***Epcot Food And Wine Festival Info 2008***

[BriarRosie]

So, new news. I e-mailed Rosa at DDE and asked when events will be out. She said the booking date got changed to 8/25/08 7am and events will be posted the previous Friday (22.) Way late I feel! Hard to plan just a month ahead. I will keep checking dining and post events if I see them!

Gah! Say it ain't so!

I was so happy that it would be Aug 11. I have that day off and wouldn't worry about being up early for that phone call. Now it seems we'll have a mere weekend to look at events?? Sheesh, that's really sad if true.

 

[oybolshoi]

So, new news. I e-mailed Rosa at DDE and asked when events will be out. She said the booking date got changed to 8/25/08 7am and events will be posted the previous Friday (22.) Way late I feel! Hard to plan just a month ahead. I will keep checking dining and post events if I see them!

Boo!! Hiss!!

I hope your information is wrong this time Patricia because that's just about the most inconsiderate thing that the F&W planners have done in some time.

Bah!

 

[webray]

Whoa!!! That is late for booking, AND only 3 days to decide which events. I really hope Rosa is wrong about this.

LOL, Rosa isn't usually wrong. I believe last year it was similar. We had a very short amount of days to review what to book before the actual booking date. Guess Disney doesn't understand some of us need to make travel arrangements.

 

[luvpooh]

GAH!
why do we put ourselves through this?
and only a weekend to decide what to do? and only a weekend to absorb sticker shock too and pull the trigger on a non-refundable event!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

So, new news. I e-mailed Rosa at DDE and asked when events will be out. She said the booking date got changed to 8/25/08 7am and events will be posted the previous Friday (22.) Way late I feel! Hard to plan just a month ahead. I will keep checking dining and post events if I see them!

Yikes! That is crazy! I guess this means next year we'll probably be able to book in September. So much for planning ahead!

 

[oybolshoi]

The hubby and I have already mentally pulled back from some of the "expected" events and if this keeps up I suspect we will continue to do so. We're in a phase right now where we're talking ourselves out of PFTS along with some other things to save some money. If this keeps up we're liable to skip all the special events because by the time the schedule is released we'll have decided to save all the money we budgeted and stick with the food booths and some signature dining at restaurants we haven't tried yet.

I'm getting tired of feeling like we're all being jerked around.

 

[dizneykid]

Oh this is ridiculous!

At least last year, we had about a week to plan. Webray is right, I don't think Disney realizes that people need to make travel arrangements. It's hard enough to book a room now a days. I guess we just have to book our vacation and hope for the best.

Brenda, you are right about talking yourself out of the events to save money. We have been doing the same thing. But, it would be nice to see what's going to happen and when. I hope that DDE will send out the agenda brochure like they did last year.

Oh well, wait, wait, wait!!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

The hubby and I have already mentally pulled back from some of the "expected" events and if this keeps up I suspect we will continue to do so. We're in a phase right now where we're talking ourselves out of PFTS along with some other things to save some money. If this keeps up we're liable to skip all the special events because by the time the schedule is released we'll have decided to save all the money we budgeted and stick with the food booths and some signature dining at restaurants we haven't tried yet.

I'm getting tired of feeling like we're all being jerked around.

I'm doing the same thing, just booths and the free demos and tastings. That way I can save money, and can have my whole schedule planned now.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

GAH!
why do we put ourselves through this?
and only a weekend to decide what to do? and only a weekend to absorb sticker shock too and pull the trigger on a non-refundable event!

Maybe that's Disney's plan-they think we won't have enough time to ponder how much money they are squeezing out of us for these events, so we'll just book and then possibly regret it later. I'm starting to rethink our plans now too.

 

[lilyv]

The hubby and I have already mentally pulled back from some of the "expected" events and if this keeps up I suspect we will continue to do so. We're in a phase right now where we're talking ourselves out of PFTS along with some other things to save some money. If this keeps up we're liable to skip all the special events because by the time the schedule is released we'll have decided to save all the money we budgeted and stick with the food booths and some signature dining at restaurants we haven't tried yet.

I'm getting tired of feeling like we're all being jerked around.

If the date does turn out to be around Aug 25th, I'm going to assume Disney has decided F&W is for day tripping locals. Nothing wrong with that, but when you're coming from some distance offering reservations 1 month and 1 day from F&W opening is absurd. They've been selling hard tickets like crazy for special events many months in the future. Meanwhile, I'm glad I've already made some reservations for a couple of special dinners at WDW, as well as the usual ones. People are going to start going ahead and booking a sure thing rather than waiting to see what may be offered. I'm also going to get busy and read up on a couple off site restaurants we'd like to try.

My new plan is to watch some of the Bocuse D'Or Competition, sample the food at some booths during the week, and call it square.

