UPDATE: To book online, go to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/ and click the “dining event” button.
I don’t know about you, but I’m still scrambling to figure out what events I’d like to sign up for during the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Cheese seminar? Discovery of Chocolate? Wine School? Italian Regional Lunch?
But no matter what, I’ll have it all sorted out by 7am EST tomorrow morning, Tuesday, August 14th, because that’s when booking opens for ALL guests to snag their chosen 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival events!
It’s easy to book: just call 407-WDW-FEST to book all events. Some events will be available for booking online at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/ — click the “dining event” button.
So here’s your reminder to get planning! And I wanted to share a few of my top tips for Food and Wine Festival Booking with you as well!
DFB Top Tips for Epcot Food and Wine Festival Event Booking
Get Started Early
A few minutes here or there might not matter in most things, but when it comes to booking Food and Wine Festival events, a few minutes can really make a difference.
Many of the most popular Food and Wine Festival Events sell out quickly — and by “quickly,” we mean in mere minutes — so the earlier you’re on the phone or on your computer, the better.
Additionally, wait times on the phone can be brutal if you call after 7AM, so try to dial right when that number flips on your digital clock.
Plan Ahead
There’s no better way to have a great time at one of the biggest Food and Wine Festivals in the world than to plan ahead. Know what’s happening when you’re there, and know what events are must-dos for you. We’ve got comprehensive event information on our 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Index Pages, so that’s a great place to settle in for a planning session.
But what I personally use when planning my event bookings is a resource that takes that info one step further: our 46-day schedule of events in the brand new DFB Mini-Guide to the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival e-Book. Here’s a screen shot so that you can see what it looks like:
Sample Page -- DFB Mini-Guide to the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Daily Schedule
The schedule includes everything happening at the festival on any given day. No scrolling or switching between websites and the calendar — it’s all right there in an easy-to-use format.
The DFB Mini-Guide to the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is currently on sale, and we’re offering a discount code for DFB readers! Use code CHEFS at check-out to get the book for just $11.95 (full price is $14.95) for a limited time!
Have Your Personal and Payment Information Ready
Once you get through to a Disney reservations agent, there will be a lot of questions to get through before you’re able to actually book and get that confirmation number. Name, address, phone number, email address, etc, etc, etc.
If you’re an Annual Passholder, Tables in Wonderland Member, or Disney Vacation Club member booking discounted events, you’ll need to have that information handy as well.
And because you’ll need to pay for all of the events in full at time of booking, you’ll need to relay any payment information to the cast member before booking is complete.
Because all of that takes time (time that your chosen event could be selling out), it’s always best to have all of your personal and payment details ready to go before you dial that phone.
Keep a Record of Confirmation Numbers
Once you’re all booked, the cast member will relay confirmation codes to you for each event you’ve scheduled. Write These Down. Or, do what I do and copy them into your trip itinerary on your computer.
Keep Your Confirmation Numbers Handy
While it doesn’t happen often, names and tickets have gone missing before. It’s always best to have a record of booking and/or a confirmation number handy in case they need to look up your reservation when you arrive at a festival event.
Trust me, from someone who’s been on the losing end of the stick in this situation, having back-up is best.
Happy Booking!
So set those alarm clocks for 6:45AM EST! I can’t wait to hear about all of your plans.
In the meantime, I’ll get back to planning my own event and seminar bookings. Now…if I could only choose between chocolate and cheese… 😉
Interested in getting the DFB Mini-Guide to the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival e-Book to aid in your planning tonight? Don’t forget to use code CHEFS for a discount!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
Would you think that a Mixology Class or a Wine Seminar would be booked tomorrow in minutes for November 4th? I wanted to book August 24th but I am not sure if that allows me enough time.
Thanks!
Do you know if the culinary demonstrations (the $11-$14 ones) will be available to book online? Or will those be ones you have to do over the phone? I’m really, really hoping I can do it online… 🙂
Hey Rachel — You never can tell, but mixology and wine seminars are probably two of the lesser-likely events to sell out quickly (unless the presenter or winery is famous — e.g. Moet & Chandon events have been known to sell out). I’m going to guess you’ll be OK, but I can’t promise. 😉 Enjoy the festival!!
Someday, they’re going to figure out how to make chocolate and cheese work together. And then you and I are in big trouble.
Dana — They SHOULD be available to book online, as they were last year.
Melissa Sue — I know it!!
Do you know if the Chef tour will be available online? Or if they are limiting it to one chef per day for a total of 10 people? I’m planning on doing the tour with my DH. I’m usually up by 5:15 am, so the 7am calling isn’t the problem…I’m just afraid of wait times on the phone!!
