***2009*** Epcot Food & Wine Festival ENDED NOV. 8

[RachelTori]

Originally Posted by Horace Horsecollar

The back cover of the 2009 Epcot F&W Festival Guide also said that the dates for the 2009 Disney's California Food and Wine Festival will be April 24 to June 7, 2010.

But now the official Disneyland website says the dates will be April 16 to May 31, 2010.

I guess the message that Disney is sending is that it's safe to book vacations in the middle of the festivals, but that you can't rely on getting accurate dates for the first or last week.

When I saw the new dates yesterday, I wasn't happy -- my reservations are booked 9/24-10/3 -- but at least they gave us enough notice to be able to change our plans. So that's what I'll be doing this morning!!

I'm not sure WHY this change, but the resort rates are higher in October so I lose the "Value Season" advantage!!

[Twoboysnmygirl]

My first thought was that they don't want as many people who are getting free dining to also go to F&W. There will still be some that get free dining that runs into October (if it ends at the end of Sept.) but not as many.

Unfortunately, I already had my plans and can't change my dates...but at least we will get to be there on opening day, it will be our last park day!

Can someone tell me about the crowds on opening Friday? Is it crazy or manageable?

[Epcot Mom]

In my experience it has been crazy on opening day but try the day or two before. They also do soft openings. The bugs are still being worked out of their system and the new cast members are still learning but the crowds are smaller so it's less of a problem than opening day itself.

No matter what, still fun! Enjoy the trip.

[Horace Horsecollar]

I think that the 2009 Epcot F&W Festival lost some business because it was so ridiculously hot during the first few weeks.

Perhaps, by starting the event one week later, they're dropping one potentially very hot week in September and picking a November week that's likely to be cooler.

[webray]

Originally Posted by Horace Horsecollar

I think that the 2009 Epcot F&W Festival lost some business because it was so ridiculously hot during the first few weeks.

Perhaps, by starting the event one week later, they're dropping one potentially very hot week in September and picking a November week that's likely to be cooler.

I agree with Horace...those September days were horribly hot. We spent all of our time inside (new tequila bar), no booths, no food/wine. Definately much better a bit later in the year.

[ElizabethB]

The 2004 Festival started on Friday, October 1 and ran until November 15.

The reason the festival started creeping into September is merely a function of the calendar. Friday, October 1 in 2004, is Friday, Sept. 30 in 2005, and Friday, Sept. 29 in 2006, and Friday, Sept. 28 in 2007 and Friday, Sept. 26 in 2008 (remember leap year) and Friday, Sept. 25 in 2009.

No conspiracy. No attempt to avoid free dining. Disney simply has moved the Festival to the time it's always been. I wondered when they would switch back to early October, so was surprised when the Festival brochure indicated they were still going back into Sept.

Obviously, someone else noticed that and made the switch.

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally Posted by ElizabethB

No conspiracy. No attempt to avoid free dining. Disney simply has moved the Festival to the time it's always been. I wondered when they would switch back to early October, so was surprised when the Festival brochure indicated they were still going back into Sept.

Yes, given that the 45-day Epcot F&W Festival traditionally starts on a Friday around October 1, the revised dates of October 1 to November 14, 2010, make sense.

However, they should have thought of that when they published the 2009 F&W Festival Guide. Publishing the wrong dates for the Epcot F&W Festival and the wrong dates for the California F&W Festival is bad customer service.

People who book DVC stays, other timeshare stays, frequent flyer tickets, and nonrefundable airline tickets have to be able to rely on the accuracy of published information 11-12 months ahead of time.

If the dates were not firm, they should not have been published. But there's no reason why the dates should not have been firm a year ahead of time.

Our local school district publishes a 3-year vacation and holiday schedule. It's a big help when planning vacations around the school calendar. It's not rocket science to calculate dates ahead of time. For example, the first Fridays of October in 2010, 2011, and 2012 are not secret.

[podsnel]

Originally Posted by Horace Horsecollar

Yes, given that the 45-day Epcot F&W Festival traditionally starts on a Friday around October 1, the revised dates of October 1 to November 14, 2010, make sense.

However, they should have thought of that when they published the 2009 F&W Festival Guide. Publishing the wrong dates for the Epcot F&W Festival and the wrong dates for the California F&W Festival is bad customer service.

People who book DVC stays, other timeshare stays, frequent flyer tickets, and nonrefundable airline tickets have to be able to rely on the accuracy of published information 11-12 months ahead of time.
If the dates were not firm, they should not have been published. But there's no reason why the dates should not have been firm a year ahead of time.

Our local school district publishes a 3-year vacation and holiday schedule. It's a big help when planning vacations around the school calendar. It's not rocket science to calculate dates ahead of time. For example, the first Fridays of October in 2010, 2011, and 2012 are not secret.

I fall into this category. I am already booked Sept 25 to 30th. So I guess now I'll just hope for a soft opening on the 30th for lunch before we go home. I am going back at the end of October for a couple of nights before our cruise, so I'm lucky enough to be able to make up for it then. But what about everyone else? I'm sure there are people not on these boards that will be screwed by this. I thought about moving our dates a little bit, but we are at AKV concierge, and there aren't a lot of those rooms, I'd probably have to switch or split stay, and I'd rather not.

It does seem ridiculous that they would publish the dates and then switch them several months later. Very bad planning on their part.

[TDC Nala]

It was ridiculously hot for most of October this year, if they wanted to avoid heat they'd just cancel the whole thing. And I don't know what kind of adjustment would be made to avoid free dining when this year the free dining period encompassed the entire festival and long past its ending.

I'd agree it's likely just a schedule adjustment.

[wezee]

Oh Pooh!!!! Our dates are 9-25 to 10-2, with bounceback FD. We thought we were all set for the F&WF. Maybe they will release an Oct. code so we can change our dates.

[llqool]

I'll admit, I don't have a great memory, but hasn't it opened the last days of September for the last few years (as opposed to Oct 1)? I think we've been there at the beginning of the festival since 2006, and since we generally go for my b-day (Sept 25th), it seems like it's always been around that date.

I agree...it seems like really poor planning, not a deliberate attempt to change things b/c of free dining etc. If they wanted to do that, then they could have deliberately planned it that way a year + out. Are the people who run the festival really that disorganized? Has there been a sudden change in personnel?

[TDC Nala]

The festival begins on a Friday. Next year, October 1 is a Friday. In the past few years, beginning it on the first Friday in October would have pushed it too far into November.