I know this has been asked before...

[aduck126]

Has anyone not gotten the 500.00 bus rental for their desert party? My DF is set against not spending that much money on transportation for our guests. Instead is there a cheaper option that people have used? Were your guests okay with riding the monorail home?

 

[honey2741]

Where are you doing your Dessert Party? If doing an Illuminations Dessert Party I would suggest changing the location so they can walk to it or inform guests ahead of time to drive or that they will have to use Disney transportation. If doing a Wishes Dessert Party, I know I wouldn't have a problem taking the Monorail or boat back to my hotel. I think the biggest question is where are a majority of your guests staying?

 

[pezaddict231]

I completely get where you're coming from. We really don't want to spend the extra money on that either , but it is really for your guests comfort and will give them a stress free way to end their night. Leaving the park at closing time is never fun, now imagine your guests leaving your wedding and spending an hour or even two trying to get back to their hotels using Disney transportation. Just something to think about, guests probably will not care if you cut decor or floral, they will never know what you originally planned.

How many guests are you having? Maybe you could just get some small vans to bring people back to their hotels which might cost less than a bus rental.

Interested to see what others have done too, as we need to figure this out too.

Good luck with your planning!

 

[Ember]

Depending on the number of guests it may be cheaper to do one way taxis. This is what I did. Then I left everyone to get home on their own. I felt a little guilty about it... But I had everyone picked up at their hotels, taken to the ceremony, taken from ceremony to reception and then back to their hotels and arranged one way cars to take them to Epcot. I figured they could just get home on their own. The extra cost to keep the bus all day to take people to and from the dessert party was ridiculous!

*edit* My planner arranged for the cars.

 

[aduck126]

I figure that most of my party will either be at the deluxe resorts where they can get monorail access home, or the value resorts, there is not really anyone in between. We are doing an illuminations DP, maybe i will luck out and there will be extra magic hours at EPCOT that night. Even in January in the slow season is it still like a mob scene trying to get home?

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I think our plan is for everyone to exit via IG and make the short walk to Boardwalk and get taxis to their resorts from there. It will still be busy, but not quite as busy as trying to squash onto a bus or monorail. If people with tickets want to stay for EMH (if it is on that night) that's up yo them!!
I figured that if I was having an at home reception I wouldn't be worrying how my guests got home. It would be their responsibility, but I know at WDW it's different which is why we hope to run with the taxi thing!!
We only have about 14 guests though so it won't be too expensive for us I guess.

 

[lurkyloo]

I think our plan is for everyone to exit via IG and make the short walk to Boardwalk and get taxis to their resorts from there.

The Beach Club is a *much* shorter walk from the International Gateway than the BoardWalk.


OP - your planner can arrange for any number of different kinds of transport besides motor coaches, including town cars, limos, vans and mini buses.

 

[daveyc150]

We decided that we would head to Jelly Rolls after the desert party, after that it's down to guests to make their own way home from the Boardwalk. We'll be suggesting those that will drive park at the Boardwalk and those that don't to catch a cab from there. Most guests are at Pop or Port orleans, so not to far to go.