Pros and Cons of DCL vs. Escape VR?

[dusty-the-disneydad]

My wife and I planned to have a Vow Renewal Escape but after inquiring about the Cruise option have not heard back after several calls. Does anyone know if you can still have the MK or Epcot Photo Shoots if you book a Cruise Vow Renewal? What are some of the pros and cons of each. We are trying to decide between these two options. Thanks.

 

[Bride-to-be]

I can tell you about the cruise if that helps.

Cathy is in charge of all cruise wedding stuff. She is exceptionally busy and super nice - but slow to respond.

Basically you can have a VR on the ship or on CC. We chose CC beach for our wedding. I am totally clueless as to the details other than what is on the DFTW website. I have learned from previous brides here that you really don't get to start planning anything until 60 days in advance and most of it happens 30 days in advance. However disney never told me that - so after I faxed and called a ton of times with no response I kind of felt like an idiot.

Also they won't speak to you about it until you have your reservation booked. We sent a list of questions and didn't hear. Then we found out some of the larger suites were still available so we put them on hold. We still didn't hear. Then it came time to put a deposit down - so we felt we had to. We still didn't hear. Then finally we heard that we had to put deposits down on staterooms for all of our 60 guests before we could talk. So we did that. Frustrated with lack of response we contacted the concierge at reservations suggestion. Then we were told that for special stuff like cocktail parties and maybe a dinner and lots of extra non-typical dcl wedding stuff that they could start work until 120 days out. After I complained the concierge was really really nice and said they would work on it 200 days out. We mailed out our save the dates 2 weeks ago. Then at about the same time we got assigned to a groups person who has basically denied the majority of our requests and is working on alternatives. I feel like if I had known that ahead of time - before we booked and told everyone our plans I might have stuck with a WDW wedding. We are still considering switching completely.

The big difference is with the Escape you still have lots of things you can pick like your flowers and your cake, you have more location options and disney can work with you on lots of upgrades. For the cruise you have a limited number of options to pick from. I have heard that you can buy enhancements for the beach ceremony but I have yet to find out exactly what they are.

At the moment I am a really really frustrated dcl bride - but who knows next week maybe I will be super happy. You never know. Just make sure you know what you are getting into before you def go with the cruise. Make sure to take a look at everyones pictures too! I wish I had seen them before - it would have given me a much better idea of what to expect.

Other things to keep in mind - just on a cost basis. Some brides here have gotten some excellent photos from DCL, others were not as happy. For that reason we are bringing a photographer - at great expense. At least for an escape wedding you have one of the regular disney wedding photographers or for some locations you can bring your own (and you only need to hire them for one day instead of the length of the cruise). I want to be fair and tell you that one bride found a photographer to go for the price of a stateroom. I haven't been so lucky - but either way to bring your own is still more expensive.

another thing to keep in mind is the weather I still don't know for sure but I assume that if it rains you have to have your ceremony inside one of the clubs on beat street. I know for the onboard weddings with more than 20(?) they automatically use wavebands/I forget what its called on the magic, as the outside deck 7 doesn't hold more than a certain number of people.

If its just your immediate family and you are looking for a great vacation with a special touch I would really recommend it. We were sold on the idea of being able to spend so much time with our guests. If you are looking for something that is much more formal and much more typically weddingyish I would look into an escape. Just because of all of the enhancements you can do its not quite as cookie-cutter.

Hope this helps.

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

I'm attaching a link to a DCL bride who had a beautiful MK/EPCOT photo shoot after the cruise.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1670779

 

[chepic]

We did the DCL VR last year, and it was very nice...$1500 for the VR, cake for 10, dinner at Palo, 1 8x10 photo, bath robes, champagne at the VR for up to 10, Chamapagne in your room, flowers for you and your groom. We used the photographer from the cruise and I was very happy with the results. I wish I had known about the photo possibility in Disney itself, because I probably would have splurged and had it done. In order to book the VR, you do have to have your reservations set. At the one year mark, I emailed Cathy the date and time I wanted, but nothing is really set until about 6 months before. She will send out the info to you via email and you can make other arrangements then. She seems to be the person to talk to, and so must be very busy. I tried not to obsess too much, and everything really turned out fantastic. Once on the cruise, you do have a coordinator that helps you with the final details and it was great.

