*2013* epcot food & wine festival 9/27-11/11

[Chisoxcollector]

Anyone able to book Kitchen Memories today? They were telling me none were available? I tried for the Oct 18th one from the Black Big Meat Company.

Anyone else able to book or not able to book Kitchen Memories events today?

thanks,
jim

Hey Jim. I was able to book 2 seats for the Kitchen Memories on 10/4 with Andrew Zimmern. I called right at 7, and was on hold for about 10 minutes.

 

[mmorrison]

I could not book 10/25 (after a hold time of 1 hour 8 minutes). But I know two persons who were able to book 11/4 (Andrew Zimmern) and 11/11 (Art Smith).

We were able to book Robert Irvine Kitchen Memories for three people.

 

[ellie0311]

Just tried to book Sweet Sundays for 10/20 for 4 people and was told there was no availability. I really hope this is due to only limited seating for Disney Visa card holders being released today because I will be very disappointed if nothing is available tomorrow. What time does the phone line open up tomorrow, 7 am EDT again?

 

[herb102211]

Just tried to book Sweet Sundays for 10/20 for 4 people and was told there was no availability. I really hope this is due to only limited seating for Disney Visa card holders being released today because I will be very disappointed if nothing is available tomorrow. What time does the phone line open up tomorrow, 7 am EDT again?

I am hoping the same. We were trying for the 10/13 Sweet Sundays today and were also told that there was no availability.

The phone lines open up again at 7am EDT tomorrow.

Good luck tomorrow!

 

[tebookie]

Was able to book 3DDD Disney Dessert Discoveries for 10/4 and a Culinary demo for 9/30 and 10/6.

Now we just wait to taste...

 

[karmacats]

So stinkin' mad right now.

AKL IPO was supposed to book our Sweet Sundays reservation for us at 7 a.m. using our Disney Visa. I checked my email around 11 - no confirmation. I checked MDE - no reservation. So, i called IPO. They said we had been "overlooked" and no one had made the reservation; then they kept me on hold for half an hour while they tried to make it, with no success.

This is the one event I care about - I don't drink much and I'm not too adventurous with entrees, but I love me some desserts - so I'm completely bummed. the 3D dessert party isn't offered the weekend we're there, so this was my one chance for a major dessert party.

They did say they would try again tomorrow bright and early, as more seats for all the events will be released then. I don't know if it's the same percentage for all events, but for the Sweet Sundays only 10% of the seats were released for each date today. So, there is a good chance I will get it tomorrow. However, it means one more day of stressing about it, plus basically negating any benefit I get from the Disney Visa (which seems to be taking benefits away hand over fist, even for those of us who pay an annual fee), plus now I'm mad as heck at IPO.

Anyway, for those of you who were told events were "sold out" today, definitely try again tomorrow. Just don't book the Oct 20 Sweet Seats until I've got my ressie, ok?!??!?

 

[karmacats]

Just tried to book Sweet Sundays for 10/20 for 4 people and was told there was no availability. I really hope this is due to only limited seating for Disney Visa card holders being released today because I will be very disappointed if nothing is available tomorrow. What time does the phone line open up tomorrow, 7 am EDT again?

I am hoping the same. We were trying for the 10/13 Sweet Sundays today and were also told that there was no availability.

The phone lines open up again at 7am EDT tomorrow.

Good luck tomorrow!

You guys posted these while I was writing my post. : ) According to the IPO CM who talked to the reservations folks, only 10% of the Sweet Sundays seats were released today. So, hopefully we will all get in tomorrow!

 

[RachelTori]

Good luck to everyone who will be on the phones tomorrow at 7:00am.

This has been such a mess this year. Definitely the worst I've ever seen in the 10 years I've been booking these events.

 

[gwynne]

Good luck to everyone who will be on the phones tomorrow at 7:00am.

This has been such a mess this year. Definitely the worst I've ever seen in the 10 years I've been booking these events.

I agree! Frankly, I don't think this reflects well on Disney Visa. They didn't make it clear the benefit of early booking is extremely limited. What is or is not available is very confusing for guests and dining CMs alike.
I also feel kind of bad for the IPOs. They are having to deal w all sorts of short notice changes, while doing their usual jobs.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So stinkin' mad right now.

AKL IPO was supposed to book our Sweet Sundays reservation for us at 7 a.m. using our Disney Visa. I checked my email around 11 - no confirmation. I checked MDE - no reservation. So, i called IPO. They said we had been "overlooked" and no one had made the reservation; then they kept me on hold for half an hour while they tried to make it, with no success.

This is the one event I care about - I don't drink much and I'm not too adventurous with entrees, but I love me some desserts - so I'm completely bummed. the 3D dessert party isn't offered the weekend we're there, so this was my one chance for a major dessert party.

They did say they would try again tomorrow bright and early, as more seats for all the events will be released then. I don't know if it's the same percentage for all events, but for the Sweet Sundays only 10% of the seats were released for each date today. So, there is a good chance I will get it tomorrow. However, it means one more day of stressing about it, plus basically negating any benefit I get from the Disney Visa (which seems to be taking benefits away hand over fist, even for those of us who pay an annual fee), plus now I'm mad as heck at IPO.

