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

[Haley R]

I am so disappointed in the bands that are there when I'm there. Up until today there was the band that did "Who let the dogs out?", and the other two were TBAs. Not interested in that one, I hoped the other two would be better. Turns out they're bands I've never heard of. So, unfortunately, whereas in previous years I've really looked forward to the Eat to the Beat concerts, this year I don't plan to see any.

We'll be there October 23-30 and I don't like any of the ones while we are there. Hanson is playing one of our nights, but I honestly know one song by them. I didn't really see any bands that got me excited.

 

[dachsie]

We'll be there October 23-30 and I don't like any of the ones while we are there. Hanson is playing one of our nights, but I honestly know one song by them. I didn't really see any bands that got me excited.

Oh you've got good ones! Kenny G and Billy Ocean.

I have Sugar Ray and Sheila E and a couple others

 

[chuff88]

I'm disappointed that the one Sunday we're there (9/30) doesn't have a brunch with the chef. And the week before is Morimoto, one of my all time faves!

 

[karrit2000]

I'm disappointed that the one Sunday we're there (9/30) doesn't have a brunch with the chef. And the week before is Morimoto, one of my all time faves!

It's always a gamble which celebrities will actually be there when you are. I've given up trying to figure it out. I just book for the last two weeks & hope for the best. I have another trip tentatively scheduled for the end of September, beginning of October hoping to book the DVC Moonlight Magic. So I may book some F &W events so I will have to make that trip & hope it coincides with the D23 event. Interestingly enough it looks like Robert Irvine will be there during that time frame also.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Oh you've got good ones! Kenny G and Billy Ocean.

I have Sugar Ray and Sheila E and a couple others

I would LOVE to see Billy Ocean again

 

[Haley R]

Oh you've got good ones! Kenny G and Billy Ocean.

I have Sugar Ray and Sheila E and a couple others

I just looked up Billy Ocean and Kenny G on Youtube and listened to some, but I've never heard any of their songs before lol. Definitely not my cup of tea.

I would love to see Sugar Ray! I play drums in a band so Sheila E would be awesome too! Wanna switch? lol

 

[pepperandchips]

I had a question about the Eat to the Beat reserved seating. You need to book ADRs at 180 days to get the best guarantee of getting into the restaurants you want, but the booking for the ETTB reserved seating isn't open yet.

If I book an ADR now and the time/eligible restaurant etc. match what I'm reading from last year for eligibility, etc. will I be able to convert that ADR to an ETTB ADR when the bookings open?

It does you no good at all to book a "regular" ADR hoping to change it to the Eat to the Beat package. Unless you are truly set on that dining reservation, you're better served just to wait until the Eat to the Beat dining packages come out. You can't convert anything, unfortunately.

 

[Skippyboo]

YESSSSS!!!! PFTS will be during my F&W trip! Went for the first time last year with my parents and we all really want to go again this year! w00t!!!!

How was the Party for the Senses? I am totally thinking about booking and trying to get my friend to come along too. Is it worth the high price?

My thinking it’s 100 so bucks for a desert party with alcohol so 229 for 50 tasting stations plus wines and entertainment isn’t that bad.

 

[garris3404]

Is Eat to the Beat dining package worth it as far as preferred seating area? The only thing I have to compare it to is Candlelight Processional. Can you hear/see the band from outside the stage?

On the website it states... "Seating will be uncovered and in the second section in the middle of the theater." Is it worth it? Who gets to sit in the covered sections in front?

 

[dachsie]

Mercy Me is on Fox and Friends this morning.

 

[My2Qtz0205]

Mercy Me is on Fox and Friends this morning.

Mercy Me is my favorite! I have seen them in concert several times. I wish they were going to be at Epcot when we are. We get Sheila E and somebody else that doesn’t thrill me.

 

[gottalovepluto]

How was the Party for the Senses? I am totally thinking about booking and trying to get my friend to come along too. Is it worth the high price?

My thinking it’s 100 so bucks for a desert party with alcohol so 229 for 50 tasting stations plus wines and entertainment isn’t that bad.

