What are you all planning for transportation??

[SarahInMN]

Hi -

I'm planning on a ceremony and reception at the same resort. I'm not certain if I should arrange transportation or not for the guests. What do you all think? What are you planning on using (if anything) for your guests?



Sarah

 

[lurkyloo]

Oh man, if you can skip it, do! It's nothing but trouble and EXPENSIVE!!

The reason I need it is I have three locations and times: Epcot & BoardWalk Inn in the morning, then Epcot again at night. What was I thinking?

I guess it would be nice if you had transportation for your guests to the resort where the ceremony and recpetion are, then back to guests' hotels. If you get everyone to stay at two resorts (instead of four like we did), you can use what's called a "one-way bus" - it's cheaper.

 

[cseca]

Oh man, if you can skip it, do! It's nothing but trouble and EXPENSIVE!!

The reason I need it is I have three locations and times: Epcot & BoardWalk Inn in the morning, then Epcot again at night. What was I thinking?

I guess it would be nice if you had transportation for your guests to the resort where the ceremony and recpetion are, then back to guests' hotels. If you get everyone to stay at two resorts (instead of four like we did), you can use what's called a "one-way bus" - it's cheaper.

Hey Lurky,
If we have our wedding at SBP and reception at EPCOT do we need to get transportation to and from BW Inn for our guests who stays at BW Inn?

I have 3 resorts too and I was thinking of letting people who stay at BW Inn use the Int'l gateway (including us... ). Will they let us do that?

 

[SarahInMN]

Lurkyloo-

I have to admit that I was hoping someone would say "skip it." I just have a hard time seeing it when the ceremony and reception will be at the same place. I guess I'm just worried about everyone getting BACK to their resorts afterwards because I don't know how late everyone will stay although I can't imagine the dinner will last later than how late the buses run.

As you said, the cost is outrageous!

Something for us to keep thinking about, I guess.

Thanks!

Sarah

 

[Beep]

Hi Sarah,

We are having our ceremony at the Boardwalk then going to Grand Floridian for lunch and more photos. We are having dinner at the Yacht Club so I'm hoping that we will be able to get everyone to the Grand Floridian and back to the Boardwalk in the 4 hours that we have the limo for.

We are going into Epcot after dinner and the idea was that everyone would be parked at the Boardwalk for the ceremony anyway and we wouldn't have to worry about getting them back there for their cars to go home.

It is an expensive game otherwise to move people around!

 

[SarahInMN]

Beep -

So, it sounds like you're only getting a limo for the wedding party, yes? I'm beginning to think that our guests can navigate interresort transportation on their own since apparently buses run until about 2am. We're having 4 resorts: Grand Floridian, Yacht Club, Port Orleans, and an AllStar. And no one is exactly elderly. Complicated!!

Cseca-

I need to learn all these abbreviations: what is SBP?


Thanks!

Sarah

 

[Desnik]

BBP= Sea Breeze Point(ceremony location at the Boardwalk resort)

I am planning a VR at the WP followed by reception at the White Hall room and patio and then a Illuminations dessert party. I plan on providing transportation to pick up my guests at their resort, drop them off at the GF, then transportation to bring us all to Epcot, then back to their resorts. Just how expensive is this transportation? You all have me worried!!

 

[lurkyloo]

Hey Lurky,
If we have our wedding at SBP and reception at EPCOT do we need to get transportation to and from BW Inn for our guests who stays at BW Inn?

I have 3 resorts too and I was thinking of letting people who stay at BW Inn use the Int'l gateway (including us... ). Will they let us do that?

Your guests who are staying at BWI can walk to the ceremony at SBP, but I'm pretty sure they're going to require you to use transportation (bus, limos, etc.) to get them into Epcot for the reception. However, they do let guests walk in thru the International Gateway (with an escort) for Dessert Parties, so it couldn't hurt to ask!

Just how expensive is this transportation? You all have me worried!!

It depends - a chartered motorcoach is $90/hour, and they make you hire it for a minimum of 5 hours, even if you don't need it that long. And if you only need it before your ceremony and after the reception, you have to pay for it to sit around the whole time - eight or more hours.

 

[lurkyloo]

I'm beginning to think that our guests can navigate interresort transportation on their own since apparently buses run until about 2am. We're having 4 resorts: Grand Floridian, Yacht Club, Port Orleans, and an AllStar. And no one is exactly elderly. Complicated!!

The only thing about that is, there is no resort-to-resort Disney bus service, so they will have to ride at least two buses, changing at Downtown Disney (if the parks are closed).

None of my guests have ever been to WDW before, so I felt like I couldn't leave them to negotiate WDW's bus system on their own...

 

[Desnik]

It depends - a chartered motorcoach is $90/hour, and they make you hire it for a minimum of 5 hours, even if you don't need it that long. And if you only need it before your ceremony and after the reception, you have to pay for it to sit around the whole time - eight or more hours.

OK, that's not fair! What other options are there?

