Memories/Escape - Luau Beach

[Mari0824]

Hi

I am new to the boards and I am so torn between Memories and Escape packages. Maybe you guys can help on what I should go with? I have put a question through to Disney Weddings but they haven't answered clearly.

So, I don't expect my fiancé and I will have many guests... we don't want a production at all and would love to elope but we know his mom would be hugely disappointed since she introduced the love of Disney to my fiancé and he introduced me to Disney! And we three are obsessed with all Disney. Plus, his mom has always offered to pay for a Disney Wedding of 10 (even though I would never ever ask her to actually pay).

Our ideal wedding would be just us and perhaps his mom - if we decide to invite other guests than we would probably run into the Escape Package because its either 1 or 10 LOL!.

So I like the Escape package because I would like to have a toast and cake even if it's just us two and would love the violin - I could really care less for the transportation... but maybe we can use it and visit the Yacht Club to take pictures too as we love this resort. I would also love the Escape because I want the option of 2 hours for photography and not just one in the event we want to resort hop. My fiancé isn't big on pictures so he isn't interested in a portrait session, etc. so I have to try and capture as many pictures this one time. The problem is this package doesn't offer Luau Beach as a ceremony option... So my question is do they extend this location to the Escape Package and if worse case we actually had 10 guests - would we still be able to use it.

Now I thought of Memories Package but I would have to add on an hour of photography, cake and toast and maybe violin (this is debatable).

So technically, what should be my best approach if I decide on elopement? Also, are outside photographers allowed to shoot at Disney Resorts? Do I benefit maybe from just hiring an outsider? My most important thing is pictures... so I want to make sure I have my release too...

Thanks for helping and reading my long message....

 

[lurkyloo]

So, unfortunately they are completely inflexible on Escape ceremony locations. The package is designed for them to be easy to pull off, so they offer almost no modifications. They can help you do a Hawaiian-themed Escape ceremony at Sea Breeze Point by adding floral and decor. You can use the transportation during a different portion of your stay, like to go to/from the airport.

They are even more inflexible with Memories. They will not let you add cake or a toast, but the package does include a violinist. I have info on ordering your own cake here. Additional hours of Disney photography cost $250 no matter which type of wedding you have.

I definitely recommend hiring an outside photographer if pictures are the most important thing, because that way you know exactly who you're getting and what their style is.

Alternatively (if money isn't tight and Luau Beach is your main goal) you could do a small Wishes event and take your pick of locations. In addition to Luau Beach, there are two beaches at the Beach Club you can choose from. If your date falls in Jan-April or July-August you can take advantage of their Wishes Catered Event pricing, which brings the cost almost down to Escape pricing (though tax and service charge are extra). This episode of the podcast talks about the pros and cons of Escape vs. the Wishes Catered Event (just know that it was recorded before the new date restrictions I mentioned were imposed): http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2016/06/22/mini-wishes-catered-event-experience/

Here is the episode that talks all about Escape and what you can and can't swap: http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2017/01/11/escape-collection-overview/

And here is the Memories episode: http://disneyweddingpodcast.com/2017/01/25/memories-collection-overview-new/

 

[Mari0824]

Omg thank you so much for all this information. Would I be able to do the mini wishes event but using Luau Beach as the ceremony venue? Would I be able to exceed the 6 people total? Also, wouldn't I need 20 people for mini wishes?

Also, if I could use the Luau Beach ceremony venue, how much would the fee be?

Thanks so much!

 

[lurkyloo]

OK, so if you do the Wishes Catered Event you can have as many people as you want. Technically you need a minimum of 20, but as long as you pay the minimums for 20 people, they don't care. I would just start out by telling them you'll have 20 people. Who knows—your family and friends may be more interested in attending than you think!

All Wishes ceremonies have a venue fee of $3,500 in Low Season (except the Wedding Pavilion and the MK), which is when you'd need to get married in order to do the Wishes Catered Event. They should let you use the area between Luau Beach and the Wedding Pavilion if the Memories Luau Beach location is too small for your guest count. I know they've done Wishes receptions in this spot, and a ceremony is so much easier to set up, it shouldn't be a problem. If you want to start talking to Disney about this option, wait until you are assigned a sales consultant. The people who answer that first call don't have real info and often spread misinformation that breaks brides' hearts. So ixnay on the uau-Lu each-Bay talk until you're working with an actual sales consultant!

 

[Mari0824]

Omg you've been awesome! Thanks so much! I was starting to get a little sad but the reality is that if we don't conform to 4 for a memories package we could def end up at 20. My immediate family alone is 14.