 

[PNO4TE]

The hubby and I have already mentally pulled back from some of the "expected" events and if this keeps up I suspect we will continue to do so. We're in a phase right now where we're talking ourselves out of PFTS along with some other things to save some money. If this keeps up we're liable to skip all the special events because by the time the schedule is released we'll have decided to save all the money we budgeted and stick with the food booths and some signature dining at restaurants we haven't tried yet.

I'm getting tired of feeling like we're all being jerked around.

That is exactly what Bob and I have done too, Brenda. We have ADRs for many of the signature restaurants we have always wanted to experience. We will spend a couple of afternoons and evenings in World Showcase enjoying the booths and free demos and probably skip doing anything that requires advance booking. No PFTS this year. Probably no wine pairings, and with the Bocuse d'Or happening opening weekend when we are there, I highly doubt that Disney will offer much else to compete with that. Sad...

 

[kabuki]

Wow! I assumed that my husband and I were the only ones feeling less then happy with all this. I agree with every point made. The Food and Wine Fest has been our "big" vacation for the last few years but how do you even try to budget with schedules being pushed back and prices always changing. It's discouraging and sad in this day and age with the economy being what it is and Disney having loyal eager people that want to book high end events but they wont even give you a chance to plan and do so..I will still go and have a great time doing the booths and wine tastings but feeling a little put off!

 

[tillerrw]

Does anyone know if when reservations for F&WF are made a Disney Rewards card (from Visa dollars) can be used to make payment?

Thanks1

 

[TDC Nala]

So, new news. I e-mailed Rosa at DDE and asked when events will be out. She said the booking date got changed to 8/25/08 7am and events will be posted the previous Friday (22.) Way late I feel! Hard to plan just a month ahead. I will keep checking dining and post events if I see them!

Holy crap!

At least I don't work on the 25th so I can call without taking time off to wait on hold.

I wanted at least one signature event or something on the first weekend to take my mind off the Adventurers Club closing... still going to book some of those unless the prices are insane, which they may well be.

 

[chip&dale&fun]

So, new news. I e-mailed Rosa at DDE and asked when events will be out. She said the booking date got changed to 8/25/08 7am and events will be posted the previous Friday (22.) Way late I feel! Hard to plan just a month ahead. I will keep checking dining and post events if I see them!

I am hopeful you can provide advance news like last year. I concur we need more time to plan...after all that is half the fun. Hard to decide in 2 days as well, when that weekend is booked for family events.

We are Disney Dining card members. Last year the newsletter announcing the events arrived about 4 days after the opening time to call for reservations....

Oh well, I'll check back.

 

[KennySC]

I don't understand why all the secrecy! I don't care when the information is released or when you can start making reservations but just tell us. Announce the dates so everyone can relax... I just hate the feeling it could be any minute and I have to keep checking....

 

[PatriciaH]

Holy crap!

At least I don't work on the 25th so I can call without taking time off to wait on hold.

We are leaving for Europe that evening and I really wanted to sleep late and relax that morning. I was happy it was going to be the 11th. It stinks that booking is that late!!!

 

[TheDISneyFamily]

Wow! I'm shocked. How are you supposed to plan anything only a month in advance? Someone really dropped the ball this year. We are right along with you guys - we've decided no PFTS/events for us this year. I'm tired of waiting for the schedule to be announced and have already made all of our dining ADR for our trip. We'll eat our way around the food booths and leave F&W Fest at that. Of course, that may change once the schedule is finally announced...

I did find this bit of info about the Bocuse d’Or competition on the official WDW news site...

Competition Press pic

That's the only 'official' thing out so far... (if the page doesn't load - just go to www.wdwnews.com and you'll see it)

 

[Sawx04]

Just spoke with Disney Dining and they confirmed that they will start booking events on 8/25 at 7AM (CM mentioned their system was updated last night).

She also confirmed that there will be NO Party for the Senses during the opening weekend. First one will be held on 10/4.

When asked about cost, she quoted $135 as the base price…$143.78 with tax and gratuity included.

 

[lilyv]

Just spoke with Disney Dining and they confirmed that they will start booking events on 8/25 at 7AM (CM mentioned their system was updated last night).

She also confirmed that there will be NO Party for the Senses during the opening weekend. First one will be held on 10/4.

When asked about cost, she quoted $135 as the base price…$143.78 with tax and gratuity included.

Thanks for the info, I'm not surprised. The Bocuse d'Or isn't a little deal, and I couldn't imagine Disney trying to squeeze in a PFTS when they are hosting such an event.

I'm curious about two things. First, some of the foodie sites currently have Aug 11th as the target date to order tickets for the competition. Will be interesting to see if the date changes, and exactly what kind of tickets they are going to be selling. I wonder, too, if eventually they'll just tell folks to buy a WDW ticket.

Second, when will Disney release some information? Unless they are having problems with booking events, I don't see any benefit to waiting until a month before F&W opens.

For us, we'll stick with our plans. I am quite busy the week of the 25th, and I don't plan to adjust my schedule to fit Disney's absurdly late booking date.
I'm happy with our signature reservations, and really, really glad I've already made them.