Luncheon-escape brides-Narcoosees? Citricos?CG?

[disbridemimi]

I am planning to do an offsite Intimate ceremony, but would like to book a luncheon at a Disney resteraunt. Our first choice is Narcooses, but we are far from set on our decision!


How would we book this? Who would i call? How far ibn advance? Are prices at all negotiable? Like we wont need dessert etc?

Can anyone share menu & pricing info they got for their luncheon?
And at which resteraunt?
Do you reccomend it?
Will they kick me out if Im in a wedding dress if i dont have my ceremony through DFTW?
Will they let me have a wedding-esque cake? The ceremony location includes a cake which is a shame since I dont think I can take it with me.


If we do Narcoosees, what time do they open? Will we be seated with all the other guests or on our own?

We are also looking at Citricos, Shulas, California Grill so ANY info you guys could offer on menus, prices, locations etc would be great!!

ALso are there any "less expensive" yet still elegant options for a luncheon after? I would love to be able to cut the cost down a bit, but trying to avoid loud or rowdy places.

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I know there are several brides on here who have gotten ADRs at one of these restaurants after an Escape. We just had ADRs at Kona Cafe, which isn't that fancy at all. It was a normal reservation, and there were only 4 of us and a baby, so we didn't have special seating, but I know restaurants can do this (depending on which one).

All of the ones you listed though aren't open for lunch. I think they open at 5:00pm for dinner, but I'm not sure.

If you're set on something semi-fancy, the Grand Floridian Cafe (while not fancy) is at least in a fancy hotel.

For dinner, other options would be Victoria and Albert's (super-nice!), but other than that, your list is pretty good!

 

[disbridemimi]

None are open for lunch, UH OH! lol. I was hoping for a nice morning ceremony followed by a luncheon.

Then the evening would be of course, a lovely dessert party. All of my ideas keep losing the wind from their sails....

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I know there's a way to have catered events that aren't DFTW. It's through Disney Events Group. But, I'm not sure they'll deal with "wedding" events since that crosses into DFTW lanes.

If Lurkyloo pops over here, I'm sure she'll know!

 

[lurkyloo]

Disney has been more and more amenable to setting up private luncheons for Escape brides lately, if that's something you're interested in. If you do them in a convention center venue, like the St. James Room at the Boardwalk, or at a restaurant, like Narcoossee's, you just have to meet a food and beverage minimum ($1,000 sticks in my mind for some reason) - there are no venue-rental fees or per-person minimums. You can arrange this through your Escape Wedding Coordinator.

Otherwise, there are a few restaurants at WDW that are open for lunch and can handle larger parties.

I think you said you have my book - check out the charts on pp. 31-33 for info about private events for Escape weddings, and pp. 34-36 for info about non-private group dining. They list which restaurants are open for lunch (which doesn't matter if you do a private event, of course, since you'll have the place to yourself before it opens).

Alternatively, there have been many threads on this board on subjects like "Escape Brides - What are you doing for your reception?" etc. A Google search with the limiter site:disboards.com should turn them up.

 

[disbridemimi]

I have your book, but have not been able to print it, got a weird error.

We are probably not going to do the Escape wedding, we are looking into an offsite Intimate Ceremony that will be more accomodating with our guest list issue. Nothing is set in stone yet, we would still rather do the Escape offsite allows us to invite a few extras and still afford to add photography.

So right now we are leaning towards offsite ceremony, and then we wanted to do a luncheon at Disney, and also a dessert party in regular clothing. I am going to go peruse the Escape section of the book again.


I am not sure Disney would be helpful in setting up the lunch if they know our actualy ceremony is elswhere. I wonder if i should just say "lunch celebration" ugh.

 

[lurkyloo]

That's true - DFTW/Disney Conventions prolly won't be very helpful if you're getting married off site, but the restaurants - especially the non-Disney-owned ones on Downtown Disney - should be much more accomodating.

I've heard good things about the staff at Raglan Road and Portobello. Fulton's is another one, and Wolfgang Puck's. And then there are the restaurants at the Swan & Dolphin. I believe FigmentFan did a pre-wedding lunch at FRESH and had a great experience.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[lurkyloo]

There's no guarantee of help from your planner even if you are an Escape bride. I had to call and make my own ADR's for my reception lunch as my planner said she couldn't help with that.

You're right - they're getting more amenable to helping you do a private catered function through DFTW, but they don't seem too interested in making ADRs for people (though I have heard of it happening occasionally).

 

[meryll83]

For our reception lunch of 20 at Whispering Canyon Cafe, I booked the ADR thru Grand Gatherings. For our next-day breakfast at Kona for 16, Grand Gatherings had me call Kona directly. You don't get a separate room, but they do put you together. I've got 5 tables at WCC and 4 at Kona.

I was wondering if this was a way around for us to get Citrico's Chef's Domaine booked in at 180 days out rather than 90.

I know the criteria for a GG is at least 8 people, but do they have to be booked direct through Disney, or can they be booked into Disney hotels through a travel agent? Are the ressie numbers needed?

I might try calling GG at our 180 day mark if it seems like they might be able to help....


Our planner has offered to book us a small room at the Grand Floridian - the Key West room I think was the recommended one - but I like the decor of the Chef's Domaine better than a plain room. This room can be booked at 6 months out, but I might try for a conventional ADR first at 90 days out (assuming we can't do a GG) and hope for the best, then look at the Key West if we can't get in to our first choice....

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[meryll83]

I don't know. I tried calling at 180 days but had no success - there is a difference between "Grand Events" you can book at 180 days, and "Grand Gatherings" which is simply 8+ people. Like lurkyloo said, if you want to book a catered event in a separate room versus just ADRs for a large party, then Disney Catered Events or maybe even the hotel can help you directly.

Maybe I've misunderstood, did you book your reception lunch at 90 days out or 180? You did it as a GG right? And GG's can be booked at 180 days out? I don't know what a Grand Event is....

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[meryll83]

I booked 90 days out because they wouldn't let me book 180 days out.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1977770 explains it all

Sorry, it's not a Grand Event, it's called an "Experience", LOL. Those can be booked 180 days,everything else is 90 days. ADRs were changed from 180 days to 90 days except for Chef Mickey's, Cinderella's Royal Table and Victoria & Alberts. If you are booking a catered event and renting a room, then things will be different for you than just booking an ADR.

Hmmm I wonder what constitutes an Experience then?

I'm just trying to figure out a way to get us a reception meal booked at 180 days out rather than 90, but not just in a function room, actually in a restaurant or at least a unique location....

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[gemmybear83]

Were thinking of having ours at Kona, Grand Floridian Cafe or The Wave (our personal favourite!). We want to keep the food prices down so are avoiding the signature places.

 

[disbridemimi]

what is the wave? Never heard of it?

 

[jodeeluvsdisney]

We did our luncheon at the Swan's Garden Grove restaurant. It was very reasonable, we had a very private area, although not a private room, and it was really good!!

I had to make the reservation myself as an Escape Bride, but the manager was awesome to work with, better than anyone else I worked with through DFTW. They will email you menus and pricing options.

We had 20 people at our luncheon.

Good Luck, it was the toughest part of our planning finding a reasonable, somewhat private, nicer place for lunch after our 10am ceremony!!

 

[lurkyloo]

what is the wave? Never heard of it?

The Wave is the new table-service restaurant at the Contemporary.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=56

 

[disbridemimi]

The entrance to the wave looks awesome!

Jodeeluvs disney- What did you choose for your menu? Do you have contact infor for the manager you can share?