EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, Sept. 25 - Nov 16 2015

[jerseygal]

Do you need a Chase Disney Visa, or just a Chase card to get into the lounge?

I read any Chase Visa card although I primarily use Disney Visa.

 

[Scoobypop]

I saw the same thing a while ago and I believe I posted a question to see if anyone had any info on this.
Haven't heard members talking about this. Interested also.

Yes, basically at Intermissions Cafe in the Festival Center you just show your DVC card and you get the free cocktail. It was a vodka, cranberry and I think peach drink. Quite honestly, I wouldn't make a special trip to the festival center just for it. Nobody in my party of 7 thought there was any liquor in it, it just tasted like a sweet juice. If you happen to be in the Festival Center, as we already were to pick up the Premium Package stuff, then of course I'd say get it.

 

[jerseygal]

Yes, basically at Intermissions Cafe in the Festival Center you just show your DVC card and you get the free cocktail. It was a vodka, cranberry and I think peach drink. Quite honestly, I wouldn't make a special trip to the festival center just for it. Nobody in my party of 7 thought there was any liquor in it, it just tasted like a sweet juice. If you happen to be in the Festival Center, as we already were to pick up the Premium Package stuff, then of course I'd say get it.

Thanks!

 

[rpb718]

Hi, just wanted to do a quick post. Been here since Sunday, staying at Boardwalk. The premium package has been great for us again, second year doing it, completely pleased with the areas and the festival overall. I hadn't seen this listed, but may have missed it. I know some people compiled a list for the best use of the entitlements, and they involved cocktails around $10. We found the best use so far is at the Joffreys carts. Each one had a food and wine specialty item and stamp. They are priced at $8. something, and they have Baileys or Kahlua, and the extra shot is normally an extra $1. It can also be included with the tabs, so the total for those drinks $11.18. They are all delicious, and that was the most expensive item we'd noticed for the tabs. Again, maybe someone already mentioned it, but I didn't recall. It's been great again this year, those of you yet to come, the weathers great this whole week. Enjoy!

Just returned home from our first F&W and we were glad we purchased the Premium Package. For one thing, you received priority seating at whatever food or wine deminar you selected. The ISDP was nice - not too crowded and the rum punch and selection of desserts was fine - and it was nice to view IllumiNations from a different vantage point.

But what we really liked were the 11 Premium Package seating areas throughout the park. I was just expecting to have to go through the lines to get food and drinks from the various kiosks and walk to these areas to sit down in the shade away from the crowds. I did not expect these areas to be equipped with a register but once we found that out we used them to our advantage. So for folks thinking it's just a seating area - it's not. You just walk in to one of the 11 Premium Package areas and take a seat. Each one has a menu for from 2 to 4 different kiosks in their coverage area - so every seating area has different menus. The CMs there will bring you utensils and take your order for anything on the menus, you pay for it (we used gift cards), and one or two CMs will go out and get your items and deliver them to you. One time I was still paying for an item and it was already delivered when I got back to our table. It's almost like a BOG lunch - only faster, you order, pay and sit down and the order is delivered. We did use our entitlements for some of the more expensive drinks, which are rung up separately. And to top it off, for those having their passports stamped - each Premium Package area has all the stamps for the kiosks in their area so you can visit all 11 PP seating areas and get your passports completely stamped. (Also note - the Premium Package has their own passports which have a different cover than the regular passports.)

All in all, another very satisfying trip at the BC.

 

[blackmamba10000]

I read any Chase Visa card although I primarily use Disney Visa.

Okay!! Thank you!!

 

[ChrisNY2]

Yes, basically at Intermissions Cafe in the Festival Center you just show your DVC card and you get the free cocktail. It was a vodka, cranberry and I think peach drink. Quite honestly, I wouldn't make a special trip to the festival center just for it. Nobody in my party of 7 thought there was any liquor in it, it just tasted like a sweet juice. If you happen to be in the Festival Center, as we already were to pick up the Premium Package stuff, then of course I'd say get it.

