Conference koolit::disney

    While I was at WDW last fall, I saw two weddings.  Both of them were
    very small.  

    I was being held at the Grand Floridian.  It was on the second floor.
    I can't remember for sure but I think it was being held in a balcony.

    The second wedding was on a hill outside the Polynesian Village.  I
    believe that this wedding was even smaller - maybe five people including
    the person performing the ceremony.

    Both weddings could be observed from a distance by other guests.  They
    were also far enough away or enclosed so that you should have some 
    privacy (at least from sounds).

    A wedding at WDW sounds wonderful! Having been to WDW several times
    on the World plan, I have dined at MOST of the restaurants. If I were
    to spend my wedding dinner there, I would choose from the following
    restaurants. 1. Ariel's at the beach club. I ate here in March and
    really enjoyed the decor, atmosphere and food. 2. Victoria and Albert's
    at the Grand Floridian. 3. Empress room at the Empress Lily. 
    #'s 2 and 3 are probably at the top of most lists for a SPECIAL dinner,
    but I was more 'comfortable' at Ariel's. 
    
    MHO
    Marcie

What a great idea... and I'm surprised that they don't offer more options
and promote themselves as a place to get married...

>    Anyway, I was surprised that the prices seemed so reasonable.  However,
>    currently they are only offering this package at three of their hotels. 
>    I believe they said these were the Contemporary, Disney Village, and
>    Disney Inn.  
    
Hmmmm, most surprising. You can bet these are not the top three honeymoon
choices, so it looks like they are simply trying to offer their best
packages at their least booked properties... I'm sure they can do better,
and I hope they do.
    
>    I've been to WDW twice, and really haven't toured the different resorts
>    much.  I'd appreciate any opinions/advice on where in the World you
>    would get married if you had a choice.  Which resort has the most
>    romantic setting for a wedding?  What restaurant would you choose to
>    dine at with your guests? 
    
Each resort has a different atmosphere, and somewhat different decor,
landscaping, and overall appearance.  At the Grand Floridian, there are
very nice courtyards, landscaping, good open spaces inside in case of
rain, and good picture taking places, including the beach, lake, buildings,
flowers, and even the Magic Kingdom (Off in the distance) as backdrop.

Same for the Polynesian, but with a decidedly pacific islands decor.

Nothing special about the Contemporary, except for some nice garden areas.

If the whole wedding party has passes, you could get on the monorail and
go into the parks for pictures!  Now there's a sight!  And some of the
best garden backdrops are in the parks.

The Beach and Yacht Clubs have nicely landscaped grounds but not much space
to get away from people, as the lake side is a "thoroughfare" for pedestrians.
There might be some quiet lawns and gardens on the other side, but I'm not
sure.  If you take wedding pictures there, try not to get the Swan and Dolphin
in the background :-) .

As for restaurants, I agree with .2 ... but the pricetag would be steep at
V&A's.  Other nice restaurants would be Top of the World in the Contemporary,
(for the view), Flagler's in the Grand Floridian (for the convenience if
the wedding was there).  

Regardless, get them to offer better accomodations for you, or to price the
wedding part separate from the accomodations.  Then go on the Admiral plan
with the MKC discount anyway.  I have the booklet (we're doing the World
plan there, and they sent us the Admiral plan with the stuff we don't get
crossed out.  Nice try, guys.)  If you do this, you will have a few dozen
extra "attendents" through this conference if you keep writing about it.

bill

    I too would recommend Flaglers.  Great food and the singing wait staff
    would be an excellent addition to a romantic dinner.
    
    	Dave

    Do you have a phone number to call to receive information on WDW
    weddings?  or even an address?  
    
    Thanks.
    
    ses

    Here's some excerpts from the WDW ad I ripped out of a recent bridal 
    magazine, with the phone number.
    
    "Walt Disney World Wedding Specialists help you plan the perfect
    wedding that's as individual as you are.  With the meticulous attention
    to detail for which Disney is famous, they orchestrate every element of
    your storybook wedding:  beautiful bridal flowers and floral
    arrangements, dazzling decorations, professional audiovisual services,
    Disney's world-renowned entertainment, superb guest resort
    accommodations, and numerous special options.  From an unforgettable
    wedding ceremony and exquisite reception to a romantic honeymoon suite
    complete with champagne, fresh flowers and breakfast in bed, nothing is
    overlooked."
    
    "Offering over 27,000 acres of luxury and excitement, the Walt Disney
    World Resort in Florida has activities and attractions to please every
    guest and member of your wedding party.  And, the choice of wedding
    locations at Walt Disney World is virtually endless. Whether you prefer
    the quiet intimacy of a beautiful garden or the spacious charm of a
    majestic riverboat, you can have the unique, magical wedding of which
    you've always dreamed.  Dreams come true at Walt Disney World. 
    
