Food and Wine starting in August next year

[zavandor]

It looks like at Epcot there will be very soon a festival every day of the year. In 2017 the Food and Wine will start 8/31. Do you think this will have a big impact on DVC availability for early September? Adventure season and Food and Wine, looks like a recipe for high request for DVC resorts.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm hoping this won't have a huge impact on the demand for DVC rooms next September. My guess is that September's so close to the beginning of school in lots of places and the weather's still too hot to be roaming around Epcot (but who knows, maybe I'm just hoping). I'm wondering if the added weeks will affect locals, for example say they go an average of 6 Saturdays, now they have more Saturdays to choose from. Or do you think they'll just go more times? I'm hoping that the added weeks will mean weekends aren't quite so crowded with locals as they have more weekends to pick from. Do you think that might be possible? Or do you think I'm just hoping for what won't really happen?

 

[DebbieB]

Right now there is availability at BWV for the entire month for a pool/garden studio, scattered dates for standard or boardwalk view. I think the fact that September is so hot, members will still favor October. The point difference between adventure and choice isn't that much.

 

[drusba]

Disney is often trying to find ways to make Sep a higher demand month than it usually is, e.g., the Halloween Party started around Labor Day this year. F&W used to start in Oct and then they moved it back to where it is now, last week of Sep. Two years ago, Disney moved the start date back to mid-Sep. From what i could tell from tracking reservations, that change had no real impact on DVC demand. I am guessing it did not have much impact on Sep demand for Disney in general because Disney went back to the last week of Sep start last year.

We will see what happens with the new change but Sep still has the same issues it had before to diminish demand including hot temperatures with high humidity and usually too much rain, the fact that it is the first full month of school, and there is always a risk of the invasion of the Love Bugs. To me, another month of Food & Wine is not a wise choice. Extending an otherwise well-attended event too long, to now 2 1/2 months, is often the formula for creating loss of interest in the event. Moreover, I do not know if it is widespread but I know some members who usually went in Oct and now go in Sep to avoid Food & Wine because they no longer want to deal with issues involving inebriated guests and excessively large and sometimes unruly crowds at Epcot in the evening, particularly on weekends. Add the F&W issues to all of Sep and Disney may see some of its usual Sep guests stop going in Sep. It also creates the impression that Disney is likely to continue to do little to improve Epcot; instead relying on less costly events and gimmicks to generate demand.

 

[crisi]

I don't think its a mistake. Its obviously a huge money maker for Disney. Extending the dates is good for DVC owners who want to get that Epcot resort over Food and Wine - they have more dates to do it - and a lot of the Food and Wine DVC crowd seems to have kids that are older - college age or grown - so school schedules probably don't make that much difference to the lushes that go down to drink their way around the World.

It wouldn't surprise me to see September become more of an adults at Disney season - kids are back in school and those without kids can do adults only ticketed events at the MK in the evenings (liquor could even show up) and F&W during the day. The revitalized Springs area adds to the appeal - and there is a growing quantity of retiring baby boomers.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

My take -- trying to keep EPCOT relevant until they get around to its remaining. Not a fan - I like EPCOT and the countries, and this makes it more challenging to enjoy them.

 

[DenLo]

September is not that much hotter when comparing temperatures with October. Let's face it they are both hot and humid. And both could have hurricanes for Florida although October has higher statistics for October hurricanes than September.

So with all of these festivals I wonder how many weeks of the year are not covered by festivals or holidays at Epcot. I would guess that Disney thinks it is filling more rooms in addition to adding more gate receipts.

Festival of the Arts Jan. 13 – Feb. 20, 2017

Flower and Garden March 01 - May 29, 2017

Food and Wine - August 31 - November 13, 2017

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And, obviously, from Thanksgiving through Christmas, you have the Holiday stuff.

So, at this point, it's a handful of weeks, and high summer.