Walt Disney World to Launch First Annual Quinceanera Weekend

Walt Disney World to Host Quinceanera Weekend

By Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel's Tourism Central Florida
May 5, 2008

Walt Disney World is expanding its quinceanera party offerings this year to include a specific "Quinceanera Weekend" at Epcot during Labor Day weekend, for girls celebrating their 15th birthdays with traditional Hispanic coming-of-age parties.

The weekend, expected to draw numerous quinceanera girls and their families and friends, will be in addition to the quinceanera program that Disney World began last year when it first started offering three quinceanera party packages, ranging in price from $1,800 to $20,000.

With this formal, themed weekend Disney expects to compete with similar quinceanera-themed cruises and other specific-timed events offered by some cruise lines and other vacation resorts.

The Epcot event will feature a quinceanera ball on Aug. 30. Packages will include stays that weekend at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. Prices will vary depending on what families wish to book.

In Latin America, girls celebrate their 15th birthday, quinceanera, as the transition from childhood to youth.

"It's a very emotional ceremony," said Disney World spokeswoman Mari Santana.

I think they are being overexploitive here....

convenient that the "weekend" falls at the end of the summer season....

I just think this one is in poor taste....

not having the event....that's fine....but i think they are attempting to fill a gap in their schedule with it....

** Removed original text as being rude **

Apologies to all.

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Originally Posted by Figment!

The weekend, expected to draw numerous quinceanera girls and their families and friends, will be in addition to the quinceanera program that Disney World began last year when it first started offering three quinceanera party packages, ranging in price from $1,800 to $20,000.

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$20k?????

Wow! I can see spending that much and more on your wedding, but for a coming of age party? Traditions aside, that's crazy...

No wonder the youth in America keeps growing up with an entitlement, "me"-centric mentality. Look at this, and shows like my super sweet-16 and all I want to do is :sick:

Many many moons ago I had a Sweet 16 party in the style of a Quinceanera (I am of Puerto Rican decent), but I don't even think my mother paid close to $1,800...that lower number listed. WOW! I'm curious to see what type of response they will get to this.

:ack:

I am mixed on the idea of whether or not Disney is being exploitive of this tradition or if they are just jumping onto an existing bandwagon. While this has been a tradition in many Hispanic households for a long time it is really when it came to America that the big money got involved and turned it into the $1,800.00 to $20,000.00 ordeal that someplace like Disney now offers.

If you trace this back to its roots it has certainly been a big deal in Hispanic culture for a long time but was always done with a whole lot less money and a whole lot more respect to the actual girl and what it meant to her rather than showing off what the family could provide. Unfortunately with the addition of the money available to many Hispanics when they came to America they have now taken it to another level.

But lest anyone think I am slighting Hispanics in any way I am not because this is the way of so many things in America regardless of the background. Look for example at Nascar which is one of the most "all American" of programs. Nascar started out as a bunch of good old boys running moonshine in the southeast and taking their supped up cars to the track on Saturday night. And now look what money has done to Nascar.

It's just a big company taking advantage of a market. I'm wondering how long it will be before Disney adds a "Sweet 16" weekend too.

DIsney is just taking advantage of the fact that people will dump truckloads of money to buy things for their daughters. (Sons, not so much - otherwise, you would see far more equity in merchandise.)

No one is being forced to attent this. Why don't people have this reaction of the whole Disney Wedding thing. If people want to spent it, let them the economy can use i
t.

I agree with the stance that no one is forcing someone to pay for this. I think it fits in well with Disney in both the business sense of things as well as the multicultural stance. A lot of things at Disney are expensive (weddings etc...) and this is just another option for people to spend money they feel that they can afford in a manner that appeals to them.
I've never heard of this celebration but I'm not hispanic. What do they do for the guys?

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No one is being forced to attend this. Why don't people have this reaction of the whole Disney Wedding thing?

