February DP - too cold??

[carisdcnj]

Has anyone had or attended a Dessert Party in February? Is it very chilly?

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

I had my DP on February 2nd and it wasn't cold at all. However, two days later we were freezing! I think its pretty hit or miss from January to the end of March on whether you will have warm weather.

 

[lurkyloo]

It seems almost impossible to predict. Our wedding DP was held 2/4/08 and it was so balmy I didn't even need the jacket I insisted on wearing. Exactly a year later, at our anniversary dessert party, it was 29 degrees and the party had to be moved inside.

 

[dhay]

I have been born and raised in Florida and Toni and Carrie summed up Florida winters perfectly. It can be hot one day and freezing the next. So be prepeared for both It is really impossible to know until you are about 10 days out and check the 10 day forecast and have an idea.

Pretty much from December - February is when we have our "winter" weather when we get a few cold days and it can go from 85 degrees one day to 40 the next. I was in Orlando at Disney the day it was 29 that Carrie metnioned and the wind chill was actually 17 and that was one of the coldest days I have ever seen in recent memories in Florida. I had a scarf wrapped around my head in the parks that my wonderful husband gave to me. But that cold is rare. A cold day is in the 50s and can dip into the 40s. I was married in December and it was almost 80 on my wedding day and i was annoyed because it was warmer than I wanted and 2 days later for our Wishes cruise i was in the low 40s with a wind chill in the 30s. COLD!

 

[carisdcnj]

It seems almost impossible to predict. Our wedding DP was held 2/4/08 and it was so balmy I didn't even need the jacket I insisted on wearing. Exactly a year later, at our anniversary dessert party, it was 29 degrees and the party had to be moved inside.

If it is that cold, do they still charge you the "viewing fee" (which is ridiculous, by the way, in my opinion)?

 

[lurkyloo]

Yes, because they almost never cancel IllumiNations - you just have to run out there in the cold/rain/whatever to see it, and the food stays inside. However, we had park admission already so we didn't have to pay the viewing fee. Whew!

 

[MegKate]

I think somewhere in the contract/beo - I can't remember where - there's a clause about not running the DP when it gets below 50. I asked my planner about that, because where I'm from - after winter, once it gets above 30, you've got short sleeves and the sunroof open. I thought it was ridiculous to classify that as extreme cold, but she said it can happen!

I'll look up the wording when I get home, but that's something to think about.

 

[carisdcnj]

Yes, because they almost never cancel IllumiNations - you just have to run out there in the cold/rain/whatever to see it, and the food stays inside. However, we had park admission already so we didn't have to pay the viewing fee. Whew!

If you already have park admission you don't pay the $12.95 viewing fee? I thought you did regardless...basically a priviledge to a front row seat, as it were.

 

[lurkyloo]

Nope! The viewing fee is only for people who don't have park admission. It's kinda like a reduced/"twilight" rate for just coming in to see the show.

Now whether you want to make your guests give up a day on their park tickets to attend your DP is another matter. If they're already planning to go into the park that day or they have park hoppers/long-term tickets, this isn't a big deal. But we had some guests who could only afford a 1- or 2-day ticket for their entire trip, so we paid the viewing fee to keep them from having to use up that day.

 

[lilonstitch12008]

We were married in Disney in late Jan 2008. It was 50! It was very cold, and rainy! I guess that the weather was unlike florida, but at that time of year it is unpredictable. Good luck!

 

[wiserabbit]

My daughter got married in January 2008 there - it was a very cold (in the 30's) snap - and for the dessert party - we decided last minute to "rent" the propane(?) heaters - like the ones you put on patios and outside restaurants - and they worked great - our guests were still able to be out side for the fireworks party but could warm up by the heaters -

I can't remember how much they charged us - but they were worth every penny - and we didn't even make the decision that we needed them until during the reception at the GF - my hubby just told the wedding planer to "make it happen" and she worked the magic - and they were at the desert party 1 hour later - way to go Jennifer O.

Best wishes on your planning - as a Disney Bride's Mom - I can say that it was the most magical thing EVER

 

[lpizzuro123]

My daughter got married in January 2008 there - it was a very cold (in the 30's) snap - and for the dessert party - we decided last minute to "rent" the propane(?) heaters - like the ones you put on patios and outside restaurants - and they worked great - our guests were still able to be out side for the fireworks party but could warm up by the heaters -

I can't remember how much they charged us - but they were worth every penny - and we didn't even make the decision that we needed them until during the reception at the GF - my hubby just told the wedding planer to "make it happen" and she worked the magic - and they were at the desert party 1 hour later - way to go Jennifer O.

Best wishes on your planning - as a Disney Bride's Mom - I can say that it was the most magical thing EVER

Great idea about the heaters and that you can get them that close to the party. Our wedding was November 10, 2008 and while my DH and I were not cold - it was chilly out that night. I think we were both running high that whole day and I just did not feel anything. Most people came in jeans and sweaters or sweatshirts to the party.

My one suggestion would be if there is a break between the reception and DP (we had a 4 hour break) let your guests know that the DP will be outside and to dress accordingly if it is cold. Most of our guests went back to their resort and either rested or used the pool. By evening it was chilly and when they all returned they dressed warmly.

Linda