Grand gatherings for DVC members?

[melk]

How do you go about booking this if you are a DVC member?

I am just starting to research this for an upcoming trip (there will be 10, maybe 11 of us). The one that caught my eye was the fireworks cruise as this is something I have always wanted to do. Any opinions on this? What are the desserts they offer? (On one old thread I read it was just prepackaged bars, snacks, that sort of thing...is that true?).

For any that have done it, would you do it again? Is it worth the money? Also, which resort does it depart from?

Any info you can give me on this (or other grand gatherings you've done) would be appreciated! Thanks!!

 

[Inkmahm]

Grand Gathering just means you have a group of 8 or more so there are other special activities offered to you. You have to call MS and they fill out an application for you for a Grand Gathering number. It's that number that you make reservations under. I just got mine this week. I've never organized a Grand Gathering before but will be having one in December when we take my husband's family to Disney with us.

We hope to do the Epcot dinner and I'm not sure what else yet.

 

[melk]

Grand Gathering just means you have a group of 8 or more so there are other special activities offered to you. You have to call MS and they fill out an application for you for a Grand Gathering number. It's that number that you make reservations under. I just got mine this week. I've never organized a Grand Gathering before but will be having one in December when we take my husband's family to Disney with us.

Thanks for the info! Anyone else?

 

[shellbelle1971]

Grand Gathering just means you have a group of 8 or more so there are other special activities offered to you.

I guess our family is a Grand Gathering everywhere we go...all 9 of us

 

[KristineN]

I did most of the Grand Gathering events this past December...here is a summary with my thoughts and opinions:

Fireworks Cruise:

you meet on the 2nd floor of the Contemporary Resort. There is a dessert buffet set up. Yes, they were pretty much prepackaged fare. They were not bad so to speak....my kids enjoyed them...actually, so did my husband. There was also coffee, juice and canned soda. I was not disappointed with the food because I knew it was prepackaged going into it. We enjoyed the actual cruise itself as well. There is a Pirate entertaining you on board...corny jokes etc. They played a trivia game and little prizes were given out to the kids. You got to see the electrical water parade and the view of the fireworks was excellent! We are doing this again, this December!

Safari Celebration Dinner

This sounded excellent on paper. We did not care for it at all. One of the problems was that there were virtually NO animals out during the actual safari. I understand that this is not their fault. It was so bad, that they ended up doing the Kilimanjaro Safari spiel (baby elephant poaching) to try and entertain the people. The food wasn't very good...and we did not enjoy the entertainment, which was basically one person dancing around. All around thumbs down from our family.

International Dinner & Illuminations

You meet at the Odyssey in Epcot. There is a dinner buffet set up...the various countries in Epcot provide the food. We enjoyed the selection. We liked the entertainment...the kids did the conga with some characters. The reserved viewing area for Illuminations was EXCELLENT! There were desserts provided at that area..they were very good. All around good event! Doing that one again as well!

 

[KristineN]

Forgot to mention...you need to contact MS and have them in turn contact the grand gathering people to get you set up with your official group name and number.

 

[Mahusky]

Forgot to mention...you need to contact MS and have them in turn contact the grand gathering people to get you set up with your official group name and number.

I did this this week... how long did it take to get your # ? I heard that the either call you with it or send it to you in the mail. What was your experience?

 

[mark&sue]

We did the safari celebration and the wishes fireworks cruise. If the other members of your party are not into Disney like you are then these could be a no no. My party detested the food for the safari celebration and we were late to the fireworks cruise as there was no mention of meeting at second floor in the contemporary in my many letters from the grand gathering department. The pins they give you are good though!

I hear better reviews for the fireworks cruise where you book direct through disney.

Let us know what you do and come back with a review


Susan

 

[LauraLea]

I did this this week... how long did it take to get your # ? I heard that the either call you with it or send it to you in the mail. What was your experience?

I was told they would contact me in 72 hrs. Well, 1 week later I had not heard anything and called MS back. They were able to look up our GG # and make the ressie we wanted.

and BTW, if anyone can find out more about the International Dinner, I would appreciate it. The info on the disney website now says it is a family style dinner. No one at MS had anyupdated information, still saying it is a buffet. Since MS did not give me the official GG telephone #, I not sure how to get this verified.

