give up most of my (potential, unscheduled) table-service meals to pay for it.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

,.

I am one who does not understand booking without knowing all the details, but I don't think anyone is attacking you. We are just saying we won't do it.

And at least some people will be upset if it doesn't offer what they "think " it's going to.
I like to be pampered on vacation, but I don't really see this as pampering for me, but then the lines never seem to bother me on weekdays. Plus I actually enjoy the people I meet in line so.

As I said if it was offered on Sat and Sunday I would probably do this. But I probably still would want some details before I pay

I totally agree with this. I was looking forward to the premium package this year but don't think I'll buy it without the gift card and a party like they offered last year. I was thinking having the food runners would be nice, but I've never really encountered any long lines at the booths when I was there Mon-Thurs anyway. So $200 for food runners doesn't really seem like a good deal to me. If I had bad experiences waiting in long lines I might feel differently.

But if it's worth $200 for someone else, then more power to you!

 

[moonburst37]

Totally not bashing others! It's your $$ do what you want with it! but like some others I'm not comfortable booking something so expensive (for our budget) without knowing what it includes. I was excited and hopeful that it would include something more. My dh and I are using 1 day out of our trip to celebrate our anniversary that falls during the week of our stay and we need to get the most bang for our buck AND food & wine time. The LNL party would have given us extra hours and sadly we're not really interested in the dessert party one for the desserts and two we'd rather spend that time exploring more food booths. This limbo is frustrating, just post the details so that we can move on if it truly isn't worth it imo.

 

[Ceryssa]

Last year, it poured rain for our whole trip. There was a hurricane in Mexico causing all the bad weather. DD and I were at Epcot to see Hanson (end of Sept). Somewhere around 4pm we checked the Hanson line and it was very long. They had the line roped into a zig-zag like the bus lines outside Epcot, and it went all the way to the Italy Pavilion (next door). I noticed a well-dressed man with a Disney name tag and asked if he knew whether the Hanson concert was going to be held in the current bad weather. He said the first show was cancelled, and the line I saw was for the second show (6:45). Those poor people in line were going to wait in the downpour more than 2 hours for the second show (which might get cancelled, too). We didn't stick around much longer, as the rain was relentless and we were soaked after so many hours outdoors.

So, yes, Hanson has a good following at Epcot.

Bonus Hanson info: Earlier in the day we stopped by the F&W Festival Center to buy Hanson's MmmHops beer. That's when we learned that Hanson had been there at 10AM, at the very spot where we were standing, for an MmmHops beer promo & meet-and-greet. My advice to you is to stop by the Festival Center early on Hanson's first day, and try to get info if Hanson will be stopping by to promote their beer. You might get a "pixie dust" answer. Good luck!

Oh my. Well, we'll see...maybe we just hang out near American Adventure for part of the other concerts lol! Really glad I booked the package with reserved seating now! Thanks for the info

I think we might do that--how cool would it be to get to meet them?

 

[Ceryssa]

Does the Festival Center open at 9? We never made it in there last year.

 

[POOHsie]

Oh my. Well, we'll see...maybe we just hang out near American Adventure for part of the other concerts lol! Really glad I booked the package with reserved seating now! Thanks for the info

I think we might do that--how cool would it be to get to meet them?

Good idea to get reserved seats. Totally worth it!

Does the Festival Center open at 9? We never made it in there last year.

They have some nice kitchen equipment in there. Also, some interesting dishware and glassware. And ... Dooney & Bourke F&W Festival bags. Last year there were free samples at the large chocolate booth (edited to add: Ghiradelli chocolate).

From the Disney World website:

Begin your journey into exquisite flavors from all over the globe at the Festival Center—open 9:00 AM to park closing at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival! ​

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/food-wine-festival-center-events/

 

[Lsdolphin]

Gireadelli

 

[POOHsie]

Gireadelli

Yes, Thanks! I went blank. Need. more. chocolate.
All those chocolate sculptures on display were wonderful to look at!

 

[karrit2000]

Premium Package details are up on the WDW website

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/food-wine-premium-package/
.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Premium Package
$199 per person

Plus tax. Admission to Epcot is required and not included in the price of the package. Alcohol will only be served to Guests 21 and older. Valid government ID is required. Events are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Get all the important details about your Premium Package at the festival.

