catering for wedding

[debbiegrady]

I am having my daughter's wedding at WDW. Cannot afford reception at WDW restaurant. Wanted to cater reception in our room. Any ideas on inexpensive catering services or places I can go order and pick up food? Thanks, Debbie Also, need a suite inside WDW to have reception--inexpensive suite.

 

[Kaa]

You should check into the pricing of the suites at Coronado Springs. Those will most likely be the least expensive. I don't know about catering companies in Orlando, but you might be able to order food and pick it up at the Gourmet Pantry located in the Downtown Disney Marketplace.

Good luck!

 

[Purrrrfecta]

Hi Debbie,

I was thinking about doing the same thing. I have thought about the different prices for suites. I have seen really nice ones in photo's at the B & Y clubs. One thing I thougt about was getting a two bedroom at old key west because I was told they are beautiful. You could have the guest waiting for your daughter (if you wanted to have the ceremony there) while she walked down the stairs etc etc. Just an idea. I do not know what the rate is there at the moment, but you may be able to find someone who wants to sell disney vacation points and purchase them if it would be cheaper to do that.

You might want to also check with the Dolphin because they have suites as well. I do not agree with their color scheme for a reception, however. I also thought that you may want to be in a suite where the beds are not showing and there is a lot of room in the living area. Let me know what you think and what you have come up with so far. I would like to know. Where is your daughter planning on having her ceremony?

Connie

 

[PamOKW]

The villa at OKW with a staircase is the Grand Villa (3 bedroom). I once saw a couple who did have their wedding there and the pictures were very lovely.

Debbie -- A non-Disney catering service will not be permitted to bring food into a WDW hotel. Most hotels have that same policy since it is taking away their business. Of course, you can bring your own food into your room. Most of the large grocery stores in the area could make up platters. Gooding's in the Crossroads Shopping Center has beautiful trays but they do charge more than a regular store. I'm pretty sure that the local area Publix and Winn-Dixie stores could also do something for you.

 

[debbiegrady]

Thanks for the info. We are having the wedding at Dolphin Resort Terrance--thousands less than Disney wanted for wedding of 30 guests. I appreciate all your suggestions. Debbie

 

[Dallas_Lady]

My husband and I looked into doing a wedding the same way you are doing it. It would have been a lot cheaper than having a Disney Fairy Tale wedding!

You are going to have to rule out any "Disney Owned" hotel. They are not going to let you brin gin catered food or do anything wedding-related unless it is through Fairy Tale weddings- which is obviously what you are trying to avoid.

If you want to keep things on Disney property, you are going to be limited to the Swan and Dolphin and Downtown Disney hotels. They are much more lax on these type of issues. Definitely call each hotel and find out what thier policy is on outside food.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by debbiegrady
Thanks for the info. We are having the wedding at Dolphin Resort Terrance--thousands less than Disney wanted for wedding of 30 guests. I appreciate all your suggestions. Debbie

You're going to have a really hard time finding a suite that can accomodate thirty guests comfortably. Even the Grand Villas are going to be tight--and they are very limited in number and hard to rent for cash--especially with all the ones at the BW going down for renovation for several months in 2002. The other problem you might run into is noise. Regardless of how quiet you try to be, a large group makes a lot of noise. And it's likely that you'll upset the neighbors, who will likely call to complain. I'd like to share some suggestions though...

Rather than actually feeding your guests, why not look into the cost of renting a conference room at one of the hotels for a few hours. I did this with a group a few years ago. I think it cost $300 to rent a room large enough for 100 to fit very comfortably. The rent doubled if we didn't hit $300 on the cash bar that they provided. So the most it would have been $600.

If you want to feed everyone, why not talk to group dining about a reservation at one of the all you can eat bufets? The Cape May Cafe or O'Hana's are both buffets that do not require park admission, and with tax and tip it will come to about $25 per person.

Another option would be Spoodles. If you work with the restaurant, you can pre-order all the food and have it served family style at the tables.

Anne

 

[PamOKW]

Ducklite -- I was thinking about this today and was also going to suggest Cape May as a solution. I've seen rehearsal dinners there so I'm sure they would arrange to have you together if you contact them well in advance. I've also seen what appeared to be a wedding reception dinner at O'hana's. They all sat at the main table. That gives you entertainment as well.

 

[debbiegrady]

Thanks. I checked out Cape May and they can do the dinner for 30. That would be convenient to the Dolphin. I appreciate help. How do you think Poly restaurant compares to Cape May for wedding reception?

 

[Purrrrfecta]

Hi Debbie,

I do not know about the Polynesian, but Cape may is pretty nice. It is pretty quiet. I stayed at the beach club and went to Cape May Last year when I was there.

You did not let them know that it was a wedding reception did you? Does Disney allow that? and if so would your daughter be wearing her wedding dress into Cape May? Where would you do the cake cutting?
Just trying to get some suggestions for myself. Thanks
Connie

 

[debbiegrady]

The cake cutting is held at the wedding ceremony at the Swan/Dolphin. We just wanted a dinner afterwards. Thanks.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by debbiegrady
Thanks. I checked out Cape May and they can do the dinner for 30. That would be convenient to the Dolphin. I appreciate help. How do you think Poly restaurant compares to Cape May for wedding reception?

I would do Cape May if for no other reason it is a quick walk from the Dolphin.

Anne

 

[Patti PB]

I don't know anything about Orlando, but I was a Wedding Coordinator at the Treasure Island Wedding Chapel (here in Vegas), so I can tell you our policy.

A lot of people wanted to do a small cocktail reception in their room following the wedding. Each room has a certain number of people allowed in it per the fire code. Nobody, technically, would know if you had more than the 15 people (arbitrary number) allowed in the suite. HOWEVER, room service will not deliver food for larger than the allowed number of people. We had several parties get very angry when they tried to do this without investigating in advance, and room service refused to deliver the food/beverages.

Just a thought.

Patti

 

[BethR]

I think that I will move this thead over to our Disney Weddings Board. I am sure that there is much good information to be gotten over there!