14 People, 6 Days, BLT, how do we do it all?

[dizkneedreamers]

My wife and I have our families going to WDW in september for 5 nights. It's all of our parents and brothers and sisters with only 1 little guy (4 year old nephew). It's a lot of people's first WDW visit, and I have no idea how to fit everything into such a small amount of time. All of our other visits have been 7 nights or more.

We have two 2 bedroom rooms at BLT.

 

[disneynutz]

Are you on vacation or trying to set a record?

Don't try to do it all, be selective and consider the ages and stamina of your family members. It's better to do and see a few things and have fun doing it instead of racing to the next attraction, trying to do it all and being miserable.

What you miss this trip, you can see or do on the next one.

 

[rentayenta]

Don't even try to do it all. I'd have each family make a loose list of their top must-dos and go from there. Splitting up during the trip might be warranted as well if people have different ideas of what they want to do. We traveled with a group of 15 and found it best to plan to meet for meals (with ADRs) and wing the rest. We'd always meet up at some point during the day but trying to move 15 people seemed like herding cattle.

 

[mrsswat]

I would let each party do what they want as far as parks go, but maybe plan 1 or 2 dinners as a group? Maybe the first night you get there if you have time, to kind of kick off the vacation? O'Hana would be my recomendation for that. And a character breakfast with all would be fun, especially with the 4 yr old!! Chef Mickey's would be great for that!

 

[Pirate Granny]

Considering looking into Grand Gathering special meals...there is a Breakfast at Tony's at the MK, a Dinner and Fireworks dessert buffet at EPCOT, and I believe either a breakfast or dinner at Animal Kindgom at Tuskar House...Did the MK and EPCOT and it was wonderful...although the EPCOT is $70 per person (2 credits on the dining plan) and my one daughter didn't care for the food, thought it should've been more ethnic instead of just 'trying' to be ethnic...although the fireworks buffet location was wonderful and RESERVED, just for that group...

These are only a few nights each week, so you need to book ahead...I recently tried to add the MK breakfast with no luck...all booked up...we just had the 8th person join the trip, so we didn't book it 180 days out...boooo...

Enjoy your trip...we actually had 11 (four children under the age of 5), and I let everyone pick a restaurant...and we looked at the hours and worked our schedule around the hours...also, we spent at least 4 hours each day travelling back to OKW for nap time in the afternoons most days.

We were there 8 nights...and still didn't have enough time...so, just don't try to do it all...and take time to relax and enjoy the resorts.

 

[JimMIA]

With 14 people, you couldn't "do it all" if you had 14 MONTHS! Don't try -- it will be like herding cats. You'll end up with 14 disappointed people and possibly some meltdowns and family fights.

I would go with some of the suggestions above, especially the idea of turning everyone loose on their own and only planning a few group events. The interests of grandparents, adults and the 4 year old are going to be too different to try to coordinate.

 

[audrey444]

We are going in December with 15 people (9 adults, 5 children). Our plan is for everyone to do the parks (or whatever they want) during the day, and we all meet up for dinner (or whatever table service ADR we have that day). That way each family can do what they want, when they want. Early risers can do that, and the late sleepers don't have to change either. Those with kids can do little kid stuff, and the young couple can do their own thing.

 

[thepops]

I agree with the "divide and conquer" concept. Split up and then meet from time to time (meals, parades, etc.)

 

[dizkneedreamers]

Thanks for all the help. O'Hana sounds like a great idea, and meeting up for dinners is probably the only thing that will work.

It is a short amount of time, but I think it will be perfect, just long enough where my parents and step parents don't get too annoyed with each other in a 2 bedroom suite.

Also, this is our first use of our DVC membership, should I call my sales guy and see if he can get us any freebies? I know we purchased at the end of our visit last time and he said he owed us some fastpasses, has anyone ever worked DVC for free stuff?

 

[Brian Noble]

I have no idea how to fit everything into such a small amount of time.

That's because you can't. Even one fit adult, going full bore from open to close, could not "do it all" in 6 days.

Just pick a few favorite things and enjoy the trip. No one is keeping score based on how much you do.

 

[dizkneedreamers]

Thanks for all the help. O'Hana sounds like a great idea, and meeting up for dinners is probably the only thing that will work.

It is a short amount of time, but I think it will be perfect, just long enough where my parents and step parents don't get too annoyed with each other in a 2 bedroom suite.

