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

[tseitel]

Can someone please explain how the concerts work ? How do you get a wristband? ( we are chase visa holders) but the concert we are interested in is not on a weekend. We have walked by plenty of times, but this is the 1st year we might actually want to sit down. How far in advance can you get the bands? ( because I don't think Epcot is our planned am park on the day of the concert)
Thanks for any help!!!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Can someone please explain how the concerts work ? How do you get a wristband? ( we are chase visa holders) but the concert we are interested in is not on a weekend. We have walked by plenty of times, but this is the 1st year we might actually want to sit down. How far in advance can you get the bands? ( because I don't think Epcot is our planned am park on the day of the concert)
Thanks for any help!!!

Concerts are free you walk in you sit down The Chase bands will allow you in a little earlier on the weekends, but unless being on the front row is important it's not worth a big deal to get one. For very popular bands on the weekends you do have to get to the lounge fairly early. I have never bothered and I have never not been able to see a concert

 

[redzinner]

Information regarding EpiPen Sweepstakes and the Food Festival.

"EpiPen is giving three people the chance to win a free family vacation in their On Location Sweepstakes. Enter and you could win a trip for four to Disney World for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Plus, if you travel on the right dates, you can receive some nice extras like a culinary demonstration with Amanda Freitag and more."

The article states that Amanda Freitag will be at the F&WF between October 2 and October 4, 2015. Winners will also receive an opportunity to attend a meet-and-greet at the Festival with EpiPen On Location Ambassadors Amanda Freitag and Auggie Maturo with his parents, up to four tickets to a culinary demonstration at the Festival led by Amanda Freitag, and up to four tickets to the Back-to-Basics food allergy awareness and dining preparedness session at the Festival led by Auggie Maturo and his parents.

EpiPen on Location Sweepstakes

As with all things Disney - EVERYTHING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

 

[hsmamato2]

I think we will get to experience just the last day...... how can we possibly snack that much in one day????? I know,I know,start early!!! Since we've never hit this before I am super excited! It sounds like the concert is pretty easy access,where is the Chase lounge?

 

[hsmamato2]

What does it mean to get your passport stamps,btw?

 

[TDC Nala]

As far as the premium package, if it is released again (we currently have NO info on it for 2015), remember that the premium areas were not available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and you were given passes for a distinct one week period only (if you were staying Wednesday to Wednesday you had to jump through hoops to get the Monday and Tuesday of the second week covered.) Staying on my long trip from Thursday to Tuesday, I don't think it will be worth it just for the premium areas unless they change something. But there are some new big events being offered, so we will have to wait and see what is covered by the package if they do it again.

Chase bands for eat to the beat will not get you in the front row, they have had a roped off area which is on the far left side. I tend to use them for the first concert as the later ones are more sparsely attended unless the act is extremely popular. you can get bands only on the same day and I do believe last year they were only available on weekends for the concerts although Illuminations included some weekdays too - and Illuminations bands were subject to not being offered if the area they used (when I did it, it was in front of the Italy pavilion) has been rented out to a private party. The Chase Lounge hasn't been open until 11 AM so you couldn't get bands before that. They will give out the bands until they run out of them. Last year you could not get bands for multiple set times on the same day, you had to pick one.

There is no extra charge for Eat to the Beat. Haven't seen anything about dining packages this year.

At the festival, you can get a free "passport" with spaces to get a stamp at each kiosk.

The special events are usually released at the TIW preview if not sooner so you will have those July 12. For the demos and kiosks you will have to wait longer. I'd guess a booking date in late July or early August for demos and events.

 

[redzinner]

I think we will get to experience just the last day...... how can we possibly snack that much in one day????? I know,I know,start early!!! Since we've never hit this before I am super excited! It sounds like the concert is pretty easy access,where is the Chase lounge?

The Chase Lounge, for Chase Credit Card holders, has been upstairs in the American Adventure Building, World Showcase, Epcot. There is a door to the right of the main entrance. It is usually 'manned' by Cast Members throughout the day checking your Chase Card and permitting xnumber of people upstairs at a time.

What does it mean to get your passport stamps,btw?

Here is an explanation/visuals from another website: Epcot Food and Wine Passport

 

[alievans719]

Excited! This is our first time going to F&W so hopefully we get to see it all. Our trip is 10/31-11/9. I have two days set for all of Epcot, so we'll see how it goes. I said if we want more we have time on other days to go.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Well, I'll be sad if they don't do the premium package this year as I was really hoping to take advantage of it. But only if they also offer and include the after hours party. Just having special areas and CMs to go get my food isn't that big of a deal to me during Monday - Thursday when the festival isn't usually that busy anyway.

