Food & Wine Events-Credit Card charged right away?

[LJC1861]

I am hoping to book 2 of the lunch and learn events and was wondering if...

1. They usually sell out?

2. If they charge your credit card right away or just hold it.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Linda

 

[bunnyfoo]

I spoke to a CM this morning about the Party for the Senses event. She told me many of their events sell out quickly ... although I thought I remembered reading here on the boards that they have expanded to accomodate a lot more guests. About the credit card she told me that they would need the card to guarantee a reservation but that it would not be charged until mid-August. She also told me there was a 72-hour cancelation policy. Since I've never been to the F&W fest, I'm not sure how accurate this information is.

HTH

 

[nasmith]

Last year, my credit card was charged within the month - not exactly right away - but I believe it was on the same statement....

 

[jimwebster]

hard to guess on the lunch&learns this year. last year they were at hotel restaurants, there was only one per week, and there were probably 20-25 seats. and each session was by a high-profile chef, mostly celeb types. and they sold out quick.

this year, they're in the park, in the odyssey, which probably means more seats (which would be a shame. i enjoyed the reasonable ratio last year), there are three per weekend, and they seem to be a little more fast and loose with the stature of the headliners. not a swipe at any of the people listed, but last year, i was very aware of each l&l chef, this year, there are several i've never heard of (not that that means it won't be wonderful and fabulous.) that is, of course, when they've bothered to name one at all (lotta TBAs. never good. makes me wonder if they're waiting to see if they've scheduled too many.) and they raised the price (Nooooooooo! Disney?) plus, the festival is two weeks longer this year. so last year there were 5 l&l's. this year, without looking, i'm guessing 18? 21?

upshot is, i suspect there's a good chance you'll get in to what you want.

(there's only one i'm really interested in this year. not telling which one until after tomorrow morning, tho )

as far as party for the senses, they're designed to not sell out. they want to separate as many people as possible from their $95. you can walk up and get into that, i believe.

i'm not familiar with any of the other events. i'm afraid to go to them. i love the l&l's and the party so much, last thing i need is to become addicted to a few more outrageously expensive events.

 

[LJC1861]

Jim,

I got mine, did you get yours? I decided on the Lunch and Learn with Paula Deen and got that one. I am SO excited!

Linda

 

[jimwebster]

just got off the phone. got through on second try, but had to wait about 10 minutes on hold.

got everything i wanted: party for the senses on oct 30 and nov 13, and l&l with rick bayless on nov 13. sorry if i was stupidly clandestine in the last post. just didn't want to generate any competition for the slots. i know that's hardly likely, but still.

i considered the l&l with john ash on oct 31, but just couldn't pull the trigger. my wife and i going over for the weekend in oct. she likes the party, but could care less about watching the cooking events. and truth is, she would probably not be disappointed to skip the party. i have a friend who is a huge foodie, and we're going over for the (looooooong) day in nov, and i may end up canceling the party in oct to give my wife a break. we all have our issues, i guess.

anyway, bayless is amazing. i love his pbs show, really enjoy his books, just had a great meal at his restaurant topolobampo, and have met him at previous f&w fest dinners and demos and always enjoyed him. he's very dedicated and very real. and his dishes are very do-able. love that.

 

[jimwebster]

excellent, congrats!

you said there were two you were hoping for? you get the other one?

and, as to the actual topic thread, they mentioned that the credit card would be charged in mid-august.

 

[LJC1861]

We were considering Sweet Sundays as well, but decided to wait on it to see how finances go over these next few weeks. I know it may, rather probably will sell out and that is the chance I take. My friend coming with me has never done Food and Wine before so I want her to have lots of time to just roam WS and eat. We are also making it a long weekend and some rest is vital.

Linda

 

[webray]

I was told for all the things we booked this morning...credit cards would be charged in mid-august.

 

[Rpsemont]

last thing i need is to become addicted to a few more outrageously expensive events

No kidding! I called this morning and signed up for PFTS, a L&L and 2 F&W pairings. I can't/won't keep them all. Although if we talk some friends into going, I'll just let them use some. I really wanted to sign up the Brewers thing, but DH wasn't really excited about it and in that venue, I decided I could probably watch from the side and not eat and save the $55 but still get the show.

bayless is amazing. i love his pbs show, really enjoy his books, just had a great meal at his restaurant topolobampo,

Jim, I think we sat together last year at the Gale/Tramonto. I chose the "TBD" on Friday, because I'm not a big fan of Mexican food (hence I avoided Bayless) and a quick look into Allan Susser (via the internet) didn't bowl me over. I figure I'll take my chances and cancel if need be.

 

[BriarRosie]

I went to Rick Bayless's L&L last year, and it was amazing.
There was a bit of a problem scheduling the venue, as we all
thought it was at Citrico's. They moved us to Narcoosee's at the
last minute, and it was a lot of fun.

The food, while it is Mexican, isn't anything I've had at "Mexican"
restaurants. It's a huge notch above that.

Rick's coming back on my birthday, but I'm doing the Brooke Vosika L&L on 11/7 instead. I'm doing the Bistro de Paris
food and wine pairing on 11/13 instead.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Originally posted by bunnyfoo
...About the credit card she told me that they would need the card to guarantee a reservation but that it would not be charged until mid-August. She also told me there was a 72-hour cancelation policy. Since I've never been to the F&W fest, I'm not sure how accurate this information is...

