problem with getting date

[skiqt323]

Have any of you had problems gettting the date you requested? I have been penciled in since September 2007 and was told all along that there shouldnt be a problem, but I recently called to check and was told that there is a convention booked for most of January, all of Feb. and some of March and are taking all space and hours of the GF. I have been told that there is still an outside chance that the convention will release some space, but not to count on it. I don't understand how they cannot have any weddings there for a month and a half. Anyone else run into this problem?

 

[shezfrombermuda]

I did get the date that I requested this October and I am planning on having the reception in the White Hall room. I believe this room only fits 40 people and I was told if we have more guests we will not be able to use a bigger room in the GF. A convention has already booked all the space in the GF for the week.

I will cross my fingers for you. It could be possible the convention will not have as many people as they thought and release some of the space for you.

 

[Beep]

Fingers crossed here for you too. Do conventions effect the restaurants at the resorts to, or is it the function rooms?

 

[Starr W.]

Have any of you had problems gettting the date you requested? I have been penciled in since September 2007 and was told all along that there shouldnt be a problem, but I recently called to check and was told that there is a convention booked for most of January, all of Feb. and some of March and are taking all space and hours of the GF. I have been told that there is still an outside chance that the convention will release some space, but not to count on it. I don't understand how they cannot have any weddings there for a month and a half. Anyone else run into this problem?

Lotus sphere was going on MLK weekend but they seem to be at the Swan/Dolphin, BW area. I think the homebuilders show is somewhere in Orlando in Feb or March. I've been to meetings at WDW in the past and they have always been at the GF.

We saw a big gang of men in suits who had a cocktail party at Italy during Illuminations and a dinner at the Rotunda during MLK weekend.

 

[Starr W.]

Fingers crossed here for you too. Do conventions effect the restaurants at the resorts to, or is it the function rooms?

There were quite a few Lotus types(still wearing their badges) at Flying Fish last Saturday night. Having attended alot of conventions, restaurant availability depends on how many dinner functions they have set up. I always did at least 3 outside meals with customers or suppliers and we usually went to upscale type places.

 

[Janet2k]

Have any of you had problems gettting the date you requested?

Skiqt323, I feel for you. When I was planning my vow renewal and began to move from the intimate (escape) category into the custom (wishes) category, I was told that a group already had dibs on a few places inside the Disney Studios theme park (where my event was going to be held). I was asked to consider a different date if I had my heart set on a specific location since it was probably already taken (I might have been considering the Tower of Terror at the time). I wound up going with the Great Movie Ride, and, luckily, it was available for the night that I wanted.

Conventions are big business for Disney. Weddings / Vow renewals are not and therefore a convention can trump you right up until the last-minute. I know of at least one bride who this has happened to. The space that she had booked for her reception got taken away by a convention group. Disney did a wonderful job, though, in giving her a beautiful event. Yes, she complained like heck at first, but in the end she admitted that it worked out well.

Losing your venue to a convention group is a rare occurrence. I haven't heard of too many brides who have been bumped once their contracts were signed. I know this isn't much solace to you right now, but when it comes time for you to sign your contract, hopefully you'll be able to breathe a little easier. Hang in there!

 

[Janet2k]

Do conventions effect the restaurants at the resorts to, or is it the function rooms?

Beep, it will effect resort rooms because those folks normally stay on-site. As to its effect on resort restaurants, that is usually "no" since they eat a majority of their meals in conference rooms and other convention-type spaces.

The Grand Floridian is a very popular convention site. Since it's my favorite resort, I can see why.

 

[Skylarr29]

That really sucks. Conventions have priority over weddings at Disney and they are allowed to book earlier as well, hence the reason you have to wait until 8 months prior to sign a contract.

 

[skiqt323]

Thank you so much everyone, I am going to keep my fingers crossed and just hope for the best, in the mean time, we will try to work out another date.

 

[Janet2k]

Thank you so much everyone, I am going to keep my fingers crossed and just hope for the best, in the mean time, we will try to work out another date.

Skiqt323, it sounds like you have a plan. Great!

I read my old trip report last night to see exactly what had happened to me. I'll share an excerpt of it here so that you can see that you're definitely not alone when it comes to situations like this:

- - - - - - -
My Sales Manager told me that the Tower of Terror already had a tentative hold placed on it for the exact same evening that I had wanted it. She asked if it would be possible for me to move my vow renewal to the next night. I knew that moving the date would add a layer of complexity to my resort reservations. I would definitely have to take into consideration how difficult it would be for me to move around the dates of five resort rooms at the BoardWalk Villas during the week of Halloween. That week is incredibly popular with the DVC crowd. Changing even one BoardWalk Villas reservation at such a late date would be darn near impossible.