Thanks for the info! Doesn't sound amazing, but will stop by if I'm in the area

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Do you need a Chase Disney Visa, or just a Chase card to get into the lounge?

There is confusion on this every year because of the way they market this perk. It seems all the Disney info on it only mentions the Disney Visa because they're trying to sell that card. But they never say that access to the lounge is limited only to people with the Disney Visa.

You can gain access to the Chase lounge by showing any Chase card. It can be a debit or credit card. Basically, they just want to see that you're a Chase customer.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I haven't noticed a map of the booth locations. Can someone point me in the direction of one? We won't have much time there & need to have a plan.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I haven't noticed a map of the booth locations. Can someone point me in the direction of one? We won't have much time there & need to have a plan.

There's a scan of the Epcot map on All Ears. The booths around the WS lagoon seem to only be identified by what country they're near (not which specific booth is in which specific spot). The only ones I see identified by specific location are the booths in the Showcase Plaza area.

 

[Disbug]

I haven't noticed a map of the booth locations. Can someone point me in the direction of one? We won't have much time there & need to have a plan.

https://wdpromedia.disney.go.com/me...national-food-and-wine-festival-guide-map.pdf

 

[randumb0]

I was there today and the lines were terrible. I typically go on a Monday or Sunday so this was a huge difference. There wasn't one line that I stood in for less than 20 minutes

 

[DarkSideRunner]

Went for the second time Friday night. Why does everything have to be awesome? Oh, right, it's Disney.

Anyway, highly recommend the Peach Moscato (I think it was from Italy) and the Kielbasa and Pierogi - not so much for the pierogi, but for the caramelized onions that it comes with. My husband turned his nose up at first when I told him to take a bite (as he does all vegetables), but when I pushed it again, he wouldn't give them back to me afterwards.

 

[KiniShakenBake]

We are on day one of six at the festival. Boy howdy am I glad to be here!

We started with a trip (the wrong way) around the world showcase from the IG to get to the Festival Center. Then we realized halfway around that we'd forgotten sunscreen. DOH! We're a little crispier for that failure. We were also not expecting a higher humidity or heat. Last time we were here at the exact same time of year, the weather was temperate and the humidity was in-check. Whoof. We are now revising plans to make use of our midday hours back in the hotel room, either taking a nap or relaxing. And I've got hubby agreeing to Rope Drop (and we both are pretty committed to sleeping in every morning). Be forewarned, all ye who enter here! We definitely hit the point of heat grumpiness.

Once we reached the festival center, we went (the wrong way, twice around) before we found the place to pick up our premium package stuff. FYI, for those who have it, they give you absolutely no problem picking it up on Sunday. Go in the afternoon and enjoy the fact that there's no line. We had our wine and everything sent out to the IG, and later gave the Cab to a friend, because I will drink the Chardonnay by the end of the week, but Cab tends to bite my head off. Taking it home on the plane is $50 proposition. No thank you, we'll just give it to a local friend!

I was hungry, so we found Australia and I had the lamb chop. Hom. Nom. Used a snack credit to pay for it, no problem, and it was delectable. We also stopped at the Cheese studio and I had one of each food item. The Fondue was so-so, and there was way not-enough baguette to consume all the fondue without drinking it. The cheese trio was two good and one miss (the blue cheese didn't hit the spot for me), and the pannacotta, which was very mild and a nice way to finish. Then we went back to our hotel to relax for awhile. We rejoined the festival at about 5:45, and I was truly shocked at how many people were in the WS. It was rather ridiculous, especially since our local friend had brought her CCI puppy to do some socialization in the parks. We found the Chase Lounge (any Chase card will do) and hubby got to use the Freestyle machines up there. We brought our reusable drink cups from the Boardwalk because he doesn't drink, and the Freestyle machines don't care what cup they fill. Ideal! And we're not stuck with three options and three options only for him, all week.

