Food & Wine Fest.

[Jim L Clifton]

My brother & his son went...men's day...bonding & Disney.Wine was $8 for two oz.& food $5 a sample!!This put a damper on things,economy down & to charge this!!Then reservations at 6:10 for the CLAMBAKE...his son set this up($30 EA.).Well they got there for their res at 6:10(THEY WERE THERE ON TIME) & sat,6:20...6:30...my brother & another guy goes up to see what's the prob.they were told ...computor prob.....yet NO-ONE informed the people waiting there would be a delay.They then are told the name of their waitress & are seated.....they wait....10minutes later my brother goes up front & asks if their waitress had gone home!!He returns to his seat ...a minute later the waitress shows up!! This is NOT the Disney I remember! My brother & his son will NOT be returning for another F&W FEST,nor the Clambake... the day was RUINED!!
Jim

 

[Bug715]

My brother & his son went...men's day...bonding & Disney.Wine was $8 for two oz.& food $5 a sample!!This put a damper on things,economy down & to charge this!!Then reservations at 6:10 for the CLAMBAKE...his son set this up($30 EA.).Well they got there for their res at 6:10(THEY WERE THERE ON TIME) & sat,6:20...6:30...my brother & another guy goes up to see what's the prob.they were told ...computor prob.....yet NO-ONE informed the people waiting there would be a delay.They then are told the name of their waitress & are seated.....they wait....10minutes later my brother goes up front & asks if their waitress had gone home!!He returns to his seat ...a minute later the waitress shows up!! This is NOT the Disney I remember! My brother & his son will NOT be returning for another F&W FEST,nor the Clambake... the day was RUINED!!
Jim

Where was the $8 wine? None of what I had last week was that much. I think my little glass of wine that I always get in Germany is only $4 or $5. Its Disney drinks are going to cost more. I don't understand how their day was "RUINED". So they were seated 20 min late? My friend and I were seated about 30 min late for Chef Mickeys. Yes we were sitting there when we could be eating and heading to MK but we took it as a chance to relax before we started a busy day. Don't you normally have to wait a bit at resturants? Disney is much busier than normal places especially EPCOT during Food and Wine. :shrug:

 

[brkgnews]

My brother & his son went...men's day...bonding & Disney.Wine was $8 for two oz.& food $5 a sample!!This put a damper on things,economy down & to charge this!!Then reservations at 6:10 for the CLAMBAKE...his son set this up($30 EA.).Well they got there for their res at 6:10(THEY WERE THERE ON TIME) & sat,6:20...6:30...my brother & another guy goes up to see what's the prob.they were told ...computor prob.....yet NO-ONE informed the people waiting there would be a delay.They then are told the name of their waitress & are seated.....they wait....10minutes later my brother goes up front & asks if their waitress had gone home!!He returns to his seat ...a minute later the waitress shows up!! This is NOT the Disney I remember! My brother & his son will NOT be returning for another F&W FEST,nor the Clambake... the day was RUINED!!
Jim

Economy is down, but gas prices are up, and thus food costs are up (delivery costs, costs for diesel to run the tractors to harvest grain, etc). Also keep in mind these food samples aren't exactly the type where you can throw a hundred hotdogs in boiling water and let them cook... they are specialty items which take a good deal of preparation. Further add in the temporary buildings that must be constructed to serve them, and the infrastructure needed to add 25+ new quick-service locations on property for the duration of the festival... warming ovens, refrigeration units, staff pay, etc... and you can see how the costs compile quickly. Still, most of the food items I sampled were around 3.50 to 4.85, if I remember correctly.

As for the clambake, I'm sure it was frustrating to have to wait anohter half-hour to eat... but honestly? Their day was ruined by this? And this was enough to turn them off from ever returning to another Food and Wine Fest?

I can understand wanting good service, but it is my humble opinion that far too many people have unrealistically high expectations of Disney... and the gut-trigger response is that if even the slightest little thing goes wrong, their entire day is "ruined"... if not their entire vacation.

This is why I couldn't work in guest relations. :lol:

 

[vegasbnd]

We had 2 reservations last week where the computers were down and it was at least 20 to 30 minutes after our reservation time that we were seated. If we had not asked what the problem was they did not make any announcement as to the computer being down and causing a delay.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Computers don't delay seating in a restaurant. It is the guests that stay longer than the estimated time time. If each party stays 15 minutes longer than the scheduled time then seating will of course move out through the evening. The Cape May opens at 5:30, so techniaclly a 6:10 ressie is still first seating which should be on time or really close.

