Just a clarification. Disney weddings are first come first serve, but there's a time limit for when the clock starts ticking. For Escape weddings, it's eight months (although it might be nine now), while for Wishes weddings, it's twelve months. So for anyone wanting to schedule a Wishes wedding less than twelve months from now, it is first come first serve. Anyone wanting an Escape wedding less than eight months from now, it is first come first serve. That 8-12 month block between Escape and Wishes allows Wishes brides to book but not Escape brides, so there are more options available for Wishes brides. If an Escape bride books a wedding seven months out, and then a Wishes bride comes along afterwards and wants the same date and time and venue as the Escape bride, she cannot bump the Escape bride because it was first come first serve in that window.
Beyond twelve months, conventions have priority. We actually ran into this problem. When we went for our site visit at sixteen months, all of our venues were available. Before our twelve month date came up, however, a convention booked the entire Boardwalk for a week, affecting our reception venue. Had Disney allowed us to book at sixteen months, they would not have lost out on the business to the convention.
Once the twelve-month mark has passed, a convention that comes in afterwards cannot bump a wedding without compensation. If the convention really wants the entire Grand Floridian and a Wishes bride has already reserved it, the only way the convention can claim the venue is by compensating the couple. It means paying for the additional cost of the new venue plus transportation and whatever other inconvenience it causes.
The other reason that Disney won't allow first come first serve beyond twelve months is that it has to draw a line somewhere. We wouldn't want a couple to reserve a date four years in advance. It wouldn't be fair to other couples, particularly if it's one of those potentially popular dates like 11/12/13 or a Valentine's Day. The lottery for beyond twelve months, as much as we dislike it, is the fairest way. First come first serve within a year, but we're not allowed to line up beyond a year.
That being said, we used Carrie's book to come up with a budget and outline our day. The wait is not easy, and the thought of a lottery is anxiety inducing. The good part is that there are often multiple times for the same venue, and if you have some flexibility, there are lots of options available. Have a contingency plan. Because we're getting married on a not so popular day and during low season and not at the Wedding Pavilion, our consultant was fairly certain we would be able to schedule our date and venue. We were quite surprised when we couldn't get our venue and had to change dates. Our consultant did not ask for backup locations when she penciled us in, but because we didn't have a lock on the date and venue, my fiancée and I decided we had better have alternatives ready. In the end, I think we had three or four alternatives planned out. When our consultant called me to inform me about the convention, I was able to tell her what our second choice was without having to discuss things with my fiancée. I think had we not had our alternatives already lined up, we would have had far more disappointment and angst in making a decision. This way, we already knew what the plan was if our first option wasn't available, and the contingency automatically went into place.
Good luck, and hang in there.
