2018 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival: August 30 to November 12, 2018

[Karen46]

I booked the Italian Food and Wine Luncheon for September 12th at Tutto Gusto and she did ask me for my AP Number off the back of my card as well as my resort confirmation number so I could have it linked. It did not link it, I linked it myself after we hung with the confirmation number she gave me. Wait time was 35 minutes.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Called Club Level's signature services but they aren't able to book F&W events yet. They did offer to take my info and book stuff for me as soon as events opened up to them but I declined knowing I'll get events faster myself as DSS doesn't open until 9am. C'est la vie guess early booking was a one-off for last year, I will be joining any others here up at an ungodly hour on Thurs (CA time here ) for general booking. Although if I end up waiting 2 hours on the phone I'll be bummed I didn't take DSS up on their offer lol.

 

[FeralCatRogue]

For those not finding it in mde check old accounts the cm linked mine to an old MDE that wasnt even the one iwth my tickets or ap on it.... I will have to call and move it once the wait times die down.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I honestly think some of the WDW restaurants are fed up with this annual circus. WDW is doing major rehabs at some resort restaurants. I know the Staff at the Restaurants in Italy & France prepare all year for these event & they genuinely seem to enjoy hosting them, but they are exhausted by the end of the festival. But the disorganization we've seen year after year with the F & W Special events staff causes other places to want nothing to do with the whole thing. I still morn the loss of the F & W Pairings at Le Cellier. In the end they decide if the $ they take in for these events is worth the losses they may experience by tying up their restaurants with a special event. For France it's a win because they aren't normally open when their special events are held. Italy uses separate areas from their main dining to host their events so they still have the majority of their space available for normal operations. In my opinion Epcot Special Events has totally dropped the ball year after year by not coming up with decent events that we are willing to pay for. Anyone remember the Wine Schools? Sweet Sundays (pre-Festival Center)? As someone else posted within the past few days, why would I want to pay $39 to decorate a cupcake? I can go to my local JoAnn's or Michael's for that.

I wonder if the non-Disney owned spots will take initiative and plan some things. Swan & Dolphin already has their event. I think it was last year that Paddlefish did a mixology class that was excellent. The old Portobello now Terralina used to offer classes when Tony Mantuano was in town, hopefully will again. Morimoto has a special dinner in a few weeks (& always has the Omakase). Homecomin has been doing some late night party. Someone enterprising could take this and run. There’s $ to be made with a quality event.

 

[YodasMom]

I wonder if the non-Disney owned spots will take initiative and plan some things. Swan & Dolphin already has their event. I think it was last year that Paddlefish did a mixology class that was excellent. The old Portobello now Terralina used to offer classes when Tony Mantuano was in town, hopefully will again. Morimoto has a special dinner in a few weeks (& always has the Omakase). Homecomin has been doing some late night party. Someone enterprising could take this and run. There’s $ to be made with a quality event.

I was wondering the same thing. Also, Tiffins loves to do their own events combined with animal care experts and Imagineers!

 

[ksromack]

I wonder if the non-Disney owned spots will take initiative and plan some things. Swan & Dolphin already has their event. I think it was last year that Paddlefish did a mixology class that was excellent. The old Portobello now Terralina used to offer classes when Tony Mantuano was in town, hopefully will again. Morimoto has a special dinner in a few weeks (& always has the Omakase). Homecomin has been doing some late night party. Someone enterprising could take this and run. There’s $ to be made with a quality event.

How FUN would it be for Morimoto's to offer a Sushi making class? I don't even like sushi and I'd take that one!

 

[to be tink]

Has anyone who booked an “unadvertised” event had it show up in My Disney Experience? All mine are showing except the one unadvertised one I booked, tequila lunch.

What day is the tequila lunch being offered? Price? TIA!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

What day is the tequila lunch being offered? Price? TIA!

Believe it is Wed through Friday at noon. Held in La Hacienda (not otherwise open for lunch to karrit’s point above). I believe price for one, with tax, was $89.68.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

After 50+ minutes on hold with DVC this morning I booked Parisian breakfast for 9/22 and Spice Rd. Mediterranean lunch for 9/17. We did both of those events last year, so we know we will have fun but I was hoping for something different. No Italian wine pairing lunches in September. I don't drink beer. I guess I can chat with DH and see if we want to do tequila lunch. No French Family meal for our dates. I am so annoyed with the process that I refuse to book PFTS. We will go have dinner somewhere that night and spend less than $460. Plus, our flight out the next morning is at 7AM so it would be wise not to do a huge event the night before.