As for the $8.00 pricing they must have regular portions. I know some of the wines in France can be $8.00 and more, but none of the F&W are that pricey. Here is a link with all the F&W offerings and pricing.
http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw08/fw08b.htm

Sorry they had such a bad time.

 

[nngrendel]

Even Disney who IMHO has the best customer service around cannot please everyone.

 

[LowesChevy]

Many people forget that adrs are not like traditional reservations. They are simply specified time slot given to show up at. Sometimes you get seated immediately other times you wait upwards of 30 minutes to an hour even if you show up early or on time. It really stinks- we waited over an hour for a table (party of 5) at the California Grill October 3. Everyone is in the same boat when it comes to adrs.

As far as the F&W Festival, I feel the samples are reasonably priced. You could try 2-3 sample dishes and pay about what a counter service meal would cost you. I recall the lobster roll being $7, but that was about the most expensive item, most items were $2.75-$4.25.

That is unfortunate they had a bad time, but I do hope they give it another try.

 

[jasondiff]

I agree with everyone who said the samples are reasonably priced. Of course I could get a bacon double cheeseburger at Electric Umbrella and feel fuller for less money than a bunch of F&W samples, but that's not the point. If you're in it for the value, the don't eat at F&W, in fact don't eat anywhere on property for that matter.

My biggest complaint with the F&W was the registers having so many problems swiping my gift card. That and the cardboard cutouts replacing topiaries at the entrance.

 

[Phonedave]

Economy is down, but gas prices are up, and thus food costs are up (delivery costs, costs for diesel to run the tractors to harvest grain, etc). Also keep in mind these food samples aren't exactly the type where you can throw a hundred hotdogs in boiling water and let them cook... they are specialty items which take a good deal of preparation. Further add in the temporary buildings that must be constructed to serve them, and the infrastructure needed to add 25+ new quick-service locations on property for the duration of the festival... warming ovens, refrigeration units, staff pay, etc... and you can see how the costs compile quickly. Still, most of the food items I sampled were around 3.50 to 4.85, if I remember correctly.

As for the clambake, I'm sure it was frustrating to have to wait anohter half-hour to eat... but honestly? Their day was ruined by this? And this was enough to turn them off from ever returning to another Food and Wine Fest?

I can understand wanting good service, but it is my humble opinion that far too many people have unrealistically high expectations of Disney... and the gut-trigger response is that if even the slightest little thing goes wrong, their entire day is "ruined"... if not their entire vacation.

This is why I couldn't work in guest relations. :lol:

Specialy made ? Hardly. I would bet the majority of them are prepackaged, pre-portioned items. Such at the cases of bakalava I saw them unloading one morning.

However, to the original point. The prices for F&W samples are posted all over the web. The are available to anyone who wishes to check. They are also "high" because even though they are smaller, you are still paying the same service portion of the cost. The CM's working the booth still cost the same, and you still pay that loading.

Service at the Clambake sounds a bit off, but not somthing I would call reuining my entire day. OF course you are supposed to arrive early, which sounds like it did not happen. Somtimes you wait, somtimes not. It happens. As for the 10 minutes wait for the waitress. Yes that is excessive, but you just need the ask where your wait person is. Making a remark such as "did my waitress go home" is not somthing I would do to the people that are handling my food and or drinks. Maybe after you are done eating, but not before.

-dave

 

[mcjaco]

I ate around the world twice last week. I never saw and $8 glass of wine. $5 for some of the seafood items, which is what you'd expect. Seafood typically = more $$$$$.

I actually found most of the samples larger this year, than in the past.

It's still the best time to visit the park.

 

[LeeLee D]

I actually found most of the samples larger this year, than in the past.

It's still the best time to visit the park.

I agree. Did you see how much Ziti people got?? I didn't try it - I wanted to try new things - but it seemed very worth the money. I didn't pay more than $4 for any food sample.

My savory fav was the Cheese Plate at Ireland. Yummy!
On the sweet side, the Chocolate Creme Brulee in France was great!

All in all, I had a great time and would go again in a hearbeat.