Also, this is our first use of our DVC membership, should I call my sales guy and see if he can get us any freebies? I know we purchased at the end of our visit last time and he said he owed us some fastpasses, has anyone ever worked DVC for free stuff?

 

[cvjw]

We went with our whole family of 14 one year. If I ever do it again, I will do it differently. My DH felt like we all needed to stay together (his family), and I was all for splitting up and meeting back at set times for meals, etc - each family doing their own thing part of the time. We ended up touring as a group of 14, and can I tell you about all of the time that we wasted. We were always waiting for family to meet in the morning to leave the resort, waiting for everyone to decide which park to go to in the morning, waiting for someone to get food that was starving, and of course, waiting for someone to go to the bathroom (even though we had just gone as a group 5 minutes ago)! In a whole week, we didn't accomplish what my family normally does in a short trip of 3-4 days.

Spend some time as a whole family - pools, meals, a set time in a certain park, and then let everyone tour as they please for the rest of the time.

 

[readytogotodisney]

We usually go with a group of 13, and all we end up doing is picking a park in the morning (usually me, bc I'm ready to go) and whoever wants to go with can, whoever wants to meet up later can. And whoever wants to skip a day can....Sometimes we all end up going, sometimes only 4 of us.

And thankfully since everyone has caught onto text messaging, we can always find each other when we want to.

But we will usually all be together for dinner, we don't really plan it, it just works out that way.

If we don't do it this way, it ends up as half of us mad that we're sitting around waiting on the other half. It's better for all that we split up.

 

[Mtnman44]

There is no way to do it all in two weeks. You can just do highlights each day and you may want to consider spiltting into groups of common interests, i.e. small kids, teenagers/thrill riders, slow and easy sightseerers, people that like theater type shows, etc.

 

[NancyDVC]

Remember as a DVC member you no longer have to "Do Disney in a Day or Die Trying". Keep it loose, don't schedule your selves to death. Pick a few must dos at each park. A few restaurants/show/character meals that you don't want to miss and let the rest just happen. Split up, so that those who 'must' do a certain ride can do it while the rest can do something else. Get back together for a special meal, show or parade or even time at the pool.
Everyone will be happier and have a better time.
Leaving time not scheduled lets you enjoy things more and I have had some of my best experiences when I relax and let things just flow!

 

[JWG]

If there's a subset of people committed to the commando "do it all" attempt, touringplans.com is a decent site to utilize. You can get customized touring plans that tell you exactly how to navigate your date through parks to catch as much as possible.

Quite literally minute by minute, when and where to get a fast pass, when to do stand-by lines, when to eat... I've watched some of these "tourers" over the years and chuckle every time. Some are VERY committed to the schedule.

 

[disneynutz]

My wife and I have our families going to WDW in september for 5 nights. It's all of our parents and brothers and sisters with only 1 little guy (4 year old nephew). It's a lot of people's first WDW visit, and I have no idea how to fit everything into such a small amount of time. All of our other visits have been 7 nights or more.

We have two 2 bedroom rooms at BLT.

The more that I think about it, you might want to take on the responsibility to be the tour guide for the parents, especially if they are older. WDW can be overwhelming and without knowing the ins and outs, many people don't even know what's available or where to go. The younger folks can fend for themselves and love doing it.

Bill

 

[JWG]

If there's a subset of people committed to the commando "do it all" attempt, touringplans.com is a decent site to utilize. You can get customized touring plans that tell you exactly how to navigate your date through parks to catch as much as possible.

Quite literally minute by minute, when and where to get a fast pass, when to do stand-by lines, when to eat... I've watched some of these "tourers" over the years and chuckle every time. Some are VERY committed to the schedule.

 

[MrShiny]

I agree trying to "do it all" onlt ends up with tired feet and crabby kids!

Best plan of attack is to make a very modest list of what to accomplish each day. Don't sweat the small stuff. Especially with those going the first time - concentrate on the things you really could not do without seeing. The things that make you love WDW. For instance, I cannot go without going on Haunted Mansion. If I don't do that, then I haven't gone to MK in my mind!

At the same time, do anything that has no line! You want people to remember the things they saw, not the lines they stood in. Only wait for "must do's."

Good luck!

 

[spiceycat]

since you are staying at BLT - would definitely tell everyone that Studios and AK will be harder to get too than MK (walk) and Epcot monrail - so they are aware of where they will be.