Christmas trip with large family.. Suggestions or thoughts of our plans..Please

[LovesTimone]

First off I have been helping my friend plan her Christmas family vacation for the last several months, and have gotten some great tips and suggestions for traveling with a large group from here on the DIS. Thank you very much for all the help.

We have worked and worked on this trip, and it is so important to my friend that is just wonderful and many memories are made. I have made it clear that not everything will go perfect and to enjoy what is going on in the moment.

The trip will consist of her and her DH, they are empty nesters, 2 kids that are married and between the 2 couples them they have 6 kids, 3rd grade to 3 years old. 1 DD who just got married no kiddos, and a DS that is in the military who is engaged, and his fiancée. So 16 people all together. Whew.. They are not all arriving the same day or time. 10 nights at POR, park hopper, with regular dinning plan, they are thinking about up grading to DDXDP, but that is another discussion all together.. They decided on separate rooms for more privacy.

So here are the plans as of right now.

Wed 12/ 23 - Arrival day of my friend and her DH - Doubletree at DTD for 1 night and they will be renting a van for the whole trip, as they added in some other side trips.

Thurs 12/24 - Check out - rent van - Check in at POR - her DH will head for airport to pick up, DS, DDIL, 3 grandkids, other DD and her DH with the other 3 grand kids will be taking DME to the resort. Her DD that just got married and her DH will also ride DME to the resort. While all this is going on her DH will pick up last Son and Fiancée over at the Sanford airport. They decided on QS for dinner that night.. and early to bed for everyone.

Friday 12/25 - MK day - they are going to shoot for rope drop. Breakfast in room, early lunch at Ray's and dinner at LTT, parade and fireworks.. ( This is a long day for anyone so I have prepared her for the crowds and the fact if they leave they might not get back in.)

Saturday - 12/26 - breakfast QS at POR - then each family is going to do whatever they want and meet for dinner at DTD at T-REX.

Sunday - 12/27 - All the guys are playing golf (Champions Gate) and the ladies and kids are doing breakfast with the princess at Norway, then spending the rest of the day at Epcot, doing the kid activities. Dinner QS at POFQ

Monday 12/28 - Breakfast QS at POR - The adult kids and spouses are going to Universal studios, and my friend is taking the grandkids to the movies, lunch at Rainforest, and into MK for parade and Fireworks.

Tuesday 12/29 - This is each families day to do whatever they want.

Wednesday -12/30 - Ladies day out shopping, and the guys are taking the kids to DHS. All QS meals this day.

Thursday - 12/31 - Chef Mickeys for Breakfast as a group - Then Epcot for New years eve.

Friday - 1/1 - My Friend and her DH will be taking son and fiancée to airport to fly out to see her parents. The rest of the family will be heading into the parks.. Dinner at DTD right now they have ADRS at Portobello but are wanting Raglan Road. Return Van at double tree

Saturday -1/2 - Breakfast at POR - The rest of the family and kids will head back to the airport with DME - My Friend and her DH romantic dinner at Flying fish then fireworks in Epcot.

Sunday 1/3 - Check out - My friend and DH will use DME back to the airport

Suggestions or thoughts are much appreciated.

 

[Alesia]

Friday - 1/1 - My Friend and her DH will be taking son and fiancée to airport to fly out to see her parents. The rest of the family will be heading into the parks.. Dinner at DTD right now they have ADRS at Portobello but are wanting Raglan Road. Return Van at double tree

Raglan Road only releases a small percentage of their reservations through Disney. They should make Raglan Road reservations through opentable.com

 

[LovesTimone]

Friday - 1/1 - My Friend and her DH will be taking son and fiancée to airport to fly out to see her parents. The rest of the family will be heading into the parks.. Dinner at DTD right now they have ADRS at Portobello but are wanting Raglan Road. Return Van at double tree

Raglan Road only releases a small percentage of their reservations through Disney. They should make Raglan Road reservations through opentable.com

Thanks so much, I did not realize this, will forward info on to her.

 

[happymommy]

New years eve - our experience is you won't get into Epcot. When we went over that week, it was closed to capacity by noon.
Your friend is picking the single busiest week of the year to do Disney, with a large group. I have done both, but not together (a large group is a lot of WORK, not a vacation, and that week when we went we spent a great deal of time at the resort, club level, so it was fun and we had annual passes so didn't do too many rides).
I would suggest a different week entirely to your friend. We typically went out early, then after a couple hours in a park, came back to the resort and swam and relaxed. The crowds were amazing.

 

[happymommy]

At least have them use Uber to transport to the airport (they can't pick up there). Saves time, which is valuable on vacation! $22 or so to the airport is cheap.

 

[LovesTimone]

New years eve - our experience is you won't get into Epcot. When we went over that week, it was closed to capacity by noon.
Your friend is picking the single busiest week of the year to do Disney, with a large group. I have done both, but not together (a large group is a lot of WORK, not a vacation, and that week when we went we spent a great deal of time at the resort, club level, so it was fun and we had annual passes so didn't do too many rides).
I would suggest a different week entirely to your friend. We typically went out early, then after a couple hours in a park, came back to the resort and swam and relaxed. The crowds were amazing.

I have explained the crowds to them, and they are aware. Luckily this in not a 1st trip for anyone, they all have been here before. This is the only week that they all could make it happen. The biggest reason is that the son in the military is on leave so it is important to spend some time with him. He will be heading overseas for the next 2 years so they really want that time.

 

[Legendteri]

I would really really really try to emphasize how important it is for them to be there waiting at the gates before rope drop on the 25th. Like, I can't emphasize enough how important it is for them to be there for rope drop.