    All inclusive Disney Fairy Tale Weddings start at $17,500.   For more
    information, call a Disney Wedding Specialist at (407) 363-6333."
    
    As I've said, their wedding specialists can plan any size wedding. 
    They quoted me some incredibly reasonable prices over the phone for a
    more intimate wedding....(ie. only 20 or so people).   They are also
    sending me something in the mail which outlines the packages they offer
    in more detail.
    
    Kristen

    Kristen will you marry me......
    
    ......................in front of the Castle?
    
    Psssst....don't mention this to my wife.
    
    
    Mike 

    I really enjoy the resteraunt in the French Pavilion at Epcot Center. 
    I can't remember the name of it, except that it is located on the second 
    floor of the "resteraunt" building in France.
    
    It is an elegant setting and the food is exceptionally good.  The
    setting is on the formal side compared to other Epcot resteraunts.
    
    We went to Disneyworld on our honeymoon and we had a great time!  
    
    Mary
    

The following article appeared in the October 28, 1992 edition of the Wall
Street Journal.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

PEOPLE ARE SO GOOFY ABOUT DISNEY WORLD THEY MARRY THERE

		*  *  *

Fairy-Tale Weddings Become a Major New Attraction; Cinderella Weds the Prince

	---------------------------
	By Eric Morgenthaler
		Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

ORLANDO, Fla. - The bride, who lives in Arizona, has visited Walt Disney World
nearly 50 times. The groom ones three Mickey Mouse watches and was wearing one
the day he first met his intended. He keeps a Mickey Mouse doll strapped in
the back seat of his Nissan Sentra.

So when Tricia Bandell and Kris Strachan got married last Saturday, there
wasn't much question about where the ceremony would take place.

WHO'S GOT THE RING?

"The ring," intones the Baptist minister. He looks at the best man, who feels
in his side pocket, stares back blankly and shrugs.

"The ring," the minister says again, more emphatically. A groomsman fidgets. A
bridesmaid giggles.

"The ring!"

Suddenly, harp and violin break into "When You Wish Upon a Star." The minister
beams and gazes up the aisle. The bride and groom glance nervously over their
shoulders, and their eyes grow wide. A footman in white wig and gold livery is
walking slowly toward them, carrying a red velvet pillow with a glass slipper
on it.

In the slipper are the rings for this wedding on an emerald lawn by a silver
lake with a golden view of Cinderella's Castle.

"A dream come true," says Tricia.

It had to happen. As Walt Disney Co. built ever-grander hotels - there are 10
in all at Disney World - more and more couples wanted to get married in them.
Disney has obliged the demand for years. But in 1991, it opened a full-time
Disney Fairy Tale Weddings Department and has since put on about 200
full-service weddings, say Rebecca Miller, national sales manager for the
division. Prices typically start at about $10,000, though Disney will work
with couples who want to do it more on the cheap.

"Disney is very, very accommodating," says Jeanne Bandell, the mother of
Saturday's bride. She cooked up the idea with a Disney wedding coordinator of
surprising the happy couple with the ring-bearing footman. "They'll do just
about anything you want," she says.

Indeed, for $1000, Disney will supply a Cinderella coach, with footman and
driver and six white ponies.

Mickey and Minnie Mouse and other characters will attend the reception as
ren-a-guests. Other trademark characters will come, too, at a volume discout.
But they won't participate in the ceremony itself, though there's demand for
that, too. "We get that request all the time," Ms. Miller say. Disney has to
draw the line somewhere.

Walt Disney World will throw wedding receptions or dinners around just about
any Disney theme, from "Fantasia" to "Beauty and the Beast." One couple chose
a country-and-western milieu for their wedding in Fort Wilderness, a Disney
World campground and resort. In that case, the bride arrived by stagecoach.
Several couples have tied the knot at Disney's Polynesian Resort, with tiki
torches, leis and a luau afterward.

One couple pledged their troth with Donald and Daisy Duck hats, instead of
rings. A bride attached her veil to the mouse ears she was wearing. Another
bride actually dressed as Cinderella, her betrothed as Prince Charming.

"There are some real Disney fanatics that come here," says Tim Herring, who
officiates at many Disney World weddings. "They just worship this place."

The Rev. Herring looks kindly on the goings-on, "as long as what people do is
in good taste.... We have had some great times."

