Booking for Food and Wine Festival 2009

[Golden Rose]

DH and I are planning to go to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival next year. It will be our second trip to WDW as DVC members (our first is planned for January.) We are planning to book a 2 bedroom at BWV for most or all of the trip.

Are the dates for the festival secure enough that I'm safe booking anything for the month of October? Is there any reason to book one week over another, since I assume we won't be able to know about potential guests and entertainment soon enough to do us any good as far as booking goes?

 

[tn4mickey]

I think you'll be OK with those dates. Here are the dates of the festival since the number of days were expanded in 2004:
2004 10/1-11/14
2005 9/30-11/13
2006 9/29-11/12
2007 9/28-11/11
2008 9/26-11/9

Hope this helps! I made our ressie for 2009 yesterday !

 

[Chic]

The Food & Wine Festival will absolutely take place during October 2009. I have been the past 5 years in a row and always travel either the 1st or 2nd week of October. I prefer the 1st week of October because crowds are lighter and the weather has always been wonderful. I have attended the Halloween party in the Magic kingdom during the first Thursday of October and found very small crowds. As far as entertainment, none of us will know what to expect until 5 or 6 months prior to the beginning of the festival. We have made it a tradition to visit while Starship is playing the Eat to the Beat Concert Series. They have always performed Wednesday through Saturday but that may change with the possibility of future budget cuts related to poor attendance. To my understanding, Disney has already planned some entertainment cuts for the 2009 Flower Power Concert Series which takes place during the Flower and Garden Festival. The word is there will only be live bands on the weekends and all week night performances have been eliminated. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope the live entertainment continues on a nightly basis.

 

[enchantingodin]

Dates for 2009 are set for Sept 25 - Nov 8 2009.

They were listed on the brochure of 2008 festival.

 

[n2mm]

I booked my F&W reservation for the BWV at the 11 month date because this is one of the hardest times to book BWV and BCV. I too wanted to mention the cutbacks for the groups. I also read that there will only be performances on the weekends. That really stinks, because we really enjoyed the weekday performances as the crowds were lower and we found it more relaxing.

 

[MissMet]

I'm booked for the first 10 days of Oct in a 2-bed & I am on the waitlist for two nights. I have all of my nights, but two of them are not bw view & we will have to move if the waitlist doesn't come through. That's not to say there is no availability, it's just to show how fast it books up.

So book your stay asap- because like another said BWV & BCV book up fast during F&WF.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm booked for the first 10 days of Oct in a 2-bed & I am on the waitlist for two nights. I have all of my nights, but two of them are not bw view & we will have to move if the waitlist doesn't come through. That's not to say there is no availability, it's just to show how fast it books up.

So book your stay asap- because like another said BWV & BCV book up fast during F&WF.

Wow! I'm just curious-how far within the 11 month window did you try to book and get waitlisted? I know that I tried one year at 10 months 3 weeks (I can't believe I forgot exactly 11 months) and would have had to waitlist at some resorts. Fortunately the resort I wanted was still available. I've got 6 days in a studio at BCV in mid-October. I was hoping to call at 7 months to add a couple nights (ran out of 11 month points). Since the dates were published in the brochure, they'd better be sure!

 

[MissMet]

Wow! I'm just curious-how far within the 11 month window did you try to book and get waitlisted? I know that I tried one year at 10 months 3 weeks (I can't believe I forgot exactly 11 months) and would have had to waitlist at some resorts. Fortunately the resort I wanted was still available. I've got 6 days in a studio at BCV in mid-October. I was hoping to call at 7 months to add a couple nights (ran out of 11 month points). Since the dates were published in the brochure, they'd better be sure!

We booked 10 months & two weeks out. We are on the waitlist for October 7 & 8, 2009 (Wed & Thurs) for a two-bed.

I hope being on the waitlist this far out we won't have any issues getting it.

 

[DebbieB]

I know there was a thread this past October with people who were still waitlisted from the 7 month mark.

 

[backyardponder]

What about resorts other than BWV and BCV? I understand the popularity of these two for F&W, but is it tough to get into the other resorts?

 

[Simba's Mom]

What about resorts other than BWV and BCV? I understand the popularity of these two for F&W, but is it tough to get into the other resorts?

I wanted a studio and at 5 months, I had a choice of VWL or several of the views at AKV (not concierge or value).

 

[jimmacmn]

I just booked an OKW GV for 10/25/09 to 10/30/09 this morning

 

[Laneychris]

We booked AKV with no problem last week.

 

[Jaaron2]

we booked a 2 bedroom at AKV (Kidani) at the 11 month mark(10 days) and already have our flights booked! We hope to switch 3-4 days at BCV at the 7 month window. We own at BCV but are going there in March and already used our points for 09 Oh well, we will be there either way!