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This situation is a little different. Let me explain my perspective:

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Walt Disney World is expanding its quinceanera party offerings this year to include a specific "Quinceanera Weekend" at Epcot during Labor Day weekend, for girls celebrating their 15th birthdays with traditional Hispanic coming-of-age parties.

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You're right in the fact that no one is forcing us to attend, but we had our August trip planned well in advance of this thing being announced and we're actually planning on Watching Illuminations that Saturday night (before Labor Day). We may re-think that based on the crowd levels and if certain areas are roped off for private viewings.

If you choose to get married at WDW, your wedding doesn't infringe on the normal events of the park. Now if WDW decided to do a giant wedding ceremony with hundreds of couples inside one of the parks that I was planning on attending, then I'd have the same reaction...

I just think this thing is meant to grab some extra cash from willing participants by using one of the Parks as a backdrop. I don't like it, not to mention the emphasis it puts on our "me-centric" society.

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Originally Posted by mjstaceyuofm

I just think this thing is meant to grab some extra cash from willing participants by using one of the Parks as a backdrop.

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So are you also against MNSSHP, MVMCP, Pirates & Princesses, Star Wars Weekend, Super Soap Weekend, Food & Wine Fest, Flower & Garden, etc, ... ?

If i had the $$$$$ i would love to be able to give my kids something like this. ( I wouldnt mind you, they are both spoiled rotten as it is but i would love to be able to. :blush:)

Really, we cant lose sight of the fact that Disney has corp. at the end of it. The recognition of hispanic family tradition is good business and good PR. Particularly at Epcot where ethnicity and cutural pride is the core attration.

Now we need to convince them to start a full-blown oktoberfest weekend!
:beer: Hoy hoy hoy! :beer:

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Originally Posted by Scar

So are you also against MNSSHP, MVMCP, Pirates & Princesses, Star Wars Weekend, Super Soap Weekend, Food & Wine Fest, Flower & Garden, etc, ... ?

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No, not at all because those are all enhancements or extras that can be enjoyed by all. Some for a fee, some with regular park admission. I just don't see how this celebration fits into Epcot at all. If they wanted to do these types of events on a regular, on-going basis similar to weddings I'd be fine with that. But Disney doesn't - because then they might as well get into the event planning business and can starting running bar-mitzvahs, sweet-16 parties, graduation parties, retirement parties, baby showers, etc.

To me this is just exploitation for a quick buck and furthering a me-me-me mentality that's worsening in this country.

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Originally Posted by mjstaceyuofm

$20k?????

Wow! I can see spending that much and more on your wedding, but for a coming of age party? Traditions aside, that's crazy...

No wonder the youth in America keeps growing up with an entitlement, "me"-centric mentality. Look at this, and shows like my super sweet-16 and all I want to do is :sick:

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That's nothing. I read a story a few years back about some dad in New York paying over a million dollars to have NSYNC perform at his daughter's Bat Mitzvah. To people with that kind of money $20k is a drop in the bucket. Wish I had that problem...

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Originally Posted by DisneyFanaticDargon

That's nothing. I read a story a few years back about some dad in New York paying over a million dollars to have NSYNC perform at his daughter's Bat Mitzvah. To people with that kind of money $20k is a drop in the bucket. Wish I had that problem...

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NSYNC? People still listen to them? :D

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Originally Posted by mjstaceyuofm

To me this is just exploitation for a quick buck and furthering a me-me-me mentality that's worsening in this country.

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Matt,

I totally agree that it is for a buck and furthers the me me mentality. What I disagree with you about is it being different from the other events. You say they can be enjoyed by all? You couldn’t pay me to attend a Soap or Star Wars Weekend. There is no way I would want to be in DHS for those crowds. And although I’ve seen MNNSHP and MVMCP once each, I have no desire to see them again or ever see the Pirates & Princesses Party. To me all of these events are just an inconvenience to my planning because the parks are either closed early or very crowded, and I visit another park on those days. But I say if Disney thinks they can make more money with these events, then go ahead.