A fantasy wedding wingding can end up costing a fantastic sum. Dino and Joan
Chouest had at first planned a hometown affair in Galliano, La. They had lined
up a priest and hired a band; they had ordered the invitations. Then, during a
visit to Walt Disney World they learned that they could actually get married
here. They canceled the priest, disinvited the band and, early this month,
were united in marriage in the lobby of Disney's pricey hotel, the Grand
Floridian. About 100 guests, mostly from Louisiana, flew in to Orlando.

"Everything was first class," says Mr. Chouest. The wedding cost $40,000.

One appeal a wedding here has is the array of theme parks all can enjoy at
this 43-square-mile spread southwest of Orlando. Guests who attend from great
distances can make a vacation of it and bring the kids.

Disney makes everything easy. Its wedding department is a one-stop shop -
ready to handle everything from the invitations to the cake and honeymoon
suite. "Where else can you get all this experience under one roof?" asks Mrs.
Bandell, Tricia's mom.

Tricia Bandell was dreaming of a wedding outside Cinderella's castle long
before there was such a thing as a Disney wedding. Now 24 years old, she has
visited the park with her family two or three times a year since the place
opened in 1971. "I never wanted to leave," she says. "I wanted to live in a
cartoon."

Last February, Tricia's parents visited Disney World to celebrate their own
wedding anniversary and learned about Disney weddings. They phoned Tricia, who
was engaged and planning to wed close to home, which is Mesa, Ariz., to broach
the idea. She works at a golf resort. Kris, 28, is a stand-up comic and works
in a retail store.

Her parents weren't concerned about the cost, which ended up at about $16,000.
All they wanted to know from her was whether she wanted Mickey and Minnie to
attend the dinner dance in formal attire. The bride-to-be burst into tears.

At the bride's request, Mickey and Minnie came in street clothes. And when the
couple walked up the aisle as man and wife, it was to the strains of
"Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." 

    Hmmmmm,
    
    Wonder if anyone has thought about restating marriage vows in WDW.
    
    Could be something to do on a 25th or 50th Anniversary.
    
    Mike_who_has_7_years_to_think_about_it

I actually have mouse ears for my wedding and engagement rings.  When I got
engaged, I had a single, solitary (round) diamond ring, like :

==O==

For my wedding ring, I wanted two smaller raised diamonds that would
surround my diamond solitaire, like:

 o o
=(-)=    so that when the 2 rings were together they would look like:

=oOo=

However, the matching wedding ring was more like =o-o=
so when you put them together they look like:

 o o
==O==

After the wedding, when showing my rings to people, I told them these were my
diamond Mickey Mouse ears!

My husband and I were married a year and a half ago, in a hot air balloon,
2500 feet over WDW.  It was the most wonderful and romantic wedding we could 
have hoped for!

We made all the arrangements ourselves, Disney was not involved in this.  This
was an adventure in itself as we live in Ma.  In our balloon we had our pilot
(who is also a bellman at the Contemporary), our video guy, our notary, my
groom in a tux with tails, and me in a long victorian wedding dress.  We also
had music that we had taped, champagne and bride and groom glasses, and silk
flowers.  The limo picked us up at the Beach Club Resort at 5:45 am on May 1,
1991 and our wonderful day began.  Our takeoff point was at the Sonesta Villa
Resort on Sand Lake a few miles off of WDW property.  The grounds were just
beautiful.  We didn't lift off till around 7:00ish, the balloon owner wanted
to give us enough sunlight for some good pictures.  The entire day was magic!

We were gently carried up in the air to the planned 2500 ft before the ceremony
was to begin.  The pilot wanted to get us high enough so that we could just 
float in silence instead of him having to use the loud burners.  As we were 
rising we could see all of WDW.  The most magical sight was the castle in the
distance surrounded by a light morning haze. Kinda like the sight that
Cinderella saw out of her tower window.  When we reached 2500 feet, my husband
turned our music on and the ceremony began.  It was beautiful, the dream of
a lifetime come true.  Our pilot had to turn the burners on at the end while
I was trying to get Russ's ring on, it took me so long!  

After the ceremony WDW was out of site but other beautiful sites were all
around.  We flew over golf courses and residential areas where we were just
a few feet above the rooftops.  People were coming out of their homes to
wave and some even took pictures.  Our chase car and limo told us later that
they could hear our music floating overhead.  At one point we grazed a pine 
tree and Russ leaned over and picked 2 baby pine cones for us.

I never wanted this to end but of course it had to.  The landing was very good,
in a dry field and not too bumpy.  Then it was back to the Sonesta for a brunch
with the crew and then back to the Beach Club.  We got alot of looks as we made
our way through the lobby.  The ladies who took care of our room were so sweet.
We got lots of congratulations and one even brought us extra newspapers 
because our picture was in it.

