Major Changes to Intimate Weddings for 2006

[reese5574]

Hi Everyone,

I may be telling everyone something they already know but it seems Disney has decided to make some major changes to their Intimate Wedding package. My fiance and I have been looking at having both a Disney and a NY-based wedding. I spoke with someone this morning from Disney FT Weddings and he advised me of the changes. Here is the rundown:

1 - Hotel accomodations and theme park tickets will no longer be included in the package - they have to be made separately and are not discounted because you are getting married at Disney.

2 - The package will still include the cake, Disney photographer, one bottle of champagne (which serves only 6), and a solo musician for both the wedding and cake reception, and your wedding website.

3 - The price for having your wedding at the Pavilion (which is where we were looking) is over $3K.

4 - 4 hours of limousine service.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed when I heard all of this. The reason we had been looking to go the Disney route was because of the convenience (Wedding and honeymoon all in one!) and everything we would get with the package. Because of this, we're only going to be doing our Honeymoon in Disney.

Has anyone else heard about this?

I'm so sad!!!!

 

[Coloradogrl]

YES, I am very disappointed and glad that I started to look at a custom wedding! I also called today because I had heard on this board that they were not going to include the hotel stay and passes. Well I hate to say it, but what is the point then of there "intimate" wedding! I wasnt given as much information as you were about the hotel and tickets thou. Are they going to include the flowers even?
Do you think that they will rise the price of the custom?

 

[reese5574]

I'm not sure about the Custom Wedding but maybe they're doing away with some many of the ammenities with the Intimate Weddings so they don't HAVE to raise the custom prices. Who knows! Yes, they are including the flowers for the bride and groom (I forgot to add that to my last post). Needless to say, we're very disappointed but I do believe everything happens for a reason. I am still going to have a Disney themed wedding...just here in NY!

 

[Coloradogrl]

It is really too bad becuase I personally think they will lose ALOT of there business when it comes to the intimate wedding! I think with them taking all that away it will just be cheaper to have a wedding at home or in another destination place!

 

[Coloradogrl]

It would be intersting to see how much it would be if you priced it out and saw how much it would be to have an intimate wedding

 

[hiwaygal]

Just my two cents...but when Disney added the "free dining" earlier this year, I asked if I could get that as part of my package. I was told that because I had the Intimate Wedding (and it was it's own package) that I could not...

so just for grins and giggles, I figured out what it would cost to re-book everything (so I could get the dining plan) and do the intimate add-on...the difference was about $50. Not worth it for me...

Now, that's this years weddings pricing so I'm not sure how that will work with the new prices. Also, the rooms and tickets were "rack-rate" (I didn't know about discounts or how to get them).

Basically it sounds to me like all the intimates are going to the "add-on" format, and the price is getting bumped up a little. I would guess if you look at the numbers closely, and consider the possibility of getting discounted rooms and tickets (from whatever source) there probably isn't much difference cost wise...

I hope that makes sense...

Edited to add: I also heard about some pretty significant possible IMPROVEMENTS to the photography package for the Intimate Wedding so that could make things a little better too!!!

 

[reese5574]

I think they will lose alot of business as well. Especially if so many people know what USED to be offered with the Intimate Package. To give you a rough estimate of what it would cost us, for everything from hotel(Wilderness Lodge), airfare, park tickets, non-Disney photography, and dinner for 11 people...we're looking at over $7K. Keep in mind that we were planning on being there for 7 days/6 nights. I know it can be done for less but I think that over $3K is a lot for the Wedding portion if you're not getting any extras like you were before. I'm just so disappointed!

 

[Coloradogrl]

What is the free dining???

 

[Tinkerbelle14]

We were planning on having an intimate add-on anyways, so the changes don't affect us too much. I think it would be a lot worse if they hadn't bumped up the number limit to 22 people. I can tell that a lot of people would be upset, but when I did the numbers (with the add-on price of last year: $2350), we actually saved money this way! Found better deals that we wouldn't be able to get with Disney Intimate package wedding.

 

[FutureAshleyDukes]

I agree that the changes don't really seem too bad. At least they increased the amount of guests you could invite.

What you might think about doing is booking through a travel agency like dreams unlimited. They were able to get us an amazing discount at AKL this year, and they even have a special service where they will make your dining reservations for you.

Coloradogirl - I wouldn't be too worried about them increasing the custom wedding prices, they already significantly increased the minimums this year.

 

[kegafford]

YOu know something I was thinking is why can they not have a mix and match type of thing you say you get these items and you can mix and match. Like I am not really looking forward to disney photo except for the mk shoot. SO I am going to the outside world for that. Why not take the credit for the disney photos during the wedding and let me use it towards my mk shoot. Like I do not want the champiange I just want white grape juice so cna I have 2 bottle of juice verse one bottle of champaine.

Then I could understand the increase in price. I am little upset they increased the price but took several things away. AKA not equal money

But this is my dream and I will make it happen. AKA budget well

Also this might be there way to push for a custom wedding. I will figaure that out also.

I really think your personal hotel stay should count towards your numbers

 

[Rustyflwr3]

Just to add in. When my fiance and I went for our site visit in August, we were told by the SM we met with that the custom wedding prices should not be going up anytime soon. Considering they already went up just a bit ago! Hope that settles some nerves!

Jess

 

[dreams91]

I went with the add-on as well. It just makes it cheaper not to use Disney for the rooms. They charge basically rack rate. You can usually find a better deal on the rooms elsewhere anyway. I don't think it is that bad.

