**2010** Epcot Food & Wine Festival ENDED 11/14. 2011 FESTIVAL 9/30-11/13

[TDC Nala]

When you pick up your deminar ticket, you get in line to enter Palmhenge (I call it that because the seminar location is not walled off from the rest of the pavilion, they just use a big circle of potted palms as a barrier). If you're not in line you will get a seat inside, but it may not be the best seat. If you want a good seat, it will depend on when you get in line, because once they start letting the line into the venue you can choose your seats inside. If you're at the end of the line, you may not get such a good seat.

As for whether you can get an autograph, you will have to ask when you get there - if he's plugging a book, you can buy the book and get it signed if they make him available for book signings, but it'll depend on the preferences of each individual presenter as to whether they'll do something like sign your recipe sheet.

 

[Donald'sGirl]

I think we will try to get there early enough so we will get good seats and then hope that we can get an autograph after. Thanks so much for the info!

 

[Disbug]

It's occurred to me that last year I paid $5 discounted for these - I've just paid twice as much for the same thing. That's part of the reason I have only booked one, and only on a day when I had nothing but spare time.

This is one reason that we didn't book any. While we did enjoy most of the deminars we attended last year the beverage portions were ridiculously small. And think about how much got wasted because the staff poured out for 100 guests whether the event was fully booked or not. If they know from advance booking how many people are attending a demo / seminar then they should pour for that number and then re-pour for the guests who are there. Then nothing goes to waste.

I know! Right?!

I had a hard time picking a deminar that didn't conflict with the food and wine classic too. I really wish there was something other that wine/champagne seminars being offered those days. Disbug..what beverage seminar did you pick for the F&W classic? I called to book without having one picked out (didn't realize you had to pick in advance) and took Sake on the spur of the moment.

Haven't seen a whole lot of chatter about the classic..my thinking is that it should be awesome! Esp since its the first one. They'll probably pull out all the stops to drum up interest for next year.

Super excited!

ITA about the Classic being awesome! (For all the reasons you gave...) I am now signed up for the Friday Mixology class, unless I get into the 2nd Saturday Mixology Class.... Sake did sound interesting though...description mentioned pairing with food (I think?)

 

[redzinner]

FYI Tidbit

The reduced price tickets offered to TIW, Passholders and DVC members are sold out for:

Keegan Gerhard

Jamie Deen both sessions

Andrew Zimmern

Robert Irvine both sessions

and Todd English

 

[Quacktatty]

Do they hold regular priced tickets for the non-discount eligible folks? I'm thinking they must since I was able to book two Andrew Zimmern deminars quite late into the booking process last year.

 

[TDC Nala]

Do they hold regular priced tickets for the non-discount eligible folks? I'm thinking they must since I was able to book two Andrew Zimmern deminars quite late into the booking process last year.

Regular price tickets go less quickly as there is a limited number of discount tickets available.

They also hold a few tickets for sale at the Festival Center at the day of.

The culinary demos presented by Gerhard, Deen, Irvine, Zimmern and English will probably end up being sold out completely soon after the festival center opens on the days they present, but for most other deminars there shouldn't be a sellout. Attendance seemed to be much higher on weekends, especially the first weekend of the festival.

 

[Quacktatty]

Thanks, that makes sense. But I am still glad that I was able to get discounts this year!

 

[Julylady]

Is anyone having success registering for Deminars this morning? I keep getting a message that says "Registration will open at 9am." It is well past that time.

 

[arbolita]

Is anyone else able to access the registration on the website? It keeps telling me it will open at 9AM EST (Which was 15 minutes ago).

 

[barknluke]

No luck here either. I've gotten to the page where I fill in my address twice, and even then it will go back and tell me to wait until 9am.

Oh joy.

 

[Northern_Julie]

Is anyone else able to access the registration on the website? It keeps telling me it will open at 9AM EST (Which was 15 minutes ago).

I got in and got to fill out the form and now it is telling me to come back at 9am

 

[Julylady]

Same here. Still no luck.

 

[hopeforus]

still no luck - anyone get registered yet?

 

[woolfcross]

No luck here either--and now it's 9:35. Unable to book online, I called the 407-FEST line and was told that no one other than TIW/AP members can register in advance; registration will be only "day of" attendance. Hope that's not true!

One thing is for certain: this event is run very badly. I can understand having to wait until close to the date to know what the deminars are (for Disney has to confirm with the presenters). But there's no excuse for this "yes you can book/no you can't" confusion. And contradictory info online as well as on the phone.

Disney is usually run so well. F&W fest is the exception. They really should clamp down on the semi-competent managers/directors in charge of the event. No excuse for these continuing and widespread problems that cause such frustration among F&W attendees.

 

[arbolita]

Nope, still nothing. I guess the plus side is that it seems like nobody can get through on the site, and that's the only way to get tickets - so we don't have to worry about things being sold out by the time we can access the page.

 

[barknluke]

DONE!

Hang in there!

 

[wvaspartan]

Looks like events sold out via the TiW were not avaialble to the regular people...d Bar for the 1st day was sold out when I got on

 

[Julylady]

I also found that events sold out for the TIA/AP/DVC were not available this morning. Rats. We were hoping to get tickets for Robert Irvine's demo.

Are there additional tickets available the day of the event? Does anyone know how this works?

 

[wvaspartan]

If it was the same as last year they had some the morning of and they sold first come first serve until sold out completely.

 

[hopeforus]

Hey,

I just got through and reserved two sessions!!