Clarification on Grand Gathering for groups/families

[bwatlas]

OK, I know this has got to be the best place to get my answer, but can anybody elaborate on the grand gathering benefit?
We will be 4 families traveling together, all over the age of 3, so we more than meet the quota. Besides keeping our hotel rooms close together, can you tell me what other benefits there are? Read some basic stuff on the google search I did, too, but I'd like to hear firsthand from anybody that may have done this? I realize it's free, but want to make sure we don't miss anything.
Thanks in advance
Brenda

 

[daleswife]

Ok, so here goes. You can do the Grand Gatherings Safari. You take the same safari that everyone gets, but you get a more in depth "behind the scenes" look at it. But its later in the evening, and most of the animals are already hiding and you dont get to see them. Then you get to do dinner at Tusker house. Its a buffet and its pretty good. Then you get to take pictures with Timone and Rafiki. They have two animals to look at too, but we didnt see them. I couldnt even tell you what animals they were. It is two dining credits if you are on the dining plan, and its about $65 per person if your not. (not sure about the childs price).

Then there is the Fireworks Voyage. Its about $50 per person and you cant use the dining plan for that. You meet at the Contemporary and you have a "snack buffet" Its not a dessert buffet. IT actually SUCKS!!! Pre packaged brownies, peanuts, trail mix, cotton candy, cokes, coffee, stuff like that. Then you get to meet Captian Hook and Smee. Then you get to go on the boat and see the fireworks. Its a good view of the fireworks, but not worth the money. AFter the ride, you get to meet peter pan. Id just wait somewhere in the park to see the fireworks and save the money for a tee shirt!!!

There is the Good MOrning Breakfast at Tony's. WE couldnt get ressies for this though. It was full. But you can use one credit for it on the dining plan, and if not its $19 for adults and $11 for kids.

Then there is Illuminations dinner. We didnt do this one either. You can use dining credits for this one too. I think its 2 credits per person. Im not sure of the price if not on the plan though.

The things we done weren't worth the money paid for them IMO. YOu could do them and see for yourself. But If I were you, Id stay away from the fireworks voyage. Its definately not worth it.

HOpe that helps.

 

[bwatlas]

Daleswife---
Yes, I wanted to be sure I wasn't missing anything.
So, since we are 4 families, we should take the 'free' title of being a group to get our hotel rooms closer together, and run wtih that?
Yes, looking for opinions of the pay for options is what I was looking for, and finding out if that was it, besides keeping our rooms together.
So, Thanks for the help!

 

[Aunt Flancy]

Does anyone know anything about the photo sessions for Grand Gatherings?

 

[bwatlas]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1877513

There's an address for a website in there, too, to tell you what it is and how it works at Disney. Now, if being in group you get discount for it, I honestly don't know. I'm still trying to learn. But.. if you go to the website, there is a place to sign up in it, and you can get a 20-25% off coupon.
Does that help you?

 

[LisaNJ25]

I did the illumintions dinner and that was fun. I hooked up with other people we didnt know to form grand gathering.

 

[Aunt Flancy]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1877513

There's an address for a website in there, too, to tell you what it is and how it works at Disney. Now, if being in group you get discount for it, I honestly don't know. I'm still trying to learn. But.. if you go to the website, there is a place to sign up in it, and you can get a 20-25% off coupon.
Does that help you?

I read something somewhere that said you could get a photo session at one of the parks if you were a grand gathering, I was wondering if anyone had done that?

 

[Reese]

I read something somewhere that said you could get a photo session at one of the parks if you were a grand gathering, I was wondering if anyone had done that?

I'm curious about that also. I new about the photoshoots at the resort but not at the parks.

 

[disneybridetobe]

We were a grand gathering during our wedding trip, and we didn't do any of the dinners/tours/etc because they were too expensive. Honestly, I dont think there's much benefit, except that it's a little easier to keep track of all the reservations.

 

[bwatlas]

We were a grand gathering during our wedding trip, and we didn't do any of the dinners/tours/etc because they were too expensive. Honestly, I dont think there's much benefit, except that it's a little easier to keep track of all the reservations.

With 4 families going, I figured that was going to be the only real benefit of it all, but I'm not sure that being accross the resort would be a bad option, either, for some US time with myself and DD. DH isn't going partly because of personalities, and mostly work scheduling problems.

 

[hipporina]

The whole Grand Gatherings thing is a joke! This is our 4th year in a row with a large group (17 in 05, 21 in 06, 31 in 07, 52 next week) and the only benefits I have found are keeping the rooms near to each other and the ability to book the Grand Gathering events. We did the Safari in 06 and really liked it. We did the Good Morning last year and loved it, so we are doing it again this year.