Family Reunions at DLR

[underminer]

So every year we go to a different place for a family reunion trip and next year we are planning to go back to Disneyland. We tried it about 10 years ago when the kids were smaller and spent a week there with a side trip to Knotts. The problem was that it felt almost too busy and disjointed for a family get together. Although we all enjoy the parks, our group of about 15 (half kids and half adults) seemed to move very slowly and indecisively when together and would end up going different directions. By the end of the day we were often too tired to do much together and it wasn't one of our more memorable reunions.

We want to try it again and hopefully be more successful this time! Any suggestions for fun family reunion type activities in the parks? We will be going in mid June and most of our kids are teens and tweens now. I have a few new ideas but would love to hear what kinds of hits and misses you have experienced trying to do a family reunion at the DLR!

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

We have gone with large groups like that, and first thing we do is tell everyone, do not feel like you have to stay in the group. We make reservations or plans for everyone to participate in some activities. Meals where we have a reservation is a good one. My husband and I will also throw down a blanket or 2 and camp out for Fantasmic around 5pm and let everyone know we are there if they want to find us and make sure they are there an hour before the show. Most of the time, our group will come over, have a picnic dinner and people watch, talk, laugh and have a great time. We also find that more ofter than not the group usually ends up together most of the day. We find that if one person takes the lead everyone will follow...no debating.

 

[GatorChris]

I can see how this would be tough. Our reunions have 40-50 people, so we just rent a hall or some outdoor pavilion and have fun together. How do you keep that many people together at Disney without a Brazilian tour guide?

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

In DL we have gone with maybe 15 to 20 people. I am the type of person who will sit back and watch to see how it goes and if I start to see to much confusion on indecisiveness I will start leading and they can follow if they want to.

My favorite place to do a family reunion with over 30 people is a cruise...they can't get far there.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If you have teens and young adults, they'll want to do their own thing, except for dinner. "If you feed them, they will come."

We also did several family reunions on cruise ships and two land trips in Hawaii. Since we had a wide variety of ages from infants to great-grandma, it was much simpler for everyone to do their own thing by day, and have dinner together every night.

Trying to keep everyone together all the time is like herding cats.

 

[princessmocha]

I can see how this would be tough. Our reunions have 40-50 people, so we just rent a hall or some outdoor pavilion and have fun together. How do you keep that many people together at Disney without a Brazilian tour guide?

Brazilian tour guide!!!! Best thing I have read all day.

We have done a big family thing with 10 of us. We planned a few things together, like meals and in the parks we mostly did our own thing. (This was at WDW) We also made sure we had a few non-park things planned, like afternoons in the pool so we could just relax. Good Luck!

 

[ddwlms]

We have gone with large groups like that, and first thing we do is tell everyone, do not feel like you have to stay in the group. ..... We also find that more ofter than not the group usually ends up together most of the day. We find that if one person takes the lead everyone will follow...no debating.

This ^^ last sentence. I also tell our group that they do not have to stay in a group. I would rather have people ditch us, than be unhappy with the plan we make. (and by "we", I really mean 90% me, and 10% others.) However, RARELY, does my group ever split up. --I usually never get to DL without 12 - 15 people. And because I am willing to lead, (and know a bit about the parks) the group is willing to follow. I have found that when I visit other places, it is REALLY nice when someone else knows the way and I can just sit back and follow, not have to worry about what to do next. So, if your group is made up of DL rookies, as long as there is a leader with a plan, you will probably spend most of your time together. (most often, any splits we do have are with a set that really knows the parks enough to WANT to deviate from the plan), Leader, with a plan, being the key.

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

This ^^ last sentence. I also tell our group that they do not have to stay in a group. I would rather have people ditch us, than be unhappy with the plan we make. (and by "we", I really mean 90% me, and 10% others.) However, RARELY, does my group ever split up. --I usually never get to DL without 12 - 15 people. And because I am willing to lead, (and know a bit about the parks) the group is willing to follow. I have found that when I visit other places, it is REALLY nice when someone else knows the way and I can just sit back and follow, not have to worry about what to do next. So, if your group is made up of DL rookies, as long as there is a leader with a plan, you will probably spend most of your time together. (most often, any splits we do have are with a set that really knows the parks enough to WANT to deviate from the plan), Leader, with a plan, being the key.

Last summer we went with my son in laws family, I was really just willing to tag along. After one ride, I started giving ideas on how to avoid the lines ect...after DL they all spent several days together at their parents in Redondo Beach. My daughter came back up home and when we saw them, they told us his family decided they will never go to DL again with out me to guide them.

 

[Escape2Disney]

I've been to Disneyland with two different LARGE groups. It seems most productive to have things planned and let people join as they wish. Reserved meals work well, as do scavenger hunts and group pictures. If you come up with prizes for the scavenger hunts, the teens will likely join!

How about delegating some of the planning? Ask 2 people to create a scavenger hunt, 2 people to plan and reserve meals, etc. Sometimes being part of the planning process gets people more invested.

 

[Masonmj84]

I agree with PP's comments about not expecting everyone to stay together all the time. The herding cats observation is spot on, especially if we're talking about families with children of vastly differing ages.

I've personally never liked the idea of doing a Disney (or any theme park-oriented) vacation with extended family for several reasons:

1. My extended family (particularly my in-laws) practically insist on doing everything together (their argument is, "if we're not together all of the time, what is the point of having a family reunion?")

2. My extended family likes to sleep in somewhat on vacation and, in that regard, doesn't tend to make rope drop even under the best of circumstances (let alone, when we're talking about herding a large group)

3. My extended family likes to be in the parks all day (feel like they have to in order to get their money's worth) regardless of afternoon crowds and heat (and tired children)

4. I am very OCD about hitting the parks before rope drop and having a touring plan as I HATE waiting in long lines while on vacation. I also dislike being in the parks when they become too hot and crowded and prefer to spend afternoons at the pool.

5. When visiting theme parks, my extended family doesn't like spending time or money to eat (they're there to ride rides and quickly snarf down just enough food to avoid starvation). In contrast, I like to enjoy a relaxed, sit-down dinner.

In short, I know that I wouldn't enjoy a family reunion style vacation at Disney. But every family is different and YMMV.

 

[underminer]

Thanks for all the ideas! I too have reservations about another family reunion at DLR for all the same reasons that have been listed above but to be honest planning a reunion trip there is a way to get me back to the place I love!

I like the idea of a scavenger hunt...can you give me any more specific ideas on how to do something like that? I have thought about having daily fun challenges like "funniest ride photo" or "most different rides completed in an hour" or "best scores on Buzz and TSMM." I love the anticipation and planning of a trip almost as much as the actual trip even if it doesn't turn out exactly as planned. I'm hoping we can spend the mornings together and then do our own thing in the afternoons and finish out the evening together with shows or fireworks.