Disney with family of 15

[went503]

Anyone done this or have suggestions? Did u guys do dining plan with that many. We currently have a GV and a studio reserved. Just looking for people who have had experience doing this with some insight.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

With big groups like this, we have done different room combinations, depending our our point availability.
We have done all studios, one bedrooms and studios, all one bedrooms, and two bedrooms and studios.
We have in past used the dining plan, but it no longer makes financial sense to us. We don't like being tied down to ADR's daily.
So now we do a combination of TIW, which allows us to dine in a way that suits us--appetizers if we want, adult beverages, and cooking some meals in the room.
On our most recent trip, with a party of 13, we did three ADRs and the rest of the meals were in our villa. Each family group was assigned a meal to cook or otherwise provide, with the teen and adult kids being assigned clean up duties.
It worked really well for us.

 

[dbs1228]

We too have cooked in the villas with a larger group of 14! We tried to make it simple meals like spaghetti and meatballs and have meatball subs and salad for dinner the following night. We also use the grills and cook up some chicken, again we make sure there is enough for leftovers, and make salads with chicken in it for lunch the next day. Chili, burgers, tacos and pizza are also easy quick meals. We always have breakfast in and wing it for lunch.

 

[crisi]

Don't try to keep everyone together on the same schedule - let people split up. Moving fifteen through the parks is a nightmare. Set aside some times where everyone does the same thing - dinner together, or pool time, or a certain attraction in the park.

 

[Dean]

Anyone done this or have suggestions? Did u guys do dining plan with that many. We currently have a GV and a studio reserved. Just looking for people who have had experience doing this with some insight.

We've done many large trips but have never done the dining plan for this large a group. More specifically we did the dining plan for some and not for others in this situation but we had separate villas. We routinely do 25-40 people for a week other places. One of my main rules is I don't wait on you and you don't wait on me. We plan one meal together and let everyone do their own thing as much as they want otherwise. Controlling others vacation in a regimented way is a recipe for disaster.

 

[sophia315]

we have done a large group (20 total kids and adults) if you have multiple families and everyone can afford the Dining Plan I would say do the dining plan for the convenience of not having to split bills and such - you are only splitting the tip. Of course the suggestions for cooking could work too if you do some big crock pot meals but if your plan is to eat in the parks then get the dining plan.

 

[BroganMc]

We do 16-17 people trips every other year. We never get the DDP (with or without the group). It doesn't make financial sense. We do have TiW and will use that for the one group meal we plan during the trip. That's a special dining out event we do to celebrate the trip together. The kids are all old enough to love the rides so we don't like strapping anyone down with meal reservations. Getting tables for 10+ group sizes can become hard for the restaurant to handle. It may take a little extra time to seat a group that size.

We've gotten all studios, but now we do at least one 2bedroom. That way we have kitchens and laundries. The 2bedroom acts as the "meeting place" for the group. You have a Grand Villa so you'll have a large meeting place.

We do a grocery store run (or order in) and draw up a list of all the stuff we'd need for breakfasts, snacks and meals in the room. Simple stuff like hot dogs, hamburgers, frozen food, breakfast supplies, beverages.

We pick a park for the day, but we do not attempt to tour together. We break up into smaller ad hoc groups to go on different attractions by preference.

We use cell phones to keep in touch in a park. Meet up and reform into different ad hoc groups.

We gather for specific events like parades and fireworks. Someone (usually the older crowd like grandparents who don't care to go on tons of rides) stakes out the initial viewing spot and we gather around by a certain time.

We have "pool/resort days" where we plan no park and just take over a pool to hang out in. (We rock at those resort trivia contests.)

We always stop to get a group photo at least once per trip. This is our main souvenir.

When we go to book the vacation, the point owners pick the dates and room configuration after some initial consultation with the prospective invitees on scheduling. Then they invite others to come.

The point owners also plan a night a two without the group for some decompression time. Makes it easier to enjoy being with the group if you've had time to yourself to enjoy.

 

[went503]

Thanks guys all great points the dining plan is just to expensive when u look at it . dining in the villa is probably what we will do.

