2017 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: August 31, 2017 - November 13, 2017

[marsh0013]

Marsh, INBEV is the largest beer conglomerate in the world and owns such brands as the dreaded Budweiser along with many more extremely bad products. They specialize in buying up breweries, laying off their employees and reducing the quality of their products all for the sake of profits and market share.

Gotcha thanks. Well that sucks.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thats very interesting...! Did they advertise this possibility anywhere?

Nope. If it wasn't for the DIS I wouldn't have called!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

At this point I'm not sure what to think. I guess it could be sold out for the early slots? I have it bookmarked online and will just try Thursday morning. One of the CMs did say I could try online "at 6am Thursday" so maybe that's when online booking opens?

You won't be able to book the Flying Fish signature dinner online.

Having SOME events open online is not the same as opening ALL events online. They've never opened the very limited capacity events online - the ones many guests are fighting to get. If they did, it probably would not go as smoothly as some are anticipating.

Usually the prebooking is limited, only 10-20% of full capacity. Otherwise the popular and limited stuff would be filled with DVC/AP/TIW/Golden Oak and there would be complaints. There will be more openings Thursday although if the event is popular and very low capacity you may have to get through early to get seats, expecially if you have a large party.

 

[GoGoBeans]

I got the French Family Meal and Parisian Breakfast plus a few beverage and culinary seminars. Called at 9am got the dreaded circuits busy, later a 45 minute wait, later a short wait but couldn't verify my AP, then called back, short wait, excellent CM and everything all set.

Now the only things I need to figure out is timing. Can I make the Italian Beer vs Wine with 2 hours from touchdown, I don't think so. Can I make it from France and Morroco back to the Festival hub in 15 minutes and get decent seats.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Can I make the Italian Beer vs Wine with 2 hours from touchdown, I don't think so.

Unlikely. Even more unlikely if you are using DME. Better possibility if you are renting a car and can drive directly to Epcot (you may not want to drive after this event though). Also, if you are staying at an Epcot resort.

Can I make it from France and Morroco back to the Festival hub in 15 minutes and get decent seats.

You'll be way far back in line. I don't know what you call a decent seat, front and center are not likely. There aren't any seats where you can't see, especially with placement of screens.

 

[GoGoBeans]

Unlikely. Even more unlikely if you are using DME. Better possibility if you are renting a car and can drive directly to Epcot (you may not want to drive after this event though). Also, if you are staying at an Epcot resort.

You'll be way far back in line. I don't know what you call a decent seat, front and center are not likely. There aren't any seats where you can't see, especially with placement of screens.

We're staying at BWI. I've comptemplated a car service but ultimately decided I didn't want to be on edge and worrying about making it on time at the start of the trip. Would have loved to have done it though. So close, yet so far!

I'm thinking we may chance it and I'll book back to back seminars/demonstrations on Saturday.

 

[The Expert]

You won't be able to book the Flying Fish signature dinner online.

Having SOME events open online is not the same as opening ALL events online. They've never opened the very limited capacity events online - the ones many guests are fighting to get. If they did, it probably would not go as smoothly as some are anticipating.

Usually the prebooking is limited, only 10-20% of full capacity. Otherwise the popular and limited stuff would be filled with DVC/AP/TIW/Golden Oak and there would be complaints. There will be more openings Thursday although if the event is popular and very low capacity you may have to get through early to get seats, expecially if you have a large party.

Totally understand that. Not my first rodeo.

I'm relatively certain the Flying Fish dinner *is* going to be bookable online as I've already found the page for it. It simply doesn't have a time to select yet. I booked most of my events online last year and that's how they showed up before they were available to the general public. I will NOT get up at 4am and wait on the phone for three hours to book it. If it's not online, I won't go. There are only two of us and if we don't get in, I'll survive.

I get there are limited spots open today, and regardless of my (lack of) confidence in the CMs I talked to, I know there will be more spots Thursday. I also know how popular these events are. It's just suspicious that nobody anywhere has mentioned booking this particular thing and each CM I spoke with today had a different answer as to why.

It's also incredibly frustrating that every year we end up on the phone with CMs who aren't fully trained on booking this event and a system that seems to make it even harder for them.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Actually the things I see that I think are bookable online do have times. Look at the beverage seminars and food demonstrations and she seminars all of those have a time you select. You can actually go ahead and attempt to book them now you just get told it's not available. If it does not show you a booking option now it's probably not bookable online

 

[NoMoneyThanks2Disney]

I need opinions. Would it be too much to do a cheese seminar and the Parisian Afternoon on the same day?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Totally understand that. Not my first rodeo.

I'm relatively certain the Flying Fish dinner *is* going to be bookable online as I've already found the page for it. It simply doesn't have a time to select yet. I booked most of my events online last year and that's how they showed up before they were available to the general public. I will NOT get up at 4am and wait on the phone for three hours to book it. If it's not online, I won't go. There are only two of us and if we don't get in, I'll survive.

