Grand Gatherings proposal for those staying onsite at WDW in October

[UKDEB]

I've always fancied doing the International Dinner and IllumiNations Dessert Reception and, it occurs to me that, with many of us staying onsite in October, we could group our bookings to take part (the minimum party size is 8). DVC members can, apparently, group bookings with regular onsite guests.

We check in to the BoardWalk Villas on 27 October and check out on 3 November, so we're looking to hook up with anyone who will be there at the same time. Having said that, if anyone else who will be there at other times during October wants to do a similar thing, feel free to post on this thread and I will happily do some initial co-ordinating.

From what I can gather, this might not be particularly simple, but it certainly seems possible with a bit of tenacity. I'll post what I've gleaned so far and, if anyone has any additional knowledge or information (or corrections!), it will be gratefully received!

• We will need to link bookings to form a 'Magical Gathering' and be given a group number. Apparently this can take up to 24 hours;

• We will need a minimum of 8 guests (children age 3 and under can particpate, but don't count towards the total) and at least 80% must be staying onsite at WDW. We already have 9 in our party, but we thought it would be nice to open this up to our fellow DISers who might not otherwise have the opportunity;

• The cost is $59.99 for adults and $24.99 for children (ages 3-9). This includes a buffet dinner (I think at the Odyssey Restaurant in Epcot), non-alcoholic beverages, entertainment, tax and tip, PLUS the IllumiNations Dessert Buffet;

• There seem to be a few spots we could be allocated for the dessert buffet/IllumiNations viewing - namely one of the jetties near Italy, UK or France;

• According to Disney's website, it can be booked 90 days in advance, although I'm sure I've read somewhere else that it can be booked at the 180 mark. I'll need to check this out (unless someone can confirm, of course), because that is fast approaching.

In the first instance, can anyone who is interested post here with their dates (arrival and departure of onsite element) and the size of their party (and ages of children 9 or under). Please also detail any dates within that period that you can't make. As I said, if any others visiting during October outside my dates want to do something similar, feel free to post here and I will compile the groups on this thread. Someone can then take over as co-ordinator for their group.

 

[KayleeUK]

Deb

I am definately interested 1st or 2nd November would be good for us. We are 2 Adults and 1 infant We will be staying at BWV (posibly changing to BCV).

 

[DebIreland]

Hi Deb and Kaylee

DH and I and our children would be very interested in joining this gathering!

Deb, I think we've swapped messages over on the Nov Vacation Club at TGM - I'm pretty sure that's you. I'm DebLovesWDW over there

So anyway, there's DH and I, our two boys who are 11 (2 weeks away from 12), 9 (turning 10 at WDW) and our girl who has just turned 2.

We're staying at WDW from October 24th to November 9th. All Stars first and then checking into BWV on October 29th until Nov 9th (with the exception of the middle weekend of 3rd and 4th when we're back to All Stars).

The dates that would be good for us would be:
29th Oct or 1st or 2nd Nov (DS turns 10 on Sun 5th so we could get there at the child rate for him. Woohoo!! ). We could also make 27th or 28th Oct (we just wouldn't be staying at the Boardwalk yet and that would be handy but certainly not essential!!).

This sounds like something we'd enjoy and it would be nice to socialise a little bit while we're in WDW!!!

 

[UKDEB]

OK, Kaylee and Deb - looks as though our dates dovetail quite nicely. I'll try to get it all sorted when I get back from my hols (off on a Caribbean cruise tomorrow - staying at Celebration beforehand and Disney's Vero Beach afterwards ).

 

[MommaMouse]

9 of us @ AS Sport Oct 25-Nov 4..does DDP apply here or is all out of pocket? Have antoher group meeting us Nov 1-4 12 of them @PC.

 

[KayleeUK]

Deb

That would be fabulous if you could, recently found out Susan is staying with you guys at the Boardwalk too Can't wait to meet her...

Have a wonderful time you lucky thing, tell us all about it when you get back Not too much beer for Matt though LOL!!!

 

[UKDEB]

recently found out Susan is staying with you guys at the Boardwalk too Can't wait to meet her...

Me neither!

