Need Hosted Bar HELP!

[jmmastra]

I am very confused and thought maybe someone could help. I am having a hosted call brands bar for my guests. I have learned that this only includes the liquor and some juices. So does this mean that my guest can not have mixed drinks? I am also paying for Martinis (because the vermouth is not included) and I would also like my guests to be able to have margarita...but there is no triple sec or lime juice. So I have to pay extra for these drinks...$9.00 each!!! I am already paying for the vodka, gin and tequila in the hosted bar package...why am I paying an additional $9.00 for the stuff to mix it? I feel like I am paying double for liquor. Is tonic water included? Could some please tell me what they did for their bar. Or if you used the hosted call brands bar what type of drinks were your guests allowed to order? It just does not make sense that a "bar" does not have the ingredients to mix drinks associated with liquor that I am paying for. Any insight would be much appreciated!

 

[Janet2k]

Could some please tell me what they did for their bar...

There are various bar packages for Disney events. The FTW folks should be able to give you an itemized breakdown of what each of those packages entail.

I have hosted several private events in Walt Disney World over the years, including my custom vow renewal. On the night before my vow renewal, I hosted a private Welcome Party at the Grand Floridian. Here is what that party’s final beverage bill looked like. Please note that these prices were from October of 2004:

- - - - - - -
Fee, Bartender
$100
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$127.80

Hosted, Assorted Sodas
$2.75 each
13 glasses = $35.75
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$45.69

Hosted, Bottled Water
$3.50 each
3 bottles = $10.50
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$13.42

Hosted, Premium Cocktails
$5.75 each
10 glasses = $57.50
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$73.49

Hosted, Premium Cabernet Sauvignon
$6.25 each
5 glasses = $31.25
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$39.94

Hosted, Premium Chardonnay
$6.25 each
5 glasses = $31.25
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$39.94
- - - - - - -

My guest list was small and thus my beverage bill was very reasonable. Plus, my guests didn’t really drink that much since everyone was too busy chitchatting and enjoying the gorgeous moonlight. It was a very laid-back and relaxing Welcome Party.

I’m not sure where my final beverage bill is for my custom vow renewal’s dinner party. That bill ran me a lot more money, though, because champagne was involved, plus hours worth of drinking (I had a progressive dinner party with a bar in each venue, plus the evening ended with an outdoor dance party that also had a bar). I’ll try to find my bill.

I hosted another private event at the Grand Floridian just last summer. If I can find my final beverage bill, I will share it.

I basically wanted to say that the bar bills from my events were similar to what I posted above. Definitely contact the FTW folks and have them answer all of your questions. They’re there to help. You won't be the first person to ask them to break it down for you in English, have no fear!

 

[Janet2k]

Thanks to a search on Google, I was able to find an old post of mine where I shared the beverage bill for my custom vow renewal's dinner party (boy, I can't wait until the Dis' search function comes back). I will repost it here in its entirety ('cause I'm too lazy to edit it!). Again, these prices were from October of 2004.

I have been married for 21 years. I think that makes me one of the oldest people on this board. And with age, (thankfully) has come a little bit of wisdom. I’ll try to share some of that wisdom here.

On October 27, 2004, my husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage with a custom vow renewal. Our ceremony was held inside the Wedding Pavilion, and our dinner party was held inside the “Great Movie Ride” at the Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park.

There were 22 guests at my vow renewal dinner party (that included my husband & myself). However, just as dinner was beginning inside the Western Area of the “Great Movie Ride,” my young nephew came down with a touch of diarrhea. That meant that he and his mom (my sister) had to leave the party, thus missing dinner, dessert, Mickey Mouse, dancing, and fireworks (it broke my heart that they had to leave so early in the evening). Another one of my guests left the party immediately after dinner had been completed (she had an early call at work the next morning). I am only mentioning all this so you understand that for some portions of my event there were 22 guests, and for other portions there were only 19 guests. Try to remember that when you view the beverage bill for my dinner party.

I should also note that 3 of my 22 guests were children (my daughter, niece, and nephew). 1 more guest was an "underage" adult (my college-aged son). Of the remaining 18 guests, 3 were in their late 60’s / early 70’s (my Mom, Dad, and Aunt). My parents do not drink and my guess is that held true during my dinner party.

