Help! Where do I begin??

[hrt2hrtmomdeb]

I am thoroughly confused and i know that if anybody can help me out it will be here on DIS. My fiance and I know we want a DFTW. We want to have it in the fall 09 or winter 10. I thought that we coudln't do anything until 12 months out but I have seen DISbrides on here talking about having planning packets and a planner already for weddings oct 09. Could anyone please help me out and clarify when i can start the ball rolling? Also when is a deposit due and how much information do you actually get from disney before that deposit is due? Thanks so much in advance from a Hopefully-Soon-to-be-Disbride!!!!

 

[soontobebride]

as far as I am aware, unless it has changed (I got married last November in Disney) you can only book your wedding one year in advance if you are having a custom wedding, however if you are having an intimate wedding you can book it 8 months before, if my memory serves me correctly. I think the DB who are saying that they have their weddings in Oct 09 and say that they have a planner are actually referring to people who advise you when you call disney weddings. I called them over a year in advance and was speaking with somebody called Doreen who I called back the day I needed to book the wedding but she didn't turn out to be our co-ordinator.

Hope this helps.

 

[mermaidbride1108]

From my experience (and disers please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) is that you can contact Disney to discuss your wedding 18 months out. You can call them earlier but you will only be able to speak to an assistant who will pretty much direct you to the wishbook and website. I've been engaged since Nov 2006 and when I called prior to 18 months out thats what happened to me.

As for answering your individual questions for your wedding, at 18 months out you can call and schedule a site visit and then you will be assigned a coordinator. This is when my coordinator starting to answer my specific questions (what time will this happen, how do we work this). I just visited Disney last week (I was at 1 year and 1 week out at the time of site visit) and now I'm waiting to hear from my coordinator about my official wedding date.

They are very strict about the one year policy, or at least in my experience. My 1 year mark fell on a Sunday before Labor day and I had to wait until after the Holiday even though my date was closer to the Friday before. I still had to wait until my one year mark passed.

The only exceptions I can see is sometimes international brides (though it varies, there is no standard) and Couture Weddings. I believe International brides may be able to have there individual questions answered sooner by a coordinator, but not book until 1 year.

I think Couture Weddings may be able to book more than 1 year, but they also use the Contemporary resort for their reception instead of the wishes locations

HTH!

 

[lurkyloo]

Mermaidbride1108 is correct.

Both Escape weddings (the package deal) and Wishes weddings (the customized wedding) may be able to book 12 months out, but in some cases they have to wait until 8 months out. It all depends on the locations you want.

The rule of thumb is 12 months for Escape weddings at outdoor locations and Wishes weddings inside the parks, at Ariel's (Beach Club), and at Atlantic Dance Hall. It's 8 months for everyplace else - unless DFTW happens to get availability earlier, but this is rare.

At any rate, you can start talking to them 18 months out, so you will be well prepared by the time any deposit is due (deposits are due within 2 weeks of receiving your contract at 12 or 8 months).

 

[hrt2hrtmomdeb]

Thanks so much for helping clear things up for me!!

 

[Beep]

Hi,

We are looking at December 09 and I called last week to get info. The assistant took my details and a wedding planner called me back the next day. She answered a load of questions I had and also gave me loads of info.

I was told to call back exactly 1 year before our wedding date to book it, but can call anytime or email if I have any questions.

I wanted to clarify about paying the deposit and remainder (ie how much and when to make sure I had enough money set aside for when I needed it. She told me it was $750 deposit and the remainder can be paid in 'chunks' leading up to the final payment date or in one go. We can pay the deposit and the remainder on credit card as it is an Escape wedding, but she told me it would be different if we changed to a Wishes wedding.

I want to ask questions about cakes, floral etc but will wait until we are booked to do that. It was the preliminary stuff I wanted to clarify and she couldn't have been more helpful!

 

[BecBennett]

If you haven't seen it, try going here www.disneyweddings.go.com

It's where you can get a wishes book, and compile a list of all the things you'd like... I don't know how accurate prices and the like are though...