 

[mark&sue]

I have just booked two of the grand gatherings experiences for October. The safari celebration dinner and the wishes cruise with Peter Pan. (We have managed to get Rose and Crown ADRs for illuminations so didn't book the illuminations event)

We are DVC members and nine in our group. You will need to get a grand gathering number before they will book you. I had to get our number by phoning member services for DVC and they needed the postal address of everyone in the party. It did take about an hour on the phone! but I am so excited that I now have everything booked. My DD will be 13 and my best friend's DS will be 10 on the day we do the sarari celebration



Susan

 

[maria & rossi]

Susan, When are you there in Oct. We go 10/10 to 27/10. If we (ever) get sorted with GG we may be on the same safari. Maria

 

[mark&sue]

You may well as we were only offered them on Sundays and Thursdays. We arrive on the first thursday (12th) and one of our families goes home on the second thursday (19th) so the only day we could do it was the chidrens's birthdays on Sunday 15th October. I had booked Whispering Canyon but have now cancelled it and put it back to the night before one set of friends leave.

Would the Sunday 15th October be a possible date for you?

I am hoping to order birthday balloons for the restaurant so hopefully you should notice us.

Let us know how you get on and good luck. I must admit to being so happy but can't tell DH. Not sure if I can keep it a surprise for everyone. So far only DD (and everyone on the DIS knows!)


Susan

 

[UKDEB]

I have just booked two of the grand gatherings experiences for October

That seems to answer my question about whether we can book at the 90 or 180 day mark. That being the case, I will need to do it very soon for our dates of 1st or 2nd November - 3rd and 4th May? The 3rd is the last day of my holiday and 4th is the day we arrive home.

Kaylee and Deb - can you either PM or email me your full names, addresses and booking references/DVC membership numbers. I will pick them up on the cruise or at Disney's Vero Beach and try to sort it out.

 

[KayleeUK]

PM sent Thanks Deb

 

[DebIreland]

Deb I just searched for this thread in my Subscriptions List to post an update on our situation and only now saw that you had asked me to PM you. OMG! I am so sorry - I never even saw that post.

The reason I searched for it tonight was to post that we won't be able to make it now unfortunately as our itinerary has changed yet again and I suspect will continue to do so to the point where it wouldn't be a good idea to restrict ourselves now to a set date for this gathering (we are trying to fit in Universal, a beach trip and a potential get-together with a friend of DH's who is going back home to Florida at the end of the year and all of these things constantly change on our schedule).

Sorry again for not PMing you and I hope I didn't cause any unnecessary mess with numbers you gave to Disney.

 

[kidsister]

Just got back from a trip to the World and we had a GG Illuminations dinner/dessert for 14 members of another DVC site called Mouse0wners.com (that is what we named our GG group.) There were quite a few Dis-ers in the group too.

The dessert and view of Illumnations was lovely. Especially for children, the entertainment during dinner wasn't bad. There was a Photopass photo op with Mickey and Pluto.

But darn it if the food for dinner wasn't awful. Wilted caesar salad, overcooked egg rolls, yuck tasting ravioli. The ribs were tender and good, but everything else...German, Chines, Italian was about all I could recognize...was cold and served up in big pre-made containers of food.

The experience was GREAT mind you, because of the fun of the 'get together', but the price wasn't commiserate with the quality of food, especially at $60 or 2TS. Wish they would just do a dessert Illuminations and forget about dinner.

I don't think that was just my opinion, but seemed to be the consensus.
THought I would post here, just so you went into this with a head's up.

I hope you have a wonderful trip and get together...we found that the PRE-dinner get together in one of the group's 2 bedroom BWV units was the best part of the evening (homemade margaritas!!!)

 

[UKDEB]

Deb - no worries. We are still trying to book for our group, anyway. Watch this space...

Thanks for taking the time to post, kidsister. I guess this doesn't surprise me at all, but we are really in it for the IllumiNations Dessert Buffet, so we'll not be too bothered about the Dinner. Nice to have a 'heads-up', though.

 

[UKDEB]

we found that the PRE-dinner get together in one of the group's 2 bedroom BWV units was the best part of the evening (homemade margaritas!!!)

Good call! We can definitely do that!

 

[DebIreland]

Deb, thanks for understanding. Hope it all comes together.

 

[KayleeUK]

Good call! We can definitely do that!

I hear you make great Margarita's Deb

 

[maria & rossi]

Debbie, I've been in the process of booking gg for our party of 10 and have been told when booking that the illumination event at epcot is not available during oct due to the food and wine festival. Hope this info helps with your planning. Maria

Susan, We have booked the safari at AK for 19th oct. We're at Discovery cove on 16th and thought it might be too much for the kids doing the safari on the 15th. Hope you have a great time.

Maria

 

[UKDEB]

the illumination event at epcot is not available during oct due to the food and wine festival

Nooooooooooo!