Am I crazy? (Wishes for fireworks???)

[jen54321]

I would love your comments and opinions....

Here's the story: We were engaged in April. I am not the wait-a-year type so we decided to marry in Orlando in October 2008. We are also looking at buying a house later in the year so we wanted to save as much as we could for that. So, we are looking at our options but haven't had much luck.

Complicating Factor: I would love to have an illuminations dessert party. It's the only thing I really have my heart set on.

Problem: I haven't had any luck with booking it as we want to stay in villas off-site, therefore, we can't meet the "guests on site policy" (spoke to 5 people at Disney). We thought about booking rooms at Disney in order to meet that requirement but I still haven't received any quotes from other venues, such as the Swan, and it's been over a month! (We've been in touch a number of times but still no quotes.) I am afraid to book the rooms/dessert party without a ceremony or reception location.

So....am I crazy to book a Wishes wedding to essentially have the dessert party? Don't get me wrong, we love Disney, I am just very "frugal." Also, is it even possible to book and get the venues I would want SBP/Illuminations Dessert party at this late date?

Sorry this is so long and confusing but I have my mother's ear talked off when I should have asked the experts first...And by the looks of this post I needed to vent!! Whew!

Thanks for listening!

 

[DecemberBride]

I would imagine it's possible to book a Wishes wedding so close to date. I booked eight months out at SBP and I just had to be flexible about what they already had open... call and ask and see what they say... I'm biased so of course i say have a Disney Wedding for the Dessert party! Not just the dessert party, but the chance to have an unbelievable wedding! It's once in a lifetime and from what I've seen and heard it worth it!

BTW, it's okay to be frugal... a lot of brides on here have stuck really close to the minimum and their weddings were absolutely gorgeous!

 

[lurkyloo]

The other thing is, if you do a Wishes wedding, you could actually have the IllumiNations dessert party be your reception! If you do a search for Firefly01's trip report, that's what she did. They extended the time and served fabulous-sounding hot appetizers, enough to make a meal. It would be very cost-effective too, since the dessert party locations have lower food and beverage minimums and site fees than many of the traditional reception locations.

Happy planning!

 

[jennifaerie]

You can also have a dessert party sans wedding if you have eight or more people using a Grand Gathering reservation. You could look into that as well!

 

[hope1826]

We booked our ceremony/reception/dessert party (SBP/ The Attic/Upper Uk) in late December for our early May wedding with no problem. It was just over 5 months. So you aren't late at all. But you may have to be flexible as far as the date/day of the week in October.

I agree with jennifaerie. You don't HAVE to have a Wishes wedidng to have an Illuminations Dessert Party. How many guests do have?

 

[lurkyloo]

Unfortunately, all your guests have to be staying at a WDW resort to do the IllumiNations Grand Gathering...

 

[PrincessBride07]

So....am I crazy to book a Wishes wedding to essentially have the dessert party?

If you are crazy, than so am I. At the time I didn't think Escape brides could have DP's, so I upgraded to a Wishes mainly for it.

I agree with Lurkyloo about the DP being your reception.

 

[FIREFLY01]

hello and congrats!!! My wedding is the one lurkyloo was talking about (thank you carrie for the kind words ) I did a 730 wedding with a cocktail style reception at epcot italy isola it started with illuminations and then continued till 1230. we served all cocktail food buffett style with cake it was the perfect location, and if you can do it on a weeknight you will save money! not doing an actual dinner saved alot of money! and trust me I had alot of people comment on the fact that they liked the cocktail style party better than a full dinner! most people already had eaten prior to wedding also! we did tables of 4 to stay with cocktail theme. check out my TR in my sig and you can picts. if you have any questions feel free to ask!!!

OH YEA!!!! I got engaged in SEPT and married in Feb so its completely possible!!!!!

 

[Lorelei528]

As far as I understand, there are Dessert Parties (Illuminations) that Escape brides can have.
I asked my sales person about it actually, I know Morocco is one choice, I forget the other...I think it's Japan?

check www.mouseweddings.com that's where I originally saw it.

I am planning on having one anyway...there will be 20 of us total including DF and myself...

I can't remember the other info right now though...PM me if you have questions and I can try to find where I got the info..

 

[JaxTeach]

As the others have said, you do not have to have a Wishes wedding to have a DP. Nor do your guests have to stay on-site. We had an Escape wedding with a DP at UK Upper. We had a "reception" at the California Grill. Our guests all stayed at vacation villas or DTD resorts. Only DH and I stayed on-site. I initially thought we wouldn't be able to do all of those things, but I just asked our fabulous WP and she made it all happen. I also thought that Escape brides only had the option of Morocco and Japan, but that's not true. I asked our WP about other options and voila! UK Upper was our's. Good luck! You don't have to go the Wishes route to have your perfect wedding.

