Got a call from Epcot Dining

[Humphrey53209]

The caller (Rosa) informed me that our scheduled food & wine pairing at the Seas Salon on 10/25 had been switched to Coral Reef. She asked if I wanted to think it over or cancel now. It almost seemed that she wanted me to cancel. Did anyone else get a similar call?

Regards,
Humphrey53209

 

[disney_magic]

Was it Epcot dining who called? That sounds really unusual. Doesn't WDW dining usually call?

 

[yearbook50]

I had that call about a week or so ago.

Its the same pairing just in a different location; however, some people have been upset over it so they are now offering to cancel it.

Don't cancel it! The review I saw of one earlier this month was outstanding. You should enjoy it!

 

[yearbook50]

Was it Epcot dining who called? That sounds really unusual. Doesn't WDW dining usually call?

Epcot Dining calls in regards to F&W special events.

 

[AshleyMWC]

I got one a similar call the other day for my 10/17 pairing. I was actually excited that it had been moved to the Coral Reef, as I didn't even know what the Seas Salon was. Does this mean it will be in the actual restaurant so i can see the tank now?!?!

I haven't seen a review of one of the Coral Reef pairings, but i am going to try and find one now!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The Seas Salon is the old VIP Lounge in The Living Seas. It has windows into the tank, but they are nowhere near as large as those in the Coral Reef. Also it has a piano in it where the entire body is made of the same clear plastic as the windows. There is also a room with a very large picture window that has an unbelievable view of SpaceShip Earth. (I just attended a convention where on September 28th we had two meals and all-day seminars there.)

 

[PatriciaH]

I was looking forward to seeing the Seas Salon, but I guess I will keep the paring we have on 10/19. The last one we did at Coral Reef was OK but you sit all the way in back- not near the windows at all.

 

[TDC Nala]

don't cancel. The food is far more interesting than the view.

All the Seas Salon pairings have been moved to the Coral Reef. At the pairing last Friday, the restaurant rep said this was because it was decided pretty much at the last minute that they needed the Seas Salon to host wedding receptions and other events (read: expensive catered events). The signature dinner on 10/21 is still in the Salon.

Biggest problem I had with Coral Reef is not that you can't see the tank (I could see it even though we were not right up against it) but that the pairing goes on while the restaurant is still busy, and it's noisy. But after some wine you won't even notice.

When they called me to notify me about October 5 changing location, they did not give me the option to cancel. Remember that these events are not refundable and there is ordinarily no cancellation permitted. I believe they are doing so now because so many folks who had signed up got upset about the change in location. On the other hand...if you couldn't get in when it was first time to sign up, maybe it's possible to get into a pairing now.

 

[Humphrey53209]

I'm not going to cancel but I am a bit bothered that I won't get to see a venue that I've never seen and probably never will after this switch. At first I thought they might have overbooked but still find it interesting they're moving all the pairings to Coral Reef. Still looking forward to it though.

Regards,
Humphrey53209

 

[ImprovGal]

Biggest problem I had with Coral Reef is not that you can't see the tank (I could see it even though we were not right up against it) but that the pairing goes on while the restaurant is still busy, and it's noisy. But after some wine you won't even notice.

I know they try to schedule the pairings in between lunch & dinner service. In past years, I don't remember the lunch service/event overlap being as bad as it seems to be this year. How about blaming the dining plan for a busier restaurant and more people lingering to get through appetizer-entree-dessert?

When they called me to notify me about October 5 changing location, they did not give me the option to cancel. Remember that these events are not refundable and there is ordinarily no cancellation permitted. I believe they are doing so now because so many folks who had signed up got upset about the change in location. On the other hand...if you couldn't get in when it was first time to sign up, maybe it's possible to get into a pairing now.

I think they're being quite generous in giving guests opportunities to cancel these nonrefundable events. The Seas Salon --> Coral Reef seems to be just the beginning.

One interesting precedent seems to be set with the upcoming California Grill Signature Dinner on Sunday 10/14. Apparently Epcot Dining contacted all guests who booked this sold out event and offered to email the evening's menu to them. Menus usually aren't volunteered in advance for these dinners. However, the twist to this dinner is that the guest chef specializes in vegetarian cuisine, and all of the offerings on the menu are meatless and appear to be vegetarian. Is the menu disclosure an unspoken option for the guests to cancel the event if they decide the ticket isn't worth it if no animals were harmed in the making of the dinner? I certainly hope so as that would allow me to move off the waitlist and into the event!

 

[TDC Nala]

There seems to be no such thing as a lunch/dinner break in business anymore. That restaurant is busy all the time now.

I think for at least some of the events they will have to rethink that nonrefundable/noncancellable policy for next year.