Attraction takeover!

[callmecal]

We have an upcoming trip with extended family - almost 30 in all covering 4 generations. During the trip we plan to "take over" the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - that is, we'll enter with a party of 20 and fill up an entire train.

With such a large party we aren't going to tour as one large group all day long, but I'm looking for things like the example above to pull the whole group together for just a small period of time during each day (we do all meet up again at dinner).

Anyone having any other ideas on something simple, short and fun for a large group?

 

[Mikie]

My extended family was only half that size, but I think using your FP and a dining reservation is the way to go. Everyone gets up at their own pace in the morning (unless there's a breakfast reservation) gets to the park on their own speed (impossible and frustrating to wait for a group that size to move all at once). Then, pick 3 attractions that will be fun together that are also near in proximity to a restaurant you want to dine in. Have 2 FP at, say 10:30 and 11:30 then a noon lunch reservation, then another nearby 1:30-2:30 Fastpass. Everyone meets up for the first time at the first ride around 11:15, rides together, proceed directly to ride #2, then directly to lunch and then right to ride #3. grab a giant group photo somewhere, then everyone is back on their way to split up or go at their own pace. Repeat each day or shift the whole thing to an evening time frame for dinner. This way, you basically have 1 "appointment" time to watch out for, progress through that series of items, then flexible again after.

I think anything with audience participation would be especially fun with a group - Enchanted Tales, Turtle Talk, Laugh Floor. Getting all together on one train on the coasters sounds cool, but the two times I rode 7 dwarfs, they were REALLY hurrying people into place and I'm not sure they'd allow you to hang back, fill in the train in front of you, then put you all on your own train. I hope I'm wrong!

Have a great trip!!

 

[kamabet]

In MK I would say that Monsters Inc and Philharmagic would be nice attractions to do as a group.
EP soarin would be fun
HS great movie ride, TOT, star tours
AK dinosaur, the safari , FOLK

 

[jo-jo]

Carousel of progress, with that age spread, it's got to give you something to talk about.

 

[dprincessmom]

Epcot - Soarin' with FP+; Living with the Land; Figment would probably be easy to do with your large size group.
HS - the Animation Academy (it would be like a private lesson for your family); TOT elevator
MK - what about the People Mover; Jungle Cruise (this might be 2 boats full)
AK - Safari; Dinosaur; EE with FP+; Kali with 2 boats; the train to Rafaki's

 

[grimley1968]

I'd pick a ride everyone would enjoy, but I wouldn't FP+ it. Coordinating FP+ times for a group that large would be quite difficult. In fact, I would stipulate to the group that everyone should avoid FP's during whatever time you meet up for the ride. But even if the wait is, say, an hour long, you can use that time to catch up with people. If there is someone you really want to talk to at the other end of your group, you should be able to go back and forth within your group without worrying about cutting. I think it might actually be easier to catch up with more people waiting in a line like that where you can move around within your group than at dinner, where people might not want to rearrange seating if the conversation between a certain group becomes stale. That way, you can use your FP's for other times of day where you want to minimize the waits. Just a thought.

 

[JanaDee]

We have an upcoming trip with extended family - almost 30 in all covering 4 generations. During the trip we plan to "take over" the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - that is, we'll enter with a party of 20 and fill up an entire train.

With such a large party we aren't going to tour as one large group all day long, but I'm looking for things like the example above to pull the whole group together for just a small period of time during each day (we do all meet up again at dinner).

Anyone having any other ideas on something simple, short and fun for a large group?

On SDMT, odds are your party will fill in an existing train and the rest will have to wait for the next train.

 

[tinkerbesh]

Tower of Terror for sure! You can get 21 in the same car. Then get the ride photo! Sounds like a great opportunity to get Memory Maker if you all chip into it. Very cheap per person. (Is there a limit on the number of people that can share?)

 

[Sherrkel]

Our family and friend (in-laws, etc.) enjoy vacationing together at Disney. We love going on rides together and I find most ride attendants to be very accommodating allowing us to group together and enjoy the attraction. POTC at MK is another ride that is fun to go on as a group, and other attractions like Bugs Life @ AK or Mickey's Philharmagic at MK.
It's definitely challenging to get FP's together, and even when you get them in the same hour window, you have to coordinate that EXACT time to meet outside the attraction and enter together. I found that to be tough to coordinate because when you don't tour together - which is virtually impossible to do ALL day - there's a lot of communication trying to track people down to meet up at the given time.
But, it's all worth it to be able to experience the fun and excitement of the rides, so best of luck to you and your group!!

 

[Mikie]

Tower of Terror for sure! You can get 21 in the same car. Then get the ride photo! Sounds like a great opportunity to get Memory Maker if you all chip into it. Very cheap per person. (Is there a limit on the number of people that can share?)

Excellent idea. I'm not aware of any limit on party size and it's very worthwhile with that many sharing if everyone rides photo rides and stops for photographer photos.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

My idea?

Don't do it. LOL You won't ever get anywhere. Everyone has to shop, get a drink, or use the bathroom. I recommend Philharmagic and Voyage of the Lil Mermaid, attractions like that, maybe Monsters Inc. But if you get to see anything, I'll be amazed...

 

[JimmyV]

There are people out there who are true "experts" in touring as a large group, taking over rides, chanting, singing, and wearing matching T-Shirts. But unfortunately for you, I don't think they post here!

