The Magical Gatherings software application is available for download

[Janet2k]

Last week I booked a Grand Gatherings group vacation for next year. While I was on the telephone with the Magical Gatherings folks, they told me that Disney would be releasing their new vacation planning software application on October 15th. I was just on the official WDW website and saw that the link is finally active. So for anyone who is planning a Magical or Grand Gatherings vacation, you may download the new software application now: click here for Disney's main Magical Gatherings webpage (the link for the vacation planner is on that webpage).

 

[Minybear]

Hummm I think I may need that software. Some very nice folks invited us to their Grand Gatherings for next year

 

[Janet2k]

Please follow the instructions stated in your "invitation" and kindly join your dear friend's Grand Gatherings.

 

[WDWguru]

No Mac version ... ::sigh::

Thank goodness we have more than one computer!

 

[Minybear]

Janet2k

I will definately follow those instructions

 

[JerseyBob]

What is Grand Gatherings?

 

[wdwstar]

Very cool, i have downloaded but, its so much to read, i dont have time now, but i will go back to it later, Thanks

 

[jdkdorn]

We are going next October with 12 family members and I wonder if you stay DVC can you use Magical Gathering?

 

[mommystieg]

Originally posted by jdkdorn
We are going next October with 12 family members and I wonder if you stay DVC can you use Magical Gathering?

A Grand Gathering is a group of 8 or more--all I did was e-mail member services with all the info and they added our group into the Grand Gatherings computer system and assigned us a number!! They will need everyone's name, age and address.

 

[jdkdorn]

Thanks for the response
Judy

 

[Terry S]

Yes, you can have a Grand Gathering when you stay at DVC on points. The only problem is that you have to call DVC and have them call the Grand Gatherings coordinator each time you want to make a PS. At this point we really don't know if any of the events are going to sell out quickly, but at the 90 day mark, if you have to call DVC first when they open at 9:00 and have them call the coordinators, the event may be sold out.

I called about my Grand Gathering the other day and DVC told me I had to call the Grand Gathering Coordinators, so I called them and they told me I had to call DVC, I called DVC back and they told me I needed to call Grand Gatherings. I finally made them call the Grand Gatherings people while I was on the phone with them and found out that is how we have to do it for each and every event at the 90 day mark.

 

[zulaya]

Terry - I think someone at MS and GG got their signals mixed. I was told you the only time you have to involve MS is when you make your DVC reservation and then MS gets us the GG ressie number. Then we are "supposed" to have a phone number to call GG direct when making PS.

Sounds like all the kinks aren't worked out in the system yet, but you'd think if you had your GG number that GG would just help you.

Hopefully the get it straight by the time I can use them. I can't even make my ressie till January!

 

[Bella2000]

Originally posted by Terry S
I called about my Grand Gathering the other day and DVC told me I had to call the Grand Gathering Coordinators, so I called them and they told me I had to call DVC, I called DVC back and they told me I needed to call Grand Gatherings. I finally made them call the Grand Gatherings people while I was on the phone with them and found out that is how we have to do it for each and every event at the 90 day mark.

Yikes, thanks for answering that question. Hmmm hopefully they will get that worked out. My question - has anyone else had issues signing into the magical gatherings planner once the program was downloaded? It says that you need to have an official signon from the main disneyworld site (which I do) however I receive a login error when I use it.

 

[zulaya]

I think the software is pretty cool. I do wish that disneyworld.com would let you select Restaurants to My Favorites in addition to Attractions.

I don't know about you guys, but having a family meal is real important to my group and I know that special meals are going to be a part of our plan. It would be nice if we could select Restaurants so that the group members could vote on that as well as Attractions.

 

[mommystieg]

Favorites in restaurants would be more helpful for us, too. I have told our group that it will be next to impossible to tour the parks together but we should plan to eat at least one meal per day together.

 

[Terry S]

I was given my grand gathering number and was told to refer to that number whenever I called, but was told I would still have to call DVC first and then have them call the Grand Gatherings coordinator in a 3 way call each time at 90 days. I was really hoping that this would be more like intinerary planning with conceirge and I could give the planner all my events and PS's and they would make them when appropriate and send me the confirmation. Hey I could dream right?

 

[Bella2000]

Originally posted by Bella2000
My question - has anyone else had issues signing into the magical gatherings planner once the program was downloaded? It says that you need to have an official signon from the main disneyworld site (which I do) however I receive a login error when I use it.

An hour later - and I had a really great woman learning with me from the Disney-end - she called her guest services, IT, etc etc and the final answer (drum roll please) - try resetting my password. Although I could get into the main site fine perhaps issue with the planner connection for what ever reason?? - anyway it worked. So if you experience the same issue try updating your existing password on the main site and then try Magic Gathering Planner again.

 

[gopherit]

Well HELP! Now I'm confused!

We will have 8 plus an infant at WDW, putting us at 9 total, in August 04. I already made our HDDR ressies about 2 mos ago; when I did, they made me call the "Large Parties" phone # (they didn't call it Magical Gatherings, I'm pretty sure). The CM explained to me that for HDDR, this was necessary, as they terms a party of 8 or more as "large", but for all my other upcoming ressies, I should be able to call WDW-DINE. Only HDDR and Spirit of Aloha classified 8 or more as "large", needing special reservations.

So what does one "gain" by terming itself a "Magical Gathering"? Does this mean that at the 90 day mark, when I call to make ressies, the CM will let me, or will the CM say, "Ooops, sorry pal, you're a Magical Gathering!" Are all parties of 8 or more auotmatically a "magical gathering"? I'm just trying to figure out if this is something we want/need/will have inevitably! Plus -- if you're a magical gathering BUT some members of your party want to make separate ressies (I always make a special "girls' day out" ressie for my dd and me... she's 3 but she LOVES the special attention, and I had CRT in mind!) are you forever stuck as part of a magical gathering classification?

Hmmmm... maybe I had better scoot over to the Magical Gatherings info page. I thought I had our trip pretty well figured out, but now....

 

[zulaya]

You aren't "stuck" as a Grand Gathering. You aren't even classified as one unless you ask for it.

This promo didn't even start until Oct. 9.

The benefits are you get some planning help, PS help (don't know what that means, but I think it's help getting you seated together), and the chance to book special events. The special events 8 or more of your group ages 3 and up *have to* participate in if you want to do it.

So if you want to have a girls night out, you can.

 

[Janet2k]

Gopherit, as Zulaya mentioned, you don’t have to be classified as a Grand Gatherings group vacation if you don’t wish to be. It’s just that as a Grand Gatherings group, your party has access to some things that regular guests don’t have access to, for example, the Grand Gatherings Experiences (click here to view a current list of them).

My upcoming vacation actually begins a few weeks before the Grand Gatherings goes into full swing, drats! During that vacation, I have a Group Dining reservation for nine people for the new Luau. It should be a fun evening for my family and our guests. However, if our vacation had started a week or two later, and if we were officially a Grand Gatherings vacation group, we would have been able to book unique and memorable events, for example, the Safari Celebration Dinner or the Magical Fireworks Voyage. And we could have had some fun merchandise to wear on vacation, too, like the Grand Gatherings t-shirt and baseball cap (click here to view them). All is not lost, however, since next year’s vacation is already being planned as a Grand Gatherings, but since I’ll be in Disney soon, I will be a little sad knowing that I missed it “by this much” (in reference to the timing of my vacation and the new Grand Gatherings vacation program). I’m anxious to hear how the first Grand Gatherings vacations turn out. I’m sure they will be magical.