 

[PhilHarMaestro]

You can have a dessert party with an escape wedding which is much less expensive than the wishes wedding. However, you have to pay extra for your dessert party, it is not included.

 

[jen54321]

Thank you so much everyone!!! I have about 40 guests so it would have to be a Wishes wedding. I love the idea of having a reception/dessert party!! I would never have thought of that! I might copy your reception FIREFLY01!!! I hope you don't mind!

Now that I have read your comments and made the decision I feel so much better and less stressed about everything. (The only issue is room minimums but we are staying on site for the honeymoon and maybe a bit before the wedding so that will help and I am hoping some guests may want to stay on site. Either way, I think it will all work out.)

Now on with the planning...I placed the call and the fun begins! I have so many of your trip reports to catch up on!

I think I wore out my exclamation mark

As an aside....You know how sometimes the world feels like it is getting bigger and less friendly...the Dis always reminds me that there are great people out there! This is an awesome community.

 

[DecemberBride]

I'm debating doing a DP and I was offered Morrocco and the Frech Island "leg" they call it. I'm also having an Escape wedding...

 

[jen54321]

Hey DecemberBride! The french island "leg" sounds kinda cute! Which do you think you will prefer? I thought that Morocco would have an obscured view of the fireworks but I think I read that lurkyloo said it was a good viewing place...

 

[DecemberBride]

Hey DecemberBride! The french island "leg" sounds kinda cute! Which do you think you will prefer? I thought that Morocco would have an obscured view of the fireworks but I think I read that lurkyloo said it was a good viewing place...

I'm probably doing french leg... it's so cute! It is it's own little island! It's only for 20 people though, so you have to have no more than that. so you'd have to do an escape, so there is an option for you... you don't have to do Wishes just for foreworks!

 

[lurkyloo]

Hmmm... I think you mean the French Island "arm" (although I guess that's no less silly a name for a location than "leg")

Also, Morocco isn't the greatest place to view fireworks cuz there's a solid wall that, depending on your height, could be chest-high. Some people feel they have to stand to get a good view, but some really like the location. See if you can find Aprincess's trip report from last year - she had Morocco for a DP.

 

[JaxTeach]

The French Island Arm is a nice location! I think you'd have a nice view from there. We were originally booked for Morocco until I decided to ask our planner about upgrading to another location-- we selected Upper UK. Upper UK is a great location because it works out to be cheaper than Morocco because there is seating already available at Upper UK. Escape brides, like Wishes brides I believe, have to battle with corporate parties for their DP location. I think the locations that can accomodate 20 are Morocco, Japan, French Island Arm, and Upper UK.

Morocco isn't necessarily a "bad" location. I found it rather charming-- definitely seek out Aprincess72's TR as she has great photos of the location. Any location can be awful depending on the wind. The night of our DP, the wind was blowing the smoke right into Morocco. Randy was elated to not deal with it as were we!

 

[jen54321]

Ah, yes...the weather. Funny how I was thinking it would be perfect for my wedding Oh well, hope for the best, plan for the worst!

JaxTeach, your pictures of Disneyland Paris remind me of when I was there over ten years ago. It was freezing cold, felt very odd walking around a Disney park freezing. Good memories though.

 

[FIREFLY01]

Thank you so much everyone!!! I have about 40 guests so it would have to be a Wishes wedding. I love the idea of having a reception/dessert party!! I would never have thought of that! I might copy your reception FIREFLY01!!! I hope you don't mind!

Now that I have read your comments and made the decision I feel so much better and less stressed about everything. (The only issue is room minimums but we are staying on site for the honeymoon and maybe a bit before the wedding so that will help and I am hoping some guests may want to stay on site. Either way, I think it will all work out.)

Now on with the planning...I placed the call and the fun begins! I have so many of your trip reports to catch up on!

I think I wore out my exclamation mark

As an aside....You know how sometimes the world feels like it is getting bigger and less friendly...the Dis always reminds me that there are great people out there! This is an awesome community.

steal ideas away!! I got so many of my ideas and help fr these disboards!! If you have any questions or want other picts let me know! I have all my picts fr Randy so theres alot of the reception i didn't post!!!

 

[FIREFLY01]

oh and by the way i had 50 guests and it was pefect i was worried about romm minimums but went way over!!! also if it gets close and your short post it on here alot of people will help you get your numbers and they get the discount rooms!!!