 

[BGinCali]

Okay. I called the passholders number but was told they would have to transfer me to someone who could help. I was so very worried I would be put in the queue with the dining reservations but I wasn't. I was put through to "recreation". Here's the number....I was on hold for maybe 90 seconds!

407-939-7529

I wanted to book the French Family Meals but they aren't offered on saturdays according to the cast member that helped me. They are select FRIDAYS and SUNDAYS. The dates for october were 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, and 10/26. This threw a monkey wrench in my plans. I booked the Parisian Breakfast 10/6 and will be going solo because my hubby won't arrive at MCO until 11am. I am traveling with friends that will be leaving that day. Someone book with me! Incidently the Parisian breakfast was $42.xx

Thank you so much for posting this! While I was on hold with the # listed under MDE-AP (20 minutes & counting), I dialed this Enchanted Extra # & only was on hold a couple of minutes, then able to book the Parisian breakfast!

 

[to be tink]

Yea gotta love that they are not consistent..Now i gotta figure out why mines not in MDE.

I was told to enter my confirmation number for the Mexican Tequila Lunch to have it show up in MDE.

 

[ksromack]

I was told to enter my confirmation number for the Mexican Tequila Lunch to have it show up in MDE.

Mine showed up on its own. The CM even told me it should be there....this leads me to believe that THEY do something to link it all up.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Just looked at MDE and both events I booked were showing up.

 

[Karen46]

After 50+ minutes on hold with DVC this morning I booked Parisian breakfast for 9/22 and Spice Rd. Mediterranean lunch for 9/17. We did both of those events last year, so we know we will have fun but I was hoping for something different. No Italian wine pairing lunches in September. I don't drink beer. I guess I can chat with DH and see if we want to do tequila lunch. No French Family meal for our dates. I am so annoyed with the process that I refuse to book PFTS. We will go have dinner somewhere that night and spend less than $460. Plus, our flight out the next morning is at 7AM so it would be wise not to do a huge event the night before.

I am very worried that the CM didn't understand what I wanted but I booked the Italian Regional Lunch and Wine Paring at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar for Sept 12, did they tell you that this lunch was just a lunch and not the wine pairing like they offered last year. We were cancelled because of the Hurricane so we did not get to go and had to cancel the trip. I specifically asked her knowing we could not see it online. Thanks

 

[GoGoBeans]

I am very worried that the CM didn't understand what I wanted but I booked the Italian Regional Lunch and Wine Paring at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar for Sept 12, did they tell you that this lunch was just a lunch and not the wine pairing like they offered last year. We were cancelled because of the Hurricane so we did not get to go and had to cancel the trip. I specifically asked her knowing we could not see it online. Thanks

Wait a minute. No wine pairing? What the heck am I paying $100pp for if no wine. The CM and I talked about the names specifically for the two Italian events as I wanted both and only the Italian Food and Wine pairing was offered during my dates, not the Italian Wine vs Beer which she said started on 9/25.

 

[Karen46]

Wait a minute. No wine pairing? What the heck am I paying $100pp for if no wine. The CM and I talked about the names specifically for the two Italian events as I wanted both and only the Italian Food and Wine pairing was offered during my dates, not the Italian Wine vs Beer which she said started on 9/25.

She told me mine was a wine pairing, I also didn't want the wine vs beer and it was not offered during my stay as well. I paid and booked. Maybe when the finally come online I can see more of the description.

 

[OhhBother]

Just called DVC. On hold for 9 minutes. Booked Parisian breakfast for 9/22. She asked if I wanted to book anything else. I told her it was hard to know since I couldn’t see a complete schedule of events anywhere!

 

[Disney & ME]

Just looked at MDE and both events I booked were showing up.

I was getting nervous that mine weren't showing so I linked the number the CM gave me and now they are there. Phew! Interestingly the pending charge on my Disney Visa says "WDW room only res" which is why I was concerned. Maybe this is how DVC had to enter it?

 

[randumb0]

Is there a discount on the Food and Beverage pairing?

 

[kellyr66]

I am very worried that the CM didn't understand what I wanted but I booked the Italian Regional Lunch and Wine Paring at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar for Sept 12, did they tell you that this lunch was just a lunch and not the wine pairing like they offered last year. We were cancelled because of the Hurricane so we did not get to go and had to cancel the trip. I specifically asked her knowing we could not see it online. Thanks

I booked it too. I got to believe that the "Italian Regional Lunches" that they are doing on Mondays and Wednesdays includes wine. It better!! I don't know why they dropped "wine pairing" from the name. I will not be happy camper if there is no wine. Disney has always been vague with the descriptions and this year even worse by not even listing the events yet.