Pick chocolate. 🙂
Its always so stressful when these things go on sale! I hope I get everything we want to do.
OMG That is 1:00am Hawaii time tonight!!!
Is there a good chance to get a few culinary demonstrations, or do they go
quick? Will they be avaliable by phone? I will. be calling at 7 am.
IMO it’s pretty unforgivable that they haven’t given any information on the Italian Regional Lunches (e.g. which date is Sicily v. Puglia/Paglia v. Tuscany). I can live with the fact that the only ‘Culinary Adventure in Signature Dining’ menu I’ve seen is Raglan Road’s, although I think that not being more up front there is a marketing failure too, but you always knew which ‘Frunch’ you were vying for. Unless they are playing fast and lose with the definition of ‘regional’ and just meaning ‘from the region of Italy’ (which would also be good to know given previous connotations).
Melissa Sue – Chocolate cheesecake. When done right… divine.
@Krillgat – I suspect the lunches will be seat of the pants deals, or worse, the same menu every week like “A (Brief) Tour of Italy.” They can’t be true replacements for the French lunches, which were $24 more and 1.5 hours longer.
About issues with ADRs, definitely write down those confirmation numbers and check your CC statement. Then later in the week, check ‘My Reservations” or call to verify that they can pull up everything. It’s much better to discover problems now than when you’re arriving at the event.
I’ll be booking the Great Whiskey Debate this morning.
AJ – Where on-line is booking available. I can’t seem to find the page.
I found the online booking by just typing in google what one I wanted for example: “3d disney dessert booking”and then the link came up with the reservation link on the left
This wait time is brutal, makes me certain it with be sold out of what I’m wanting 🙁
Just booked. Wait time said 25 minutes, but I got through in about 10. So excited for the Maketplace VIP Access Tour!!
Ok finally found the link on disney’s website what you do is go to disneyworld.com then click “where to eat” then click “make a dining reservation” then click the button that says “dining events”
On hold for 55 mins and counting! I think I’ve heard the parks music on a loop about 5x haha. *Getting delusional*
An hour and 10 mins later – PFTS Reserved Seating and Mexico Tequila Lunch BOOKED woohoo!!!!
A nailbiter this AM… I woke up especially early this morning (14th August) to prepare for the 7AM EDT kickoff for advance reservations of all the special events for the 2012 Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. It will be my wife and I’s first trip to a food & Wine festival event so we are extremely stoked about going. This is a make-up B-Day gift for her, not to mention our Anniversary, as well…. Anyway, at 6:59AM, I pressed redial (had WDW fest number entered ahead of time) on my phone and voila!! The phone lines were open and reservations were being taken. After some technical difficulties that lasted a good 10 minutes, which seemed like hours, I managed to book a 3D event for 8PM on 26 October, a Mexican Tequila and food pairing luncheon, also on the 26th of October, and an Italian food and wine pairing luncheon on 27th of October. I’m so excited, I doubt much will get accomplished today at work;) Just an FYI to all those of you thinking about attending some of the special events… Book NOW!!! The tickets are going fast and I bet by close of business today, many of the events will be sold out… GO DO IT, NOW!!! Look forward to reading more on the food blog..
Booked! started dialing at 6:00 a.m. Central time, 1/2 an hour of busy then on hold for an hour!!! But I got my choice for Party for the Senses and Gale Gand’s Sweet Sunday! Woot! The poor operator was new and a bit overwhelmed but the flood of calls!
Weird experience. I got the busy signal several times this morning so decided to call this afternoon between work meetings. The agent told me both of the events I wanted had been booked (mixology seminar on 10/23 and a food demo on 10/25). I was surprised since those aren’t as popular as some of the bigger events, and was even more surprised when she told me NOTHING was available for either of those dates.
Luckily, I came here to see what other people were experiencing and saw how to book online (thanks Crista!). I went to double check and both of the events I wanted were available! I have no idea why the agent seemed to think ALL culinary demos/mixology/wine seminars were booked for those dates, but I’m glad I double checked!
Got all 3 of the events we wanted — 10/3 Italy regional lunch, 10/5 Kitchen Memories and 10/6 Party for the Senses Wine View Lounge (happy 40th birthday to me)!
Made it! I have a 3D dessert reservation for nov the 2nd! so excited! Although they took a long time on the phone and then misspelled my name on the final reservation (and can’t be fixed) I got the reservation and regardless of the mistake will be honored! Yay~
First time going!
I called at 6:58 and waited 30 minutes. I managed to book 3D dessert discovery on October 5 with sweet seats and the culinary adventure at Wolfgang Puck’s dining room. We are so excited. I thought 3d would be booked.
I kept getting a busy signal when I called yesterday morning at 7:00am. I ended up booking online.