~~~Here it is!~~~ Illuminations Dessert Party June 18th registration thread!

[westjones]

Do you do these projects often? If so do you do them in the winter time? Dh, DD and I always go the last week of January to mid February and would definitely be interested in something like this when we are there.

I don't know of anything like this ever happening in the past. This was just an idea Penny had, and she was willing to organize it. For it to happen again, someone would have to step up and decide to organize it.

DJ

 

[gcphil]

You can read about the GG events that are available here:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...roducts?id=GrandGatheringsSpecialProductsPage

Hope you join us!
DJ[/QUOTE]

Are we able to do any or all of these GG events or just the AK Safari Dinner that Penny is organizing? Also where is the info for the Wishes Cruise on Monday night? Is that Mon. June 20? I take it the AK Safari Dinner is only on Sunday June 19? What would be the time? Also it does include a private safari for GG participants only, right? Would this be similar to what is available to AKL conceige guests as Sunset Safari? Does the safari stop for the guests/participants to take photos? Would there be alot of animals out at this time of night? Sorry for all of the questions, I am new to all of this.

 

[scduckman]

Last night I tried to book either the AK Safari Dinner or the Magic Fireworks Voyage for Sunday evening and was told that both were sold out. I was on the phone for about 30 minutes with a very helpful CM but to no avail.
I had the GG group number linked to my reservation through DVC which was no problem.

 

[RachelTori]

Last night I tried to book either the AK Safari Dinner or the Magic Fireworks Voyage for Sunday evening and was told that both were sold out. I was on the phone for about 30 minutes with a very helpful CM but to no avail.
I had the GG group number linked to my reservation through DVC which was no problem.

It looks like we may have waited too long. My DU agent got the same news last night (the Safari is full). Busy time of year plus that particular Sunday is Fathers Day. I wasn't checking into the Fireworks Voyage but it wouldn't surprise me that it's sold out also. Maybe Tony's breakfast still has some openings

The Illuminations Dessert Party will be my family's only *Project X* event, but that's OK. We're looking forward to meeting other Dissers!

Laura

 

[Johnny Quest]

I'm confused.

Yesterday, the dates I was given were as follows: (with no one signed up for anything under the GG#)

safari celebration - June 20th & 24th.

Epcot international buffet - June 18 - 19 - 20

Good Morning breakfast at Tony's - June 18 - 22 - 23

I never got the dates for the magical fireworks voyage.

So I guess if you're just looking for events on Father's Day, there may never have been any options to begin with except for the international buffet.

 

[RachelTori]

J.Q. - I think we're all getting confused!!! And from what I've seen, the folks at Disney are confused as well!!! You can make 3 or 4 calls and get that many different answers.

We need to get Penny involved here. Penny? Are you out there?

 

[WebmasterPenny]

Well yes, as has been already stated I found out this morning that the Safari Event is now fully booked.

I had to make numerous calls to 3 different parts of Disney to get this darn GG even registered (due to our unique set up of CRO, TA and DVC reservations), I've lost track of the amount of time I've spent on the phone to them (80% of which seemed to be on hold) not to mention the 45 minutes on one call only to get cut off and start over again from scratch.

I know I should be annoyed that all that time spent was basically for nothing, but you know what? When I found out I have to be totally honest here and say I wasn't annoyed at all, all I felt strangely was relief. I've not been having much fun recently to be frank.

When I first mentioned Project X on the boards the plan was to book events that would be unique and special to us. It was a lot of fun looking at all our different options and planning some private events. Unfortunately some things just didn't work in our favour - not enough people for the Adventurers Club, the Haunted Mansion movie set dinner taken off the cards due to them having mold, and the Safari Dinner which was thrown out there as an idea but which was always really something of a pipe dream due to such a high amount of minimum people required to attend.

It was never in my original plans to 'go mainstream' and book something like a GG but I admit due probably to my own disappointment and also because I knew a lot of other people were disappointed too I suggested the GG events as substitutes - with hindsight this was a huge mistake as ever since that decision I've found the whole thing to be nothing short of a major nightmare for me, to the point where I had already decided that even though I'd originally intended to go to all the events, I no longer planned to go to any.

I have a job, other things in real life, obviously my committment to these boards require a good wedge time on occasion too - and it goes without saying that my time is not infinite - and basically since I started working on the GG events instead of our private events it's taken up a whole load of time that really could/should have been put towards organising the Dessert Party and whipping up more interest in the backstage tour (still need a few more people for that before we can go ahead with it). For anyone who's sent me an email about joining the party, sorry I've not replied (see above for why I've not had time) but yes, there is still room for people to join and I'll be in contact soon on how to sign up for the event

Like I say, I have thoroughly enjoyed organising the 'real' events we have, even if it didn't go exactly to plan, but the whole GG aspect is NOT what I had in mind when I initally started this project, not at all, and I regret that I allowed myself to be side-tracked in to something that turned into such a time sink-hole.

If people what to still try and book any other GG events with that number then that's fine with me (seeing as it seems from scduckman and Johnny Quest you can book events even if you're not booked with Dreams - I knew that wasn't right!) - and if people continue to expeience problems then obviously I will do whatever I can to help However from a personal point of view the time has come for me to draw the line on the Grand Gathering events and turn my focus firmly back to what Project X was really meant to be about.

Needless to say I'm sorry if my choice to pursue that particular route has led to people be disappointed, all I can say though is no one is more disappointed than me.

 

[goofy4tink]

Penny, I forget, so please refresh my memory. Is there any chance that we can do an AC get-together on a different date than the 17th(which didn't work)? We would have loved to do that but we don't arrive until the 18th.
If not, maybe there are some out there that still want to do it on a more 'casual' basis.

 

[westjones]

Needless to say I'm sorry if my choice to pursue that particular route has led to people be disappointed, all I can say though is no one is more disappointed than me.