There is one final thing that I should mention before I move onto the beverage charges. When it came to what I drank that night, I had one glass of champagne at the Handprint Ceremony (click here) and one cocktail at another point in time (actually, I only drank half of that cocktail). I didn’t touch anything else that evening. I don’t know why I didn’t; I guess I was just too busy enjoying my guests and the incredible Disney entertainment. If I ever get around to finishing my trip report about my vow renewal, you will learn that I paid dearly for the fact that I only drank 1-1/2 glasses of fluids during an 11-hour span of time. When 3 AM hit, I was so dehydrated that I thought I was going to pass out on the chartered bus ride back to my resort. I was in bad shape. Very bad shape. Shame on me. So when you view the beverage charges below, remember that one guest (me) only had two drinks all night long.

Here are the beverage charges from my final bill. I hope I have typed everything correctly (and I hope I have computed everything correctly too).

- - - - - - -
Cakebread Chardonnay, Napa Valley
$74 per bottle
2 bottles = $148
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$189.14

Fess Parker Riesling, Santa Barbara
$35 per bottle
1 bottle = $35
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$44.73

Franciscan Magnificat, Cabernet Sauvignon
$74 per bottle
2 bottles = $148
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$189.14

Stonestreet, Alex Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon
$50 per bottle
1 bottle = $50
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$63.90

Hosted, Domestic Beer
$4.75 each
9 bottles = $42.75
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$54.63

Hosted, Imported Beer
$5.25 each
7 bottles = $36.75
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$46.97

Hosted, Assorted Sodas
$2.75 each
23 glasses = $63.25
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$80.83

Hosted, Bottled Water
$3.50 each
21 bottles = $73.50
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$93.93

Hosted, Call Brand Cocktails
$6.00 each
9 glasses = $54
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$69.01

Hosted, House Cabernet Sauvignon
$5.75 each
15 glasses = $86.25
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$110.23

Hosted, House Chardonnay
$5.75 each
20 glasses = $115
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$146.97

White Zinfandel, CA
$5.50 each
10 glasses = $55
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$70.29

Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee Brut
$50 per bottle
5 bottles = $250
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$319.50

Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider
$22 per bottle
1 bottle = $22
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$28.12

Total charges for beverages = $1,507.39
- - - - - - -

If you divide the above total by the number of guests, it works out as follows:

$1,507.39 / 22 guests = $68.52 per guest for beverages

There were no big drinkers at my event. No one got drunk. No one got tipsy. No one needed a cab ride home. And of my 22 guests, 4 were underage (3 children & 1 young college student) and another 3 were senior citizens. And don’t forget that the bride only drank two drinks all night long.

I hope that helped.

So, there you have it. The final bar bill from my vow renewal. If I can find the final bar bill from my private event at the Grand Floridian last summer, I will share it. But I don't think I really need to do that since you probably have a fairly good idea as to what to expect for your own event.

Again, please discuss your concerns with the FTW folks. They truly are there to help and enjoy doing so.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Thanks for sharing the breakdown. I had been wondering about that sparkling cider because I think Disney's price is over $30 per bottle now. I recognize the brand name and it helps me figure out Disney's markup on some of their beverages. My local Costco carries Martinelli sparkling cider in a 4-bottle pack for about $8.69 in Canadian dollars.

 

[jmmastra]

Yes, Thank you for the break down. What did your guest drink when they had hosted bar coctails? Where they drinking scotch on the rocks or gin and tonics? I am really worried about the variety my guests will have and the price I am paying.

 

[Janet2k]

Here is the beverage breakdown for a private event that I hosted at the Grand Floridian Resort last summer (July 2006). If you compare this pricing info with the prior pricing info, you can see how it has increased over the years.

I also included the coffee charge in the breakdown so you can see how it was handled. Sadly, I don’t think my guests drank any coffee that evening since the weather was in the upper 80’s to lower 90’s (it was a balmy summer evening).

In regards to this particular event, there were 15 guests in attendance. Of those 15 guests, 10 were adults older than 21, 1 was an adult under 21 (college student), and 4 were children. Shortly after the party started, 4 of my guests (1 college student plus 3 children) left the party and headed into the Magic Kingdom for the final park hours of the night. That meant that 10 adults were left behind to make a dent in the food and beverages. I think everyone did a pretty good job, especially when it came to the ice-cold beverages.