I know this type of wedding certainly isn't right for most people but for
us it truly was perfect.  Alot of folks cannot have such a private wedding as 
this but for each of us it was a second marriage and it was ok with the people
close to us.  A month after our wedding, we held a reception at our home for
our family and friends so no one would feel left out.  Russ has 3 wonderful
kids and they were all for our wedding and reception.  We never would have 
done it this way if they hadn't agreed to it.

I really still haven't landed from our magical flight!  

    Can anyone help me?  I am coming to Orlando with my fiance, 
    at the end of May this year and we wish to get married in WDW.
    Can anyone help with any information about how we go about this?
    We have booked our flights and accommodation so just need to know
    about wedding packages.  Any information would be greatly appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Sharon. (Tel: 830 6568)  
                       

    The number to call for Weddings is 407-828-3400.
    
    

    
             DISNEY ADDS EXTRA TOUCH WITH NEW IN-PARK WEDDING PROGRAM
    
    
      LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- An enchanting
    Cinderella-like wedding in the Magic Kingdom, a Hollywood extravaganza
    in the courtyard of the Chinese Theater at Disney-MGM Studios or
    international-themed nuptials at Epcot are now a reality with the new
    "in-park" wedding program announced today at Walt Disney World Resort.
      While more than 1,000 couples have marched to matrimony at Walt Disney
    World Resort this year alone, all ceremonies have taken place in venues
    outside the theme parks -- indoor and outdoor settings including
    gazebos, courtyards and elegant resort locations.
      Now the sky is the limit for couples looking to stage unique, memorable
    weddings through Disney's popular Fairy Tale Weddings -- and all in the
    privacy of a park setting open only to the couple and their guests.
      "Through the years, hundreds of couples have requested to get married
    in the theme parks," said Randy Garfield, senior vice president of sales
    and travel operations, Walt Disney Attractions.  "We have expanded
    our offerings and designed a one-of-a-kind wedding program to fulfill
    those special requests."
      Weddings at Walt Disney World Resort's most famous venues are limited
    only by the imagination of the bridal party.  Here are several
    possibilities:
    
      Magic Kingdom
    
      The romance of the fairy tale is captured as a bride arrives in
    Cinderella's glass coach -- complete with costumed footman and six
    white ponies -- dressed in a specially designed Cinderella gown.  A fairy
    tale majordomo carries the wedding rings to the altar in Cinderella's glass
    slipper and a trumpeter heralds the bride's entrance with favorite Disney
    melodies.  The couple exchanges vows in the rose garden of Cinderella
    Castle.  Afterwards, Mickey and Minnie welcome guests to a fantasy
    reception at King Stefan's banquet hall.  The evening ends with a special
    "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks display with Tinker Bell and her magical
    pixie dust.
     
     Disney-MGM Studios
    
      Screaming fans and autograph hounds set the scene.  The bride arrives
    in a star motorcade down Hollywood Boulevard for an official handprint
    ceremony at the Chinese Theater.  A reception follows in the Great Movie
    Ride attraction.  The evening ends with "Sorcery in the Sky" fireworks
    featuring a personalized pyro show.  Couples can even "take the plunge"
    literally and figuratively -- on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror(TM).
    
      Epcot
    
      Couples can choose from several venues around World Showcase -- American
    Adventure, United Kingdom and Canada -- for an international festival
    featuring unique food and entertainment.  At the Living Seas in Epcot's
    Future World, a 5.7-million-gallon tank featuring more than 200
    varieties of sea life is the backdrop for couples.
      Disney wedding specialists incorporate all the elements that go into
    creating a fairy tale wedding -- specialty invitations, ceremony,
    entertainment, cuisine, floral, audiovisuals, accommodations and theme
    park tickets.
      For more information on Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings, call
    407-828-3400
             

    It's great to finally see Disney give in on this one. My wife and I
    were married on July 14, 1994 at Disneyland (not World), but we tried
    to get Disney to help us out, and they actually discouraged the idea.
    We were able to find a Minister that was willing to go onto the grounds
    with us and marry us. We were married in front of the statue of Walt
    and Mickey holding hand in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle and we had
    the best time of our lives.
    
    If Disney had this 2 month's ago, there is no doubt that this is the
    way we would have gone. Oh Well, it was a day I will never forget ...
    my Wife won't let me !! :)
    
    Brian Clarke

  I noticed that there was no reference to the $$$$$$'s.  I'll bet it ain't
cheap.  Maybe Donald Trump can afford it thought ;-.]

