1st WDW trip! Going with the in-laws...Any advice!?

[imka]

Heading to WDW from Newcastle in Sep. I'd be greatful for any help/advice you have.

We are thinking Sep 17-27 but it's not booked yet. The planning has fallen to me somehow.
We are a big group, 7 Adults, 5 Kids
Me, Dh, DD9, DS6
BIL, SIL have 3 boys 5,9,11
Single BIL
MIL,FIL
It's important to my SIL that her 3 boys stay with them, and my MIL/FIL want us together as much as possible. After a far bit of net searching I think we are leaning towards 3x family suites at AoA for 5days and 2 or 3x 2bd villas at SS for the other 5days.

We would like to do most things together as a group but split up at the Parks to cater for the age groups. I keep reading we'll need a car but I'm not quite sure why. Cars are tricky as we'd need 3 unless we got a minivan.

Any ideas/thoughts on getting around? Accomodation? Must sees? Logistics of dealing with a group this size?

 

[aussietravellers]

If you are just staying at WDW, then you won't need a car. The WDW bus system is great (most of the time ) so you will be able to easily get around WDW. Leaving WDW will require transport, you can get van style taxis so you may need two of those, or you can do tours so can go by coach. You will have the Disney bus (magical express) to and from the airport so no car need there either.

You can do a grocery shop online before you go from Garden Grocer (I've used a few times and they are great) or We Go Shop and they delivery to WDW hotels, so that cuts out needing a car for groceries.

There are the treehouses at SSR too that look cute, not sure how many they sleep but worth a look. I think your accommodation choices look fine. I'd love to stay at the new AOA resort.

Your trip sounds fun and a lot of organisation involved. Make sure that you get your dining reservations done as soon as you can as a group that size will have more trouble getting in if you were all wanting to eat together. Something like the Spirit of Aloha or Hoop de doo review might be fun with a group your size too.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

For your dates you will be able to get free dining and for your SIL wanting her kids together you could also look at POR they sleep 5 if you stay at AoA you won't get the free dining.
You may have to split into 2 tables of 6 to get the ADRs you want as well.
Happy planning

 

[austraveler]

We did six adults, three children last year. It was wonderful. My tips are:
1) Do NOT get connecting rooms - just adjoining ones. It was my Husband's family not mine and the doors kept getting propped open and the loss of privacy and the chaos of noise was difficult.
2) Only plan to have breakfast together if you are leaving the resort. It was too difficult waiting about in the rooms for everyone to be ready at the same time.
3) we planned together time and apart time pretty thoroughly beforehand. For example, we went to Animal Kingdom together and then split up as planned after lunch, meeting up again at the resort before dinner.
4) We only did one ADR a day. It is a lot of people to sit down together with in a crowded place. A few times we split the party up for the ADR. We had a special couple meal at Le Cellier while the in laws took our boys to Hollywood Prime Time.

I would travel again in a big family group in a heartbeat, but you nood to plan pretty well. Everyone laughed at my little schedules but they worked!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

We did six adults, three children last year. It was wonderful. My tips are:
1) Do NOT get connecting rooms - just adjoining ones. It was my Husband's family not mine and the doors kept getting propped open and the loss of privacy and the chaos of noise was difficult.
2) Only plan to have breakfast together if you are leaving the resort. It was too difficult waiting about in the rooms for everyone to be ready at the same time.
3) we planned together time and apart time pretty thoroughly beforehand. For example, we went to Animal Kingdom together and then split up as planned after lunch, meeting up again at the resort before dinner.
4) We only did one ADR a day. It is a lot of people to sit down together with in a crowded place. A few times we split the party up for the ADR. We had a special couple meal at Le Cellier while the in laws took our boys to Hollywood Prime Time.

I would travel again in a big family group in a heartbeat, but you nood to plan pretty well. Everyone laughed at my little schedules but they worked!

Austraveller - this sounds like excellent advice. There is nothing worse than waiting around in your room of a morning for other people to be ready. I'm a super on time person and I cannot travel with people who are not or I go insane .

Imka - sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned.

 

[BecBennett]

I know your inlaws want to stay together as much as possible, but everyone will enjoy themselves more if you don't try and stay together the whole time. You'll never have everyone happy at the same time. I recommend meeting up for meals and special events like shows or fireworks, and from there you can plan to either head off together to the next attraction or branch off to enjoy what you want to see.

You don't need a car, but personally when we go back to WDW we're going to get one. Simply because on our last trip we spent more time getting to where we wanted to be then actually being there, and I feel a car would help cut that time down.

I agree with Austraveller on the adjoining rooms as opposed to the connecting rooms. You'll be close enough.

I loved our big family holiday. There's no better feeling then being in such a great place like WDW, and running into people you know I'd do it again in a heart beat!

 

[austraveler]

Just another thought re accommodation- consider two moderate rooms for a family of 5. I preferred our two rooms at POFQ over our one room at the Beach Club for us and our three boys. Hey I just noticed that you are from Newcastle too!

 

[imka]

Thanks for your advice guys, some great tips there!

We booked accomodation-11 nights at SSR. We ended up with 3x 2bd villas. We were able to fit it in the budget because of the 30% off. No free dining but we'd prefer to get the rooms cheaper.
Very excited!!!

@ Austraveler.... wow we are both Novocastrians. Where in Newcastle are you?

 

[austraveler]

Congratulations on booking! Now the planning really starts....

We live in New Lambton. Where are you?

 

[Andona]

We booked accomodation-11 nights at SSR. We ended up with 3x 2bd villas. We were able to fit it in the budget because of the 30% off. No free dining but we'd prefer to get the rooms cheaper.

Congratulations! The discount is very nice to have, isn't it! We took advantage of it too.

Andona

 

[imka]

Congratulations on booking! Now the planning really starts....

We live in New Lambton. Where are you?

I'm overwhelmed by the planning, especially with such a large group but if I don't they will just roam around noone making any decisions.

We are at Charlestown just moved here from New Lambton Heights....just around the corner really, everywhere in Newcastle is close, hey!?
When are you next/last at WDW?

 

[imka]

Congratulations! The discount is very nice to have, isn't it! We took advantage of it too.

Andona

Andona, yes the discount is fab.
Sounds like we will be in the US at the same time. When are you at WDW? Where are you staying? We booked from 17th Sep till 28th at SSR.