Just one more question - what would be the minimum cost on the mini wishes? Also, do you know if there is a way to do a catered event with food from Ohana's? Lol!

I am trying to make this dream a reality lmfao!

 

[lurkyloo]

OK, so if you listen to those shows or look in Chapter 3 of the PassPorter, they tell you the formula for calculating your mini Wishes price. It's

Ceremony Fee
+
Per-Person Food and Beverage Minimum x # of guests
+
Enhancement Fee


So for 20 people, if you do a Mini Wishes (Tues-Thurs in Low Season) brunch instead of lunch and don't use the Wedding Pavilion, it's

$3,500
+
$2,000
+
$3,000
$8,500 minimum expenditure with Disney

On top of that is a 24% service charge on all food + beverage + some AV (like if you have an iPod setup at the reception), and then 6.5% sales tax on pretty much everything.

You will not be able to have Ohana prepare the food for a catered event, but the catering team at the resort you choose can attempt to re-create Ohana specialties.

 

[Mari0824]

You have been so helpful! I actually spoke to a DFTW consultant and they are adding Luau Beach to the Escape Package. However, I wanted to ask you a question in the event I went with a mini wishes package. The minimum let's say would be $8,500 but is the Food Minimum include cake etc? Or if I chose dessert party. This is what I'm trying to figure out with mini wishes -

Ceremony Fee (Does this include any violinist) or does that count as enhancement and you pay separately.

Food & Bev pp minimum
Does this include lunch, cake and dessert party if I chose? Or is the $125pp just lunch?

$3k Enhancement
Technically I would have to add photography, flowers, decorations and transportation to this right? So if the cheapest photo package is $2,995 wouldn't I have just blown this enhancement package?

I'm just so confused.... I was thinking of doing an escape package, with breakfast at Ohana and would like to add a dessert party at Epcot. However, would it be cheaper to go with Mini Wishes? I would NOT be wearing my dress for dessert party so is it cheaper to go through Catered Events or DFTW?

 

[lurkyloo]

At the end of the day, Escape is still going to be cheaper unless you're comparing High Season Escape to Low Season Mini Wishes.

You have been so helpful! I actually spoke to a DFTW consultant and they are adding Luau Beach to the Escape Package. However, I wanted to ask you a question in the event I went with a mini wishes package. The minimum let's say would be $8,500 but is the Food Minimum include cake etc? Or if I chose dessert party. This is what I'm trying to figure out with mini wishes

Brides have been asking for a beachy Escape location forEVER—they're going to be thrilled! The Wishes and Mini Wishes food and beverage minimums include cake and beverages.

Ceremony Fee (Does this include any violinist) or does that count as enhancement and you pay separately.

Wishes and Mini Wishes ceremony fees include a violinist or a guitarist.

Food & Bev pp minimum
Does this include lunch, cake and dessert party if I chose? Or is the $125pp just lunch?

It includes pre-reception food, reception food, cake and beverages. It does not include dessert party food.

$3k Enhancement
Technically I would have to add photography, flowers, decorations and transportation to this right? So if the cheapest photo package is $2,995 wouldn't I have just blown this enhancement package?

Yup! That's another reason that people go with outside photographers! You don't *have* to add any of those things except transportation if your event is inside a park. I had no floral or decor at my reception.

I'm just so confused.... I was thinking of doing an escape package, with breakfast at Ohana and would like to add a dessert party at Epcot. However, would it be cheaper to go with Mini Wishes? I would NOT be wearing my dress for dessert party so is it cheaper to go through Catered Events or DFTW?

With Wishes and Mini Wishes, the dessert party costs do not count toward your minimums, so a DP will cost you extra no matter which type of event you have. If you have Escape, you can still plan the DP through DFTW and wear your dress. The only time you have to plan through Disney Catered Events is if you're not having an Escape or Wishes event.

You just need to sit down and figure out what elements you would want for Escape and for Wishes, add up the prices and compare them. That's why I put those self-calculating budgets in the back of the PassPorter—they will tell you which charges apply to the minimums and exactly how much tax and service charge you'll pay.

So your basic Escape budget might look something like this...

Escape Package: $5,000
'Ohana Breakfast for 20: $900 with tax and tip
Epcot Dessert Party: $1,600 with tax and service charge
TOTAL: $7,500

And your basic Mini Wishes Budget might look like this....

Ceremony Fee: $3,500
Food & Beverage Minimum: $2,000
Enhancement Fee: $3,000
Tax and Service Charge: $1,064
Epcot Dessert Party: $1,600 with tax and service charge
TOTAL: $11,164

 

[Mari0824]

Again you are awesome! What is the passporter?