We absolutely loved it. None of us had ever been before, so we just wanted some good food and good drinks and it did not disappoint! We did reserved seating last year so the 4 of us had a table to ourselves. Loved being able to speak directly with the chefs because we have 4 different food allergies in our group and one of them is pretty serious and chefs were happy to change something up if they were able. There were wonderful little chocolates (which our server told us to snag early on because they tend to run out of some) and more wines than we could ever even try. We were able to sample so much food and go back and get our favorites! An Epcot Mexican restaurant team (don't remember which one) was mixing up this tequila drink that had liquid nitrogen sugar stuff on top of it or something and was just really cool to watch them make. We were hoping so much we'd get another shot and are thrilled we can go this year. Not so much thrilled at the jump in price from $199 to $229 for our fam of 4 but we talked and all still want to do it.

Reviews from people who have been going for years are usually much less happy, Disney has upped the prices a lot and cut down on offerings. Having never been before we were thrilled with the experience last year and are really happy we get the chance to do it again this year. (And it was a nice break from the parks, especially considering it's on a Sat night.)

 

[dachsie]

Mercy Me is my favorite! I have seen them in concert several times. I wish they were going to be at Epcot when we are. We get Sheila E and somebody else that doesn’t thrill me.

i will be there then as well. Sugar Ray is another one there

 

[pepperandchips]

Just got this email from Tables in Wonderland:

We hope that your summer is off to a great start! We wanted to share that the 2018 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival dining packages, special events, seminars and more were announced yesterday on the Walt Disney World website.

As a Tables in Wonderland member, you will have the opportunity to pre-book all of our upcoming events offered during this year’s Festival! Starting at 9:00 am (EST) on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, members can call to book reservations for experiences before they open to the general public on Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 7:00 am (EST).

Please visit www.TasteEpcot.com for a peak at all of our upcoming 2018 Festival experiences!

For reservations, please call 407-WDW-FEST (407-939-3378) and be sure to have your Tables in Wonderland card available to provide your Member ID number to the Cast Member over the phone.

Please note all event content and appearances are subject to change or cancellation at any time. All events are subject to limited availability.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Just got this email from Tables in Wonderland:

We hope that your summer is off to a great start! We wanted to share that the 2018 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival dining packages, special events, seminars and more were announced yesterday on the Walt Disney World website.

As a Tables in Wonderland member, you will have the opportunity to pre-book all of our upcoming events offered during this year’s Festival! Starting at 9:00 am (EST) on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, members can call to book reservations for experiences before they open to the general public on Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 7:00 am (EST).

Please visit www.TasteEpcot.com for a peak at all of our upcoming 2018 Festival experiences!

For reservations, please call 407-WDW-FEST (407-939-3378) and be sure to have your Tables in Wonderland card available to provide your Member ID number to the Cast Member over the phone.

Please note all event content and appearances are subject to change or cancellation at any time. All events are subject to limited availability.

Thanks for posting!!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Description is up on disneyworld.com and all those things - bar, cheese, eat to beat seats - ARE included in Wine View Lounge. Description still only talks about check in time (vs early access to party). Still not sure I an justify it but at least those perks didn’t go away.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/food-wine-party-for-senses/

Link does not work.

I think you have to work your way through the Disney system to get the info for some reason you can't link directly

Oh and skip the transportation. It took longer than walking!

 

[B'rer Karen]

Disney Food Blog has just confirmed that Disney Vacation Club members also can book on Tuesday. They are assuming AP as well, but have not confirmed.

Although, I'm not sure what exactly we'll all be booking. The special events info is pretty non-existent at this point.

Maybe this is the new plan. They were tired of all of us calling in and having more info than the CMs manning the phone lines, so they're not giving us any information either.

 

[karrit2000]

It would be nice if they would post the details on the country specific events like the French Breakfasts & Lunches and the events in Italy, Mexico, Japan, & Morocco. And what ever else they are planning. Hope they haven't done away with those. I keep checking the link & the dining pages but nothing so far. Everything announced yesterday has a separate listing under Dining on the Disney website even though the links from the festival page go nowhere.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Disney Food Blog has just confirmed that Disney Vacation Club members also can book on Tuesday. They are assuming AP as well, but have not confirmed.

Although, I'm not sure what exactly we'll all be booking. The special events info is pretty non-existent at this point.

Maybe this is the new plan. They were tired of all of us calling in and having more info than the CMs manning the phone lines, so they're not giving us any information either.

Ridiculous every year, how little time we have with complete info before booking.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Ridiculous every year, how little time we have with complete info before booking.

No what's ridiculous is that we keep throwing money at them allowing them to get away with this.

Why should they bother to improve, they get the $$ either way.