Magic Bands for Food and Wine ?

Yes you can use your MB at the kiosks. I do suggest though having another form of payment with you in case the machines go down. It did happen for about two hours during our trip last fall.

VWL Mom;2491680 wrote: Yes you can use your MB at the kiosks. I do suggest though having another form of payment with you in case the machines go down. It did happen for about two hours during our trip last fall.

Thanks! Good idea...I'm assuming they will take Disney gift cards also.

I usually buy a $100 Disney gIt card that way I can keep track of my spending. It is easy to rack up $$$ at the festival. I will be there in 8 days. Can't wait! Sooo need a vacation!

I saw a picture of a new (at least to me) package that you can buy - 8 tabs for $59 and 16 tabs for $109. Each tab can be popped off the card and exchanged for an item at a kiosk. And you can also buy the F&W gift cards on the bracelet that you can wear for convenience.

Basket Mommy;2491704 wrote: I saw a picture of a new (at least to me) package that you can buy - 8 tabs for $59 and 16 tabs for $109. Each tab can be popped off the card and exchanged for an item at a kiosk. And you can also buy the F&W gift cards on the bracelet that you can wear for convenience.

That seems like that is really dependent on if you choose all things that are more expensive. If not, might not be that good of a deal.

But thanks for sharing, I hadn't heard about that.

texas211;2491745 wrote: That seems like that is really dependent on if you choose all things that are more expensive. If not, might not be that good of a deal.

But thanks for sharing, I hadn't heard about that.

Here's what's included:

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Tasting Sampler will debut this year during the International Food & Wine Festival, allowing guests to “taste their way around the world”.

Packages will include:

Custom credential with 8 entitlement tabs for food or beverage items of your choice at over 30 Food & Wine Festival Global Marketplaces (some exclusions may apply and will be listed on the credential)

Priority seating at the 6:45pm Eat to the Beat concert at America Gardens Theater on the day of package purchase

Limited-release 20th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival trading pin

Packages cost $59 per guest plus tax; gratuity included. Admission to Epcot is required and not included in event price. Limited number of packages available each day.

FYI, the above description is from last year (2015). The current Festival is the 21st. The current description of the Tasting Sampler does not mention the access to the concert being part of the package, nor a pin.

OPINION: Like other Disney dining packages, this one provides questionable value to the average guest. There are only a handful of items on the festival menu that exceed the per item cost of this package (and some of those are expressly excluded). I'll just use a gift card and go ahead and get the beer cheese soup in Canada. :mickey:

Steve

Now if it came with a ricksha to pull me around so I can dine in comfort...

Fangorn;2491775 wrote: FYI, the above description is from last year (2015). The current Festival is the 21st. The current description of the Tasting Sampler does not mention the access to the concert being part of the package, nor a pin.

OPINION: Like other Disney dining packages, this one provides questionable value to the average guest. There are only a handful of items on the festival menu that exceed the per item cost of this package (and some of those are expressly excluded). I'll just use a gift card and go ahead and get the beer cheese soup in Canada. :mickey:

Steve

My apologies. This description is from the 21st Festival, taken directly from the Disney Food & Wine website.

"The Tasting Samplers includes:

A “credential” with vouchers for either 8 or 16 food or beverage items at over 30 Global Marketplace locations (certain exclusions may apply and will be listed on voucher)

Limited-edition 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival trading pin and lanyard
Details

Epcot Global Marketplace
Daily, September 14 to November 14, 2016
11:00 AM to Closing
$59 per Guest plus tax for 8 food or beverage items
$109 per Guest plus tax for 16 food or beverage items
Purchase the Tasting Samplers at these locations:
The Festival Center
Bridge Kiosk East
Bridge Kiosk West
Canada Festival Emporium
Festival Boutique Kiosk (located between the Japan Pavilion and the Morocco Pavilion)"

If you factor in what the retail cost of a pin & lanyard would be, you probably break even.

If you use it correctly it is a good deal. We will be 4 adults traveling (2 days at F&W) and had planned to get 2 dependent on the exclusions remaining the same as last year. Now the 16 entitlement for $109 is a better deal so we may get that instead. DH will keep the pin which he would buy anyway so we're looking at $100 for 16 items. We will use the entitlements for the more expensive drinks which last year cost between $8 and $11. Purchasing with discounted Disney gift cards will help make it even more attractive.

Thanks for the clarifying about the pin. Completely missed that.

Steve

VWL Mom;2491816 wrote: Purchasing with discounted Disney gift cards will help make it even more attractive.

Lynn, where do you purchase discounted Disney gift cards?

Sam's Club has them for 5% off. Chase Freedom had 5% cashback for July-Sep and Discover is running 5% cashback for October-December so when they run the specials it's 10% total. I joined Sam's Club with a coupon I found online that you get a giftcard for joining so my membership ended up costing $15. Additionally Wal-mart has savings catcher where you submit your receipt online and they compare prices on grocery items in your area and refund to a e-card if they find it cheaper so I let them accumulate and use the e-card at Sam's Club online.

VWL Mom;2491853 wrote: Sam's Club has them for 5% off. Chase Freedom had 5% cashback for July-Sep and Discover is running 5% cashback for October-December so when they run the specials it's 10% total. I joined Sam's Club with a coupon I found online that you get a giftcard for joining so my membership ended up costing $15. Additionally Wal-mart has savings catcher where you submit your receipt online and they compare prices on grocery items in your area and refund to a e-card if they find it cheaper so I let them accumulate and use the e-card at Sam's Club online.

You can also buy them at Target, and if you have a Target Red Card or Red Debit, you get the 5% off. That's only good on Disney gift cards; no other GCs get the discount with Red cards. I paid off our Disney Cruise using discounted Disney gift cards that I ordered from Target.com. Saved over $800.