International Food and Wine Festival Question

[HappyGramma]

Has anyone ever purchased the Tasting Sampler? If so which option, the 8 entitlements or the 16? Did you feel it was a good value? We will be there during the festival and I have never done it. Looking for opinions and suggestions. Thanks for your help.

 

[bcarey2k]

It's a good and bad value. As long as you do the math and only use the entitlements on the more expensive items, you save a couple bucks. Otherwise it's a break even/lose proposition.

Unless you're a pin/lanyard collector... then it's a value on that front too.

Brian

 

[rwdavis2]

This past year I believe the cost of the sampler broke down to about $7.75 per sample. This is more than the out of pocket costs for most of the food samples. It may be an advantage for drinks. We thought about it and just paid out of pocket to keep things simple. Go search for menus of last year's to see what most food sample cost.

 

[china mom]

I bought one this past year and came out ahead by only buying mixed drinks (at about $9 each) and one food item (on last day, just no to waste the ticket). If I didn't have the sampler, I would not have spent $60 on alcohol so, from that argument, it didn't save me any money. But it was a savings over paying cash for 7 or 8 drinks.

Pre-paying for my drinks gave me the freedom of trying things I otherwise would not have tried because I am way too cheap to pay $9 for a drink.

 

[twinboysandalulu]

We purchased it last September and it ended up not being a good value for us. One of the most disappointing features was the booths closed before the park closed. We were there for extra magic hours and purposely ate a very late lunch because we wanted to try the snacks that we weren't able to due to how crowded it was the day before. Needles to say that plan did not work out well. A few of the higher priced items were not included with the sampler and we ended up paying out of pocket for them(we had to squeeze in going back to use the rest of our tickets). To each their own, maybe sit down and look at the menu and look at the prices of the items you would like to try?

 

[rwdavis2]

I think a good rule of thumb for all of Disney's pre-paid food plans is that they are not designed to save you money. You really have use them properly to save much of anything. People claim they are a convenience but what's more convenient than a magic band charge?

 

[mike0035]

When do they announce the concert lineup for the America pavillion?

 

[PeasandCarrots]

Has anyone ever purchased the Tasting Sampler? If so which option, the 8 entitlements or the 16? Did you feel it was a good value? We will be there during the festival and I have never done it. Looking for opinions and suggestions. Thanks for your help.

In 2015 we got it and loved it. If you buy the most expensive food items (lobster roll & filet mignon for example) and the cocktails it's a good deal. However last year (2016) we got it and the peforation was too loose and we lost 4 of them so it was not a good deal. If the design is the same in 2017 as it was in 2016 we won't be getting it. If it's back to the harder plastic like 2015 we will. In this video you can hear us talk about it in detail and see the card they were attached to. If you're willing to keep it in a pocket or bag (somewhere safe) and not around your neck it's a good value depending on what you buy with it.

 

[Accident]

I didn't get it but I had the time to do a circle to get some prices on things I wanted to try and the sampler would have been $5 more then just paying. It really depends on what you plan to eat as I could have easily saved money but much of the higher priced food didn't appeal to me.

 

[HappyGramma]

In 2015 we got it and loved it. If you buy the most expensive food items (lobster roll & filet mignon for example) and the cocktails it's a good deal. However last year (2016) we got it and the peforation was too loose and we lost 4 of them so it was not a good deal. If the design is the same in 2017 as it was in 2016 we won't be getting it. If it's back to the harder plastic like 2015 we will. In this video you can hear us talk about it in detail and see the card they were attached to. If you're willing to keep it in a pocket or bag (somewhere safe) and not around your neck it's a good value depending on what you buy with it.

Part of my thought in purchasing the Tasting Sampler is priority seating for the concert. The friend going with me truly enjoys listening to music and being assured a seat is important. Do you think that the priority seating is worth it or are seats readily available?

 

[dsanner106]

When do they announce the concert lineup for the America pavillion?

Generally a trickle of names and dates about 8 weeks out, the last ones no announced until maybe 2 weeks out. Makes it very hard to plan
a trip around bands.

 

[sarahann77]

I got the 8 sampler in '15 and the 16 sampler last year. I had planned out what I wanted to try from the booths to know exactly what my spend would have been and if the sampler would help. As others mentioned, when using the tickets for cocktails it saves a bit (especially for the $9-11 drinks). This last year's sampler didn't come with priority seating. the prior year I didn't use it as the first day I wanted drinks I was doing the halloween party. for me the concert seating isn't a draw. This last trip in October I had no issue getting a decent seat to the show and was only showing up about a half hour prior when wanted to sit down anyway, but might depend on which concert it is.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

Part of my thought in purchasing the Tasting Sampler is priority seating for the concert. The friend going with me truly enjoys listening to music and being assured a seat is important. Do you think that the priority seating is worth it or are seats readily available?

This past year (2016) it did not come with priority seating. As far as seat availability it depends on how popular the artist is.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We were going to get it last year until we found out they did away with the designated seating areas. We thought it would be worth a couple extra bucks to not be balancing a plate and cup on a trash can. I was disappointed that they didn't have the seating areas included.

 

[china mom]

This past year (2016) it did not come with priority seating. As far as seat availability it depends on how popular the artist is.

We were going to get it last year until we found out they did away with the designated seating areas. We thought it would be worth a couple extra bucks to not be balancing a plate and cup on a trash can. I was disappointed that they didn't have the seating areas included.

I have a feeling that you two are talking about two different things. The sampler voucher came with priority concert seating in 2015.

The other thing (I can't remember what it was called) provided seating in world showcase where food runners brought you your food to you. That was different (and much more expensive) than the sampler

 

[HappyGramma]

I have a feeling that you two are talking about two different things. The sampler voucher came with priority concert seating in 2015.

The other thing (I can't remember what it was called) provided seating in world showcase where food runners brought you your food to you. That was different (and much more expensive) than the sampler

Thanks. I was a bit confused by DisneyHardin's response.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Thanks. I was a bit confused by DisneyHardin's response.

My apologies. I didn't realize there were two different things that included "vouchers" for the booths.

 

[HappyGramma]

My apologies. I didn't realize there were two different things that included "vouchers" for the booths.

No problem.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

I have a feeling that you two are talking about two different things. The sampler voucher came with priority concert seating in 2015.

The other thing (I can't remember what it was called) provided seating in world showcase where food runners brought you your food to you. That was different (and much more expensive) than the sampler

I was referring to the sampler package - as you said it did not come with concert seating. The thing you can't remember was called the Premium Package and was available in 2014 and 2015, but not 2016. The OP was referring to the Sampler Package I think.

 

[HappyGramma]

I was referring to the sampler package - as you said it did not come with concert seating. The thing you can't remember was called the Premium Package and was available in 2014 and 2015, but not 2016. The OP was referring to the Sampler Package I think.

The pass said Tasting Sampler on it and you could purchase either 8 or 16 entitlements.