Also, I may not interested in eating my wedding dress for dessert party. Is the price the same through DFTW or catered events? Also, if I go through DFTW am I limited to 20? I have two kids that won't be at ceremony but I would love them to be at dessert party.

Also, can I swap photo albums on packages for DFAP at dessert party? If not, do you know where I can find the rates for that?

Sorry for so much questions but you have been tremendous help in trying to decide what's the best approach to take.

 

[lurkyloo]

Again you are awesome! What is the passporter?

It is a wedding planner I wrote specifically for Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings.

Also, I may not interested in eating my wedding dress for dessert party. Is the price the same through DFTW or catered events? Also, if I go through DFTW am I limited to 20? I have two kids that won't be at ceremony but I would love them to be at dessert party.

All the prices are the same going through DFTW as DCE with one exception: DFTW requires you to pay a $10/person viewing fee (in the parks) for everyone but the bridal couple, even if they all have park admission. DCE will only charge you for those without park admission. You should be OK to have 2 extra kids at the dessert party if you plan through DFTW—they just don't like it when people try to jury-rig a Wishes wedding by doing an Escape ceremony and then a large non-Wishes reception via a catered event.

Also, can I swap photo albums on packages for DFAP at dessert party? If not, do you know where I can find the rates for that?

If you check out that Escape Overview podcast episode I linked to, it has all the details on that. You can't trade albums for dessert party photography, but you can trade the Escape wedding photography for DP photography and then use an outside vendor for your wedding. To just hire DFAP to shoot the dessert party costs $350.

 

[justme0729]

At the end of the day, Escape is still going to be cheaper unless you're comparing High Season Escape to Low Season Mini Wishes.



Brides have been asking for a beachy Escape location forEVER—they're going to be thrilled! The Wishes and Mini Wishes food and beverage minimums include cake and beverages.




Wishes and Mini Wishes ceremony fees include a violinist or a guitarist.




It includes pre-reception food, reception food, cake and beverages. It does not include dessert party food.



Yup! That's another reason that people go with outside photographers! You don't *have* to add any of those things except transportation if your event is inside a park. I had no floral or decor at my reception.



With Wishes and Mini Wishes, the dessert party costs do not count toward your minimums, so a DP will cost you extra no matter which type of event you have. If you have Escape, you can still plan the DP through DFTW and wear your dress. The only time you have to plan through Disney Catered Events is if you're not having an Escape or Wishes event.

You just need to sit down and figure out what elements you would want for Escape and for Wishes, add up the prices and compare them. That's why I put those self-calculating budgets in the back of the PassPorter—they will tell you which charges apply to the minimums and exactly how much tax and service charge you'll pay.

So your basic Escape budget might look something like this...

Escape Package: $5,000
'Ohana Breakfast for 20: $900 with tax and tip
Epcot Dessert Party: $1,600 with tax and service charge
TOTAL: $7,500

And your basic Mini Wishes Budget might look like this....

Ceremony Fee: $3,500
Food & Beverage Minimum: $2,000
Enhancement Fee: $3,000
Tax and Service Charge: $1,064
Epcot Dessert Party: $1,600 with tax and service charge
TOTAL: $11,164

Even though mini wishes costs more for the wedding only, the $3000 includes some things you might of had to spend money on like photography. I could have done 5 hours for $2195. I justified doing mini wishes instead because I was going to be like you and do escape and a dessert party, but with mini wishes we could do a 7:30pm ceremony with dinner at the NApa Room and fireworks viewingso this was like a wedding and dessert party all in one so it was the same price about as escape + dessert party. I'm not sure with new changes though if they offer 7:30pm anymore for mini wishes?

 

[rspencer38]

Even though mini wishes costs more for the wedding only, the $3000 includes some things you might of had to spend money on like photography. I could have done 5 hours for $2195. I justified doing mini wishes instead because I was going to be like you and do escape and a dessert party, but with mini wishes we could do a 7:30pm ceremony with dinner at the NApa Room and fireworks viewingso this was like a wedding and dessert party all in one so it was the same price about as escape + dessert party. I'm not sure with new changes though if they offer 7:30pm anymore for mini wishes?

As far as I know they do not allow evening mini-wishes anymore.

 

[jenna510]

Hi! Did DFW say when they might be adding Luau Beach to the Escape package? I was so happy when I read that they might be doing that! That's the location my fiance and I want, but we were struggling to see if we could do it since they only show it on their website now as the Escape package, but we'd have a few more than 4 people that we would want to attend.