We went to the Chew lab, and each of us wanted to try each of the dishes, so we did. A Quickservice Credit apiece was well-spent on that trio of goodies. SO GOOD. Also, the smoking hibiscus was quite wonderful. We went to Scotland and Hubby says the pancake was "yummy!" I had the scallop, which was slightly overdone, but the spinach au gratin and bacon were quite good. We also did Greece, and the gyro was met with resounding joy from hubby, and the local friend said the Spanakopita was good. We'll be having some tomorrow.

I will update for certain on whether we were able to use a QS credit for food from multiple booths via the premium areas. My gut says we will have no problem because the point of payment is inside the premium area. Squee!!!

 

[Narnia_girl]

Can anyone give me some strategies for doing F/W in the rain? We are scheduled for Wednesday and there is 80% chance of showers/thunderstorms. Our morning is booked with Fastpasses in Future World so we planned the afternoon at F/W. Doesn't seem like it will be much fun with soggy food.

 

[Ceryssa]

We are on day one of six at the festival. Boy howdy am I glad to be here!

We started with a trip (the wrong way) around the world showcase from the IG to get to the Festival Center. Then we realized halfway around that we'd forgotten sunscreen. DOH! We're a little crispier for that failure. We were also not expecting a higher humidity or heat. Last time we were here at the exact same time of year, the weather was temperate and the humidity was in-check. Whoof. We are now revising plans to make use of our midday hours back in the hotel room, either taking a nap or relaxing. And I've got hubby agreeing to Rope Drop (and we both are pretty committed to sleeping in every morning). Be forewarned, all ye who enter here! We definitely hit the point of heat grumpiness.

Once we reached the festival center, we went (the wrong way, twice around) before we found the place to pick up our premium package stuff. FYI, for those who have it, they give you absolutely no problem picking it up on Sunday. Go in the afternoon and enjoy the fact that there's no line. We had our wine and everything sent out to the IG, and later gave the Cab to a friend, because I will drink the Chardonnay by the end of the week, but Cab tends to bite my head off. Taking it home on the plane is $50 proposition. No thank you, we'll just give it to a local friend!

I was hungry, so we found Australia and I had the lamb chop. Hom. Nom. Used a snack credit to pay for it, no problem, and it was delectable. We also stopped at the Cheese studio and I had one of each food item. The Fondue was so-so, and there was way not-enough baguette to consume all the fondue without drinking it. The cheese trio was two good and one miss (the blue cheese didn't hit the spot for me), and the pannacotta, which was very mild and a nice way to finish. Then we went back to our hotel to relax for awhile. We rejoined the festival at about 5:45, and I was truly shocked at how many people were in the WS. It was rather ridiculous, especially since our local friend had brought her CCI puppy to do some socialization in the parks. We found the Chase Lounge (any Chase card will do) and hubby got to use the Freestyle machines up there. We brought our reusable drink cups from the Boardwalk because he doesn't drink, and the Freestyle machines don't care what cup they fill. Ideal! And we're not stuck with three options and three options only for him, all week.

We went to the Chew lab, and each of us wanted to try each of the dishes, so we did. A Quickservice Credit apiece was well-spent on that trio of goodies. SO GOOD. Also, the smoking hibiscus was quite wonderful. We went to Scotland and Hubby says the pancake was "yummy!" I had the scallop, which was slightly overdone, but the spinach au gratin and bacon were quite good. We also did Greece, and the gyro was met with resounding joy from hubby, and the local friend said the Spanakopita was good. We'll be having some tomorrow.

I will update for certain on whether we were able to use a QS credit for food from multiple booths via the premium areas. My gut says we will have no problem because the point of payment is inside the premium area. Squee!!!

Glad you are having a good time! Thanks for the live update and reviews! And great idea on bringing the reusable mugs for the freestyle machines in the lounge--my husband doesn't like Coke products but can find something to drink from those machines. Did you find a line to get in there, or that it was overly crowded? Enjoy the rest of your trip!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Can anyone give me some strategies for doing F/W in the rain? We are scheduled for Wednesday and there is 80% chance of showers/thunderstorms. Our morning is booked with Fastpasses in Future World so we planned the afternoon at F/W. Doesn't seem like it will be much fun with soggy food.