• The Epcot Food & Wine Premium Package is valid for one week of your choosing – Monday through Thursday.
• Each Guest will receive a credential to allow access to the Premium Package areas and the special events included with the package. The credential will also contain 4 entitlement tabs to be redeemed for food and beverage items inside the Premium Package areas.
• There are 11 Premium Package areas located outdoors around World Showcase and Future World. These concierge-style locations have tables and limited seating to enjoy food and beverage items purchased at the marketplaces. Each Premium Package area allows you to purchase items from select marketplaces and a cast member will deliver the items to you at the Premium Package area. The package allows access to the Premium Package areas for one week of your choosing – each day, Monday through Thursday – from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
• The package also includes admission to one (1) IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party Monday through Thursday of the purchased package week. The IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert party allows you to savor delectable treats and wines in an exclusive setting along World Showcase Lagoon during the nighttime fireworks spectacular, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. The date and time the Food & Wine Premium Package is booked indicates the date and time you will attend the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party.
• The package also includes admission to one (1) culinary or beverage seminar Monday through Thursday of the purchased package week, taking place in the Festival Center at Epcot. This seminar should be booked in advance as there is limited availability each day.
• Take-home amenity bag includes a wine glass, a bottle of 20th year celebratory wine created just for this festival, and a custom designed Food & Wine Festival magic band
• Guests will check-in at the Festival Center located in Future World East to receive their credential and amenity bag. Check-in times will be from 9am to 9pm Monday through Thursday.
• Credential must be worn to experience all components of the package. Credential identification is non-transferrable and will not be replaced if lost or stolen.
• Epcot park admission is required and is not included in the price of the package.
• Package components are subject to change or cancellation.

 

[FoodieFriend]

Premium Package details are up on the WDW website

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/food-wine-premium-package/
.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Premium Package
$199 per person

Plus tax. Admission to Epcot is required and not included in the price of the package. Alcohol will only be served to Guests 21 and older. Valid government ID is required. Events are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Get all the important details about your Premium Package at the festival.

• The Epcot Food & Wine Premium Package is valid for one week of your choosing – Monday through Thursday.
• Each Guest will receive a credential to allow access to the Premium Package areas and the special events included with the package. The credential will also contain 4 entitlement tabs to be redeemed for food and beverage items inside the Premium Package areas.
• There are 11 Premium Package areas located outdoors around World Showcase and Future World. These concierge-style locations have tables and limited seating to enjoy food and beverage items purchased at the marketplaces. Each Premium Package area allows you to purchase items from select marketplaces and a cast member will deliver the items to you at the Premium Package area. The package allows access to the Premium Package areas for one week of your choosing – each day, Monday through Thursday – from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
• The package also includes admission to one (1) IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party Monday through Thursday of the purchased package week. The IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert party allows you to savor delectable treats and wines in an exclusive setting along World Showcase Lagoon during the nighttime fireworks spectacular, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. The date and time the Food & Wine Premium Package is booked indicates the date and time you will attend the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party.
• The package also includes admission to one (1) culinary or beverage seminar Monday through Thursday of the purchased package week, taking place in the Festival Center at Epcot. This seminar should be booked in advance as there is limited availability each day.
• Take-home amenity bag includes a wine glass, a bottle of 20th year celebratory wine created just for this festival, and a custom designed Food & Wine Festival magic band
• Guests will check-in at the Festival Center located in Future World East to receive their credential and amenity bag. Check-in times will be from 9am to 9pm Monday through Thursday.
• Credential must be worn to experience all components of the package. Credential identification is non-transferrable and will not be replaced if lost or stolen.
• Epcot park admission is required and is not included in the price of the package.
• Package components are subject to change or cancellation.

thanks for the info! hope that means I can call in & choose my days for the Illuminations Party and my culinary demo now! i'll report how it goes tomorrow!

 

[MatzoBelle]

I wonder what this line from the Premium Package description means:

"The date and time the Food & Wine Premium Package is booked indicates the date and time you will attend the IlluminNations Sparkling Dessert Party."

My guess: even though the package is good M-Th, each reservation has a single, official date attached to it, specified by the customer at booking and presumably the same as the first day one intends to use the package. That's the day you have to attend the dessert party.

 

[FoodieFriend]

I wonder what this line from the Premium Package description means:

"The date and time the Food & Wine Premium Package is booked indicates the date and time you will attend the IlluminNations Sparkling Dessert Party."

My guess: even though the package is good M-Th, each reservation has a single, official date attached to it, specified by the customer at booking and presumably the same as the first day one intends to use the package. That's the day you have to attend the dessert party.

what's weird is that MyDisneyExperience has my Premium Package booked on a night where there's no Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party offered.
guess another round of phone calls is coming up!!!

 

[MatzoBelle]

what's weird is that MyDisneyExperience has my Premium Package booked on a night where there's no Illuminations Sparkling Dessert Party offered.
guess another round of phone calls is coming up!!!

