[cheeseyjello01]

Here is a question, my family is planning on going down to wdw next year. This is about 12 people (aunts and uncles ect). Then two other families might join ours making, for 18 people. With this amount of people what is the best action for parks ect.?

[FireAngel]

I would contact the WDW company and book a grand gathering package... they help with big groups

[Dana]

I would definately register as a magical gathering when you book. As for parks, I would let everyone go their own way and meet up for meals etc. With a group that size, it's going to be very difficult to please everyone. Everyone should do what they want to. Make your Advanced Dining reservations as soon as your window opens (180 days from your trip). Groups of that size are hard to get last minute tables for. Have meetings about your trip so everyone gets to have a say in where you eat. Make your ADR's around the parks that you intend on going to. Do you all plan on staying at the same resort? Perhaps meet up at the resort before dinner etc.

[Cavey]

First take a deep breath.

18 people are going to have 18 different preferences. There is no way everyone is going to be happy.

I would limit all-group acitivities to only one or two a day, at most. Everything else should be individuals' choice.

Draw up a survey of all-family activities, and get the family to vote on them. Some suggestions for the entire family to do together:

Fantasmic
Illuminations Cruise
'Ohana dining
Spoodles dining
Minature golf (play for some silly prize)

I'm sure others on the board will have some suggestions. The point is DON'T try to plan everything for everyone. Just lay out some basics and let folks do WDW at their own pace.

[bikedealer]

I would have to agree. Don't try to make plans for every min of the day. People will all move at a different pace and have much different likes. Some may not even like the same park. Try to all start or meet for a meal or two. Keep in touch during the day, but let people do there own exploring. Someone will always want to do someting else. And if try to put it out to vote or one person run it everyone won't have as good of time. Be sure to meet everynight to talk about what everone did , heck might have somebody find something you never saw. Than you may have people who just want to stay by the pool for a day and read. Keep it simple. Just my 2 cents.

[bransworld]

Wow i am glad i read this email. I now feel like i am being pushy and bossy setting up the plans that i have for our trip in April. There are 8 of us going and i have tried to get everyone involved with the planning but they all told me i could plan everything. So i planned a schedule out with what parks on what days and what restuarants and what shows to see when, going off of some of the show times.

So after reading some of the replies to the starting post, i sent an email out to the people going with letting them know that if they dont want to follow the planned out schedule that they are welcome to do their own thing and maybe we could all just meet for dinner since the ADR's have been made for all of them.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

[iluvwdw]

Originally Posted by bransworld

Wow i am glad i read this email. I now feel like i am being pushy and bossy setting up the plans that i have for our trip in April. There are 8 of us going and i have tried to get everyone involved with the planning but they all told me i could plan everything. So i planned a schedule out with what parks on what days and what restuarants and what shows to see when, going off of some of the show times.

So after reading some of the replies to the starting post, i sent an email out to the people going with letting them know that if they dont want to follow the planned out schedule that they are welcome to do their own thing and maybe we could all just meet for dinner since the ADR's have been made for all of them.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I think that plan sounds PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!

[InHouseMouse]

I agree it's best to just let everyone split into their own groups and do their own things and just get together for different atractions or for special dinners.

[Boss Mouse]

Do what my family does: Tell me to meet at one park; go to another.

[ddoll]

I've traveled with large groups a few times before and the advice you've already recieved is the very best: plan one or two meets together per day and let them all do their own thing.

The best thing you can do for the group is to pick out a park each day, plan a meal for them all to get together and let them separate. There will be flexibility for all members that way. Plan your own wants, let them be known to the group and let them know they can follow you or go off on their own way.

Believe me....nothing will drive you mad more than trying to please everyone. It's an impossible feat.

[woohoo]

we traveled with a group of 18 the last time we went- Grand Gatherings is a joke- dont expect too much in that- you can do a Magical Gathering but it costs extra- The only advantage to Grand Gatherings is you get a diffrent number to call for reservations over 8 people and they will "try" to keep your rooms together. I suggest either breakfast or dinner to have a group gathering and then have each section of family decide their itinerary for the day- they can hand out sheets of their plans in the am to see if anyone wants to join them but I would not do much planning on people all going together to everything- between not enough room being on a bus and someone oversleeping or moving slower to one person is bored in a park where another loves it- just do your own thing-
Breakfast you all can get a start off knowing eachothers plans and Dinner you can recap the day and perhaps watch fireworks together. This was the only things I really enjoyed about our group trip- the breakfast and the dinners where we all met up.

[MerlinMatt]

I the same vein as bransworld's plan, let me suggest something simple, which is pretty consistent with all the other suggestions.

For you and your immediate family, go ahead and plan whatever you want. Make ADR's for the whole group (at most 1/day). These activities could be considered semi-mandatory.

For everything else, you can basically say, "This is what we'll be doing. Everyone is welcome to join us. If you'd rather do something different or go at your own pace, then by all means, please join us for the daily getherings."

Let everyone know that if they WANT to go with your plan, they can.

Also, you could include alternate suggestions for folks that aren't familiar with WDW. Don't forget to provide options for people to chill out.

It's all good!

[Jen]

Sounds like you've been given some great advice!


Our last trip there were 10 of us ~ and we did everything together ~ it was way too much! I couldn't imagine adding 8 more people to the group!

[tmcquaid]

We'll have 16 in our group this time around and we just plan on meeting for dinner most nights. I'm sure we'll break into small groups during the day to do most things.

Two of the families have younger children that will be there for the first time, while my girls have been there twice. So I bought two copies of the Hidden Mickey Scavanger hunt book and let the girls send one to their grandparents. They book rates the hidden mickeys on a point system between 1-5 and is divided up by the parks and resorts. The girls have challenged them to a scavenger hunt throughout the week. At dinner on Wednesday night we'll tally to see who has the most points with a small prize (to be determined - so any ideas are appreciated that would make sense for grandparents or the kids). That will let everyone know where they stand point wise and get the competition really rolling. At Friday nights dinner we'll do the final tally to see who is the official winner.

[A Goofy Family]

We've never gone to WDW with a group less than 8, our biggest group was 24 I think in summer 2005. We (usually as a group) plan the park days, the big sit down meals, things we want to accomplish and then go from there. We do some rides together, branch off to do different things, meet back up to see shows, etc...it's always worked VERY well for us as everyone understands that they are free to come and go to/from the group and no one is offended or feels they have to be glued at the hip to the group. As long as everyone understands that going into the trip, it should be successful. Good Luck!!
Our core traveling group (16 of us) is going to Hilton Head in 98 days!!