As always, the Grand Floridian’s Convention Services folks did a lovely job with my event. If you’d like to view my photos, click here (professional photos taken by Disney).

- - - - - - -
Fee, Bartender
$100
Plus Sales Tax (6.5%)
$106.50

Hosted, Domestic Beer
$4.75 each
1 bottle = $4.75
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$6.01

Hosted, Soft Drinks, Assorted
$3.50 each
7 glasses = $24.50
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$30.99

Hosted, Bottled Water
$4.00 each
3 bottles = $12.00
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$15.18

Hosted, Premium Cocktails
$6.75 each
43 glasses = $290.25
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$367.17

Coffee Regular (per 1/2 gallon)
$32.50 / half gallon
Quantity 3 = $97.50
Plus Gratuity (20%) and Sales Tax (6.5%)
$123.34

Total charges for beverages = $649.19
- - - - - - -

 

[Janet2k]

Thanks for sharing the breakdown.

ChocolateMouse, you're welcome. I don't know what the current charge is for sparkling cider, but the FTW folks should be able to tell you exactly what it is. And don't forget to add gratuity and tax to the number that you are given. That increases your cost by a fair amount.

 

[Janet2k]

Yes, Thank you for the break down. What did your guest drink when they had hosted bar coctails? Where they drinking scotch on the rocks or gin and tonics?

Neither my husband nor I are really drinkers. If we do drink, we tend to stick to the same ones (we’re boring that way). I know that Scotch has always been served at our events since that is my husband’s favorite drink. And I know that Gin & Tonics have always been served since I like to drink them (they’re an old sorority drink). It’s probably safe to say that the rest of the cocktails that have been served were the standard bar fare.

Disney puts together lots of parties every year. I’m sure they know what drinks are the most requested and thus always have them on hand. I can tell you that in all of the events that I have either hosted or attended, I’ve never heard a guest complain that they weren’t able to get the drink that they wanted. Just thought I’d mention my experience.

Definitely discuss your drink concerns with the FTW folks. They are there to help you plan the event of your dreams. If you have a particular drink (or drinks) that you want served, request it in advance so that it gets added to your BEO. Once it’s stated in your paperwork, you can relax. Disney’s Catering folks will see it listed in your BEO and will plan accordingly for your event.

I don’t have a lot of “bar” photos to share, but I do have a few. If you look at them, you will see some of the liquor that was available during some of my events. Please understand that not all of the available liquor was on display (most was hidden from sight).

Photo # 1
Photo # 2
Photo # 3
Photo # 4
Photo # 5
Photo # 6

 

[jmmastra]

wow..thanks for all the info

 

[Janet2k]

I am having a hosted call brands bar... I have learned that this only includes the liquor and some juices. So does this mean that my guest can not have mixed drinks? I am also paying for Martinis (because the vermouth is not included) and I would also like my guests to be able to have margarita...but there is no triple sec or lime juice. So I have to pay extra for these drinks...$9.00 each!!! ...Is tonic water included?

I stated in one of my posts that I have had Gin & Tonics served at my events. If you looked through the pricing information that I shared, you didn’t see a breakdown for “Tonic Water,” only a breakdown for “Cocktails.” That meant that I was charged for the finished product, not the two pieces that comprised that product. I hope that makes sense.

If you want a specific drink served at your event and don’t find its ingredients stated on any of the beverage package lists, you need to ask for it to be added to your BEO. Once that drink is stated in your BEO, the Catering folks will see it there and then plan accordingly for your event. From what you mentioned in your post, it sounds like you have already run into this situation. Please make sure to carefully review your BEO to ensure that your signature drinks are stated in it.

I want to help put your mind at ease. Remember, your guests will be at your event because of their love for you. They will soon forget that they couldn't get an Algae Bloom (click here and click here) from the bartender.

 

[Janet2k]

wow..thanks for all the info

It was a pain in the you-know-what to gather together that information. I’m glad you appreciated it. I know that once it's been posted, other folks might find it helpful, too. And if the Dis’ SEARCH feature ever becomes operational again, other folks should be able to find it in the future. (Hope springs eternal.)