EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, Sept. 25 - Nov 16 2015

[nordkin]

I just saw a Facebook post from DVC that shows a "special" offer for members for reserved seating at the Oct 3rd PFTS. the DVC member website describes it as the one featuring the Disney chefs from around the world. It looks like it includes the same stuff with the addition of a members exclusive gift. It's listed at $199 and members are able to book it early starting tomorrow. The Disney website though, is advertising the Disney chefs from around the world party on Oct 24th??

I just saw the something on the DVC website, but you have to call member services to book.

 

[jedijill]

WDW dining is reporting deminars can't be booked until 9am est this morning. I'm going back to bed for a bit.

Jill in CO

 

[Shells9]

I am on hold to book a demo early since we are AP holders. At first the lady said today was only for Chase card holders. After about a minute she came back and said we could book, and by the time she confirmed it she came back and said there was no availability. The search took a long time on her end. Then she came back and said others were having problems as well. Now she says they will not start booking until 9 am. Ugh! So happy I set an alarm to get up on my day off to find out I could have slept in!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

I just saw a Facebook post from DVC that shows a "special" offer for members for reserved seating at the Oct 3rd PFTS. the DVC member website describes it as the one featuring the Disney chefs from around the world. It looks like it includes the same stuff with the addition of a members exclusive gift. It's listed at $199 and members are able to book it early starting tomorrow. The Disney website though, is advertising the Disney chefs from around the world party on Oct 24th??

I just saw the same thing on the member web site. It really steams me that things like this can't be announced earlier. DVC knows we book our timeshares 11 months in advance. DVC resorts near Epcot fill up fast during F&W, so it would be impossible to switch reservations at this point. Had I known there was a special booking option for a specific PFTS, it would have influenced the dates we booked for our trip. It's too late to do anything about that now. So this becomes a perk only for the members who were already planning to be there on October 3rd.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a rant there. I'm generally confused by Disney's entire F&W philosophy. For an event that's grown so popular (and certainly makes them a great deal of money), I can't believe it's so poorly managed. Everything seems to be finalized at the very last second. Heck, they should already be making final arrangements for the 2016 festival, much less announcing things for the one that starts in a few months.

 

[nordkin]

I just saw the same thing on the member web site. It really steams me that things like this can't be announced earlier. DVC knows we book our timeshares 11 months in advance. DVC resorts near Epcot fill up fast during F&W, so it would be impossible to switch reservations at this point. Had I known there was a special booking option for a specific PFTS, it would have influenced the dates we booked for our trip. It's too late to do anything about that now. So this becomes a perk only for the members who were already planning to be there on October 3rd.

Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a rant there. I'm generally confused by Disney's entire F&W philosophy. For an event that's grown so popular (and certainly makes them a great deal of money), I can't believe it's so poorly managed. Everything seems to be finalized at the very last second. Heck, they should already be making final arrangements for the 2016 festival, much less announcing things for the one that starts in a few months.

Couldn't agree more. We ended up canceling last year because there was no PFTS on the weekend we had reserved. It is the main reason we go.

 

[PNO4TE]

What is disturbing to me is that there ARE people booking deminars already this morning. A good friend who is trying this for the very first time got right in at 7 and booked! But most of us ae getting the "sorry, we can't book anything until 9" speech.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

What is disturbing to me is that there ARE people booking deminars already this morning. A good friend who is trying this for the very first time got right in at 7 and booked! But most of us ae getting the "sorry, we can't book anything until 9" speech.

I want to scream, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" But sadly, I'm sure you're not and I'm sure Disney is screwing this up like they do every year. How they don't learn from their mistakes is just beyond me. I'm sure organizing a festival of this size is incredibly complex but Disney should have the talent to manage it. Not to mention 20 years of lessons learned.

 

[River Country]

Just go off the phone and The Sampler package can not be booked today. Wahhhh

 

[kmrada]

Me too! I have lots of reading to do! Interestingly enough, it WAS mentioned that we "may be able to convert a QS credit to 3 snack credits". I'm not counting on it but interesting to note that is is a possibility.

That would be great. It is nice that I can download this book to my phone as a quick reference!

 

[kmrada]

Me too can't wait to dig in to it!

"dig in"....

 

[RachelTori]

I want to scream, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" But sadly, I'm sure you're not and I'm sure Disney is screwing this up like they do every year. How they don't learn from their mistakes is just beyond me. I'm sure organizing a festival of this size is incredibly complex but Disney should have the talent to manage it. Not to mention 20 years of lessons learned.

I absolutely agree, but look at it from Disney's point of view. What incentive do they have to make things right? We moan and groan, but keep coming back and the events and deminars sell out. They're getting our money.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can't book packages, PFTS or anything else today. The only events you can book today are the $15 "deminars" at the festival center.

And from what we're getting, you can't do that until 9 AM, although some have been able to do it earlier.

They do keep changing things around. Used to be there was a PFTS every weekend of the festival. Then there wasn't one the first weekend. Then there wasn't a PFTS on the first or last weekend. This year, it's PFTS on weekends in October only.

This year if you wanted the 3D Dessert Party you're out of luck, too.

Any hope of a early preview of the Festival on Sept 23??

Afraid not. They do a "cast preview" the day before, but nothing earlier.

 

[PNO4TE]

I want to scream, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME??" But sadly, I'm sure you're not and I'm sure Disney is screwing this up like they do every year. How they don't learn from their mistakes is just beyond me. I'm sure organizing a festival of this size is incredibly complex but Disney should have the talent to manage it. Not to mention 20 years of lessons learned.

The booking has already shown up in her MDE account. I am in agreement with you that it just doesn't seem that it should be that difficult to manage. At least to all of us.

 

[sunnygal041]

I was told by the CM that she can't book until 9am. I wish they would get their act together. UGH

 

[FeralCatRogue]

for the perosn who was told no availiability, Same thing happened to me last year with cat cora I had to get a supervisor to get me booked because there WAS availability the cm just was looking wrong. I'd call back and ask for supervisor if you really want that spot.

 

[River Country]

I think its 9AM..... a bus driver told me

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Is everyone flexing their dialing fingers? Make sure you're warmed up so you don't sprain anything.

 

[kmrada]

9:00 am...open up the flood gates!

 

[pmdeve]

I am on hold now. They said the wait will be 4 minutes.

 

[PrincessJen09]

So is today for Disney Chase card holders? Or no? I have seen mentions of both. I just don't want to miss my booking day!