I think it would be a shame if they cancelled it after only one year because it didn't sell well - it may need a couple of years to build fans. And as a PP said, a little marketing wouldn't hurt. I think I only heard about it on here.

 

[themillersdaughter]

has anyone had experience going to the soft opening? we plan on going on the 24th, this is our first time going (we didn't know about it and kind of ended up booking our trip during the first part of food and wine by accident) and we don't really have much of a game plan in place other than "oooh we like tasty things, and we like epcot" we live in chicago, and the summers are packed to the gills with food and fests, so for us the really big attraction is enjoying wandering through epcot and trying something new. are there things we should not miss?

 

[Stinky_Pete]

What does it mean to get your passport stamps,btw?

You can pick up a free "passport" at a few locations in Epcot. The festival center is one - last year it was in the old Wonders of Life pavilion. There are other places where they're distributed, but I don't recall exactly where.

The passport has a page for each booth. When you visit the booth they have a stamp and you can get that page in your passport stamped. It was a little confusing for me as some booths had the stamps at the cash registers, and others had them where you pick up your food.

I think there was also space on the pages where you could write notes - maybe what you tried, what you liked, etc.

It's just a fun little thing to do.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

has anyone had experience going to the soft opening? we plan on going on the 24th, this is our first time going (we didn't know about it and kind of ended up booking our trip during the first part of food and wine by accident) and we don't really have much of a game plan in place other than "oooh we like tasty things, and we like epcot" we live in chicago, and the summers are packed to the gills with food and fests, so for us the really big attraction is enjoying wandering through epcot and trying something new. are there things we should not miss?

I think that will depend on what you like. Once the menus come out, I'd suggest reviewing them and seeing what sounds most interesting to you.

Over the last two years, there's never been anything at the New Zealand booth that I've wanted to try. So that would not be on my list of booths to visit. But you may see something on their menu that you love.

 

[KNovacovschi]

So excited to go!!! I love F&W, I'm just not happy that I'm going on opening day and David Cook is playing. Oh well as long as I get my drinkable chocolate/wine combo I will be happy.

 

[helenm29]

Anyone going to be there from 10/12=10/23? can't wait! this one will be without kids and we can actually eat things that are a little different! hope to see you all there!

 

[Cee]

Love F & W! I'm planning to spend two weeks this year. Woot!

 

[nonstopdisneymom]

So excited about this thread!! Anyone know when the mixology tickets go on sale?

 

[redzinner]

So excited about this thread!! Anyone know when the mixology tickets go on sale?

Disney has not released the date for the sale of seminars/demonstrations reservations yet. Check the first page of this sticky thread, the moderator will post it as soon as we know. End of July is a safe bet.

Last year the event tickets went on sale July 31 for everyone. Tables in Wonderland Members could make reservations for Culinary Demonstrations, Beverage Seminars and Mixology Seminars ONLY beginning on Friday, July 25, 2014 at 9:00am by phone.

 

[Ceryssa]

I'm concerned about this as well. We booked Sat-Tue so we can do Party for the Senses and FRUNCH. I'm curious as to what family meal traditions will entail--are they trying to family it up? (you know, so people with kids go) or going to do something like FRUNCH where they talk about the menu, history of the dish and so on. Also, will there be ample wine?


Most info says Fri and Sun, but this link (http://wdwprepschool.com/complete-overview-of-epcots-food-and-wine-festival/) and this link (http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/tag/epcot/) say Fri and Sat...

I've got to know--what is "FRUNCH"? And I haven't heard anything about Family Meal Traditions, is there info on this somewhere? I'm sure I just missed it.

 

[oybolshoi]

It's French ... It's Lunch ... now it's Frunch!

French Regional Lunches were nicknamed Frunch many moons ago by a hardcore group of F&W attendees.

I've got to know--what is "FRUNCH"?

 

[BriarRosie]

I've got to know--what is "FRUNCH"? And I haven't heard anything about Family Meal Traditions, is there info on this somewhere? I'm sure I just missed it.

"FRUNCH" is just the abbreviation that became popular for those of us who have attended the "French Regional Lunch" event in the past. This year, the name is changing a bit, but the Family Meal Traditions are not meant for kids. It's confusing because it sounds like it should be. These events are restricted to guests 21 and over because this is a wine pairing meal.