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

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Yeah - the beer selection has become somewhat of a joke - they have a better selection at the wave in the contemporary and the prices are far better

Love The Wave.

I'm not big on beer so I haven't noticed these changes. Makes sense, though. Seems like something Disney should seek to rectify.

 

[The Expert]

Has anyone been able to book a Signature Dinner today? I have been trying and they just say its unavailable, but they dont think it is sold out.

I just tried again and got a fabulous CM! She could see the event but could not access it. She tried several other signature dining events and they all reacted the same way. She even said she could see V&A still in there and that never happens this late in the day, so she was convinced there was something wrong with all the signature dining events. She also said they hadn't booked any that she could remember -- she hadn't even had to look one up -- so she doesn't think they are sold out. She said the system issues this year were the worst she's ever seen and that she felt bad for the people calling and all the problems. VERY helpful.

She said the IT folks were still working on things so to keep trying back on the signature dining events.

 

[JSTX]

I just tried again and got a fabulous CM! She could see the event but could not access it. She tried several other signature dining events and they all reacted the same way. She even said she could see V&A still in there and that never happens this late in the day, so she was convinced there was something wrong with all the signature dining events. She also said they hadn't booked any that she could remember -- she hadn't even had to look one up -- so she doesn't think they are sold out. She said the system issues this year were the worst she's ever seen and that she felt bad for the people calling and all the problems. VERY helpful.

She said the IT folks were still working on things so to keep trying back on the signature dining events.

I was able to get in around 11 AM EST and book Victoria & Albert's Signature Dining. Sorry to hear you did not have any success.

 

[captaindavidhook]

Has anyone done any of the beverage seminar and tell me about it? Is it worth booking?

 

[Jays2013]

Has anyone done any of the beverage seminar and tell me about it? Is it worth booking?

Also curious about the wine ones! I haven't seen a review anywhere.

 

[DisDeac]

Sam Adams beer seminar - Just a comment on guests several years ago didn't get as drunk like they do today. Attended the Sam Adams seminar at American pavilion when it was free years ago. There was a bro and his group in the front row he was totally wasted. He talked loud and dropped the f-bomb during the entire seminar. Most drunk person I've ever seen at Epcot (go on weeknights F&W can't comment on weekend nights) and been going to F & W for 20 years and WDW for 30+. He thought he was hilarious no one else thought so. Uncomfortable situation but did get a free Sam Adams bottle opener which still use

 

[hippiechicken]

Has anyone done any of the beverage seminar and tell me about it? Is it worth booking?

Also curious about the wine ones! I haven't seen a review anywhere.

My daughter did the Rhum Clement Beverage Seminar last year. She said it was worth $15. She learned about the history, how rum is made, the different types of rum, and how to enjoy it best. There was trivia and door prizes, and everyone got a gift. She learned that she doesn't like rum.
We are doing a wine seminar this year.

 

[Astryd]

I just tried again and got a fabulous CM! She could see the event but could not access it. She tried several other signature dining events and they all reacted the same way. She even said she could see V&A still in there and that never happens this late in the day, so she was convinced there was something wrong with all the signature dining events. She also said they hadn't booked any that she could remember -- she hadn't even had to look one up -- so she doesn't think they are sold out. She said the system issues this year were the worst she's ever seen and that she felt bad for the people calling and all the problems. VERY helpful.

She said the IT folks were still working on things so to keep trying back on the signature dining events.

I'm just not even sure I want to try anymore, think I am over it. I already have a 9pm ADR for California Grill that night. Might just keep that. watch HallowWishes from there and spend the money on something else, maybe Trader Sam's or some Lapu Lapu's.

 

[tony67]

Sam Adams beer seminar - Just a comment on guests several years ago didn't get as drunk like they do today. Attended the Sam Adams seminar at American pavilion when it was free years ago. There was a bro and his group in the front row he was totally wasted. He talked loud and dropped the f-bomb during the entire seminar. Most drunk person I've ever seen at Epcot (go on weeknights F&W can't comment on weekend nights) and been going to F & W for 20 years and WDW for 30+. He thought he was hilarious no one else thought so. Uncomfortable situation but did get a free Sam Adams bottle opener which still use

Yeah - I still have about 20 of those openers from the many years and days I did that seminar. I used to go for 10 days and hit that at least once every day. It was a nice break, free beer, and a bottle opener.

This year it looks like I'm going to skip F&W completely - especially since they made such a mess of the booking procedure. I just can;t see paying 90 for a day at Epcot + transportation from Universal so I can buy 6 ounce mass produced beer.