My CM this morning was very clear that the charge would hit our cards in mid-August, and that we could cancel for a full refund up to 72 hours ahead, just as bunnyfoo was told. I wish we could go to more events, but with two kids (who will be 5 and 7 then) it is just not gonna work.

 

[webray]

Bunnyfoo..the info on payment and cancellation is very accurate.

Cards to be charged mid-august, cancellation policy is 72 hours.

 

[Forever42]

Ooh, I'm very excited to hear the good reviews about Rick Bayliss. I picked it because we're Mexican food nuts!

I just have to figure out which weekend to do the Party for the Senses. Any suggestions?

Unfortunately we can only afford two events, and we'll be snacking around the food boths for the rest of it.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Forever42,

We'll be at the Party for the Senses on 10/30. After looking at the menu for Farallon in San Fran, which is where the chef is from, they serve mostly seafood there. Who knows if that is any indication of the menu for the Party, but I remembered that you don't eat seafood. My DH is allergic to shellfish, so we'll see if he'll have enough to eat. I'm sure the desserts will be fabulous!

The reason we chose 10/30 was because Survivor is playing the "Eat to the Beat" concert that night and that sounded fun.

For those who have been to a Party for the Senses, is there alot of variety of foods to choose from?

 

[Forever42]

That's what had somewhat turned me off of 10/30, because I checked the menu at Farallon also. The idea of a James Beard Award winning pastry chef is tempting, though...

The other ones I had thought of were 10/9 (for Starship), or the weekend Paula Deen's doing a L&L. 10/16?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by wdw_dine_junkie
For those who have been to a Party for the Senses, is there alot of variety of foods to choose from?

We went to a Party for the Senses event last year. There were close to two dozen food stations throughout the World Showplace facility. Some are hosted by a guest chef, and others by a Walt Disney World chef. If there's a food station with something you don't like, just move on to another one.

There was a heavy emphasis on seafood. For example, two of the stations had scallops -- wonderful scallops, I might add. I don't think any station had chicken, but other meats from the land-based animals were available.

In comparison, attending a Lunch & Learn, Signature Dinner, Food & Wine Pairing, or $185 Dinner can be a gamble if you don't like some categories of foods. You get a fixed set of courses; you get a menu that tells you what you're getting, not a menu from which you make selections.

Here's a quotation about the Party for the Senses from the Food and Fine Festival information at http://www.wdwinfo.com/
<blockquote>You’ll begin this memorable event at the 5:45 performance of the Eat to the Beat Concert. From 6:30 to 9:00pm, you’ll be sampling the culinary creations of 20 renowned chefs as well as 50 great beers and wines. This event takes place at the World Showplace Pavilion (formerly Millennium Village.) </blockquote>

Originally posted by Forever42
That's what had somewhat turned me off of 10/30, because I checked the menu at Farallon also. The idea of a James Beard Award winning pastry chef is tempting, though...

Mark Franz from the Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco will be represented at one food station only. Emily Luchetti from Farallon is likely to be at the dessert station. You can guess who some of the other chefs will be if you look at the culinary demo schedule and the Lunch & Learn schedule for that week. But the culinary demo schedule isn't available until the Festival begins.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

Thanks, sounds like we'll be fine. I'll eat the seafood he can't eat and he can eat any of the meats. Another reason the Party for the Senses sounded great was because it wasn't a fixed menu.

Along with the wines and desserts, it should be a fun night. Now I just have to wait until the AP codes come out for rooms.

 

[jimwebster]

Originally posted by Rpsemont
Jim, I think we sat together last year at the Gale/Tramonto. I chose the "TBD" on Friday, because I'm not a big fan of Mexican food (hence I avoided Bayless) and a quick look into Allan Susser (via the internet) didn't bowl me over. I figure I'll take my chances and cancel if need be.

I'm not crazy! i knew i had had a conversation with someone on these boards that i sat next to at that lunch & learn. nasmith was there, too, and i was chatting with her as if it was her. (she was also there, but sitting elsewhere.)

i loved that l&l so much it inspired me to go back to chicago to go to tru, which was an amazing evening. and a great trip. i went to topolobampo (and got to chat with rick bayless) and charlie trotter's as well.

bayless is fascinating. i've been to a PFS with him (well, at the time it was called the Grand Tasting at the Odyssey), and seen him at culinary demos. i'm a huge fan. he respects the history and tradition associated with what he's serving. there is no showing off about it. i love that.

i'm kinda with you on allen susser. i lived in miami for 10 years. never went to his place. every time i read about him or saw him on tv, i just felt he seemed a little too full of his own importance. maybe i'm reading him wrong. a co-worker went to his restaurant and loved it. maybe its the name that i'm hung up on. Chef Allen's. dunno. i suspect he'll be at the PFS i'm going to. he and bayless. very much look forward to that. maybe susser will change my mind. i'll let ya know.

 

[nasmith]

Horace & WDW_Dine - We went to 2 "PFS" last year - and both were completely different! While one was heavy on the seafood, the other had very few seafood dishes. Even the Disney Chefs were different (different teams from some of the same resorts, but completely different dishes). While chatting with some of the Chefs, we found our that the PFS is a big deal for them - sort of a competition amongst themselves to produce the most spectacular dishes -- it also gives Chefs an opportunity to produce fare that they don't normally ((One of my favorite dishes last year was served by the Chefs from the All Star Resorts! -- and no, it wasn't hamburgers)--

The only similarities between the 2 PFS were the cheese table, the entertainment, and the beer available

Jill.