2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival 9/19-11/10

[redzinner]

I will have my car, but I won't be driving after an evening of drinking. That is why I was thinking of staying where I can walk to the hotel. I know the hotels are pricey, but I do know if you do the Food and Wine at Swan/Dolphin you can get better rates. Just wondering if the Food/Wine was worth the extra.

Misunderstood that whole thing!

Yes, do it. Much more variety at Epcot's F&WF.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I say go for it! The S&D event is great and the location can't be beat.

Tried the S&D Food and Wine Classic for the first time last year and really enjoyed it! It was, in my opinion, much more adult oriented than the Epcot F&W festival (which I also adore). Seemed to me like far more wine booths than food booths... but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The food we did have was great, although there were long lines and as you might suspect, "competition" for room at the "bar" tables when it came time to trying to eat said food. Terrific people watching opportunities... especially as the night wore on!

From a resort perspective, I liked the Swan. It is a great value for the location. The room was fine, the pools good and the restaurants terrific. I missed the full Disney immersion... but I did not miss the additional $$$$ I would have spent in the other Epcot resorts.

Have fun!!

I love the Swan/Dolphin but did not find the special event there near as appealing as you did

If it happened to be on a weekend I was coming I might consider it but I won't go out of my way for it again.

I have the Dolphin for $145 a night for a weekend in Sept during Food and Wine so there are some good deals out there. The weekend of their event is actually pretty high priced for them.

 

[Linda67]

Great thread which is going to be very useful in our planning this year

We are considering booking Party For The Senses and I had a few Qs

1. Do TiW/DVC/AP usually have an early booking window?
2. Do you get Illuminations viewing?
3. (don't judge!) Can you leave the venue for a nearby smoking area during the event (Hubby likes a cigar!)

Thanks all

 

[TDC Nala]

1. They did last year...but only for general admission. If you wanted reserved seating or the Wine View Lounge you could not book ahead. (All reserved seating and Wine View will sell out within a couple of days of booking opening. They often sell out the same day.)

2. There is a reserved Illuminations area. It has been at the plaza where Future World meets World Showcase, in between the two shops. No seating - standing only.

3. There is a smoking area outside. He will have a wristband so he can return to the venue.

 

[Linda67]

1. They did last year...but only for general admission. If you wanted reserved seating or the Wine View Lounge you could not book ahead. (All reserved seating and Wine View will sell out within a couple of days of booking opening. They often sell out the same day.)

2. There is a reserved Illuminations area. It has been at the plaza where Future World meets World Showcase, in between the two shops. No seating - standing only.

3. There is a smoking area outside. He will have a wristband so he can return to the venue.

Great info - thanks for your speedy response
So I guess I am best to ignore the general admission sale, even though I am DVC/AP & TiW and wait until the WVL goes on sale

 

[SoonipiLady]

All the Epcot area resorts are pricey. If you are an annual passholder, AAA member or Florida resident the Swan / Dolphin usually have special rates for those. Be aware Westin/Sheraton automatically adds in a $23 resort fee each night so it even makes it more expensive.

I've never checked Orbitz, etc for those hotels.

Coronado Springs is less than a mile away but no sidewalks. Taxi is about $5 from CS to the Swan and then you could walk to Epcot. Taxi would cost more if they drove you all the way to Epcot.

At hotels.com. We got our flights and resort view, king rooms at the Dolphin for $1475.00 per couple for 4 nights in October. I'm sure there are better deals in September, but those extra 3 weeks of waiting really worth it to us because the weather is SO much nicer later on. Was 200.00 cheaper than AAA AND better flights.

 

[acklizzy]

First FW was last year and I was amazed. This year I'll definitely need to stop at more places. What are people's top few. I have read Disneyfoodblog reviews but want to know what you guys think about top snacks. I loved the frozen s'more, but that is the only one that sticks out. Does anyone know if the kiosks accept Disney Rewards Dollars? I have quite a few racked up and would love to use them towards some delicious snacks.

 

[redzinner]

First FW was last year and I was amazed. This year I'll definitely need to stop at more places. What are people's top few. I have read Disneyfoodblog reviews but want to know what you guys think about top snacks. I loved the frozen s'more, but that is the only one that sticks out. Does anyone know if the kiosks accept Disney Rewards Dollars? I have quite a few racked up and would love to use them towards some delicious snacks.

Yes, all F&WF booths accept the Disney Visa Reward Dollars.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Great info - thanks for your speedy response
So I guess I am best to ignore the general admission sale, even though I am DVC/AP & TiW and wait until the WVL goes on sale

I booked Wine View on the day they opened "pre booking" for the Disney Visa card holders. I did not wait until general booking opened. I wasn't aware they didn't let DVC book early last year does, but it does not mean the same thing will happen this year.

 

[acklizzy]

I booked Wine View on the day they opened "pre booking" for the Disney Visa card holders.

When did they open pre-booking last year, and did all events open for pre-booking or only a select few?

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

Just saw that Jo Dee Messina will be there on the first Friday of the festival. We didn't have plans to be there since that is our last night, but now I want to be. Do we need to line up early to be able to get in to the concert area? We have never been, and I love Jo Dee Messina! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[ashleyc1113]

We'll be going twice during the festival this year and I'm so excited. Can't wait to see the menus.

