Our Response to The Washington Post: Disney Fairy Tale Weddings – Is it Always a Fairy Tale?

This post is in response to the Washington Post article "What’s it like getting married at Disney? It’s not always a fairy tale."

First, I want to clear the air about something right out of the gates. We live in the Washington, DC metro area, known for its high cost of living. Even though we had every intention of getting married on property, Julie and I ran the numbers to see what an equivalent wedding in our area would have cost. Spoiler alert, it cost slightly more than our Disney wedding. I bring this up because the perception among most is that Disney weddings are astronomically costly. They can be pricey, but just like another post I wrote regarding the cost of Disney, it is all in what you want your experience to be. 

One couple interviewed for the article stated that “there is a huge misconception that Disney Weddings are childish or cheesy but that isn’t necessarily true.” I couldn’t agree more as you can make it with as much or as little Disney as you want. You could actually get married on property and have zero Disney influence if you like. Our biggest Disney features were Disney Castle projections on the reception room walls, and a Cinderella and Prince Charming cake topper and the Pumpkin Coach (more on that later).

Some shots from our Fairy Tale Wedding: posing with a vintage car, riding in the pumpkin coach and a view of the Grand Floridian.

In response to the couple interviewed that apparently had a terrible experience, a little context from the author would have been nice. It states that their coordinator wasn’t able to meet with them on their requested day to complete the planning process but we don’t really know why. Our Fairy Godmother Marion (wedding coordinator) was outstanding, very responsive, and extremely helpful the whole way through the process.

The couple also had issues with the bouquet and officiant. Both of those, as with many things, can be done directly with an outside vendor so this could have been an issue outside of Disney’s control. For example, my tuxedos were handled by an outside company and had they not showed, it would have not been on Disney. 

Some Disney touches at our wedding included a glass slipper dessert, castle projections and a fairy tale cake.

Finally, they complained that Cinderella’s Coach was like “sitting in a greenhouse, you literally boiled alive.” Again, without knowing what time of year this occurred, we can’t really come to an informed opinion. Julie and I were lucky enough to experience the Pumpkin Coach and it is open air so I can imagine it would get quite hot in there when it is warm outside, as it tends to get in Florida. We were married at 5:00 in the evening in January so the heat wasn’t an issue.

While this article does provide some good information regarding Disney weddings, like with everything else, go straight to the source for the most accurate information. Julie and I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the entire experience as do just about everyone we have talked to. Just remember, if something doesn’t seem right or you aren’t completely satisfied, speak up immediately so your Fairy Godmother has a chance to make it right. Waiting will only make things worse. In our experience, Disney has always made things right when given the opportunity to do so.