I need help! Disney messed up my plans

[tinkandonaldfans]

For our September 2011 wedding I had my heart set on a Dessert Party which seemed more than possible on our budget but now that they have placed this $7,500 min spend(including our Escape Package) i need to rethink some stuff!

There will be 16/17 but could be as minimal as 13 of us and need to find a catered meal and dessert party that is around $2,500 in total

our ceremony will be at SBP and was hoping to avoid going backwards and forwards etc. I don't mind moving to GF area after ceremony but would like to avoid having to go back to Epcot for the DP if you get me! But if it means I can have a reception meal and DP for $2,500 I will be more than happy to ship my guests back and forth :rotfl2:

ANY IDEAS?

[Chilly]

what does the $2500 need to include? Just F&B or decor as well?

Our plated meal at the GF was $106.50 per person.

[tinkandonaldfans]

well i just want to have a meal after the ceremony and a dessert party. In my original plan I was going to go to the Yachtman's Steakhouse and wasn't planning on using any decor so decor is not a biggy. But if we go and sit in a ballroom or something I may need something to make them look pretty!

i want to try and stick to the minimum as much as possible as DF may kill me!

[Chilly]

You'll have no problem spending $2500 on a reception and DP.

[lurkyloo]

You could have your meal at Ariel's or the Attic and then walk to the DP. That'll take you up to $2,500 nicely and with minimal need for decor.

[tinkandonaldfans]

You could have your meal at Ariel's or the Attic and then walk to the DP. That'll take you up to $2,500 nicely and with minimal need for decor.

i really love the attic but I thought that had a really high minimum spend for events after 5pm?

[tinkerbell 766]

I hope that Carrie will correct me if I am wrong, but I think that the extra money can be made up with anything that Disney provides which is not included in the Escape package eg extra floral, decor, extra transportation, catered meals and dessert parties. I was disappointed when I read this too, but soon realised that a dessert party (I will probably have between 10 and 18 guests) plus my extra floral etc will more than cover it. I am not sure whether we will have a restaurant or catered meal yet, but I definately want my dessert party so will have to make sure I meet the minimums :thumbsup2

Carrie, do you think Ariel's will still be available in May 2011 and would it work for such a small party? I fear we would be 'rattling around' in it!!!:lmao:

[tinkandonaldfans]

I hope that Carrie will correct me if I am wrong, but I think that the extra money can be made up with anything that Disney provides which is not included in the Escape package eg extra floral, decor, extra transportation, catered meals and dessert parties. I was disappointed when I read this too, but soon realised that a dessert party (I will probably have between 10 and 18 guests) plus my extra floral etc will more than cover it. I am not sure whether we will have a restaurant or catered meal yet, but I definately want my dessert party so will have to make sure I meet the minimums :thumbsup2:

I'm trying to stick to the minimum and not add too much extra stuff to the escape package so currently the extras and a desert party I plan on still wont meet the 7,500 min so need add in our meal to bump up the min!

[lurkyloo]

i really love the attic but I thought that had a really high minimum spend for events after 5pm?

After 5pm it does go up to $2,500.


Carrie, do you think Ariel's will still be available in May 2011 and would it work for such a small party? I fear we would be 'rattling around' in it!!!:lmao:

I would say there's a good chance it'll still be available. The plan to return it to service as a restaurant was made back before the economy took a dive. We'll have to ask someone who's been inside Ariel's about the "rattling around" aspect, but I think that - since it has two distinct areas - you'd probably be OK if your party only fit in one area or the other. :thumbsup2

[cm8]

well i just want to have a meal after the ceremony and a dessert party. In my original plan I was going to go to the Yachtman's Steakhouse and wasn't planning on using any decor so decor is not a biggy. But if we go and sit in a ballroom or something I may need something to make them look pretty!

i want to try and stick to the minimum as much as possible as DF may kill me!
:rotfl2:, I guess if he killed you then he would save lots of money!!! :laughing: J/K

[tinkandonaldfans]

After 5pm it does go up to $2,500.