 

[LK03]

Hi Everyone,

I may be telling everyone something they already know but it seems Disney has decided to make some major changes to their Intimate Wedding package. My fiance and I have been looking at having both a Disney and a NY-based wedding. I spoke with someone this morning from Disney FT Weddings and he advised me of the changes. Here is the rundown:

1 - Hotel accomodations and theme park tickets will no longer be included in the package - they have to be made separately and are not discounted because you are getting married at Disney.

2 - The package will still include the cake, Disney photographer, one bottle of champagne (which serves only 6), and a solo musician for both the wedding and cake reception, and your wedding website.

3 - The price for having your wedding at the Pavilion (which is where we were looking) is over $3K.

4 - 4 hours of limousine service.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed when I heard all of this. The reason we had been looking to go the Disney route was because of the convenience (Wedding and honeymoon all in one!) and everything we would get with the package. Because of this, we're only going to be doing our Honeymoon in Disney.

Has anyone else heard about this?

I'm so sad!!!!

You're really not losing much. The intimate add-on in May was $2350 for outside locations except the Pavillion and that meant you ALREADY had a hotel reservation for four nights. You also had to buy your own park tickets, ONLY custom brides received APs. If you didn't do the add-on the outside locations started at $3400 I believe and included four nights at a moderate resort. The only thing I see that you are missing out on is the officiant fee of $175.

A reason I think many intimate brides choose the "add-on" option is either they want to stay deluxe, do a cruise, or can find discounts different ways.

My DH and I choose the add-on way because we chose a 3 day land/4 night sea honeymoon and that package already included tickets for us.

 

[D&R love Disney]

We had the add on and it was much cheaper. We are AP holders so we were able to get AP rates for one of our hotels and AAA rate at another.

 

[fun2bmomof3]

There are many outside discounts to find that make an add on a much better deal. Ticketmania.com cannot be beat for ticket prices and if you join mousesavers.com newsletter you can get subscriber only discounts on tickets. I bought a ticket that at the gate would be $410+tax ticket for $358 with tax at ticketmania with the additional mousesaver discout. That's quite a savings. Especially since I bought 5 of those. They were for 10 no expire days with 5 bonus days. We used 4 park days and 2 bonus days this year, will probley use the same next year and we will still have some days twords a third year's vacation.

If you have an annual pass you can get room discounts= savings. Also if you have the ap and dde card look at the savings for all your meals.

Hiwaygal; when you were adding up cost of intimate wedding with room and tickets vs. the free dining package, Did you add up the cost of the meals you would be buying with the intimate package? Considering a counter service meal with drink averages $9 per person and sit down meals with everything included on the free dining would be at least $30 per person. I feel that would give the best comparison.

What was neat about the package was that it made it easier. No looking for discounts, Having everything at one price and not having to add up extras. Especially for those who don't know where to look for discounts.

I like the pick and choose options, but that would be opening the door for more people to use outside vendors and disney wouldn't want that.
What I would like to see would be a medium ground; something a bit more than the intimate, but not as high a minimum as the Custom. I've kind of guess estimated what I will spend for the intimate add on, dinner , and either the illuminations dessert party or GF marina dessert party and I will spend close to 7k. I feel that spending that kind of cash over the basic $2350 for the intimate should come with some kind of perk.... not sure what, but being able to wear your dress to the illumination party would be a good one.
That's just my opinion.

Crissy

 

[hiwaygal]

Crissy,

I readily admit that I had no clue about finding discounts and stuff...which is why I went with the package after all. It was just easier for me and I didn't feel stressed about trying to keep making changes to save money here and there! I'm all about the easy way!!!

Now, as for comparing the cost of the meals with the dining package...I probably didn't really look at it in extreme detail. Mostly because never having been to Disney, I wasn't sure where we would go, and how best to estimate, etc...we definitely didn't overplan!

After hearing everything about the plan, and now with the experience of being there once, I really think we did the best thing for us. While the dining plan is/was a great deal for many folks, it would have been a waste for us (so much food for only two people!). Plus, we stayed concierge, so some snacks and drinks were already included in our room costs, you know?

 

[mufasa0505]

By changing the package to an add-on format, it allows you to take advantage of any discounted packages that may be available during your stay. I don't think it's a bad thing, at all.

 

[fun2bmomof3]

Hiwaygal,
I can agree that the meal package wouldn't be for us either. We don't like having to vacation around reservations. And from what I hear when the free dining was going on; if you didn't have reservations at most sit down restuarants you were out of luck. We like being able to eat when we're hungry at the nearest place that looks good. The only reservations we make ahead of time is for character meals. From what I read about during these free meal times is that you can't get into any resturants without reservations. I have trouble knowing which park we'll be in on what day and what time we'll be hungry 90 days in advance. LOL

I too have heard there is a ton of food on the meal program. If you have small children you're sharing your meals with them, then it probley more of a value to you. Because nothing worse than buying expensive kid meals for a 3 yr old to take two bites and be full. BTDT LOL

I hope you didn't think I was criticizing you. I was just pointing out that for some people or families the meal plan created quite a savings. It all depends on who you are, how you eat, where you eat, etc.
We just did our first dvc stay and loved the full kitchen. Eating out all the time gets old for us and it was nice to be able to go back and cook something for ourselves. After several days of park and restuarant food, homemade spaghetti was the best tasting stuff in the world. The kids even asked for frozen pizzas cooked in the oven over eating out one night. As always it's to each his own.

Crissy

 

[hiwaygal]

I hope you didn't think I was criticizing you.

Not at all! I figured it was just conversation and gathering of opinions which can/might help someone else down the road!