My daughter did the Rhum Clement Beverage Seminar last year. She said it was worth $15. She learned about the history, how rum is made, the different types of rum, and how to enjoy it best. There was trivia and door prizes, and everyone got a gift. She learned that she doesn't like rum.
We are doing a wine seminar this year.

That one looks pretty reasonable - I've been to ones where they gave you about half that if not a quarter in each glass. The worst was Svedka Vodka - it was the sales rep showing a commercial and for whatever reason they were very stingy with he vodka. i sad something to him and he topped up my three...but what about the other people that were now annoyed. (there are comments from people in a thread from last year)
This same sales rep did a few others and they were all lame.
It's unfortunate that some of them are really good - but there is no minimal level of quality you can expect at an event like this. It should not be hit or miss

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I booked us for the Rabbit demo on 10-29. I figure we will take a chance on it. The last tine we were at food and wine was 3 years ago, and we saw a duck demo we thoroughly enjoyed. It was funny because we took our daughter, and they acted as if they had never seen a child. The panicked a bit when they realized they had nothing to give her to drink. Someone found her some lemonade. She is a kid that loves to cook, and really enjoyed the demo. She still talks about that duck and how good it was. She is 14 this year and looking forward to this one.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

It was funny because we took our daughter, and they acted as if they had never seen a child. The panicked a bit when they realized they had nothing to give her to drink.

Funny. We've brought our kids to multiple demos as young as maybe 7yo and CMs/staff never seemed rattled. Just asked them what they wanted to drink.

Our kids have always been adventurous eaters and major Food Network fans. At 7 they might have known more about cooking than some of the adults there! LOL!

 

[huey578]

Has the festival map been released yet?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Has the festival map been released yet?

Not that I've seen. I believe we usually get that very shortly before the start.

 

[The Expert]

For those of you playing along with the "does Signature Dining actually exist?" game... I tried again this morning and the CM had the same trouble as the one yesterday. They can find the SD events but can't book any of them. They know they aren't sold out. There's now a note on at least some of them to tell guests attempting to book them to try back later if unsuccessful, but no additional information.

 

[SOAT]

For those of you playing along with the "does Signature Dining actually exist?" game... I tried again this morning and the CM had the same trouble as the one yesterday. They can find the SD events but can't book any of them. They know they aren't sold out. There's now a note on at least some of them to tell guests attempting to book them to try back later if unsuccessful, but no additional information.

I was able to get Flying Fish Signature on 10/26/2017, booked it on Tuesday. The only way that the CM could book it was to actually put an end time in. So, that may be the trick to booking a signature dinner - tell them to use an end time of 3 hours after the start. Good luck getting Flying Fish. We love Little T!

 

[The Expert]

I was able to get Flying Fish Signature on 10/26/2017, booked it on Tuesday. The only way that the CM could book it was to actually put an end time in. So, that may be the trick to booking a signature dinner - tell them to use an end time of 3 hours after the start. Good luck getting Flying Fish. We love Little T!

OMG thank you! You're the first one I've heard anywhere say they've actually booked one! I've seriously been trying since Tuesday morning.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

The only way that the CM could book it was to actually put an end time in. So, that may be the trick to booking a signature dinner - tell them to use an end time of 3 hours after the start.

GOOD GRIEF, that is ridiculous!!!

Glad you got it, and thanks for sharing this -- anything seems worth a try for those trying to snag one of these!

 

[Astryd]

OMG thank you! You're the first one I've heard anywhere say they've actually booked one! I've seriously been trying since Tuesday morning.

Let me know if it works, I might call back. My friend wants to do this now and has been bugging me about calling back to try again.

 

[Astryd]

I was able to get Flying Fish Signature on 10/26/2017, booked it on Tuesday. The only way that the CM could book it was to actually put an end time in. So, that may be the trick to booking a signature dinner - tell them to use an end time of 3 hours after the start. Good luck getting Flying Fish. We love Little T!

Seems like this is the same stupidness that was happening with the new room only discount, it would give you a package instead, but if you removed the tickets it would discount the room only. Disney really needs to do something with their terrible IT issues, but they wont.

 

[The Expert]

::sigh::

Nope. I got a very helpful CM and explained to her exactly what @SOAT said to do. She said her system defaults to that but she tried manually entering an end time anyway. She also tried different party sizes and a couple of other tricks, but wasn't able to book. Sorry @Astryd