If your event started before 5pm and finishes after 5pm do they still make you stick the ater 5pm minimum?

[Boardwalk_bride]

If your event started before 5pm and finishes after 5pm do they still make you stick the ater 5pm minimum?

I am pretty sure it needs to end before 5

[ColeV]

Ariel's wouldn't be too big. We had 26 people overall and it felt pretty cosy. The way it's separated out works well since the food can be put on the lower level so it's not right next to anyone's table. The upper level is has bannisters surrounding it and some columns breaking it up, so it's open without feeling big.

[lurkyloo]

If your event started before 5pm and finishes after 5pm do they still make you stick the ater 5pm minimum?

I am pretty sure it needs to end before 5

Yeah, it kicks in for any event ending after 5pm.

[tinkandonaldfans]

well that minimum just isn't going to be a possibility unless we change our ceremony time which is currently planned for 2:30pm!

Its really frustrating because what I wanted was to flow from one event to the other with very little gaps to make it easier for everyone. But with this new minimum I am finding it hard to keep to our original budget.

I have $2,500 to spend on a reception and a DP for 13-16 people and can't find anywhere that isn't going to feel too big, too expensive or a massive delay in between things.

anyone else have the same problem? anyone have any solutions?

[tinkerbell1988]

well that minimum just isn't going to be a possibility unless we change our ceremony time which is currently planned for 2:30pm!

Its really frustrating because what I wanted was to flow from one event to the other with very little gaps to make it easier for everyone. But with this new minimum I am finding it hard to keep to our original budget.

I have $2,500 to spend on a reception and a DP for 13-16 people and can't find anywhere that isn't going to feel too big, too expensive or a massive delay in between things.

anyone else have the same problem? anyone have any solutions?

could you meet the minimum by having some characters or upgrading the transport.. adding a few enhancements that you wanted but didn't want to spend the money on? we are in a similar situation.. if the MK & Epcot photo session counts towards the minimum we will be fine, but if it doesn't we need to find something to spend an extra $500 on!! ah well.. it's a good excuse to upgrade a few things!! x

[tinkandonaldfans]

could you meet the minimum by having some characters or upgrading the transport.. adding a few enhancements that you wanted but didn't want to spend the money on? we are in a similar situation.. if the MK & Epcot photo session counts towards the minimum we will be fine, but if it doesn't we need to find something to spend an extra $500 on!! ah well.. it's a good excuse to upgrade a few things!! x

adding things is more than possible and i would take great pleasure in doing this but i would still have to pay for a dinner for everyone on top! we had originally budgeted for $2,500 to spend on reception and DP but as a resort restaurant won't count to the new minimum then i need to find another reception location that fits into the new minimum.

if the only option is to stick to our plan but just add extras then i guess we will have to find the extra money from somewhere but was just trying to avoid having to spend even more money!

[Boardwalk_bride]

I know you are really concerned about having a flow of events, which I was at first too, but if you are having a DP, it may be best to have a break, so that you have time to get hungry again!

You could move your ceremony to noon, and than save on the minimums at many places. I have 17 people, and I am using the patio area of the Attic, which sits 20 people, so it will not be an overwhelmingly big space. You could also use the patio at St.James room, which they can just set up one long roman table. Your group size would fit well there! I think the minimum there is $1000 or less, but not really sure.

