Grand Gatherings and DVC Info-UPDATED INFO 5-16-05

[Jacksmom99]

I've been worried about booking our Fireworks cruise ever since I read the last thread about it 2 weeks ago. So, I've been making several phone calls to get all my ducks in a row before my 90 day window opened.

For starters, I called GG in early March to find out how I go about registering our group. I was armed with my reservation #, SIL registration #, and the names and ages of all in our group. They of course told me I had to call DVC. I called DVC the next day, and was transfered to someone who was handling GG. She linked our reservations and got all of our info, names, ages, etc. She even asked for a phone number where she could reach me for the rest of the day incase she had anymore questions for me. She actually called a few minutes later to confirm some of the ages of the kids. She them told me that I would be receiving an email with our GG # in a few days. I think I received it within 2 days.

Then I read the thread about how confusing and difficult it was to get the Fireworks Cruise booked. So I called MS and the person I spoke with confirmed my GG number, and all of our group information. She told me the days of the week that the cruise usually runs and said I shouldn't have trouble booking it at the 90 day mark. Hmmmmm.......

I was still nervous, so I called MS back yesterday and got someone different. She said the cruise is VERY hard to get so I should be calling GG at 6:59am on my 90 day mark to get it. She also said that it had to be paid in full at booking, and that one person should make and pay for the group so that way some don't get left off the boat.

Then I called GG when I got home from work. The person I spoke with told me that yes, one person should book and pay for the entire cruise. She also said that I should call at the first 90 day window of my vacation at 6:59am, so I have 3 chances to get the cruise, and not just call for the day I want, as the cruises are EXTREMEMLY popular and hard to get. Then she told me a few things I need to tell the person when I call. Since my GG # is through DVC (because our room reservation is through them) the GG system isn't going to have our profile info. Like we knew, the two systems don't communicate with each other. The CM told me I would have to tell the person when I called that they could go ahead and "build a shell" in order to make our reservation because DVC has all of our profile info already in the system. "build a shell" is the term they use to start a reservation in the system apparently. She was very specific in telling me to use that language in case I got someone who didn't know what they were doing. Now will someone please explain why oh why I didn't get her name????? I hung up and went DOUH!!!

Anyway, she also gave me the days for all the GG events.
Tue & Sat- character b-fast (forget the name they call it)
Sun & Thur- Safari dinner
Mon & Fri- Illuminations dessert party
Sat, Sun, & Mon- Wishes Fireworks cruise

I hope all this info and phone calls will actually help me when it comes time to make the reservation! I call on the 16th of May, so I'll keep you posted.

Kim

 

[Figment2]

Be prepared to spend a lot of time on the phone. We did a grand gathering last Fall and it was worth it but our two planners spend hours on the phone - even when we were there!

What happened is one of our group changed their reservations from one hotel to another. They asked that their GG reservations be transferred too. Well apparently their GG reservations got cancelled. We found out when when they showed up for the AK Safari and their names weren't on the list. Disney sent them a check (their refund for their GG reservation) and they thought it was a refund on the room change. Everything worked out but our "planners" spent about two hours on the phone to try to figure out what happened.

So if anyone changes their reservations, make sure they call back and check to see if their gathering reservations were transferred too.

Cyn

 

[Jacksmom99]

WOOHOO!!!!!!! I got the cruise!!!!!

I called Grand Gatherings at 6:58am and got right through. Patricia Gayle was the CM I spoke with. She asked for my GG number, but the profile information didn't come up. I was prepared for that after all my conversations with MS and GG over the last few weeks. She asked where we were staying and figured out that we had booked and registered for GG through DVC. I told her that I'd been instructed to tell her that she was going to have to "build a shell", and she laughed and said "yup, that's exactly what I have to do!" She was very firendly and I was very pleased to have a CM who not only knew what she was doing, but was not put off by the fact that this was going to be a complicated reservation. She then appologized to me because she was going to have to input all of our profile information again. I told her not to worry about it, I knew that the DVC system and the other Disney computers didn't talk to each other. She kind of groaned and laughed.

