New here . . Wishes vs Escape

[gf247]

Hi there,

Really enjoying reading through everything on here! It's very helpful.

I was wondering if anyone knows how flexible DFTW are with guest numbers? We will be flying ourselves and close family and friends out to Orlando for the wedding, but at the moment we can't say for certain how many people will actually be coming. I'm personally more interested in a wishes wedding due to customisation options but if we end up with less than 18 people will this be a problem? Can we just pay the extra as if we did have 20 guests?

Alternatively, can anyone weigh in on customising escape packages? Is it possible to have a private reception type meal and a dessert party for extra cost?

Cheers in advance for any help!

 

[lurkyloo]

Welcome! Escape is not flexible with numbers over 20 people total. Wishes is technically only for groups of 20 and above, but they are not going to cancel your wedding if something happens and your number dips below 20 at the last minute. As you surmised, you'd just have to pay for at least 20.

You can add a catered meal to Escape via Disney or book a private room at a restaurant if you don't want just a regular reservation. If you book through your DFTW planner you can only have a 2-hour meal, not a full-on reception with a DJ and dancing. But it's an easy way to do something private. You can also add a dessert party to an Escape event, and some people choose to do that instead of having a post-Escape reception.

If the cost of Wishes is within your budget, going that route will give you way more flexibility in almost every aspect of planning. But you can also put together something nice for a lot less with Escape, as long as you're OK with the limited options (like locations and cake styles).

 

[gf247]

Thank you! I've been reading through the forum and have seen that a reception lasts up to 4 hours which might be a little excessive if I end up with only 18 guests. I feel like the escape package is more suitable but I also want to be able to choose from a bigger selection of cake styles and locations! Are you able to upgrade to different cakes if you pay more or are you limited to the ones they show on the website?

I've done the online wedding planner on the website but it's not very clear . . Does the wishes package price include all the things the escape package comes with like the cake and bouquet etc? Sorry for all the questions!

 

[lurkyloo]

No problem!

Thank you! I've been reading through the forum and have seen that a reception lasts up to 4 hours which might be a little excessive if I end up with only 18 guests. I feel like the escape package is more suitable but I also want to be able to choose from a bigger selection of cake styles and locations! Are you able to upgrade to different cakes if you pay more or are you limited to the ones they show on the website?

Unfortunately, the current policy is no changes to the set Escape cake styles. They used to let you pay the difference to customize the cake. However, there are a few more standard styles than they show on the site. You can see them all here: http://disneytravelbabble.com/disney-weddings/escape-cakes/

I've done the online wedding planner on the website but it's not very clear . . Does the wishes package price include all the things the escape package comes with like the cake and bouquet etc? Sorry for all the questions!

Wishes is not a package. It is a minimum amount of money you agree to spend with Disney, so what you choose to spend it on (flowers, cake, music, etc.) is completely up to you. Well, except that you must spend a certain amount on food and beverages and a certain amount on "enhancements" (which is pretty much everything else you'd want for your event that Disney can provide).

 

[lurkyloo]

If you scroll down, this page shows you the formula for calculating how much a Wishes event will run you: https://www.disneyweddings.com/florida/pricing/wishes/

 

[gf247]

Thanks between you and passporters I've got a much better idea of how it all works! Definitely thinking wishes. I'm sure I'll be hanging around asking more questions for the next year or so haha, then after hopefully I can start answering some myself!

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Thanks between you and passporters I've got a much better idea of how it all works! Definitely thinking wishes. I'm sure I'll be hanging around asking more questions for the next year or so haha, then after hopefully I can start answering some myself!

LurkyLoo IS passporters... She wrote the book on them!