Laura

 

[JMLBrats]

does anyone know if there is a link or more info listed somewhere about this? I'm wondering what the cost is and if it would be worth it.

Oh, I just found the link on Allearsnet.com-I would post it here, but I don't know how to do that...

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR GATHERING

 

[KristineN]

I spoke to the grand gathering people a couple of minutes ago...he told me that the International Dinner is still/and will remain a buffet.

Last time it only took me a day to get my GG number.

Since I just finished making my day by day reservations for VWL...I asked them to set up my Grand Gathering...she said it will take 3 -4 business days for someone to call me back with my number. HTH

 

[jjk1107]

I have done both the Grand Gathering fireworks cruise and a personal cruise of the Disney fireworks. I would recommend the person fireworks cruise anyday over the Grand Gathering one. It is $250.00 for a pontoon boat with music piped in it. The pontoon boat fits up to 10 people, so if it will only be the 10 of you, it would work out great. If a person books with the full 10 people, it ends up being cheaper per person. They stock the boat with chips and drinks. You can add additional food items on, but I am not sure of the charge. You can also request the boat to be decorated if you are celebrating something. The best part about it is that it is only your family on it. We loved it.

 

[Tine731]

We did the safari celebration and the wishes fireworks cruise. If the other members of your party are not into Disney like you are then these could be a no no. My party detested the food for the safari celebration and we were late to the fireworks cruise as there was no mention of meeting at second floor in the contemporary in my many letters from the grand gathering department. The pins they give you are good though!

I hear better reviews for the fireworks cruise where you book direct through disney.

Let us know what you do and come back with a review


Susan

We had a different experience with the safari celebration. We all loved it. Lots and lots of animals out and about. A giraffe was so close I could have reached out and touched it. We heard none of the speil from the safari ride and went on a different route from the ride. The food was D-lish. It is served family style and there is plenty of it. They even boxed up the remaining desert for us to take back to our hotel. A great time was had by all and my nephew says it is a "re-do". We plan to try the Illuminations Dinner on our next trip.

 

[KristineN]

Quick update..

I had asked member services Saturday for a grand gathering number..I received the information today via email

 

[mark&sue]

I think the problem with my grand gatherings was my expectation I was just so excited that I could not sleep with all the happy thoughts of how good it was going to be and how my friends would enjoy it to. I surprised my DH by booking it for us 3 and 6 other friends. DH said I could not ask for the money off my friends as they had not said they wanted to go. It turned out my friends hated the experiences and because of that I was bitterly disappointed plus it cost me a lot of money.

One good thing about grand gatherings though was that I was struggling to get an ADR for one table for 9 of us at WCC through the normal route but when I tried through the grand gathering people I was guaranteed one table and not 2.

Susan

 

[KristineN]

did you do all the experiences? which ones did you dislike?

I think the problem with my grand gatherings was my expectation I was just so excited that I could not sleep with all the happy thoughts of how good it was going to be and how my friends would enjoy it to. I surprised my DH by booking it for us 3 and 6 other friends. DH said I could not ask for the money off my friends as they had not said they wanted to go. It turned out my friends hated the experiences and because of that I was bitterly disappointed plus it cost me a lot of money.

One good thing about grand gatherings though was that I was struggling to get an ADR for one table for 9 of us at WCC through the normal route but when I tried through the grand gathering people I was guaranteed one table and not 2.

Susan

 

[melk]

One good thing about grand gatherings though was that I was struggling to get an ADR for one table for 9 of us at WCC through the normal route but when I tried through the grand gathering people I was guaranteed one table and not 2.

Susan

I didn't realize they would make regular ADR's for you, too. I thought it was just these special gatherings they would arrange. We want to eat at Boma together. Do you think I should go through grand gatherings to make this ADR?

 

[JMLBrats]

I haven't done this yet, but at MS the woman I spoke to said that they would make regular ADR's only at certain locations-I didn't get into any more specifics than that w/her since we're not going until august.

 

[KristineN]

In my opinion...the best way to handle your ADR's is to let the grand gathering dept. handle it. 407 wdw-plan. They seem the most versed at making regular ADRs for larger groups. I have never had a problem with them...they have been very accommodating and easy to work with.