Seems like plain old incompetence to me--and thus very "un-Disney". Disney is usually so good at making trip planning around events easy. Unlike some of you who know exactly when you're going and are just curious (can't say I blame you), we wait to book air travel, hotels, etc. until we see the schedule and select what we most want to do.
The official line that I got when I called at the beginning of this week was that "celebrities are difficult to pin down". True enough. That might explain why the Party for the Senses isn't up, but the vertical tastings, and wine and food pairings, and list of wineries that will be around on any given day should have been announced LONG ago--for few (or no) celebrities are involved in those.
My memory may be a bit foggy, but I don't recall prior years being that different from this year in terms of when info is released relative to the booking date. Granted, this year the booking date is 6 days later than it was last year. The "Official" list is when the disneyworld.com website gets updated or when the event schedule got mailed out (I understand this year there will be no snail mailing). "Unofficial" lists squeaked out a bit in advance of that (perhaps a week or two, tops) and were by no means comprehensive.
Even when the lists are released, information is by no means complete. I expect to see event names, some sort of brief description, dates offered, and prices. Here's what levels of description I recall being available for last year's festival at time of official listing/when ressies opened.
Party For the Senses: shortlist mentioned above. NO specific guest chefs mentioned (although I was able to sort out a few a month or so prior to festival start by directly asking some chefs who mentioned to me they were doing the Epcot festival again; educated guesses may also be made by seeing which chefs are booked for other events)
Food and Wine Pairings: shortlist mentioned above. No specific menus or vinters mentioned in advance. "Themes" are tied in with hosting restaurants.
Cook, Book, Bottle: Shortlist mentioned above. Chefs already booked were listed, although several dates showed TBD at time reservations opened. Nothing's set in stone. Chefs are subject to change.
Chef's Afield: pretty much same sort of info as aforementioned CBB.
Odyssey Kitchen Conversations: Shortlist mentioned above. I can't remember if any specific chefs were listed when reservations first opened or if it was simply described as "Food Network personalities". It may have just been the Deen brothers (who ended up bowing out due to birth of a child) and Cat Cora listed initially. Oddly enough, by the time the festival opened, the official festival booklet no longer even mentioned Food Network as the source for the guest chefs.
Odyssey Cooking Schools: Shortlist mentioned above, plus themes. Some of the listings may have had guest chefs listed as well; I can't remember.
Sweet Sundays: Shortlist mentioned above, plus some guest chefs listed.
Exquisite Evenings: Shortlist mentioned above, all themes listed, plus some guest chefs listed.
Regional Feasts: Shortlist mentioned above, plus themes listed.
Signature Dinners: Shortlist mentioned above, plus hosting restaurant, plus theme.
Wine Schools: Shortlist mentioned above, plus themes listed. I can't remember if wineries/instructors were mentioned as well.
Vertical Wine Tastings: Shortlist mentioned above, plus specific wines.
Whew!
I'll admit I get quite anxious this time of year, too, and can't wait for info to be released. I approach it by booking my trip dates and then deciding which of the scheduled events I want to attend.
or I would join you in writing a letter as well. DW and I have attended several F&WFs in the past, and I always recall having at least some information early in July. Of course, I remember booking ressies as early as just after July 4th as well.