 

[SarahInMN]

Lurkyloo -

I didn't realize that they would have to transfer at downtown disney. I guess I assumed they could just hop on a bus and make the rounds. Maybe then my solution is to only plan having it for post reception rather than the whole time, because as you pointed out, then the bus would be doing nothing in the interim.

Is it easy for guests to get resort to resort the parks are open, like to get to the GF pre-ceremony???

Thanks!

 

[Beep]

Beep -

So, it sounds like you're only getting a limo for the wedding party, yes?

Hmmm, not sure yet. We are (hopefully) going to be leaving the Boardwalk at approx midday to get to the Grand Floridian and then back again at around 1430. We think that, even if the limo makes 2 trips each way which would be one for our guests and then another for us two and my parents, we will still get it all in within the 4 hours.

If not, we can hire the limo for another hour which is about the same that town cars would cost.

We would love to hire the vintage rolls or ford that disney have, or a Hummerzine but can't really justify the cost. We'd be looking at around $500 for the Hummer which seems such a lot, but it does seat 24 so we could all pile in and drive around disney for a bit!

So tempting!!

 

[lurkyloo]

OK, that's not fair! What other options are there?

Not many.... if your guests are at only 2 Disney resorts, you can get what they call a "one-way" bus, which costs a little less (don't have the price on me right now) and may not have a minimum number of hours - we didn't get too much detail on this b/c we couldn't use it.

You can use limos, which only seat 8 but, for point-to-point transport, can make several trips.

You can use town cars, but some planners actively discourage this because they have had instances where the town car driver stranded guests in favor of a more lucrative airport transport request (or something like that ).

That's what I don't like - the options aren't great, and they're all overpriced, IMHO.

Maybe then my solution is to only plan having it for post reception rather than the whole time, because as you pointed out, then the bus would be doing nothing in the interim. Is it easy for guests to get resort to resort the parks are open, like to get to the GF pre-ceremony????

Well, they still have to change buses, but at least they can change at the nearest park instead of going all the way to Downtown Disney. I think, if I were a guest, I might be miffed to have to ride regular Disney transport in my fancy clothes and figure out how to change buses and all - but then again, I know there are alternatives!

 

[SarahInMN]

Ack...I didn't realize they would STILL have to change buses even if the parks were open. I guess motorcoach it is for our guests.

 

[cseca]

Hmm... I wonder if we could designate a meeting place for example Downtown disney. Everybody meets at DTD for the bus or whatever the transportation then there will be 1 pick up and 1 drop off...

The problem is DTD is pretty darn far away from everywhere.

 

[Desnik]

What kind of bus/motor coach is it? I just have this vision of my guests in a big, old, non air conditioned bus!LOL Is it a Disney bus? How big is it? Is there a way to get multiple limos through Disney or ones that can hold more than 8 people?

 

[lurkyloo]

What kind of bus/motor coach is it? I just have this vision of my guests in a big, old, non air conditioned bus!LOL Is it a Disney bus? How big is it? Is there a way to get multiple limos through Disney or ones that can hold more than 8 people?

Gee, I was just assuming it was a plush motorcoach like the Magical Express/DCL ones. You don't think they're gonna put my guests on a regular Disney transportation bus, do you? : For what I'm paying, there'd better be a stewardess serving drinks!!

You can get as many limos as you want through Disney (it's all through Mears, really), but they don't have any that hold more than 8. I'm not sure limos are that much cheaper an option - we're being charged $144 for a one-way limo trip into Epcot.

 

[Desnik]

Gee, I was just assuming it was a plush motorcoach like the Magical Express/DCL ones. You don't think they're gonna put my guests on a regular Disney transportation bus, do you? : For what I'm paying, there'd better be a stewardess serving drinks!!

You can get as many limos as you want through Disney (it's all through Mears, really), but they don't have any that hold more than 8. I'm not sure limos are that much cheaper an option - we're being charged $144 for a one-way limo trip into Epcot.

We need to question some Disney brides to see what the bus looks like!!

$144 for a one way trip to Epcot!! Is that the flat rate they charge per hour for the limo?

 

[SarahInMN]

Des -

I'm pretty sure they are the plush motorcoaches: the Disney Wedding Wishbook site has pictures of all transportation options and the buses look like your average big comfy motorcoach (versus a schoolbus or a regular bus).

Sarah

 

[cp_princess]

We plan on using Cinderella's coach and maybe the monorail for me and DF. Originally I wanted everyone to do the monorail - since we're getting married at WP and reception at the Napa Room in CG in CR. I thought it would be fun for the kids and such. I would have wanted to use cars or something for our parents and grandparents though so they wouldn't have to walk. Disney of course was pushing for us to use a bus. FMIL felt that everyone needed transportation and said she felt we should do the bus. Since she offered to pay who was I to argue! So the answer is a bus - we have 47 guests which is the max # of people per bus - so I guess DF and I will still be on the monorail I figure it's a good photo-op though! Have to admit that I'm a bit worried by all this 90$ per hour extra since our reception itself is 5 hours but I'm pretty sure Disney plans it that way on purpose.

Christine