General Escape questions

[TerryGriffin]

Is there a meal involved or is it the ceremony then cake/champaign ?

 

[TerryGriffin]

You can not wear your dress to any park right? Or is it just to magic kingdom? I've been seeing a pic of a wedding party on the tower or terror and it's amazing.

 

[Bewitch324]

The Escape package does not include a meal. It does include the toast and cake cutting.

You are not allowed to wear wedding attire inside any of the theme parks, unless you are doing a Bridal Portrait Shoot through Disney Fairy Tale Weddings, or are having a wedding event (again, through Disney Fairy Tale Weddings) inside the theme park.

Good luck with your planning!
Brooke

 

[justlook3]

This https://www.disneyweddings.com/florida/escape/ will give you more information about Escape weddings.
Disney Fairytale Weddings can set up attractions as part of in park wedding events, that's probably what happened in the photos that you saw.
Escape brides can have their coordinator help them arrange a reception or dessert party.

 

[hpfan100]

At DLR a meal is included with the escape package. Not sure why that would be different in Florida.

 

[lurkyloo]

Because WDW and Disneyland offer very different venues, amenities and options and have very different operating costs. At WDW, the Escape package includes photography; at Disneyland it doesn't, because there is no Disney photography department. WDW's package also includes transportation and annual passes, which are not included in Disneyland's Escape Package. Yet WDW's basic Escape package is cheaper than Disneyland's. There are more differences than similarities between the two departments, despite their sharing a name and executive team.

 

[TerryGriffin]

Would you be upset if you went all the way to Florida for a wedding and didn't get a lunch or dinner?

 

[aristocatz]

I could be wrong, but I think you can still book a private dining meal as an Escape bride.

 

[Epcotgal8]

Your wedding planner can give you options on a private dining event with various menus or you can book a dinner at the restaurant of your choice. If it's not inside a park you may wear your wedding attire.

 

[TerryGriffin]

Ultimately I just want people to have fun, so even just covering the tab of dinner would be smart. Thanks I didn't think of that.

I just need some bride and groom pictures at night with the fireworks. Where do you think the best place to do that would be?

 

[TangledInLove]

Last July DH and I had an escape wedding. Our guests traveled from Canada and would have been happy whether we had a dinner or not. We did treat our guests to dinner at 'ohana. We times it so we would be able to watch wishes from the beach, but dinner ran long so we watched from the restaurant, which ended up being even better because they pump in the music. I'm not sure because this is the only time I've watched the fireworks from there, but you may be able to get fireworks pictures from the beach at the poly.

 

[lurkyloo]

Another great way to ensure you got fireworks pictures would be to do a Wishes cruise on pontoon boats or the Grand1 yacht. You could bring your photographer with you and get neat shots with reflections on the water like these: http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2012/08/15/illuminations-wishes-fireworks-cruises/

 

[TerryGriffin]

Anyone have pictures of their cake ceremony or someone else's?

 

[Lorelei528]

I can post some pics...here is our set up in the Wine Room at Jiko for our dinner reception:


Here is the tables where everyone at the cake etc. at Sea Breeze Point:


From the cake table:




We had our Dessert Party in EPCOT in Morocco:

 

[TerryGriffin]

Wow simply stunning. Where were your fireworks pictures taken?

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Terry--

I could be wrong, but those pictures look like they were taken inside of Epcot.

Even as an Escape bride, you will not be able to go into the park in your wedding attire and get fireworks pictures unless you book a separate dessert party. The price for that varies depending on your venue that you choose (the venues each have their own individual rental prices and food/beverage minimums). They also tack on a "viewing fee" for each of your guests that attend that party.

When I figured it out the other day, our dessert party is probably going to set us back at least another $1,000 (at least) on top of the wedding costs. I'd say it's worth it though. It's a very "Disney wedding" experience that is really hard to find anywhere else.

 

[TerryGriffin]

Do need a park ticket for the dessert parties? It's expensive enough to ask people to come I don't want any one to feel obligated to get park tickets however I'd love pictures in my dress by the fireworks. Darn you disney for having the ability to make all of my dreams come true!!

I wanted the Cinderella carriage but if I can do a dinner or lunch and a dessert party in its place, the latter would just be more financially sensible.

Even if we do a dinner at a restaurant I was thinking chef mickeys, ohana or 1900. It would be under $1500 if we paid for everyone.

 

[WDWLover75]

Do need a park ticket for the dessert parties? It's expensive enough to ask people to come I don't want any one to feel obligated to get park tickets however I'd love pictures in my dress by the fireworks. Darn you disney for having the ability to make all of my dreams come true!!

I wanted the Cinderella carriage but if I can do a dinner or lunch and a dessert party in its place, the latter would just be more financially sensible.

Even if we do a dinner at a restaurant I was thinking chef mickeys, ohana or 1900. It would be under $1500 if we paid for everyone.

No, they do not have to buy a ticket but you will have to pay a viewing fee for everyone without a ticket. I believe that is ~$13 per person but would need to check. Of the 20 at my Escape wedding, we had to pay 9 viewing fees. Well. We had to pay them all up front and then was refunded for the ones that were not needed.

For me, deciding between the carriage and an event/meal with my guests, I would chose the event/meal because to me, that is just a better value and is something that can be enjoyed by everyone.

 

[TiffinyKaye]

I wasn't quite sure of the answer to the park admission thing, so I looked it up in Carrie Hayward's book from "Passporters" (which I suggest buying if you're serious about moving forward with an Escape wedding).

I know that your guests don't have to have in-park admission to go to your wedding if it's held in-park, but they do need to be escorted to and from the ceremony because they don't have admission. So, after checking in Carrie's book, it seems to be the same deal with the dessert party. Your guests can be escorted in and out, however, if they haven't purchased in-park admission for the day, you'll just have to pay the viewing fee ($12.95 the last time I checked, but this may have gone up).

The book says that in some cases, you and your guests may meet a guide who will take you to your event--but in some cases, you'll need to rent Disney transportation for at least yourself if you plan on being in your wedding attire.

The book ALSO says (but this is something I think has changed) that only Disney photographers and videographers can attend the dessert parties. I do think this has changed, because I know I've seen recent overage from non-Disney photographers and videographers of dessert parties. I also haven't been told otherwise by my planner, and she knows I'm not using Disney. So, that's good--because I think I would flip out otherwise.

Carrie roams these boards often, so hopefully we'll see her pop in for more clarification. She knows EVERYTHING. That said, when in doubt, always ask your planner.

I understand the feeling of wanting to minimize the expense to your guests, but I had to decide for myself that if people weren't able to come because of the expense, then I would just go on ahead without them. Ultimately, it was my choice to have a Disney wedding--and I feel that's an imposition (financially) on everyone else to begin with (unless you plan on covering their travel, lodging, and food costs). With that choice comes the gravity of knowing that not everyone will be able to afford to come. The wedding is ultimately for myself and my fiance--everyone else is just a spectator. If having everyone from your family is more important to you, then I'd suggest the idea of having a smaller ceremony at home too (we're having a reception in our home state for everyone unable to come to the Disney wedding for this very reason). That, or just scrapping the full-on Disney wedding with the expectation of family being there and do just a Memories package for yourself and your fiance.

On the upside, just from my little tiny bit of research--it looks like you can get everyone to and from your ceremony and dessert party without asking them to buy park tickets. So, that's good.

Tiffiny

 

[TiffinyKaye]

And I didn't see WDWLover's response first. She beat me to the punch. As someone who has had an Escape wedding before--I think she definitely knows what she's talking about.