2013 Bride Trying to Pencil in My Date

[KT223]

After a couple of days of trying to get in touch with DFTW with mine and DF’s wacky work schedules, I was finally able to give them a call this morning on my way to work. DF and I want to have a Feb 2013 Wishes wedding (at the Wedding Pavilion & GF), and this month marks us at 16 months out.

After reading about all you lovely brides here on the boards and skimming through Lurkyloo’s AMAZING book, I was so excited to give DFTW a call today to get the ball rolling…or so I thought.

After a somewhat frustrating conversation with one of their employees, I was told that we cannot pencil in our date until 12 months out and we cannot book our date until 8 months out. If DFTW’s booking policy has changed for 2013 brides, I am very sad! We are inviting 100 guests or so who live in the Midwest and I was really hoping to send our STD’s out at our 1 year mark (when we booked), in order to give everyone enough time to plan. *sigh* And the waiting game continues…

 

[mebbradley]

After a somewhat frustrating conversation with one of their employees, I was told that we cannot pencil in our date until 12 months out and we cannot book our date until 8 months out. If DFTW’s booking policy has changed for 2013 brides, I am very sad! We are inviting 100 guests or so who live in the Midwest and I was really hoping to send our STD’s out at our 1 year mark (when we booked), in order to give everyone enough time to plan. *sigh* And the waiting game continues…

I just had my site visit this weekend and just got the updated timeline for events occuring after December 31.2012.

It is true that our booking policy have changed. We can no longer hold our dates 16 months out. We book at 12 months prior.

 

[FutureMrsF]

I feel your frustration we have been trying to do the same thing I eventually sent an email because I couldn't get time to call and they replied saying to put me in touch with a coordinator I needed to email some more info and as it is 16 months out I could pencil in the date. Which I did one week ago and still haven't heard anything.

My Df keeps saying if they are going to be this hard to deal with perhaps we shouldn't get married there.

Aahh that's not what I want to happen I hope they respond soon

 

[lurkyloo]

The new rule is that you can start the booking process (including signing a contract) right at 12 months for Wishes. Only Escape weddings have to wait til 8 months to book so, KT223, the person you talked to may have been confused. I know it still doesn't help right now, but at least you won't have to wait til 8 months before you can sign a contract. Theoretically, you can still have them "pencil in" your date before 12 months, but it is NOT a guarantee of anything and does not give you priority. It just lets them know that you're interested in that date. You may still have to go into a lottery at 12 months if others want the same venue at the same time.

The latest version of my book has the new booking timeline in it (v2.4) - you can go back into your order and download the latest version for free.

 

[mb187143]

The new rule is that you can start the booking process (including signing a contract) right at 12 months for Wishes. Only Escape weddings have to wait til 8 months to book so, KT223, the person you talked to may have been confused. I know it still doesn't help right now, but at least you won't have to wait til 8 months before you can sign a contract. Theoretically, you can still have them "pencil in" your date before 12 months, but it is NOT a guarantee of anything and does not give you priority. It just lets them know that you're interested in that date. You may still have to go into a lottery at 12 months if others want the same venue at the same time.

The latest version of my book has the new booking timeline in it (v2.4) - you can go back into your order and download the latest version for free.

There's definitely some inconsistency in the communications from the consultants. When my fiance and I went for our site visit on 9/16 for our wedding on 11/2/2012, we had 2 ceremony sites in mind, and were told that one of them was "spoken for" for the ceremony time we were requesting. I know it's not contracted, because we were 14 months out at that point, but we were lead to believe that that location was already penciled in, and therefore was not an option for us. It didn't matter, because it happened to be our 2nd choice anyway, but I don't think the consultants are communicating the same message to every bride.

 

[DisneyShamrock]

The new rule is that you can start the booking process (including signing a contract) right at 12 months for Wishes. Only Escape weddings have to wait til 8 months to book so, KT223, the person you talked to may have been confused. I know it still doesn't help right now, but at least you won't have to wait til 8 months before you can sign a contract. Theoretically, you can still have them "pencil in" your date before 12 months, but it is NOT a guarantee of anything and does not give you priority. It just lets them know that you're interested in that date. You may still have to go into a lottery at 12 months if others want the same venue at the same time.

The latest version of my book has the new booking timeline in it (v2.4) - you can go back into your order and download the latest version for free.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this means that I can still call after June 7, 2012 (our date is Nov 7, 2013), to pencil in our information, and when we're at Disney next year on our date, I can try to confirm in person?

