2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival 9/19-11/10

[Mickeynutty]

The Disney Parks Blog post that announced the Premium Package and Late Night Live events has also been updated - the after hours party will only be held on Thursday. All of us who booked for Tuesday nights will eventually be contacted.

This kinda sucks. I already have a MNSSHP ticket for Oct. 30 and the only other Thursday during my vacation is my arrival day. So Disney expects us to plan our dining/FP+ experiences months in advance, but they can't get their own act together?

I just got off the phone. The rep. tried to explain what new date would work for us looking at my MDE. That annoyed me. I know what my plans are and they are not going to tell me I should just move my reservation to Thursday by looking at my FP selections and dining plans.

I dropped the late night party to be refunded. Kept the rest. Aarrrgh!

 

[mejo]

I just got off the phone. The rep. tried to explain what new date would work for us looking at my MDE. That annoyed me. I know what my plans are and they are not going to tell me I should just move my reservation to Thursday by looking at my FP selections and dining plans.

I dropped the late night party to be refunded. Kept the rest. Aarrrgh!

I am sure they were just trying to be helpful and you had options. I hate that things got changed too but things happen.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

On the phone with them now. Late Night Live for Oct. 7 is cancelled. My choices were Thursday (I have MNSSHP tickets), IllumiNations party Wednesday night (we have a chef's dinner, so we will be stuffed AND we would be rushing to get from one to the other), refund for the Late Night Live portion, or refund of the whole Premium Package. I chose to have the Late Night portion refunded.

And being my usual nosy self, how much of a refund is just the late night portion? We can't go Thursday night because that's our MNNSHP night (with the extra money spent for the Soiree, no less). They have simply driven me crazy this trip with the constant and never ending changes!!! My husband says our next vacation is not going to be at WDW no matter what I say or do. He has had it, and he doesn't do ANY of the planning, none of it, not one bit. He's tired of me asking new questions - "There's this new event, party, add-on, etc. that I'd like to do...would that be ok with you?". So now I get to say, "oh, well that got cancelled." Joyous.

 

[kaylasmom07]

On the phone with them now. Late Night Live for Oct. 7 is cancelled. My choices were Thursday (I have MNSSHP tickets), IllumiNations party Wednesday night (we have a chef's dinner, so we will be stuffed AND we would be rushing to get from one to the other), refund for the Late Night Live portion, or refund of the whole Premium Package. I chose to have the Late Night portion refunded.

They just cancelled mine too for Sept 30th. They gave me the same choices and I cancelled the Late Night portion as well, since I already have the illuminations dessert party booked and MNNSHP tickets on the only thursday of my vacation. She refunded $84.14pp back to me and I received a confirmation email.

 

[kaylasmom07]

And being my usual nosy self, how much of a refund is just the late night portion?

Mine was $84.14 per person.

 

[JenniBugInPink]

They just cancelled mine too for Sept 30th. They gave me the same choices and I cancelled the Late Night portion as well, since I already have the illuminations dessert party booked and MNNSHP tickets on the only thursday of my vacation. She refunded $84.14pp back to me and I received a confirmation email.

Thanks! We will have the same issues. Tues. was our only available night. We weren't that excited about the late night event, so I'm not really disappointed about getting part of that money back. We are hoping that the room package, runners, gift card, and reserved areas will still make it worth it.

 

[kaylasmom07]

Thanks! We will have the same issues. Tues. was our only available night. We weren't that excited about the late night event, so I'm not really disappointed about getting part of that money back. We are hoping that the room package, runners, gift card, and reserved areas will still make it worth it.

I felt the same way at first and now I'm hoping that the Late Night Live! doesn't turn out to be completely awesome. Then I will be upset that I missed it. Ugh Disney...

 

[NoMoneyThanks2Disney]

Hello! I'm totally prepared for this to be labeled a stupid question, but I've gotta ask, do the food booths stay open during the EMH at night? TIA!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Hello! I'm totally prepared for this to be labeled a stupid question, but I've gotta ask, do the food booths stay open during the EMH at night? TIA!

Unfortunately, no. At least they haven't in years past.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

My refund was $168.28 because there are 2 of us. I haven't gotten the confirmation e-mail yet, but she said it could take a couple of days.

I am not terribly disappointed about losing Late Night Live because we have A LOT of stuff packed into our week. 2 MNSSHPs will keep us out late enough, we didn't really need a thing lasting until 1 AM.

DH always has a hard time at WDW because his schedule at home is really wonky. I think this will end up being a good thing for us.

 

[LiamsDISMom]

I am beyond angry with this news. My husband and I are taking our first adult only trip in the 8 years since our son was born, to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We are arriving on a Sunday and leaving on a Wednesday. Our anniversary is on Tuesday the 21st and this was our big event we had scheduled for the trip. We cannot switch to Thursday or the Wednesday dessert party since we will not be there. My 45 days conveniently fell two days ago too. I do not want a refund. I want a special event to celebrate my anniversary that day. I have not been contacted and just tried to call the guest services line and got a message they were closed. I can only assume once I get in touch with them they will tell me my only option is a refund. This is just not OK with me and honestly it makes me want to cancel the whole trip. If it wasn't for airfare already being purchased I likely would. I could go a lot of places for over $2000 for 3 nights. I am hoping I can come up with another option, but right now, I am just so angry. Does anyone else have any suggestions? We have the morning in MK, early dinner at Yachtsmen (staying at Yacht Club), then a planned late night in EPCOT for our last night and anniversary, that now needs to be replaced.

