Cheap Welcome Dinner ideas???

[aristocatz]

We were thinking about having a welcome dinner for guests the night before the wedding. We will have 25 guests maximum, 5 of whom will be children/toddlers. All 25 may not attend the Welcome party, but we want to budget for that many.

I am looking for the least expensive option for us. We are on a very tight budget and were not originally planning to do a welcome, but because our guests are traveling to come, we felt it was necessary.

What are some inexpensive options and around how much $$ would we be looking at??

I was wondering how expensive it would be to have a beach BBQ buffet?? I thought I read that was really inexpensive. Or would a dinner at a restaurant be cheaper??

Thanks!

 

[amyy]

I read on here that someone had a welcome party and they actually bought platters from a local grocery store. I am sure you will get more ideas.

 

[aristocatz]

I read on here that someone had a welcome party and they actually bought platters from a local grocery store. I am sure you will get more ideas.

Ooh that would be IDEAL!!! But, where at Disney, would they ever allow you to bring your own food in for a party?? Actually though, now that I think about it, maybe a do-it-yourself wouldn't be such a good idea. I really don't want the stress of setting up and cleaning up the night before our wedding.

I still like the BBQ idea, if it's not too expensive.

I looked into Grand Gatherings but I do not want an event that guests would need to use a park ticket for. I want something either in a resort, at DTD, Swan/Dolphin, or any other options...

 

[amyy]

Ooh that would be IDEAL!!! But, where at Disney, would they ever allow you to bring your own food in for a party?? Actually though, now that I think about it, maybe a do-it-yourself wouldn't be such a good idea. I really don't want the stress of setting up and cleaning up the night before our wedding.

I still like the BBQ idea, if it's not too expensive.

I looked into Grand Gatherings but I do not want an event that guests would need to use a park ticket for. I want something either in a resort, at DTD, Swan/Dolphin, or any other options...

I agree with you about the stress. This is would certainly be something that you would want a family member to handle. I don't remember where they did this but it was at one of the resorts and I don't think they paid for a room. Maybe they had a suite? Do you have a price range in mind? We would have liked to do Mickey's Backyard Barbecue but it is out of our price range. Plus we are having Mickey and Minnie at our wedding so I guess we don't need to pay to see them twice

 

[aristocatz]

I agree with you about the stress. This is would certainly be something that you would want a family member to handle. I don't remember where they did this but it was at one of the resorts and I don't think they paid for a room. Maybe they had a suite? Do you have a price range in mind? We would have liked to do Mickey's Backyard Barbecue but it is out of our price range. Plus we are having Mickey and Minnie at our wedding so I guess we don't need to pay to see them twice

I guess our price range is: as inexpensive as possible!! The Backyard BBQ sounds fun, but I'd like something a little more private.

 

[erin.w]

what is this "backyard bbq" you all speak of? details please!

 

[aristocatz]

what is this "backyard bbq" you all speak of? details please!

Here is some info:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/diningdetail.cfm?Restaurant.ID=280

It's not a private event, so regular WDW guests are there as well.

 

[erin.w]

agree on the more inexpensive part!

 

[bunny_pop]

What about having a come as go bbq by one of the pool? For an example, at campgrounds and at Old Key West, they have grill by their pools and you could just grill food there- hot dogs, burgers, sausages.
Or what about just a meet and greet by the pool? You could always omit the food to save money.

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I could use a great idea for this as well!
About the same amount of guests...
it wouldnt really be a rehearsal dinner, but a dinner for everyone to welcome each other into town...
I was contemplating just a banquet room at a chain restaurant... seafood preferably

 

[lurkyloo]

That's what we did, cuz we couldn't afford to pay for another meal. So we had a meet 'n' greet in one of the public rooms at Beach Club Villas from 2pm-4pm. Everyone who came made their own dinner plans afterward, and lots of people ended going to eat together.