 

[redzinner]

When did they open pre-booking last year, and did all events open for pre-booking or only a select few?

This is from August 2013

Presale: Tables in Wonderland Members are invited to make reservations for Culinary Demonstrations, Beverage Seminars, and Mixology Seminars ONLY beginning on Friday, August 9th, 2013 at 8:00am. This pre-sale offer will only be available over the phone, so please call 407-WDW-FEST (407-939-3378) for reservations.

All Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival Events will go on sale on Tuesday, August 13th at 7:00am. For reservations, please call 407-WDW-FEST (407-939-3378). Additionally, the below events will be available online, via www.epcotfoodfestival.com:

- Culinary Demonstrations
- Beverage Seminars
- Mixology Seminars
- Scotland: Land of Food & Drink (General Admission Only)
- “3D” Disney’s Dessert Discovery (General Admission Only)
- Party for the Senses (General Admission Only)
- Spirits Confidential (General Admission Only)
As a “Thank You” for your continued membership, Tables in Wonderland Members are eligible for a $2.00 discount off of Culinary Demonstrations, Beverage Seminars, and Mixology Seminars, Mondays – Thursdays throughout the Festival. To receive your discount, please be sure to book over the phone as this offer is not available when booking online.

It seems everything has been pushed up a week this year because of the early start to the Festival. So MAYBE the early booking will be August 1? The date has not been released.

 

[TDC Nala]

I booked Wine View on the day they opened "pre booking" for the Disney Visa card holders. I did not wait until general booking opened. I wasn't aware they didn't let DVC book early last year does, but it does not mean the same thing will happen this year.

Disney Visa card holders were offered a limited number of prebooking spots at all levels for all events (I think maybe they didn't have them for the very smallest events, like the Citricos dinner that had a maximum attendance of 10 guests -if they did have Visa prebooking for that, it was 2 spots at most). But you had to move fast, because these numbers were very limited. If you didn't get through on the phone within 45 minutes it was all gone even for big events.

If this is done again this year, remember that neither Disney nor Chase told anyone that the prebookings were very limited and there was a good amount of confusion that resulted from guests being told that events were "sold out."

So I guess I am best to ignore the general admission sale, even though I am DVC/AP & TiW and wait until the WVL goes on sale

If you want Wine View, based on last year you will not be able to book ahead as a DVC/AP/TIW member. You may be able to book ahead if you have a Disney Visa card - assuming the same thing happens again this year. If you don't manage to grab a Disney Visa spot then you have to do the phone thing over again when general booking opens.

 

[TDC Nala]

Just saw that Jo Dee Messina will be there on the first Friday of the festival. We didn't have plans to be there since that is our last night, but now I want to be. Do we need to line up early to be able to get in to the concert area? We have never been, and I love Jo Dee Messina! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I have never had to line up early. If you want front and center, you will need to, at least for the first concert, because there are always people who show up and line up early for every concert (some of them lining up for the first concert as soon as World Showcase opens) and they get front and center. If all you want is to be in the theater, you may not even have to line up. I can't gauge how popular her concerts would be since I don't have any idea who she is. In my experience the last concert of the 3 sets they do nightly is the most sparsely attended. If you'd be interested in front row center, wait until the line goes in for the 1st or 2nd concert and then you can be one of the first in line for the concert after that, and you don't have to wait hours.

 

[acklizzy]

This is from August 2013

It seems everything has been pushed up a week this year because of the early start to the Festival. So MAYBE the early booking will be August 1? The date has not been released.

Thanks redzinner I hope to maybe book a chocolate or cheese seminar ideally with the Disney Visa pre-booking. Fingers crossed.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney Visa prebooking was the day before the actual booking date, it was August 12 while the public booking date was August 13.

It's all speculation right now but we are looking at possibly August 1 for DVC/TIW/AP prebooking on certain events, August 4 for Disney Visa limited capacity for all events, and August 5 for general booking. IF they don't change things on us, because Disney hasn't released any dates yet and there's been no offer from Chase yet.

 

[parith1114]

I have done F&W before, but always with kids...
This year my husband and I and another couple are going without the kiddos. The other couple has some date restrictions, meaning the must go on a weekend. I realize this isn't the optimal time to go. SO...with all that being said is there a weekend you would pick, avoid, etc.?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I have done F&W before, but always with kids...
This year my husband and I and another couple are going without the kiddos. The other couple has some date restrictions, meaning the must go on a weekend. I realize this isn't the optimal time to go. SO...with all that being said is there a weekend you would pick, avoid, etc.?

Avoid Columbus Day Weekend as it tends to be rather crowded.

I would also try to avoid Wine & Dine Half-Marathon or Tower of Terror 10 Miler Weekends.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Avoid Columbus Day Weekend as it tends to be rather crowded.

I would also try to avoid Wine & Dine Half-Marathon or Tower of Terror 10 Miler Weekends.

After Columbus Day. We will be there the 23rd-27th. No for dining, so hopefully it will be slightly quieter, no big events, not opening or closing weekends. Hoping that makes it a good one!