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

[SarahInMN]

We have been to 14 or 15 years of F&W and this is the worst experience I ever remember people having. Disney has GOT to fix their IT department!

Agreed - it has never been this bad in previous years in terms of the IT mess-ups. I understand sold out, I understand wait times, but when I finally got through at 743 EST after being on hold for 43 min and was told "sorry my computer is showing that the kitchen memories haven't been released yet and the cheese seminars are all sold out, but try back later when the computers are working" I almost lost it. I mean, really?

I tried to go back to bed but have to get up at 545 PST anyways - am having coffee, eggs, and am on hold again. really.

 

[TDC Nala]

No disney music while on hold? Is this al right?

Whatever you do, don't hang up.

 

[DLR29]

Yay! Got my Kitchen Memories with Andrew Zimmern for 10/4 after having a calling issue and a 50 min wait on hold. Good luck to everyone else! :

 

[Shelli_5]

Finally through after ~100 redials and an hour on hold (plus an hour yesterday)..but I got what I wanted: 10/25 Kitchen Memories with the Voltaggios.

Good luck to those still on hold. Stay strong!!!!

This is what I'm hoping for! I also want to book a few deminars. Please, please, please let me have better luck this time.

Shelli

 

[willidc]

I got the busy circuits until 7:03 and was on hold until 8:06. Then the best CM ever picked up and my 10/28 Italian Regional Lunch and my 10/29 Italian Food and Beer Pairing were both available.

Neither was available yesterday!

I tried to add another guest to a Morocco pairing I made yesterday, but it showed no availability and she suggested I call back after 10 AM when things "settle down".

 

[puertorican00676]

Whatever you do, don't hang up.

Thanks Nala, 50 minutes strong!

 

[mmbl]

Well done!

I think there's only me still from 7am now!

I don't know what to do - I daren't hang up, but it's been almost an hour, surely that doesn't seem right?![/QUOTE]

Did you get through? get what you wanted? I started calling just before 7 EDT and when the line was finally open , I kept getting the circuits busy message. I was probably lucky. It prompted me to call the Tours dept. and I had about a 15 min hold. I doubt you're still waiting, but if you are, or didn't get through, call one of the other departments- they're all doing dining reservations.

 

[splashmountainjaxson]

After twenty minutes of "all circuits busy" , got thru at 620. Waited for 56 minutes , got thru to a nice CM. I was able to book 2 tickets to the
11.2 PFTS Wine View Lounge. Call concluded at 1 hour and 4 minutes in.

Just so glad I got this .... Phew....

Good luck to all out there !

 

[franandaj]

I tried yesterday and they got my first event only to disconnect me before I could pay and confirm. We made over 100 calls before getting in the queue. I was about 40 mins in when they disconnected me. I have my partners phone which has been 51 minutes in the queue, she called back on mine and is 12 minutes.

I just got a human!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Sorry to hear all the issues people have been having.

I get that IT issues happen - and tons of people trying to do the same thing at the same time doesn't help. I mena, it sucks, but I get it.

What I don't get is how inconsistent what the CMs have been saying is. How can one CM book a person for an event, another say I don't see it so it must be sold out, and anothers say they haven't been loaded yet?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I didn't book yesterday, because the reserved seatings that they were allotted for Disney VISA were gone, and the CM told me that more would be released today, and that if I bought the GA, it could not be refunded, so I went for today - bad choice on my part. Unfortunately, the CMs that I have talked to seem to know nothing about the event - like what event? when? That is why I had high hopes for the online booking, hoping that at least the computer would know what is going on.

We are a Disney-adoring family - truly - you can check my past posts!

But this is ridiculous. It's not like with FP+ where they are putting together a massive undertaking, breaking new ground in some respect, etc. There I expect mess-ups initially.

But this? They do this EVERY YEAR! And this is not exactly a mystery: Broadway shows and theaters around the world do it every day -- differential pricing for events, different booking windows, different promotions depending on a card you hold, etc. This is already-discovered, and well-traveled territory. Can't imagine what the excuse is for Disney not getting this right.

Still LOVE the World -- go back at least once a year -- DVC, PAP, TIW, Disney VISA, D23, etc. But COME ON, PEOPLE!!

 

[BGK]

Holy hell, finally connected. This voice-prompt-tree is tedious.

 

[Lindaland]

Just got back in the cue. Hoping for better luck this time.

Shelli

Good luck!!

 

[jad35]

Has anyone been able to book Parisian breakfast on 10/19?

 

[amywa]

At 8:33, told "more than 30 Minutes". At least now there is music

 

[Shelli_5]

Agreed - it has never been this bad in previous years in terms of the cluck-ups. I understand sold out, I understand wait times, but when I finally got through at 743 EST after being on hold for 43 min and was told "sorry my computer is showing that the kitchen memories haven't been released yet and the cheese seminars are all sold out, but try back later when the computers are working" I almost lost it. I mean, really?

I tried to go back to bed but have to get up at 545 PST anyways - am having coffee, eggs, and am on hold again. really.

Basically, the same thing happened to me. I got through earlier than you, however. I'm on hold again now - anticipating about an hour's wait this time. All I have to say is that I better be able to book *something.*

Wishing us both good luck!

Shelli

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Holy hell, finally connected. This voice-prompt-tree is tedious.

Thanks for the laugh!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SarahInMN]

Sorry to hear all the issues people have been having.

I get that IT issues happen - and tons of people trying to do the same thing at the same time doesn't help. I mena, it sucks, but I get it.

What I don't get is how inconsistent what the CMs have been saying is. How can one CM book a person for an event, another say I don't see it so it must be sold out, and anothers say they haven't been loaded yet?

Yup. That's what I am so frustrated about - I guess at least if the Kitchen Memories are sold out when I finally get through to a CM for the second time, at least I wasn't super excited about the chefs but its so frustrating.

 

[Inkmahm]

Finally through after ~100 redials and an hour on hold (plus an hour yesterday)..but I got what I wanted: 10/25 Kitchen Memories with the Voltaggios.

Good luck to those still on hold. Stay strong!!!!

Excellent choice! It seems like no one was able to book that one yesterday with VISA so I feel a little less bad finding out today that I could have called yesterday. Now I"m choosing to look at it as I saved probably an hour on the phone yesterday that wouldn't have gotten me anywhere.

We should have a Disboard table on the 25th for all of us that are going to be at this same lunch! Or all wear green or something to identify ourselves!

 

[puertorican00676]

Yey! Got my mexican lunch booked! Anyone on the line, holding with or without music, hold on tight! Hope everyone gets all their bookings!