DVC and Grand Gatherings

[MMmomto5]

Does anyone know if members staying on points are eligible for a Grand Gathering and the events associated with them? I thought I read they were not, but hoping they are. Thanks!

 

[Chuck S]

Unless things have changed, you can indeed register a large group staying at DVC as a grand gathering.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

It can get a little complicated.

We had a GG with us in DVC, 2 families in POR, and another family of Florida locals. My friend handled most of the details, but it was complicated.

I think MS had to fill out a paper form to send to Magical Gatherings.

We went to the International dinner with Illuminations. The dinner was o.k., the fireworks were spectacular. You get to watch behind the gift shops at the entrance of WS. Altogether, it was probably not worth it.

 

[wildernessDad]

We did the Magical Fireworks Voyage and the Safari Celebration Dinner and loved both! I think the below procedure will still work. Post here if you needed to do something different.

How DVC Members Can Set Up Grand Gatherings (GG's)
Hi, all! I thought that I'd post a procedure, that I basically discovered by trial and error (mostly error), on how DVC members can set up grand gatherings. I will list it as steps.

1. Think about who you want to invite and what DVC resort or resorts you all want to stay in. Your GG party can stay in multiple Disney Resorts.

2. Check out the special products for Grand Gatherings here.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...dingPage?id=GrandGatheringsLandingPage&bhcp=1

3. Assuming that you are the 'group leader,' make sure that you get all of the names AND addresses of everybody in your party AND also get their ages. Disney needs their ages so they can put in whom in the party can officially check in. Nobody under age may do so. Also get the information on which DISNEY resort they are staying in. They cannot stay offsite and do this.

4. Plan out what GG special products (GG events), if any, your group wants to experience.

5. AS SOON AS YOU CAN, call DVC Member Services (MS) at 1-800-xxx-xxxx to make your room reservations AND tell them that you have a GG. Give MS all of the information about your party including which resort they are staying in. MS will then contact the GG folks and inform them of the upcoming GG. MS will get a magical gathering (MG) number back to you in a few days. It was only a day wait for me. Remember that number. It will be very important.

6. Call the GG people at 1-407-939-7526 to make reservations for your GG 'events' using your MG number. Note that all in your party can call the GG people separately to make their reservations. This is useful if you have several different families or groups attending. They will need the phone number and the MG number. Make sure that they do this in a timely manner as the GG events fill up fast. The Safari Celebration dinner, the International Dinner and Fireworks show, and the Good Morning Gathering can be placed on the Disney Dining Plan (DDP). If the DDP is not available yet for when you are going, my recommendation is to call the GG people and make the reservation BEFORE the DDP becomes available. If the DDP IS available when you want to make the GG event reservations, then skip this step ONLY for all reservations for which you want to use the dining plan and see step 7 below.

7. After the DDP becomes available, and assuming that you want to use the DDP, call MS to add the DDP and also to tell
them that you will be placing one or more GG events under the DP. At that time, MS will call the GG people and transfer you over to them. They will have to rebook the reservation, if you had one, under a new number and cancel the
original reservation. If you had to go to step 6, then the original reservation was a placeholder until you could get the reservation with the meal plan.