 

[went503]

Thanks guys all great points the dining plan is just to expensive when u look at it . dining in the villa is probably what we will do.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have done large groups in GVs and studios. LOVE having the GV (especially at OKW) for large groups. My biggest advice is make sure you have the proper bedding combinations for your group.

I would definitely NOT do a dining plan. The largest group we did a dining plan with was only 6 people, and it was a nightmare keeping points straight. I'd much rather cook breakfast and one other meal in the villa than deal with that hassle. We had multiple family groups, so we had each group be responsible for one meal each day. It worked great both times we did that.

If you have a GV plus a studio, expect that those in the studio will join you in the GV for meals.

Of course, all of this depends on your specific group dynamics and how they all get along. On all our large group trips, we have always had at least one or two people who can't get with the program and probably should have declined the invite. It was never a real problem for us, but if anyone has expectations different than the majority of the group, there could be issues.

 

[Pirate Granny]

We had only 10 people in a GV and once 13 but three were off site, and we had 4 rooms at FQ (expensive). When with 13 I used TIW (that was when spouse got a free card) and AP discounts. The 10 GV we did the dining plan ...we ate breakfast at GV, lunch by yourselves and dinner together. We also did three grand gathering meals...which were great..I hate that they did away with them, they were well attended and hard to get a reservation if you didn't call right at 180 days out. We paid for all meals so it was easier to just get the DIning Plan, besides we had a problem SIL at the time (read that he got kicked to the curb before this planned 2014 trip ). So we are 10 for this upcoming trip...a 2 bedroom BCV for 4 nights; OKW HH GV for 8 nights and a 2 bedroom lock off VGF for the last two nights. We will use TIW for the first two stays....still deciding if it wouldn't be easier to get DP for the last two nights...
We are a family unit three grown daughters with four grandchildren, so we will be comfortable all together in one unit. Now, when and if we get a couple of more SIL we will have to probably re-adjust our accommodations.
Since we funded the vacations (air, tickets, meals) it was easier to dictate the meals although everyone got to pick one restaurant, including the grand kids. The rest of the meals will be in the DVC or if they want a lunch in the parks it'll be their responsibility. We are going to nail down FP+ this week taking everyone into account! should be fun. It took two days to pick restaurants, days and get the appropriate ADRs. But loved every minute.
We take the entire family trips every three years! I am thinking about lobbying for a 2017 Xmas trip...time will tell.

 

[Figee17]

We had 11 last February (were hoping for 15, but 4 couldn't make it) in 2 treehouse villas. It worked great for us, with the make up of people we had, but I had *a lot* of different configurations of rooms with their points values, etc. before we booked.
We don't usually do the dining plan, but many members of our group wanted to do it for convenience and it did work well in that aspect. We only did two large ADRs together (Hoop Dee Doo and Tusker House) and went our own ways often to meet up at some point convenient for everyone.
It was GREAT and we can't wait to do it again!

 

[rocketriter]

I'd loosen things up even more than some other posters have suggested. Arrange one big group meal at a nice in-park restaurant (your choice depends on what your family tends to like). Have a few more meals in the grand villa--but not every supper! People will get tired of each other, and the natural problems of moving around the parks will make somebody very late to every event, which can screw up food timing and irritate everyone. Trust your family to move in and out of small groups they feel like traveling with from one day to the next. They can make their own decisions spontaneously, changing them as their park experience develops. As folks drift back into their quarters in the evening, great "what did you guys do?" conversations will develop and your family will feel plenty of together-warmth--probably more so than if everyone has to stick together throughout their visit.

 

[Nanajo1]

We do a big (22) trip every other year. As the DGKs get older (teenagers) having a second bathroom became a necessity. One daughter and her 3 girls stay in the GV with DH and me. We get 2brs for the other three. We use TIW card. DH and I have at least one meal with each family. Now that the kids are older character meals are not as requested. We do an adult only dinner each trip. We usually go over Thanksgiving. Instead of a big dinner we have a big breakfast T'giving morning in the GV. We also ordered pizza in. Families make their own plans but often they do tour together.