 

[kaylasmom07]

I am beyond angry with this news. My husband and I are taking our first adult only trip in the 8 years since our son was born, to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We are arriving on a Sunday and leaving on a Wednesday. Our anniversary is on Tuesday the 21st and this was our big event we had scheduled for the trip. We cannot switch to Thursday or the Wednesday dessert party since we will not be there. My 45 days conveniently fell two days ago too. I do not want a refund. I want a special event to celebrate my anniversary that day. I have not been contacted and just tried to call the guest services line and got a message they were closed. I can only assume once I get in touch with them they will tell me my only option is a refund. This is just not OK with me and honestly it makes me want to cancel the whole trip. If it wasn't for airfare already being purchased I likely would. I could go a lot of places for over $2000 for 3 nights. I am hoping I can come up with another option, but right now, I am just so angry. Does anyone else have any suggestions? We have the morning in MK, early dinner at Yachtsmen (staying at Yacht Club), then a planned late night in EPCOT for our last night and anniversary, that now needs to be replaced.

How about an illuminations cruise to celebrate after dinner at Yachtsmen? They leave from the marina near Yacht club, and I think the cost is about the same for the cruise as it is for this premium package for 2 if you end up getting it totally refunded. You could even have them bring food/drinks on the boat for you (for an additional cost of course).

There's also the after hours wind down. You can stay late in Epcot, small plates and drinks at one of the restaurants and its significantly cheaper. You could do that on Sunday night maybe?

Hopefully the guest services CM can help you figure something out. It really sucks for them to cancel so close to the beginning of the festival when we booked back in July.

 

[redzinner]

I am beyond angry with this news. My husband and I are taking our first adult only trip in the 8 years since our son was born, to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We are arriving on a Sunday and leaving on a Wednesday. Our anniversary is on Tuesday the 21st and this was our big event we had scheduled for the trip. We cannot switch to Thursday or the Wednesday dessert party since we will not be there. My 45 days conveniently fell two days ago too. I do not want a refund. I want a special event to celebrate my anniversary that day. I have not been contacted and just tried to call the guest services line and got a message they were closed. I can only assume once I get in touch with them they will tell me my only option is a refund. This is just not OK with me and honestly it makes me want to cancel the whole trip. If it wasn't for airfare already being purchased I likely would. I could go a lot of places for over $2000 for 3 nights. I am hoping I can come up with another option, but right now, I am just so angry. Does anyone else have any suggestions? We have the morning in MK, early dinner at Yachtsmen (staying at Yacht Club), then a planned late night in EPCOT for our last night and anniversary, that now needs to be replaced.

Epcot After Hours Wind Down. After looking at the schedules I don't think this is available on Tuesdays.

If you like to dance Atlantic Dance Hall will be open. I believe there is a cover charge now but not terribly expensive.

 

[LiamsDISMom]

I like the idea of the cruise, but since we booked just the event and not the premium package,I think this might be quite a bit more than the refund. Not sure the exact cost of those cruises. Wind down would be cool, but not offered on Monday or Tuesday. And Sunday we are doing magic kingdom with dinner at ohana. Thanks for your help It does help to hear some suggestions after the initial let down and anger. At least then I can look forward to something else new we have not done before.

 

[LiamsDISMom]

Oh and plus at the rate Disney has been going, they may even announce an all new eventlol

 

[snoopywoodstockus]

On the phone with them now. Late Night Live for Oct. 7 is cancelled. My choices were Thursday (I have MNSSHP tickets), IllumiNations party Wednesday night (we have a chef's dinner, so we will be stuffed AND we would be rushing to get from one to the other), refund for the Late Night Live portion, or refund of the whole Premium Package. I chose to have the Late Night portion refunded.

We had the exact same day and mnsshp on Thursday. We move late night to Thursday, they refunded our mnsshp tickets and we rebooked mnsshp for Friday and moved our villains soirée. To Friday from sunday.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We had the exact same day and mnsshp on Thursday. We move late night to Thursday, they refunded our mnsshp tickets and we rebooked mnsshp for Friday and moved our villains soirée. To Friday from sunday.

We have friends going to MNSSHP with us Thursday, so trying to move that would have been a disaster. We also have other plans for Friday. It sounds like it worked out well for you, and you get to do all of the events you had planned. We hemmed and hawed over the Soiree, but ultimately decided to skip it.

 

[DisneyLover0610]

I'm feel so awful for everyone in the middle of this Late Night mess. It's really disappointing to see that Disney has to go back on some major plans like this.
I had wanted to book the premium package but didn't due to confusion surrounding attending a party on a Thursday and using the rest of the entitlements the following week. Think I'd be able to call, and book the package WITHOUT the late night portion?? TIA!

 

[smokeyblue]

I know that nobody really knows how the premium packages are going to pan out, but I have a question. If you could only do one, would you do the premium package or MNSSHP?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I'm feel so awful for everyone in the middle of this Late Night mess. It's really disappointing to see that Disney has to go back on some major plans like this.

Received a voicemail from Disney on this -- was anticipating the cancellation of our Tue reservation after seeing it here. To be honest, I'm not upset by this. We can't pick any other night so will cancel, but I can live with that! I think it's a little ridiculous and makes it look like Disney doesn't quite have its act together, but we have so much going on in this trip that some "unscheduled" time is fine by me.

I know that nobody really knows how the premium packages are going to pan out, but I have a question. If you could only do one, would you do the premium package or MNSSHP?

MNSSHP hands down. And we've done MNSSHP several times over the years. So subjective, though...