And so I spent a few days debating between the Wanyama Safari, the Great Movie Ride, and the Tower of Terror. So many venues, such little time. The clock was ticking and I needed to make a decision quickly.
- - - - - - -

When this happened, I was trying to change things around within four months of my date. That's not a good thing to do. (*Kids, don't try this at home!*) Had I decided to go with the Tower of Terror venue, I would have had to change my date. And that would have been tricky for a few of my guests since it meant that they would have had to change vacation schedules, airline flights, car rental reservations, and hotel reservations. I, too, would have had to change at least five hotel reservations -- and when they're DVC reservations at one of the most popular times of the year, it would have been impossible. Thankfully, my husband & I decided to go with a different venue that just so happened to have been available on the night that we wanted it.

So, hang in there. Pick a few dates (and even venues) so that when you speak with the FTW folks about the planning of your event, you're prepared. Hopefully, one of those dates will have the most perfect venue available. Good luck!

 

[sunsh1ne]

sorry for the late reply. but i totally understand what you are feeling. i missed my date 4 times... ahh

first i wanted oct 6th (i think -well whatever the sat was)
it was a no- so i tried for the 7th a sunday- NO
then i was told i would have to go to sept 22nd-i booked it and then NO
so then i wanted oct 20th-sat guees what NO!!! so i had to take the sunday oct 21st. it worked out wounderfully forus thank goodness

so hold on and it will all work out

 

[skiqt323]

Skiqt323, it sounds like you have a plan. Great!

I read my old trip report last night to see exactly what had happened to me. I'll share an excerpt of it here so that you can see that you're definitely not alone when it comes to situations like this:

- - - - - - -
My Sales Manager told me that the Tower of Terror already had a tentative hold placed on it for the exact same evening that I had wanted it. She asked if it would be possible for me to move my vow renewal to the next night. I knew that moving the date would add a layer of complexity to my resort reservations. I would definitely have to take into consideration how difficult it would be for me to move around the dates of five resort rooms at the BoardWalk Villas during the week of Halloween. That week is incredibly popular with the DVC crowd. Changing even one BoardWalk Villas reservation at such a late date would be darn near impossible.

And so I spent a few days debating between the Wanyama Safari, the Great Movie Ride, and the Tower of Terror. So many venues, such little time. The clock was ticking and I needed to make a decision quickly.
- - - - - - -

When this happened, I was trying to change things around within four months of my date. That's not a good thing to do. (*Kids, don't try this at home!*) Had I decided to go with the Tower of Terror venue, I would have had to change my date. And that would have been tricky for a few of my guests since it meant that they would have had to change vacation schedules, airline flights, car rental reservations, and hotel reservations. I, too, would have had to change at least five hotel reservations -- and when they're DVC reservations at one of the most popular times of the year, it would have been impossible. Thankfully, my husband & I decided to go with a different venue that just so happened to have been available on the night that we wanted it.

So, hang in there. Pick a few dates (and even venues) so that when you speak with the FTW folks about the planning of your event, you're prepared. Hopefully, one of those dates will have the most perfect venue available. Good luck!

On no! I cannot believe that happened to you, but I am glad it all worked out for you. I don't think I would be that understanding. The GF has been my dream location since I saw it when I was 5, it is not something I am willing to compromise on. I can't see the point for spending all the money for something that I am not 100% happy with. I just hope my second option (april 25th)- the weekend after easter doesnt have any conflicts with conventions.

 

[Desnik]

Oh no! This is making me nervous. It took a lot for me to come to the date I wanted and I really hope I won't have to change it. Are certain months more popular for conventions?

 

[Starr W.]

Oh no! This is making me nervous. It took a lot for me to come to the date I wanted and I really hope I won't have to change it. Are certain months more popular for conventions?

I've been to 3 meetings at GF at various times of year(late April, early March and either late September or early October.

Quite a few functions were going on MLK weekend when we were there, including the big Lotus/IBM convention, but I think that was over at the Swan/Dolphin but we did see quite a few of them at Flying Fish on Saturday night(you would think they would take off the badges when not needed, at least I used to attending that sort of function)

I think you might be safe in summer, 99% of my conventions, annual meetings were in the Spring or Fall, with the exception of the big North American wood/forest products convention in Atlanta at the end of August(my favorite time to visit, standing out in humid weather breathing bus fumes.