WP Renovation/ GF Expansion?!

[Tink-erbell78]

Hi all,

I have been lurking on these boards for a while - learning lots of information! I will no doubt start a planning journal eventually!
DF and I are planning our Disney Wishes wedding for August 2012 - I'm in contact with Pam and met with her way back in Sept 09 to discuss weddings - its been our plan for a long time! Current wedding plan is WP/LSS/Sago.

We are torn between SBP and WP - however, last night DF said that he really thought WP would be the best option because of the August heat, even though it is more expensive (we are on budget - costs from the UK are steep!). So, I know have the WP firmly in my mind - when I see online that some brides are changing to SBP because of WP renovation and GF expansion?! I e-mailed DFTW but Pam is away until Friday - can anyone on here please help or offer information?

Thanks and hi from this newbie!

 

[pixie921]

Unfortunately, Disney isn't big on sharing its plans with their guests, so no one really knows exactly when the construction will begin. It looks like it's pretty certain to happen, but it's hard to know when. BLT took a while to go up and was pretty unsightly, so I really understand people changing venues.

August is definitely hot, so I can see the allure of the WP over an outside venue, but if you're concerned enough to want to change, you could maybe do a ceremony first thing in the morning at SBP or even the Yacht Club Gazebo ... that's located very close to the hotel so you wouldn't have to be outside for very long.

Hopefully Disney will start releasing some info soon so people can plan properly ... best wishes on planning your wedding!

 

[One_Song]

Like pp said, no one is certain what is happening or when. Disney has received permits from their water management district to start a new project between GF and the WP, extending all the way into the lagoon. Those public documents are how the plans were found out. Disney won't make any comment, but the rumor is the building will be used for new vacation club villas. It is very frustrating because the weddings office doesn't have any further info at this point.

If you go to this thread, you can see what else has been said about the project. Some people posted articles and plans they found:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2681226

 

[julierocks]

Not that one could predict the other, but does anyone have any idea of the previous construction timeline for BLT? How long after the initial plans were made public (water management, etc) did they break ground? I know we can't use it as a definite, but maybe as a guideline??

 

[pixie921]

I'm not 100% certain, but I believe construction started in late 2007, because I have news articles discussing the "partially-built" addition dated May 2008, and then the building didn't actually open for guests 'til August 2009, so it was like a two-year process once it actually started. However, I have no idea when they first announced plans to build; the rumors were around for a loooong time before actual plans showed up on the internet, and then it was a while afterward before Disney confirmed the build.

 

[pezaddict231]

We got married in the WP this past August and it was definitely good to be indoors. It was so hot that day that I didn't even have the BP outside for many pictures.

Could you choose another indoor location? What about American Adventure Rotunda?

As for the new building, I doubt Disney will say much about it until it is almost done. BLT was pretty much built and they were still denying it's existence, I remember going to Disney a in 2008 and pointing out the "nonexistent" building to DH.

 

[Tink-erbell78]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the info, and the thread link- even though frankly the info makes me want to cry! My heart was set on the WP- I could visualise us there, and now nothing is certain. I rang DFTW and spoke to Meredith who was very nice, but had no information and advised that I speak to Pam. Meredith said that "nothing has been announced". But as we know, it never is! I'm not sure if I should put the wedding off for a year, though I really don't want to do this-if I knew when they were starting to build that would help, so that I could plan a 2 yearish mark for the work to be finished. Nightmare!

I also feel so sorry for those brides that have already planned their wedding and paid deposit- I was going to do mine on 11th April, so close yet so far hey?!

As a side note, if we went with SBP and it rains- does anyone have any photos of the ballroom used as the backup location? Or, rather than use that- could we not just have the ceremony and reception at LSS? Do you think they would go for that idea?

Thanks again all

 

[One_Song]

Not that one could predict the other, but does anyone have any idea of the previous construction timeline for BLT? How long after the initial plans were made public (water management, etc) did they break ground? I know we can't use it as a definite, but maybe as a guideline??

I looked into this back when I was obsessing about the new construction. As best I could find, Disney received permits from SFWMD in Jan. 2007 for what would become BLT. Demolition on the old CR north wing began in late January. It's hard to determine when construction of the new building actually began, but one video I found seemed to indicate August 2007. You may remember that Disney did not "officially announce" anything until fall 2008.

Like you said, this can't necessarily be taken as a prediction. Also, I think there are two big differences to consider. First, the size of the buildings that have to be demolished at GF are much smaller than they were at CR. Second, Disney has to do some work in the lagoon and Bay Lake to adjust the shoreline and keep the water level consistent.

Who knows? I guess the next news we'll hear is that someone spotted a construction fence. I had 1 week when I was REALLY freaking out about this, but I decided the stress wasn't worth it. I'm just excited to be getting married, and whatever happens, happens. I'm done letting it dampen my pre-wedding high

 

[supremecort8]

Hi! I just went over to Disney today. The DF and I had our appointment set up to look at the ballroom we will be using in person. I asked my coordinator about this construction issue. He said they have heard this and he would email me the second he knew anything. He did say that when the GF renovated years ago, they were very good about noise. He said that they actually stopped construction during the weddings. He also said they always put barriers up so you can't directly see the construction. I'm sure barriers might take away from the look of the beach area (if that's where this stuff ends up), but I did feel a lot better about the noise issue after speaking to him. We are June 2012, and we are staying with the WP. It's too gorgous not to!!! Good luck!