Hope this helps.

cheryl

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Here is a link to my PJ (and others)
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1766164


and my trip report is linked in my signature..It was amazing!!

 

[WishingMom]

DF and I are doing a DCL Wedding in August...small and simple, just what we want...I've had no issues with Cathy or DCL whatsoever as I don't have any requests for changes (as of yet) to any of the package. Hoping to get my cake changed, and perhaps now, since I saw photos the other day of some greenery added to the deck decorations, to have that done as well.

From all the pics I've seen, and PJs I've read, everyone's VR and Weddings was beautiful and special.

 

[lurkyloo]

Since no one has really piped in about the Escape VR package, here's some basic info (prices good through the end of 2009):

The Deluxe Escape Vow Renewal package costs $4,500 (including tax and service charge) for up to 18 guests plus the happy couple and includes one of four outdoor locations, a cake, one bottle of Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee or two bottles of sparkling cider, a bouquet and boutonniere, a violinist, a limousine, photography, two Walt Disney World Annual Passes, and a basic event web site.

The Wedding Pavilion venue package, called a Premium Escape Wedding, is $5,500 (including tax and service charge) and features all the same elements plus an organist.

If you have more than four guests, there will be an additional charge for Fairy Tale Cuvee beyond the single bottle the package includes, but this is the only other cost.

Accommodations and an officiant are not included in the Escape package, although Disney offers a list of preferred officiants. If you choose to use one who is not on the list, he or she will be counted as a guest. Children and babies also count toward your 18-guest limit.

You will be required to book four nights at any Disney-owned resort, including Disney Vacation Club properties, through Disney or your own travel agent. You may use any applicable discount, including AAA, Annual Passholder, Disney Rewards Visa, and other promotional codes.

The Bottom Line: Cruise VRs are cheaper and include an entire vacation, while Escape VRs are more customizable and include annual passes.

 

[dakcp2001]

Sorry to get a little off track here but am I reading it correctly?

DCL charges different prices for weddings & Vow renewals?

 

[chepic]

Yes, the wedding is more than the VR....I would imagine some of it would be paperwork, and I would also think you must get a bit more with a wedding versus the VR. I could be wrong, it has happened before.

che

 

[CinderelliT]

The VR on the boat is $1500 and $2500 if done on Castaway Cay. The wedding package I think is $2000-2500 on the boat, and an additional $1000 for Castaway Cay.

We opted to do our VR on the boat, and use the extra $1000 for our Magic Kingdom Photo shoot!

We have had no problems with Cathy or anything of that sort! Everyone has always emailed us and returned our calls right away. I also have scheduled my Castle shoot, and had no problems with that either. Everyone has been very helpful and pleasant.

I am adding on some floral decor for my ceremony, but Cathy said we will figure it out when it gets a litttle closer. Right now it's still 9 months away!
Hope this helps!

 

[CinderelliT]

Yes, the wedding is more than the VR....I would imagine some of it would be paperwork, and I would also think you must get a bit more with a wedding versus the VR. I could be wrong, it has happened before.

che

I don't think that there is anything extra in the wedding packages. My understanding is that the extra fee is for the paperwork, etc. to making the marriage legal. The VR is cheaper b/c you are already married - so it is just a ceremony with no paperwork.

 

[chepic]

I don't think that there is anything extra in the wedding packages. My understanding is that the extra fee is for the paperwork, etc. to making the marriage legal. The VR is cheaper b/c you are already married - so it is just a ceremony with no paperwork.

Thanks for the clarification....told you I have been wrong before... Of course, my husband and children don't know that, to them I am always right!!!!!!!!

che