Considering your guests when making venue choices

[Guest]

We fancy having the wedding and stay onsite but Dh2B is worried about the costs involved for our guests. We don't want people having to stay in different hotels because they can't afford the onsite accomodation (not to mention the price of the onsite restaurants ). It would really make it for us if the whole wedding party stayed together.
I've suggested staying somewhere like Floridays which is central to everything and has the I Ride Trolley for everyone to use to get to restaurants without having to drive (we do all like a drink ).
None of our guests have been to Orlando before so it's natural that they will all want to visit WDW more so than the other parks, therefore it would make sense to stay onsite.
What would you do?

[Sarah84]

We are planning a Disney wedding and will be having around 12 guests, most of who haven't been before apart from 2 of my bridesmaids who I went on my first trip with a few years ago.
DFi's family are only able to come if we pay for them, we of course we will because I cannot ask my DFi not to have he's family there on our big day so we plan to hire a villa for a week for us, my mum, my sister & her DFi, my DFi's mum & step dad and younger brother & sister.
We hope to book the Contemporary resort for the night before which I will stay in with my mum then DFi & I will stay there for the following 3 nights.
Our other guests will thankfully be paying for themselves and we haven't spoke about where they will stay but it won't bother me we are not all staying together as it's easier enough to meet up for days at the parks, meals etc

How many guests do you plan to have?

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Sarah84

How many guests do you plan to have?

See more...

We will have between 35/40ish (including kids).

Your pocket will take a bit of a bashing won't it

[Sarah84]

Originally Posted by Alex uk

We will have between 35/40ish (including kids).

Your pocket will take a bit of a bashing won't it

See more...

In that case a Escape package is out of the question for you (if thats what you was looking at) not sure if you knew there was a max number of guests for that?

Yes so i really hope we can do it, fingerscrossed the dollar rate will increase or i might have to rethink my reception which i kind of have my heart set on.
I can't believe DFi mum, doesn't see her sons wedding important enough to try and at least save some money to be there

[Guest]

stay offsite, and for getting to disney use a cab company that has 12 person shuttles and charges per shuttle (not passenger) - I've have a hunt around my notes and try and find a few numbers for you. I-Drive sounds the better location for what you want - contacting hotel direct you may get some discounts for a bulk booking, alternatively when making group bookings of 10 or more theres normally an offer where 1 or 2 (depending on numbers) can go free - set up a holiday fund where everyone going pays in and then make the booking all at once. If you can give me a PM with ADULTS/CHILDREN/INFANTS numbers and your dates I'm more than happy to scout around - arranged a group booking for cousins wedding in greece so have some experience of setting up something like this.

[mushumadness]

if you have alot of guests you have to book with disney itself
we had to, you also have to have a number of rooms booked too, its part of the contract

we had 30 guests, my wedding ran my dad over $30k lol so be warned !
and he didnt pay for anyones accomadation etc or flights

he did buy our seperatly lol, which also cost a fortune! we stayed at the grand floridian for two weeks

give disney weddings a call they can go through it with you to see if its right for you

[Leanne1977]

If you are having that amount of guests you would be looking at a Wishes wedding with Disney. I don't know the exact figures but I know there is a minimum spend with that package.

[Kim]

The maximum number of guests you are allowed for an Escape Wedding is 18... 20 with the bride & groom.

Wishes minimum spend is $12,000.


Kim

[Sarah84]

Although at the moment they are doing a $10,000 min if you have a midweek morning wedding i think, though i don't know how long this price is going to last. Also if you do a wishes wedding you need have 25 nights booked on property altogether (I think its 25 anyway could be 20)

[Guest]

If you all stay onsite at the right time of year then you'd get free DDP which would help with costs? Could all have a drink and get Disney buses back to hotels for free. We are having an Escape wedding with only 6 guests, all will be staying onsite. We quite fancy O'hanas for reception so all guests can pay for their wedding meals with DDP credits - bargain lol. Got this tip from a fellow genius Dibber