Question regarding booking period

[Ceejcooke]

Hello everyone,

I have been playing phone tag with my rep at Disney (Bill) so I wanted to ask the forum this question. My fiance and I want to have a Disney Fairytale Wedding in July 2007. According to what we've read on the DisneyWeddings web site, you can't book a date until one year out and it's not firm until 8 months out and the contract is signed (or something along these lines.)

If this is true, how do you guarantee a date and your specific locations before then? Is there a way? We don't want to wait four to six more months and then have them tell us there is no space. We are planning a custom wedding, approximately 75 guests, and would sign a contract and/or put down a deposit tomorrow if we could.

I've seen the calendar on this site and many weddings are listed beyond the one year out mark...are those just plans or are those confirmed?

Any suggestions/ideas, or am I mis-understanding their policies? We have found this forum very insightful so far and hope some of you may be able to offer us some help.

Thanks in advance!

Chris & Jennifer

 

[sajetto]

I've seen the calendar on this site and many weddings are listed beyond the one year out mark...are those just plans or are those confirmed?

Those are just the hopeful dates of future DFTW brides. No one, either custom or intimate can book over a year in advance. I know it stinks

 

[TInk218]

Yes that is correct...you cannot have a firm date until 8 months out...we are planning for a Late June 2007 custom wedding with 150 guests. They can put a tenative hold on the date a year out after they do the lottery if there are more than one couple who wants the same date,time, and location as you. Just gotta be patient and wait it out

 

[Eeyore77]

I just got my date back last month put into the books for Jan. 14, 2007... We started talking to DFTW in Sept. 2005, but they could only put us down as interested and then they were able to put us in the books for it in January 2006... It is tough to wait.. I was so scared that there would be a lottery that I didn't know what to do. Luck for me there wasn't YEAH!!! Just hang in there it will come sooner than you think... See now I am still waiting to get a EM and to be able to sign my contract. That won't happen until May 14th... I guess it is done that way so that they can be fair to everyone...

 

[Laurafoster]

Am i getting confused here? I requested my date for december 06 back in september and then phoned back in december to confirm the space. I was told this was confirmed,and nobody else could have this date? not that i would have to wait another 4months?

 

[sajetto]

Am i getting confused here? I requested my date for december 06 back in september and then phoned back in december to confirm the space. I was told this was confirmed,and nobody else could have this date? not that i would have to wait another 4months?

This is b/c you are a 2006 bride, you're fine don't worry. The brides carrying into 2007 have to wait till the 8th month out

 

[Eeyore77]

Am i getting confused here? I requested my date for december 06 back in september and then phoned back in december to confirm the space. I was told this was confirmed,and nobody else could have this date? not that i would have to wait another 4months?

Are you a custom or a intimate... No one else can have your date at the 12 month period. At that time you are in the books, but you are tentively in the books.. You are confirmed for the date, but the space is not confirmed till there is a contract... If you have yet to sign a contract with Disney then there could possibly be changes with locations for receptions and such... They cannot firmly lock you in till they issue you a contract and you pay them a deposit. I know that I how it is for Custom Brides....

 

[groomtb]

if they don't let you book it then no one else can book it as well.
find out the exact date you can book the date you want in 2007. start calling them about 1~3 months prior to that just to verify if the booking rule still holds.

i'd be calling every day the week leading to the 365th day that you can book the wedding.

pardon me if that sounded like a retared idea

 

[pixie08]

It really has to do with the convention centers. You are solid booked for the WP at 12 months but the reason you can not sign a contract is because if a large convention comes in and wants the GF and that is where you are then you are going to get bumped out (and put say at the Boardwalk or yacht club). It sucks but that is the way it goes. We too are waiting for a June 2007 wedding so we will see -there are alot of people during that time and we are expecting to not get our first prefernce and be bumped to the next weekend since we want a Sat @ 2:30 in the WP. So they pencil you in. Then on that day a year before they basically pull your name from a hat. Do you have a manager? They will explain this to you and basically ask you for four or five dates and times. If you are in-park (ie:epcot) you can sign your contract at 12 mos!

My suggestion is be open minded especially if you want a weekend in June or July.Also keep in mind Seabreeze pt or the gazebo are SLIGHTLY easier to get then the WP. I have heard of people loosing a few lotteries before getting a date and then there are people who get their #1 preference. Sat and Sunday afternoons in May,June and July are the busiest. A weekday is probably in lower demand. Good Luck...there are a whole lot of us going through this(probably some with the same date and time in mind ) so don't feel too bad!

 

[SyrCinderella]

Our DD is hoping for WP and Living Seas for March 2007. We met with a SM in January and they said that her preferred date and time were open for both, and I guess "pencilled her in".

I know we have to call at the one year window, but what happens next - you call and hope for the best? Then while you are waiting for the contract to be sent to you, can someone steal the date away if Disney gets their paperwork first?

 

[Eeyore77]

Our DD is hoping for WP and Living Seas for March 2007. We met with a SM in January and they said that her preferred date and time were open for both, and I guess "pencilled her in".

I know we have to call at the one year window, but what happens next - you call and hope for the best? Then while you are waiting for the contract to be sent to you, can someone steal the date away if Disney gets their paperwork first?[/

You call with the date that you want and at the one year point they will either lock you into the date requested or if there are more than one person that wants Lets say "March 15, 2007 @ 2PM" then it will be a lottery drawing for the time.. at that time they will ask you for back up options. in case you don't get the one you want. I was asked for backups just incase a lottery was necessary, but we got through the process with out in an now our date is set..