I get there are limited spots open today, and regardless of my (lack of) confidence in the CMs I talked to, I know there will be more spots Thursday. I also know how popular these events are. It's just suspicious that nobody anywhere has mentioned booking this particular thing and each CM I spoke with today had a different answer as to why.

It's also incredibly frustrating that every year we end up on the phone with CMs who aren't fully trained on booking this event and a system that seems to make it even harder for them.

Actually the things I see that I think are bookable online do have times. Look at the beverage seminars and food demonstrations and she seminars all of those have a time you select. You can actually go ahead and attempt to book them now you just get told it's not available. If it does not show you a booking option now it's probably not bookable online

FYI - What's Cooking With... also shows times. I booked this online last year as well.

My experience was as OCC is describing last year. Online, I was able to book anything that showed a calendar on the RHS of the webpage with dates in blue. If that calendar was not there, not bookable online.

So, last year I booked these online:

• What's Cooking With...
• Several Culinary Demos
• Beverage seminar

And I called for: French Family Meal Traditions.

 

[soniam]

If I didn't have to run a 10k the next morning - I would have done V&A but that much food and wine and then running would not be good

Luckily, I am only running the 5k, my first, that morning. DH will run the half on Sunday. Good luck with the 10k.

I just called DVC and after 30 minutes on hold, I had no problem booking the tequila lunch on Thursday Oct 12. Glad I tried again. Now I don't have to get up early on Thursday.

I called again on my way to work and waited about 40 minutes. I got the Tequila lunch on 11/2 and the champagne beverage seminar on 11/5. I got everything I wanted

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I called again on my way to work and waited about 40 minutes. I got the Tequila lunch on 11/2 and the champagne beverage seminar on 11/5. I got everything I wanted

Awesome!!!!

You're doing V&A, right? Have you been there before? We went for the first time last year and it truly is WONDERFUL.

 

[soniam]

Awesome!!!!

You're doing V&A, right? Have you been there before? We went for the first time last year and it truly is WONDERFUL.

We have been there before, but just the regular dining room. I had actually called 180 days out to book it for November 3rd. She told me that would be the F&W event and explained a lot about it. I went ahead and booked another night in the Queen Victoria room, just in case I couldn't get the F&W event. I am really looking forward to it That was the first thing I booked this morning. It took her forever though, because she wasn't sure if she could book it or if I would have to call V&A directly. I could hear my other events slipping away as the grains of sand were rushing out of the hour glass as I sat there on hold Luckily, I eventually got everything else. I suspect it wouldn't have sold out today or even on 7/20, but I knew I would kick myself if I didn't get it.

 

[The Expert]

Actually the things I see that I think are bookable online do have times. Look at the beverage seminars and food demonstrations and she seminars all of those have a time you select. You can actually go ahead and attempt to book them now you just get told it's not available. If it does not show you a booking option now it's probably not bookable online

I noticed that too, but that's also how the deminars were last year. The restaurant-based events didn't have any times, but when they opened to everyone, they were bookable.

 

[The Expert]

My experience was as OCC is describing last year. Online, I was able to book anything that showed a calendar on the RHS of the webpage with dates in blue. If that calendar was not there, not bookable online.

That's how I remember it too. Fingers crossed!

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We have been there before, but just the regular dining room. I had actually called 180 days out to book it for November 3rd. She told me that would be the F&W event and explained a lot about it. I went ahead and booked another night in the Queen Victoria room, just in case I couldn't get the F&W event. I am really looking forward to it That was the first thing I booked this morning. It took her forever though, because she wasn't sure if she could book it or if I would have to call V&A directly. I could hear my other events slipping away as the grains of sand were rushing out of the hour glass as I sat there on hold Luckily, I eventually got everything else. I suspect it wouldn't have sold out today or even on 7/20, but I knew I would kick myself if I didn't get it.

Very happy for you! When we went last year it was to the QVR. Like it so much we're going for our anniversary this year.

 

[goin' again!]

High there fellow PSTer! I don't have a choice, want some events only bookable by phone- but I hope for your sake the website opens earlier!

NorCal? SoCal? Somewhere in between? I'm in Orange Co. I was lucky that after 40 minutes on hold I got the one event I wanted.

 

[gottalovepluto]

NorCal? SoCal? Somewhere in between? I'm in Orange Co. I was lucky that after 40 minutes on hold I got the one event I wanted.

Nice! You don't have to get up either I'm forever in between, Fresno Co

 

[karrit2000]

I need opinions. Would it be too much to do a cheese seminar and the Parisian Afternoon on the same day?

If that is how it works out for you I say book it. We are doing the Parisian Breakfast & the Parisian Afternoon on the same day because that is the only day they are being offered while we are there. Mom said we could skip the Breakfast but I really want to do it so I booked both.

 

[Auntie_Maim]

Is the F&W book that the Disney Food Blog publishes worth buying?