It took about 20 minutes to put in all the information and for the computer to 'build the shell'. I was getting a little worried that the cruise might fill up before we finished with all the data entry. Then Patricia Gayle announced "Your all set, party of 11, for Wishes Cruise on Sunday, August 14." and gave me my confirmation number.

There was a little bit of conflicting info, I had been told in previous phone calls that I should pay in full at the time of reservation. One person told me I had to pay in full, another told me it wasn't required, but I should so that nobody's reservation got cancelled b/c they didn't pay by the deadline. Today I was told that the payment had to be made by 45 days prior to the reservation. I chose to PIF on my cc so I know it's all taken care of. The prices also includes taxes and gratuity, but I think I read somewhere that people tip the boat captain??

Anyway, this is my experience with the GG people. I know it's been frustrating for some and not for others. I should be receiving my itinerary and confirmaiton by email in the next few days, I hope! I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop and for this all not to work out. For now I'm just sooooo happy that we booked the cruise!!

 

[andriade]

We did that cruise in November. It was sooooo much fun! It is soooo worth it!

A little off the subject but does anyone know how long they will be doing Grand Gatherings??? Is it a permanant thing or will be temporary.

Andria

 

[Fenceman]

Jacksmom,
Thank you so much for the info. We are planning a GG for Nov and you have saved me a lot of time. We wanted to do the Illum. Dinner on Thanksgiving but it looks like it might not be available on that day. We may be stuck with the safari.

Thanks again.

 

[Jacksmom99]

You're welcome!

 

[barb45]

Where did you find the information for what days the GG stuff is offered? I'm finding it so hard to find information. I'm wondering if the days you posted are for all year round. Anyway we all appreciate these reports because they seem to be hard to come by. I asked on another report but I will ask again. Have you ever done one of the other cruises such as "wishes cruise" or Birthday Specialty Cruise? I'd like to know how they compare.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm glad it is working out for you. When I tried to do a grand gathering for our group of 13 last October, it was so confusing and difficult to get GG and DVC coordinated, that I gave up.

 

[Jacksmom99]

Where did you find the information for what days the GG stuff is offered?

I got the information from MS when I called to register for my GG number. The information was also confirmed by GG. I would call GG at a non busy time like the afternoon, and ask them for all the info. They were more than happy to give me all the info ahead of time to make my PS day go more smoothly. I'm not sure if the schedule is the same all year round, but it seemed to be consistent for the summer. I did read on another thread somewhere that they added more cruises around the 4th of July. I haven't ever done any other specialty cruises so we're really looking forward to this!

 

[Beth]

I'm "out of the loop" on the GG details...

Are guests under GG taking priority over "non GG guests" when it comes to reserving fireworks cruises, now?

 

[Jacksmom99]

Beth:
The GG has a special cruise all its own, so it doesn't affect the other cruises.

 

[Disneymagicfor4]

We just returned from Disney and we did the Safari, Illuminations Buffet and Fireworks cruises. My children (twins age 4 1/2) and the adults LOVED the safari and the fireworks. The kids really loved the illuminations dinner where they danced w/ minney and goofy but I was not crazy about the food or the amount of time they gave us to enjoy the event. Also, the Epcot fireworks were a little intense for the kids - especially my daughter. The best advice I can give you is to plan to get to these events very early. The earlier the better so you can relax, get settled and let the kids enjoy themselves. We had major problems checking into the BCV and that made us late for the Safari and then they gave us the wrong location for the illuminations buffet so we were late for that event as well. The Illuminations buffet is held at the Oddessy pavillion just at the entrance to the world showcase near test track and the mouse gear store. The kids really loved these events and they really had a nice time. I will never forget my little girl and son talking to peter pan - it was priceless. They recommend not telling the kids about the characters so they are surprised and it was well worth it. Have a nice time.