Question(s)!!!

[sabalpalms]

Okay I have quite a few so bear with me here...I'm totally lost!

1. If I were to have my rehearsal dinner at Narcoossee's, can I just make reservations for my party (20ish people)? Like do I need to make special plans and pay for a big thing through Disney, or can I just have my bridal party and what not made under a reservation when I just call the main line and pay for everyone's dinners as if we are just going there for dinner? Does this even make sense? haha.

Also, we are from NY and LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney and really want to get married there, but we are really uncertain about this whole not officially reserving your date until 8 months out thing, because we would be getting married during the typical wedding season on a Sat night and I'm sure it will be a popular time. We are also inviting a lot of people and are pretty sure most will be attending and they are the types of people who make their reservations WAY in advance, so I don't want to chance not having the date.

Is it possible just to have your ceremony there only and not reception?

Has anyone ever thought about doing an off-property wedding at one of the nice neighboring hotels? It's just a thought we had. We have a Marriott timeshare and LOVE the Marriott World Center off international drive in Orlando, and were thinking about contacting them to have the reception in one of the ballrooms, but still at least having the ceremony actually IN Disney...any thoughts?

 

[PhilHarMaestro]

You should consider looking into the Swan and Dolphin. I don't know too much about it because I only briefly looked into it, but they are in the resort, but not owned by disney
(or something like that), so they have a different package, but you still get some of the perks that the "disney" brides do and some perks that the S&D have of thier own. Hope this helps!

 

[hiwaygal]

1. If I were to have my rehearsal dinner at Narcoossee's, can I just make reservations for my party (20ish people)? Like do I need to make special plans and pay for a big thing through Disney, or can I just have my bridal party and what not made under a reservation when I just call the main line and pay for everyone's dinners as if we are just going there for dinner? Does this even make sense? haha.

If you are a Wishes wedding, I think your rehearsal dinner can be planned through your planner. If you are an Escape you would plan all of that yourself...well, Disney would help but you can do it too.

Also, we are from NY and LOVE LOVE LOVE Disney and really want to get married there, but we are really uncertain about this whole not officially reserving your date until 8 months out thing, because we would be getting married during the typical wedding season on a Sat night and I'm sure it will be a popular time. We are also inviting a lot of people and are pretty sure most will be attending and they are the types of people who make their reservations WAY in advance, so I don't want to chance not having the date.

Is it possible just to have your ceremony there only and not reception?

Has anyone ever thought about doing an off-property wedding at one of the nice neighboring hotels? It's just a thought we had. We have a Marriott timeshare and LOVE the Marriott World Center off international drive in Orlando, and were thinking about contacting them to have the reception in one of the ballrooms, but still at least having the ceremony actually IN Disney...any thoughts?

If you are a Wishes wedding you can probably book at 12 months out. Some reception locations for Wishes weddings can only be booked 8 months. Since you seem to be looking more at a specific date, consider being flexible on either your ceremony time or location and the chances of getting your date increase.

An Escape wedding is pretty much a ceremony only...but there is a limit to the number of guests you can have. It sounds like you are just at that limit (20 people including the bride and groom).

Many people have considered weddings at "off-property" locations. One bride is having her wedding at Leu Gardens. I've also heard of brides who have had their ceremonies at Cypress Gardens. Both the Swan and Dolphin are options (as the PP mentioned) and most of the hotels in Downtown Disney can have a wedding too!

When are you planning to get married? If it's less than 18 months, you might want to give Disney a call...sometimes they "pencil" people in (especially for Wishes weddings).

 

[sabalpalms]

I don't think I'd be able to do an Escape wedding as 20 ppl would just be at the rehearsal dinner, our total guest count is over 100 (around 125).
Is it still considered a 'wishes wedding' if I just book the ceremony through Disney? Also, is it possible to have the ceremony in front of Cinderella's castle?

 

[hiwaygal]

I don't think I'd be able to do an Escape wedding as 20 ppl would just be at the rehearsal dinner, our total guest count is over 100 (around 125).
Is it still considered a 'wishes wedding' if I just book the ceremony through Disney? Also, is it possible to have the ceremony in front of Cinderella's castle?

If you have that many guests, yes it will be a Wishes wedding. For a Wishes wedding there are certain minimums you have to meet depending on the day/time of year you have your ceremony. The lowest minimum is $10,000 (which isn't hard to hit) and I think the highest minimum is $20,000. I would guess that with that many guests you would easily reach the minimums. And you wouldn't be able to book "just the ceremony" because of the minimums. But every expense on your wedding day would go toward the minimum. There would also be some room block requirements (not sure what those would be but I would guess 25-50 room nights).

Last I heard it IS possible to have the ceremony at Cindy's castle...I think the minimum spend for that is $50,000 and the ceremony has to be very early in the morning (before the park opens). Unfortunately Disney doesn't make it "easy" to have a ceremony there, but it is possible.

 

[disprincessatheart]

For a Wishes wedding you have to spend a minimum of $10k on your day with Disney AND as part of that you have a minimum food and beverage spend per guest, so no, you really couldn't do a ceremony only with them for 100ppl and not a reception. Also, the reception sites are easier to book, it's the ceremony sites and times that are harder to guarantee. If you choose to have your wedding or reception in a theme park, like EPCOT, you can book at 12 months.

As far as rehearsal dinner at Narcoossee's - we did our reception there after our escape wedding. For a party of more than 8 you have to call group dining or let you planner book it for you. They'll have you order off a group menu that's set at $65ppn. It's family style seafood appetizers, a choice of soup or salad, a chicken, a fish and a beef entree choice, and a choice of desserts. It was honestly a ton of food for $65ppn. Most everyone in our group had filet and we all loved it!

 

[sabalpalms]

All these requirements, my goodness! Thanks for all the info

 

[hiwaygal]

Have you looked at the Disney wedding website?

http://www.disneyweddings.go.com/site/gate/index.jsp

There's also some information here:

http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/ftw/index.html

and here:

http://www.mouseweddings.com/

 

[PhilHarMaestro]

Sorry to Hijack, but can you plan a large group dinner at Victoria and Alberts as well? We are also having an escape but want to have dinner at V&A we have about 18 peeps.
Thanks!

 

[hiwaygal]

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to...

I thought there was a "limit" to the number of people you could have, but that might have been for the Chef's Table...or I might have been imagining it!

The only other "restriction" I know of is that V&A doesn't allow guests under the age of 10 anymore.