 

[agame2323]

My idea?

Don't do it. LOL You won't ever get anywhere. Everyone has to shop, get a drink, or use the bathroom. I recommend Philharmagic and Voyage of the Lil Mermaid, attractions like that, maybe Monsters Inc. But if you get to see anything, I'll be amazed...

This.

It was the worst experience for my family when we attempted to move around with more than a dozen people.

Mainly, there are just too many personalities and individual preferences to deal with. There's always that person who can't keep up. And then there's the person that wants to take pictures of everything. And there's the person who always tries to change the plan on-the-fly (don't be that person). There's the bathroom person who takes FOREVER in the the restroom doing God knows what. There's the "let's take a break person" after every ride.

Just way too much.

 

[preemiemama]

We did this last summer with a group of 18. 15 of us on SDMT all at one time, POTC, and all 18 did the Safari together in AK. For the most part, we toured separately the rest of the time. We DID all meet Anna and Elsa at the same time- that was quite interesting!

Sometimes a couple of the family groups would get together and ride, but mainly it was one big meal a day where we were together (Luau, character breakfasts…). My suggestion is to have FP+ around meals when you know you are all together and then head right to the ride/show/meet and greet you want to go to like one of the PPs said. I would love to see a whole elevator take over on TOT- that would be cool!

Shows like Philharmagic and Laugh Floor would also be fun, and probably do not need a FP. I agree with the PP who said to split the MM. We also did that (it was a family trip- grandparents, parents, kids, so the grandparents bought it and we wound up with a TON of pictures for the week!).

Good luck!

 

[eva]

Tower of Terror for sure! You can get 21 in the same car. Then get the ride photo! Sounds like a great opportunity to get Memory Maker if you all chip into it. Very cheap per person. (Is there a limit on the number of people that can share?)

I was going to suggest the same thing. We did a DIS meet with over 30 people a number of years back. We took up a large room at 50's Prime Time for dinner. The wait staff really laid it on thick for us. After dinner we were able to convince 20 people to ride TOT in the dark. We got a car to ourselves. I love that picture. We ended the night with Fantasmic. One of my favorite days at WDW!

 

[Mikie]

This.

It was the worst experience for my family when we attempted to move around with more than a dozen people.

Mainly, there are just too many personalities and individual preferences to deal with. There's always that person who can't keep up. And then there's the person that wants to take pictures of everything. And there's the person who always tries to change the plan on-the-fly (don't be that person). There's the bathroom person who takes FOREVER in the the restroom doing God knows what. There's the "let's take a break person" after every ride.

Just way too much.

I absolutely agree, but that's why I like to say group a FP (or 3) with a meal and everything else is split on your own. Then you're doing more than just eating together - let's face it, grandma and grandpa don't just want to do rides, they want to see the grandkids do them! Absolutely impossible to move around effectively if you're also making decisions as you go, but not so hard to say "meet at 10:30 for Splash Mountain, Enchanted Tales and then lunch, then we'll split up after!"

 

[Fishteacher]

We had our family of 12 all wear the same shirts for my mom. (It was her special trip). We all shoved into splash mountain together and it was my favorite picture of the whole trip! Have fun and make magical memories.

 

[callmecal]

This.

It was the worst experience for my family when we attempted to move around with more than a dozen people.

Mainly, there are just too many personalities and individual preferences to deal with. There's always that person who can't keep up. And then there's the person that wants to take pictures of everything. And there's the person who always tries to change the plan on-the-fly (don't be that person). There's the bathroom person who takes FOREVER in the the restroom doing God knows what. There's the "let's take a break person" after every ride.

Just way too much.

I think some have mis-read my original post. We are not touring together all day. We are only meeting for a select few events and dinner. It was those select few events that I was looking for ideas....we are definitely not touring as a group of 30.

 

[callmecal]

We had our family of 12 all wear the same shirts for my mom. (It was her special trip). We all shoved into splash mountain together and it was my favorite picture of the whole trip! Have fun and make magical memories.

Excellent idea. Actually, we already purchased matching shirts - makes for great photos!

 

[callmecal]

My extended family was only half that size, but I think using your FP and a dining reservation is the way to go. Everyone gets up at their own pace in the morning (unless there's a breakfast reservation) gets to the park on their own speed (impossible and frustrating to wait for a group that size to move all at once). Then, pick 3 attractions that will be fun together that are also near in proximity to a restaurant you want to dine in. Have 2 FP at, say 10:30 and 11:30 then a noon lunch reservation, then another nearby 1:30-2:30 Fastpass. Everyone meets up for the first time at the first ride around 11:15, rides together, proceed directly to ride #2, then directly to lunch and then right to ride #3. grab a giant group photo somewhere, then everyone is back on their way to split up or go at their own pace. Repeat each day or shift the whole thing to an evening time frame for dinner. This way, you basically have 1 "appointment" time to watch out for, progress through that series of items, then flexible again after.

I think anything with audience participation would be especially fun with a group - Enchanted Tales, Turtle Talk, Laugh Floor. Getting all together on one train on the coasters sounds cool, but the two times I rode 7 dwarfs, they were REALLY hurrying people into place and I'm not sure they'd allow you to hang back, fill in the train in front of you, then put you all on your own train. I hope I'm wrong!

Have a great trip!!

I like the idea of the audience participation attractions - hadn't considered that. Thanks!