Penny,
I just wanted you to know that my family is really looking forward to the Illuminations buffet. This is something we would never have gotten to experience on our own. It would have been great if we could have had enough people to do the Adventurer's Club and the private Safari Dinner, but regardless, we are going to have a great time.

We have planned a lot of 'family firsts' on this trip (visiting TL and trying out the new water roller coaster, breakfast at AK with Donald, trying Chef Mickey's, riding Soarin' at Epcot). We are EXCITED!!!!!

I hope you have time to plan your own 'family' activities and then I am sure you will be able to get more excited about the trip.

Thank you for all of you done. We are looking forward to meeting you and thanking you in person!

DJ

 

[Johnny Quest]

Thanks Penny~

I hear you about the GG issue. I just want to say that from what little info I've learned about the Illuminations dessert party you are organizing you have really accomplished something phenomenal! This is going to be one great Disney memory I would never have had the opportunity to experience otherwise.

Thank you.

Also - I am very interested in the tour. I remember an e-mail saying it had been switched to Sunday (hope it's Sat morning). Can someone give me the details on this?

 

[WebmasterPenny]

Goofy4tink, there's nothing to stop us having an informal gathering there

Feel free to suggest a time and date and then see if we can work something out from there?

Also someone mentioned organising an Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridian - does anyone know if that's still planned?

Thanks DJ, I'm sure now that the GG burden has been lifted I'll get back in to the spirit of things again soon!

 

[WebmasterPenny]

Yeah, the tour is currently switched to Sunday - though basically if we can't get enough people that day, but can another over that weekend then obviously that's what we'll have to aim for...at this time, nothing can be booked until we hit that minimum person target and we're at the mercy of availability until that time.

As for the Dessert Party - I've been lucky enough to do three in the past and I really loved each one of them!!!

 

[RachelTori]

Just wanted to say that we all appreciate the time and effort you've put into organizing Project X. We're sorry the GG thing turned into such a fiasco for you - please know that we sincerely appreciate everything you've done to bring us together. We absolutely understand your frustration with that whole GG process - bless your heart for even trying!!

The Illuminations Party and the chance to meet you and our fellow dissers is going to be a wonderful experience - one we would never have had without you, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Laura

 

[gcphil]

I'm confused.

Yesterday, the dates I was given were as follows: (with no one signed up for anything under the GG#)

safari celebration - June 20th & 24th.

Epcot international buffet - June 18 - 19 - 20

Good Morning breakfast at Tony's - June 18 - 22 - 23

I never got the dates for the magical fireworks voyage.

So I guess if you're just looking for events on Father's Day, there may never have been any options to begin with except for the international buffet.

Were you able to book any of the above events? Where do you get the GG number to use? What phone number do you call and try to book one of these events? I would love to get in on the safari.

 

[minijeanie]

Penny,


totally agree with RachelTori--=

w
much appreciation to you!!!
so looking forward to Illuminations Dessert event....

and I would love to go to AC with other people.

I had orginally suggested that Friday Night - June 17th(your original date)
anyone else free that night?
or how about following Monday the 20th...AC might be less crowded because it is not the weekend.

I am open to all suggestions as well.

still wondering if you shredded the original checks we sent to you for AC and AK event. just let me know and then I will send balance to you for Dessert party..............

KUDOS PENNY

It has been frustrating for you I am sure
looking forward to meeting you at party

 

[scduckman]

Two things to note regarding my post this morning. One, you need at least 8 people to be a part of a Grand Gatherings event. For instance, there is my DW, DD, and myself. At least 5 other people would have to book the same event with the Grand Gathering number that Penny reserved for us. Secondly, the CM that I talked to yesterday said there are always cancellations. There is no waitlist so we would have to continually check back on events that are currently sold out

 

[MrShiny]

OK - on the phone right now with wdw-plan (4/28/05 4:42PM US CDT). Being told still that only DU can book anyone under the GG# we were given. Right now, they say there are only 2 parties registered under it with only 6 people total (not even enough for a GG).

Was then routed to Guest Services, who routed me to voice mail for the groups and golf team.

Wanting some form of resolution, I called back. Got the same original guy again and he said the problem was he couldn't see DVC res. Called member serives and they connected me to one of their GG people (wish they had done that the first time I called!).

Finally got connected with the DVC GG person. She was initally confused because I wasn't booking more than 8 people myself. Got past that, and went on to check the Safari Dinner. Safari Dinner is Sunday and Thursday (6/19, 6/23, 6/26).

Safari is all sold out. They check every single GG event while I'm there (6/18-6/26) and every one is currently sold out. However Magdelene (DVC GG person) did say that as of right now the GG number is set up so any of us can call WDW-PLAN and check (their hours are longer than DVC's).

So you can check for cancellations, but don't plan on it.

It's a shame, because we were hoping for the Safari Dinner more than anything - my 6 year old is a huge Animal Kingdom fan.

Jeff
5:59 PM US CDT

 

[RachelTori]

I'm glad you were able to get that information. What's the "cancellation policy" on those events? Maybe if you call back when they're at the cancellation deadline for that date, you might get lucky

 

[WDWLVR]

Penny I think you have a done a great job. We are looking forward to the Illuminations party. Did one as part of Member Homecoming but that was quite a few people . It will be nicer to have a smaller group!

We are still up for the tour on Sunday if you can get enough people (count us as 2).

Thanks!

 

[MrShiny]

I'm glad you were able to get that information. What's the "cancellation policy" on those events? Maybe if you call back when they're at the cancellation deadline for that date, you might get lucky

Here's what the web says:
full payment for each experience is required 45 days prior to arrival without change.

So I guess 5/5/05 would be when to check again!