[tinkerbell 766]

I am having an Escape too at 2.30pm at SBP. We are hoping that we will have a small private reception in the St James' Room. I am wanting a buffet with 2 hours of a soft drinks, beer and wine package, which I am hoping to start at 4.30pm. This will give us time for photos. After the ceremony/cake cutting we will ask a friend of ours to lead our guests to a bar either at the Boardwalk Inn or on the Boardwalk itself (if the weather is nice), and give him some money to get everybody a drink. We will then join our guests at about 4.15, after photos, for a reception starting at 4.30pm and then arrange transport to arrive to take us to the DP at about 7.15pm. A know that this leave a gap of about 45 minutes between the end of the 2 hour reception and the transport arriving, but I am hoping Disney will let us linger in the room for about half an hour before leaving the room at about 7.00pm to go and meet the transport.
I don't know if this helps at all, but that is what I am planning.
Does anybody know whether we will be allowed to do a small pre-reception for about an hour at the St James Room and order some fruit trays or something and extend our bar package to 3 hours so as aour guests can go straight there and wait for us and then have the actual buffet served at about 4.30pm, or are pre-receptions not allowed with the Escape package?
Thanks

[Chilly]

You could do what I had. Key West Room F&B min is $500 and Sago Cay for a DP is $500, or have it all at Sago Cay and I think the F&B min is then $1000. So that is at the GF rather than the boadwalk.

I have to agree with the others though, we hardly touched the food at the DP though as we were all stuffed from dinner.

What about a cruise on the Grand 1 to watch Wishes rather than a DP?

[Chilly]

Does anybody know whether we will be allowed to do a small pre-reception for about an hour at the St James Room and order some fruit trays or something and extend our bar package to 3 hours so as aour guests can go straight there and wait for us and then have the actual buffet served at about 4.30pm, or are pre-receptions not allowed with the Escape package?
Thanks

I was allowed to extend my cake and champagne celebration and have fruit and drinks at that.

[EricMat]

Could someone please tell me what is this new escape package minimum everyone here is talking about? :scared1:
I bought the Passporter's wedding guide a few months ago and the escape package was about $5000... I'm scared to hear your answers, but I have to plan for the worse :headache:

Thank you!

EDIT : I just found the answer to my own question in another thread! Seems like it only applies to wedding on saturday or sunday. I was really beginning to worry.

[tinkerbell 766]

It applies to weddings on a Saturday and Sunday and to weddings which have a private event attached eg a private catered meal or a dessert party.

[Sarah84]

I'm having the ssame problems now due to this stupid new rule.

Original idea was 5pm ceremony at SBP then evening reception in the Napa room @ Cali Grill. As the F&B min after 5pm is $3000 meeting the $7500 wouldn't have been a problem HOWEVER overall costs of the wedding, travel, villa and the fact we are having to pay for DFi was really starting to mount up and we decided it was going to cost too much and we needed to make some cut backs if we wanted to have any chance of saving the money to actually do it.
So my new plan was 12pm ceremony at SBP with lunch in Napa room ending by 4pm which would only have F&B min of $1000 which i presumed we'd be able to book through the restuarant or some kind of other Disney events and then book the Grand 1 yacht to see Wishes as it's important to me to watch it on the wedding day and costing only around $500 that means only around $6500 total

[tinkandonaldfans]

I'm having the ssame problems now due to this stupid new rule.

Original idea was 5pm ceremony at SBP then evening reception in the Napa room @ Cali Grill. As the F&B min after 5pm is $3000 meeting the $7500 wouldn't have been a problem HOWEVER overall costs of the wedding, travel, villa and the fact we are having to pay for DFi was really starting to mount up and we decided it was going to cost too much and we needed to make some cut backs if we wanted to have any chance of saving the money to actually do it.
So my new plan was 12pm ceremony at SBP with lunch in Napa room ending by 4pm which would only have F&B min of $1000 which i presumed we'd be able to book through the restuarant or some kind of other Disney events and then book the Grand 1 yacht to see Wishes as it's important to me to watch it on the wedding day and costing only around $500 that means only around $6500 total


Well i have to agree that the rule is stupid but I'm willing and determined to work with it and come up with an alternative!

Our thoughts are now that we have 12pm ceremony at SBP and then have a lunch reception at the attic between 2-4pm and then meet up in the evening for the Illuminations DP.

I didn't really want a break because i didn't want my guests to feel like a spare part but i think if we compromise on this then we can have the day we originally wanted and within the budget we were looking at