Wishes dessert party???

[Coloradogrl]

I feel kinda silly asking this because I have never heard anyone talk about one, but is there a Wishes dessert party?

 

[evedein]

There is no "official" wishes desert party, however, you can book a party through Private Dining at the Grand Floridian at an outdoor site near the marina that has a view of Wishes. It's much less expensive than the Illuminations DP & there are no minimums. We are having a Welcome Party there prior to DD's wedding. I don't know if there is any restriction on wearing your gown since that wasn't an issue for us. Also, you can't hear the music for Wishes from there, but I believe for an added fee, you can have the music piped in. You could call Private Dining for more info.
HTH
Eve
By the way, out EM told us that Intimates couldn't have a private party. So we didn't tell her that we booked one anyway. We did however tell Private Dining that DD was getting married there later in the week. I don't know if there are any restrictions on doing it the day of the wedding.

 

[Coloradogrl]

Well I think I will just stick with the illumanations dessert party.
Yhea I have heard of people booking w/ private dining like that but we now dont have to worry about that b/c we are doing a custom wedding

 

[melmel]

The added benifit to the wishes party is the cost. I would loooove to do an illuminations party but it just wasn't in the budget, so this way we get fireworks and food for about $300 big difference. Since I'm an intimate I couldn't have worn my gown for Illuminations anyway and that was the part that I wanted most, so this seemed like the best option.

Melissa (evedein's dd)

 

[MApigletfan]

Who would someone contact if they were interested in booking this? I was going to have an Illuminations party but after adding everything up it got expensive so this might work.

 

[Janet2k]

I’ve had two dessert parties at the Grand Floridian’s marina. Both times I had to work with the Grand Floridian’s Convention Services staff. They did a marvelous job with both parties.

I described one of my dessert parties in the trip report about my Summerhouse Dinner Party event (click here). You’ll find links in there to many photos of the event, including the dessert party portion of it (the dessert party was a surprise to my guests). By the way, if you look towards the bottom of my on-line photo album of that event, you will see a few fireworks photos (click here).

I haven’t described my second dessert party yet (I plan to, just haven’t found the time yet). That party was held on the evening before my FTW vow renewal. Suffice it to say, the Grand Floridian’s Convention Services staff did another wonderful job. The party was “themed” and was adorable. My guests loved it.

To contact them, call the Disney Operator and ask to be connected to the Grand Floridian's Convention Services folks.

 

[fun2bmomof3]

Wow Janet, that was some party! I was set on an Illuminations party, but now I'm reconsidering something to this effect.
What a wonderful idea. I've read several of your post and you really are quite an extrordinary event planner.

Crissy

 

[Janet2k]

I've read several of your post and you really are quite an extrordinary event planner.

I can't take the credit -- it was my Event Manager who did it all. And he just so happens to be a Grand Floridian Convention Services Cast Member.

It's amazing what can be done when you have a professional plan your parties. And that is why I suggest that folks who are looking to do something unusual & memorable consider contacting the Grand Floridian's Convention Services organization. They truly are a pleasure to work with and are full of so many wonderful ideas.

 

[Coloradogrl]

your party was amazing!!!! Could you hear the music?

 

[Coloradogrl]

Did you also have a privately cateered bbq to or what was that before the dessert party?

 

[kegafford]

SO if I go this way I save money and get to wear my dress !!!!

Please let me know. I wanted to have something like this but the budget just did not allow for it.

Thanks in advance
Kim

 

[Coloradogrl]

Yhea if I could wear a dress to that I would totally go with that too! I have never seen WDW fireworks but DL is fireworks are always my favorite part of the trip. I just wouldnt want to miss out on the songs piped in.

 

[twojo21]

the food, dessert, drinks, etc. can be done through the grand floridians private dining, me & my fi had dinner one night on the beach at the gf which was arranged through them.

i know you can have the music piped in at a cost, otherwise you can softly hear it in the distance. as for the dress ive seen other brides wear theres for a summerhouse reception/party so i dont see why not. check with the grand floridian convention center or your em to make sure though like with everything weddings at disney, better safe with the ok than sorry. this is definetly a cost effective alternative to illuminations.

best of luck ladies looking this route.