That IS weird, but somehow not surprising. If you get the runaround (because it's hard to imagine that the CMs will know how to fix it), consider changing the date of the package to the Monday of the week you're there. Good luck.

 

[pepperandchips]

Notably, the description of the premium package mentions nothing about being required to be a resort guest. Guess I can cancel my reservation if it doesn't end up working out for us without fear of losing our premium package access! I think that's one good thing about the changes this year.

We really enjoyed late nights live so I do wish it was coming back, but I think the $65 worth of culinary demo and dessert party are comparable enough value to sub in. The four entitlements come nowhere close to $50 worth of value unless I can use them for the $12ish champagne we enjoyed last year (here I'm assuming they've subbed the entitlement tabs for the gift card, just to see how the value shakes out for me).

I will admit I thought Disney priced these low (for Disney standards, maybe not real world standards) last year and really sort of included the concierge access for "free". When Disney food blog broke down the math, Wendy estimate the cost of the premium access area at about $18 after subtracting the value of the magic band, party ticket, wine glass, gift card, and bottle of wine from the $199 package price. She didn't account for the cost of the tote, truffles, or corkscrew. I think at Disney prices those items would cost at least $18, so the concierge access was "free".

I am surprised that Disney didn't raise the price AND give you fewer perks! This year, I see the value at $49 (dessert party) + $15 (demo/seminar) + ~$17 wine + $10 tote + $30 magic band (assuming these make noise at tapstiles as previously suggested) + $28 worth of entitlements (assuming they are spent on the most expensive food items, probably about $7 each this year for steak and lobster dishes). That brings us to $149 before seeing the contents of the amenity bag (so not accounting for chocolates or corkscrew, if they are included this year). The concierge value this year is $50 then, rather than "free" last year and makes sense to me. (Please correct me if I have missed any items)

As for my travel party, $50 each for concierge service for four days is a perfectly reasonable splurge. No, we probably wouldn't have booked the dessert party or purchased special magic bands without this package -- but that's the genius of Disney. I'm still pleased with the offering and looking forward to mingling with the same type of superb Epcot CMs we met in the premium areas last year - and hopefully some DISboards friends too! We'll be holding down those premium tables the week of October 5th.

 

[twocat]

Where is the Festival Center located? I know it's Future World East but what building?

 

[crazy4wdw]

Where is the Festival Center located? I know it's Future World East but what building?

It's in the old Wonders of Life pavilion, between Universe of Energy and Mission Space.

 

[kristenrice]

Premium Package details are up on the WDW website

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/food-wine-premium-package/
.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Premium Package
$199 per person

Plus tax. Admission to Epcot is required and not included in the price of the package. Alcohol will only be served to Guests 21 and older. Valid government ID is required. Events are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

Get all the important details about your Premium Package at the festival.

• The Epcot Food & Wine Premium Package is valid for one week of your choosing – Monday through Thursday.
• Each Guest will receive a credential to allow access to the Premium Package areas and the special events included with the package. The credential will also contain 4 entitlement tabs to be redeemed for food and beverage items inside the Premium Package areas.
• There are 11 Premium Package areas located outdoors around World Showcase and Future World. These concierge-style locations have tables and limited seating to enjoy food and beverage items purchased at the marketplaces. Each Premium Package area allows you to purchase items from select marketplaces and a cast member will deliver the items to you at the Premium Package area. The package allows access to the Premium Package areas for one week of your choosing – each day, Monday through Thursday – from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
• The package also includes admission to one (1) IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party Monday through Thursday of the purchased package week. The IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert party allows you to savor delectable treats and wines in an exclusive setting along World Showcase Lagoon during the nighttime fireworks spectacular, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. The date and time the Food & Wine Premium Package is booked indicates the date and time you will attend the IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party.
• The package also includes admission to one (1) culinary or beverage seminar Monday through Thursday of the purchased package week, taking place in the Festival Center at Epcot. This seminar should be booked in advance as there is limited availability each day.
• Take-home amenity bag includes a wine glass, a bottle of 20th year celebratory wine created just for this festival, and a custom designed Food & Wine Festival magic band
• Guests will check-in at the Festival Center located in Future World East to receive their credential and amenity bag. Check-in times will be from 9am to 9pm Monday through Thursday.
• Credential must be worn to experience all components of the package. Credential identification is non-transferrable and will not be replaced if lost or stolen.
• Epcot park admission is required and is not included in the price of the package.
• Package components are subject to change or cancellation.

Thanks! That makes my decision very easy...No. We arrive on a Thursday and depart on a Tuesday so the most we could get out of this would be one full day. I will go back to checking out the Sampler Package.