Ponchos + Umbrella + Don't Wear Jeans

 

[Tozzie]

I just returned from F&W I went down on the 17 and came home early this morning. I had a great time but the crowds on the weekends, specifically Saturday were insane, I have never seen the lines so long. While I did encounter a few groups that were not playing nice in the sandbox they weren't drunk they were just large groups the most annoying thing is one or two from a group would wait in line and then ten more would join them or try to join them when they got close to the registers, I thought that was beyond rude and it was annoying. Most of those groups were there on the 2 Saturdays I was there.

I did the premium package and picked up the credentials on the 17th and was told that I had to ship the bag with the wine to the front of the park or the IG , I went back on Monday to pick up my Sampler package and people were allowed to carry the package with them, that is an inconsistency that is annoying because I didn't really want to stay in the park for the 3 hours I thought it would be insane on Monday so I dealt with it. I enjoyed the premium package and found the areas to be much more crowded on Wednesday and Thursday. The package wasn't sold out during any of the weeks so the people that were told that they were sold out were given incorrect information but considering the haphazard way the package was booked it doesn't surprise me.

I also went to the PFTS on Saturday and really enjoyed it, one nice thing was I did some of the wine seminars during the week and really enjoyed some of the wine and those wineries were at the party. While I did the Wine View Lounge I did notice as I was walking to the food stations that there seemed to be more seating available for the General party tickets.

Once again my favorite food was the lobster and seafood fisherman's pie in Ireland. I also thought the shrimp in Australia was a great value the shrimp were large and I got 4 of them one time and 3 the other and it was under $5.00 I thought the filet in Canada was overrated, it was full of fat and not that great.

I think they also need to re think the arrangement of Kiosks, when you enter World Showcase there are too many booths that are popular and it is difficult to navigate around them if you are heading towards Mexico.

All in all I did enjoy myself and will be going again next year.

 

[Tamar]

I haven't had time to follow this thread, so apologies if this has been discussed (I know it probably has). We are headed down for our annual trip on Wednesday, and my DH just made reservations for PFTS on Saturday. He sent me the confirmation and I was looking at it and was shocked to see a $55 gratuity added on top of the $169 + tax for 4 tickets. I have JUST taken a screenshot of the WDW site that says the price includes gratuity.

Can someone bring me up to speed on the highlights on any past discussion on this?

 

[Tozzie]

I haven't had time to follow this thread, so apologies if this has been discussed (I know it probably has). We are headed down for our annual trip on Wednesday, and my DH just made reservations for PFTS on Saturday. He sent me the confirmation and I was looking at it and was shocked to see a $55 gratuity added on top of the $169 + tax for 4 tickets. I have JUST taken a screenshot of the WDW site that says the price includes gratuity.

Can someone bring me up to speed on the highlights on any past discussion on this?

This is the first time I have read about something like that I would call and get a supervisor on the phone and get an explanation I have gone to the PFTS for the past 4 years and never had an additional charge. Just make sure that that isn't the breakdown of the costs

 

[Bunnylee]

I haven't had time to follow this thread, so apologies if this has been discussed (I know it probably has). We are headed down for our annual trip on Wednesday, and my DH just made reservations for PFTS on Saturday. He sent me the confirmation and I was looking at it and was shocked to see a $55 gratuity added on top of the $169 + tax for 4 tickets. I have JUST taken a screenshot of the WDW site that says the price includes gratuity.

Can someone bring me up to speed on the highlights on any past discussion on this?

I am signed up for this weekend's PFTS--my gratuity was included in the 169 (the receipt does show the break down though so maybe that is what you are seeing...13.88 for gratuity for 1). BTW--since you are going to the party this weekend, any thoughts on the dress code--I have tried to get info and made several calls and can't get anything except be creative in black and yellow. Don't want to show up too dressy or too casual compared to everyone else.