Breakdown:
wedding date - November 7, 2013
confirm date - November 7, 2012
pencil date - June 7, 2012

 

[princesswendy720]

There's definitely some inconsistency in the communications from the consultants. When my fiance and I went for our site visit on 9/16 for our wedding on 11/2/2012, we had 2 ceremony sites in mind, and were told that one of them was "spoken for" for the ceremony time we were requesting. I know it's not contracted, because we were 14 months out at that point, but we were lead to believe that that location was already penciled in, and therefore was not an option for us. It didn't matter, because it happened to be our 2nd choice anyway, but I don't think the consultants are communicating the same message to every bride.

For 2012 Brides, the 16 month mark was when the lottery would occur (if necessary). You could have been bumped by a convention between 16 and 12 months, but no other brides could come along and request your space (unless you failed to sign a contract in a timely manner and they released the location). At least that's what we were told...I got a "tentative" confirmation email from our consultant on the 16 month mark.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this means that I can still call after June 7, 2012 (our date is Nov 7, 2013), to pencil in our information, and when we're at Disney next year on our date, I can try to confirm in person?

Breakdown:
wedding date - November 7, 2013
confirm date - November 7, 2012
pencil date - June 7, 2012

If they're not doing the lottery until 12 months now, you might not be able to sign a contract 12 months before (to the day). They usually wouldn't announce the "winner" of a lottery until the next day.

 

[mb187143]

For 2012 Brides, the 16 month mark was when the lottery would occur (if necessary). You could have been bumped by a convention between 16 and 12 months, but no other brides could come along and request your space (unless you failed to sign a contract in a timely manner and they released the location). At least that's what we were told...I got a "tentative" confirmation email from our consultant on the 16 month mark.



If they're not doing the lottery until 12 months now, you might not be able to sign a contract 12 months before (to the day). They usually wouldn't announce the "winner" of a lottery until the next day.

THANK YOU - had a brief panic moment. We didn't even contact DFTW until we were 14 months out, so we missed the lottery part and were able to get what we wanted "tentatively" scheduled. I got the same tentative confirmation email when we requested our venues last month.

 

[KT223]

The new rule is that you can start the booking process (including signing a contract) right at 12 months for Wishes. Only Escape weddings have to wait til 8 months to book so, KT223, the person you talked to may have been confused. I know it still doesn't help right now, but at least you won't have to wait til 8 months before you can sign a contract. Theoretically, you can still have them "pencil in" your date before 12 months, but it is NOT a guarantee of anything and does not give you priority. It just lets them know that you're interested in that date. You may still have to go into a lottery at 12 months if others want the same venue at the same time.

The latest version of my book has the new booking timeline in it (v2.4) - you can go back into your order and download the latest version for free.

Thank you for all the information, Lurkyloo! I practically had a mini panic attack when I got off the phone with DFTW this morning. I feel much better now knowing that we will still be able to move forward and book our date at 12 months out. While it stinks to not be able to put a "hold" on our date now, at least they know we are interested.

Now, only four more months to go!

 

[lurkyloo]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this means that I can still call after June 7, 2012 (our date is Nov 7, 2013), to pencil in our information, and when we're at Disney next year on our date, I can try to confirm in person?

Breakdown:
wedding date - November 7, 2013
confirm date - November 7, 2012
pencil date - June 7, 2012

Maybe my fingers are adding this wrong, but I get July 7 as the 16-month mark for your date... At any rate, I would definitely not get my hopes up about being able to call on that exact day and get them to agree to pencil me in. You're very likely to get another spiel about how you can't book til 12 months, etc., etc. However, you will be able to start the ball rolling, get some more real info, and begin working with a sales consultant, who can help you with the penciling in.

Thank you for all the information, Lurkyloo! I practically had a mini panic attack when I got off the phone with DFTW this morning. I feel much better now knowing that we will still be able to move forward and book our date at 12 months out. While it stinks to not be able to put a "hold" on our date now, at least they know we are interested.

Now, only four more months to go!

Hang in there! (Pretend this cat is dangling from a tree branch)----->

 

[DisneyShamrock]

Maybe my fingers are adding this wrong, but I get July 7 as the 16-month mark for your date... At any rate, I would definitely not get my hopes up about being able to call on that exact day and get them to agree to pencil me in. You're very likely to get another spiel about how you can't book til 12 months, etc., etc. However, you will be able to start the ball rolling, get some more real info, and begin working with a sales consultant, who can help you with the penciling in.

Thanks, Carrie! I know I can always trust you'll know what's going on. I was tired when counting, but, yes, July is 16 months out for us. I think I skipped August. .

I will stall call them (and keep calling back until they talk to me ) at 16 months and see what they say. But, since we'll be there anyway, they can count on seeing me exactly 12 months before our wedding date (whether I have to call back, or not).