 

[Janet2k]

Could you hear the music?

Did you also have a privately cateered bbq to or what was that before the dessert party?

Coloradogirl, yes, we could hear music but that was because it was specially piped in to my dessert party's location. I explained everything in my trip report: click here. You'll see how the idea of hosting a private party at the Grand Floridian first came about, and you'll also see how my party's planning evolved.

For the others who are reading this post...

I went into great detail in my trip report because private event information is just not shared with the general public. And after personally writing a few trip reports that mention a few of my family's private events, I can see why this information is not shared. It takes a tremendous amount of time to put the information into words, and also into photos (photos need to be cropped, enhanced, resized, etc.). When I write my reports, I try very hard to put so much detail into them that folks can actually see how my brain (and heart) works. I want people to feel like they were actually planning the party with me, and then I want them to feel like they were attending the party with me. Putting all of this into words is truly a labor of love. But I want other people to see what is possible in Walt Disney World. If no one shares the information, no one knows what is possible.

Back to Coloradogrl's second question...

Coloradogrl, yes, I had a private dinner party at the Summerhouse before my (surprise) dessert party at the Marina (it was described in my trip report). The party was beautifully relaxing, ~sigh.~ The Grand Floridian's Convention Services staff did a wonderful job with everything. By the way, I absolutely adore my Event Manager. He is creative beyond words, and I think that's because he has a heart as big as this world -- he understands what makes a party memorable, and that is truly family & friends -- his parties simply enhance that important theme. I need to note that is much easier said than done. The amount of work that Disney puts into a party is mind-boggling. They are professionals in every sense of the word. My guests, however, never saw the hard work that my Event Manager and his staff put into my event. All they saw was a beautiful Florida evening, ice-cold drinks, delicious food, and relaxed conversation amongst friends (as it should be ).

 

[Janet2k]

SO if I go this way I save money and get to wear my dress !!!!

Kegafford, I can't answer your first question because I don't know what your budget is. However, if you plan a private event at the Grand Floridian, you should be able to wear your bridal attire. I saw a wedding reception at the Summerhouse location during my vacation last year (I mentioned it in my trip report). The bride and groom (and their wedding party) were in their bridal attire. They looked so happy at their event, ~sigh.~

 

[Janet2k]

I have never seen WDW fireworks but DL is fireworks are always my favorite part of the trip. I just wouldnt want to miss out on the songs piped in.

The WDW "Wishes" fireworks are wonderful. I have seen Disneyland's, too (I vacationed there a few times this Summer). Since Disneyland's fireworks this year are themed around the 50th anniversary celebration, Walt Disney World's fireworks beat it in the romantic department, ~sigh.~ You'll love Wishes.

As to having the soundtrack to the Wishes fireworks show piped in, there will be a charge for that. You will need to contact the Grand Floridian's Convention Services staff to find out what the charges are for hosting a private dessert party at the Marina. That is the appropriate way to go.

 

[Coloradogrl]

Can you have alchoal at any of the dessert partys? I was thinking champagne would be very nice our a death by chocholate maritini!

 

[Janet2k]

Can you have alchoal at any of the dessert partys? I was thinking champagne would be very nice our a death by chocholate maritini!

Coloradogrl, for both of my dessert parties at the Grand Floridian, I had a bartender and fully stocked bar. It worked out well. My guests were able to get whatever they wanted: water, juices, coffee, soft drinks, and hard drinks (alcoholic).

 

[Coloradogrl]

Do you think I could wear a wedding dress w/o getting FTW involved?

 

[Janet2k]

Do you think I could wear a wedding dress w/o getting FTW involved?

Coloradogrl, good question, and since I don't have the answer, you will have to ask the Grand Floridian. Please let us know what you find out.