    I was talking to my Disney wedding rep and inquired about this 
    new program. Prices start at $14,000.00!! That's all I had to
    hear to stick to my original plans at the Poly!
    
    Dan

WISCONSIN COUPLE TAKE THE ULTIMATE WEDDING `PLUNGE'; 
                                             PAIR TRAVEL TO `THE TWILIGHT ZONE' 


  LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Lisa Heyerdahl and Brad
Lyght of Janesville, Wis., originally planned an intimate Fairy Tale
Wedding at the Walt Disney World Resort.
  Instead, their nuptials were quite a "nightmare."  The couple literally
took "the plunge" on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror(TM), the newest
attraction at Disney-MGM Studios that takes guests into "The Twilight
Zone" before sending them on a 13-story, faster-than-freefall elevator
plunge.
  The 10:30 a.m. ceremony today was the first wedding ever held at
Disney-MGM Studios.
  A minister, cameraman and videographer, as well as a few fearless family
members, joined the couple in the elevator.  The ceremony was timed so the
final "I do" came before the final fall.
  The couple also exchanged vows on the ground -- in the shadows of the
spooky Hollywood Tower Hotel.  As the story goes, the hotel was once a
grand building on Sunset Boulevard before falling into disrepair after it
was struck by lightning in 1939.  The building was "re-opened" in July to
house the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction.
  "I was more nervous about the wedding than the ride," said 25-year- old
Lyght, a shipping supervisor.  "And then I got on the tower and realized
that it was time to be really scared."
  "I guess I didn't realize the drop was so high," chimed the bride, a
28-year-old financial accountant, who threw her bouquet from the top of
the attraction.
  The couple said they decided on a Disney wedding to avoid the planning of
a traditional wedding.
  "I told Lisa I didn't want to do much planning," the groom said.
"Actually, it's been great because our Disney wedding coordinator has done
it all for us."
  Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings program began nearly three years ago to meet
the needs of the couples wishing to get married at the Florida resort. 
Although the wedding program originally only allowed weddings at Disney
hotels, it was recently expanded to include ceremonies inside the Magic
Kingdom, Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios.
  Disney recently broke ground on a new Fairy Tale Wedding Pavilion, a
Victorian-themed "summer house" that will open near Disney's Grand
Floridian Beach Resort fall 1995.

When we were at WDW two weeks ago, the wedding pavilion was obviously
still under construction.  Signs said opening Fall 1995.  The buildings
were having exterior work done, such as siding.  Landscaping hadn't even
begun.  The water safety/pollution boom still surrounded the small island,
which is located close to the Grand Floridian (in the direction of the 
Polynesian.)

So what do we see on Lifetime television Sunday Night?  Live, from WDW,
the first wedding at WDW's Wedding Pavilion.  

First, the wedding.  Camera crews chronicled the fairy tale courtship of
this small town couple from Tenessee.  Apparently, he proposed to her
in front of Cinderella's castle in a "public" event that was caught on
camera also.  WDW ended up offering them the chance to be the first WDW
Wedding Pavilion wedding.  It was a simple, elegant wedding.  The bride
arrived in a horse drawn coach (by herself!  Who helped her dress?) The
mother's dresses were made by a designer firm in New York City.  The bride's
dress and bridesmaid's dresses were simple but attractive.  Everyone left
the pavilion by Ferryboat to go to the reception, but we did not learn
of the location (maybe King Stephan's?)

Now, the mystery.  Talk about a miracle...I can't imagine how they finished
that place and got it landscaped in two weeks!  I have to go review my
videotape to see just how much they had to do!

Bill A.

    What do you mean, "Who helped her dress?"  Why, her Fairy Godmother, of
    course!!  ;-)  --S

    Disney's Wedding Pavillion opens next week. Call (407) 828-3400 for
    more information.

    Last night The Lifetime Network broadcasted a wedding LIVE from WDW.
    
    It was on "Weddings of a Lifetime."
    
    Mike 

We watched it too.  Remember they showed a wedding for the grand opening of
the wedding chapel a few months ago.  It seems they are making a series
called "Weddings of a Lifetime" (clever co-branding there.)

They held the ceremony live, in the Magic Kingdom with Cinderella's castle
lit up with blues and reds as the backdrop.  The happy couple honeymooned
at Disney's Vero Beach resort.

Apparently he proposed to her on a television talk show, and a viewer wrote
to Disney to suggest their tale be told.  It seems they met coincidentally
at Disneyworld while on their own vacations!  Sounds made for media... :-}

Bill A.

    I will be getting married at WDW in september of this year and am
    looking forward to it no end. 
    
    The ultimate fairytale Wedding
    
    Tracey