Anyway, for those of you who were told events were "sold out" today, definitely try again tomorrow. Just don't book the Oct 20 Sweet Seats until I've got my ressie, ok?!??!?

that sucks - did they offer you any compensation for being "overlooked"?

best of luck tomorrow!

 

[herb102211]

You guys posted these while I was writing my post. : ) According to the IPO CM who talked to the reservations folks, only 10% of the Sweet Sundays seats were released today. So, hopefully we will all get in tomorrow!

That's great news! I did find it hard to believe that all of the seats for certain events were sold out within 30 minutes of them being released, so I'm glad to hear there will be plenty of seats opening tomorrow.

Good luck

 

[TDC Nala]

For this kind of thing I would totally forget about the IPO and just try to book it myself. It's been discussed that IPO doesn't get any priority over regular guests for these events, so all you're doing is saving yourself having to call when the phone line opens. Personally I'd still rather do this sort of thing for special events myself.

 

[gwynne]

For this kind of thing I would totally forget about the IPO and just try to book it myself. It's been discussed that IPO doesn't get any priority over regular guests for these events, so all you're doing is saving yourself having to call when the phone line opens. Personally I'd still rather do this sort of thing for special events myself.

The is exactly what I did this morning. I cancelled my request, and will book myself tomorrow. I want to know what my second choice options are in real time, should my first choice be sold out.

 

[abbybeth]

Well, thanks to reports here, and despite a first CM saying they were NOT booking all events for Disney VISA cardholders, I persevered and booked "Scotland, Land of Food & Drink". Now... if that FIRST CM had JUST BOOKED ME, I might have gotten RESERVED seating which this CM said was now fully booked.

But at least I got it!

Thanks again, DISers, for sharing your experiences here to arm us all with real info!!

So... now... what's the deal with "standard" vs. "reserved" seating? The latter is closer to the action?? Anything else??

I was able to get our two tickets for this event today as well! Didn't ask about the reserved seating - I was having a hard enough time justifying the cost for the regular seating! Just glad to have the reservation done and I was able to link it in MDE. Maybe we'll bump into you there!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I started my yearly thread of the special events:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3156540

Post if you would like to know who is going to your events as well.

 

[karmacats]

For this kind of thing I would totally forget about the IPO and just try to book it myself. It's been discussed that IPO doesn't get any priority over regular guests for these events, so all you're doing is saving yourself having to call when the phone line opens. Personally I'd still rather do this sort of thing for special events myself.

Yeah, if it wasn't at 7 a.m. i'd just do it myself. I work afternoons and evenings, though, so I'm on a weird schedule - I usually sleep from about 3 a.m. until 11 a.m. Getting up at 7 would mean being exhaused and probably useless at work the next day. It's like the middle of the night for me!

that sucks - did they offer you any compensation for being "overlooked"?

best of luck tomorrow!

Nah, nothing. Honestly, as long as they can get it for me tomorrow, I'm not going to beat the issue to death with them - I know sometimes mistakes happen. I did ask the CM on the phone if he could give me priority tomorrow a.m. to be among the first requests submitted, since my "priority" today was lost due to their error. He wouldn't commit to that, and just said they have a CM coming in early who will just be dedicated to making F&W reservations tomorrow, so they would take care of me. I don't think that's sufficient, so I'm going to shoot them an email asking again for priority tomorrow a.m. I have no idea if it will work, but I figure it's worth a try. Thanks for the well-wishes.

 

[lampy]

So sorry to hear others had issues. I called at 7 and booked PFtS reserved seating and the Beer dinner in 5 minutes. Checked MDE later and they were not linked but added the reservation with the number provided. All booked now and traveling to west coast tomorrow so unable to call. Good luck tomorrow.

 

[PNO4TE]

For those of you shut out from events you wanted to book, try again later. I waited 90 minutes on hold last year only to be told the two events I wanted to book were sold out. I called back later in the day to ask a question and was able to book one of the meals that had been sold out earlier.

I agree that it is worth a try. We had the very same thing happen last year. And the year before that!

 

[woodleygrrl]

I know that this happens every year, and every year it is a huge cluster bleep, but it peeves me to no end that there is not a clear system to make reservations for the special events.

i have been on vacation for the last week out of the country so it was impossible to get on-line or call and book anything. I am DVC, chase card holder, and annual pass holder. I called to book the special events today and the CM said that everything that I wanted to do was booked. PFTS, the yachtsman lunch, the Parisian breakfast, the tequila lunch...everything.

Granted, I am only going to be there for a weekend and so i have a couple of days to work with. But dag nabit, I spend a crap-ton of my money at WDW. I would love to be able to book things, too. Every year the same dang thing happens. Not to mention it is completely unclear as to when you can book what and when. just make a website, make all the dates and times clear and I will be cool.

grrrrrrrrr

jennifer

 

[LisaS]

I agree that it is worth a try. We had the very same thing happen last year. And the year before that!

That happened to me too, two years ago. The CM couldn't find the event I asked about in the list and replied "I can't find it so that means it is sold out". I called back later and another CM said "I can't find it. Can you hold for a minute?" Then she found it and booked it for me.