Group Advice?

[danceteachermom]

I am bringing 27 students to Disney for a dance performance trip booked 2/10-2/14. Has anyone traveled with a group since the pandemic began? I'd love advice. I have done this 10 other times...but I am nervous about this trip. At this point we do not have G+ booked and it would be very expensive for us to do so every day...it it probably only an option one or two days if we do. We have our park reservations: Thurs. MK, Fri. HS, Sat Epcot, Mon, AK. We also have MK for our performance day Sunday but since we got a midday performance will only be doing the park in the evening.

If you took a group, how did they do with just stand-by lines?

We have a couple group meals booked but most of our meals are going to be kids using gift cards for quick service. Any advice for larger groups with mobile order? We are staying at Pop...will plain old walk-up order be OK?

I know there were a lot of bands and other groups performing in December. If you were on any of these trips, I'd love to hear from you.

We were originally scheduled to perform January 2021 but cancelled.

 

[mjkacmom]

I wouldn’t try to stay together! Definitely break into smaller groups.

 

[kwdw]

You didn’t comment on the age range of the dancers. Or, if you know all dancers have a smartphone. Or if some/many/few have been to Disney before. My answers would vary on that.

Here’s my comparison point. I have a 12 yo niece with a cell phone who knows her way around Disney, can use MDE just fine, and could easily navigate her own life without supervision or guidance the entire time (Note, Disney rules say 14 is the age of solo entry, so I wouldn’t actually let her run around the whole place without supervision, but she could handle it based on her experience and knowledge.)

Now, she does get much less responsible when hanging out with peers, so with “dance friends” she would actually need more rules and supervision than she would alone. Regardless, I’m making the point of what’s the age of the group to know if you can let them go off in groups on their own? Also, some might have permission from parents to spend money and could go off and buy Genie on their own, or do you want to establish rules on that? If it’s a cost your group can’t afford, you may just have to set the rule with the whole group that they can’t do that.

Basically, I think they need to be able to break up in groups and do their own thing with check in points. But their ages, number in the group that have any familiarity with Disney, and the number of chaperones floating around makes a big difference.

 

[_19disnA]

Everyone has their own idea of what they like to do at a Disney park. Some might just want to do rides, others shop, walk around, eat, etc. I think it would be a huge mistake to think all 27 people can walk any park as one big group and all want to do the same things. Are there any other adults with your group and/or what age ranges are we talking about? Should divide up into smaller, more manageable groups based on what they are interested in doing.

 

[moiyn]

I'm not convinced Genie+ is worth the extra expense at all (having just used it over the course of 10 days with a party of 4), let alone if you are not going to be in the parks from the second it opens until the moment they close. On the best of days the Genie+ service only got us lightning lane passes for three attractions.

 

[_19disnA]

^^ I agree and school travel groups are generally on a limited budget where some likely wouldn't have the extra $$$ for things like Genie. I doubt anyone expects the sponsors to pay for such extras.

 

[Belle1962]

How many chaperones are going? Band and cheer trips I’ve been on broke the main group up into smaller groups. While it is possible for large groups to stay together (think Brazilian tour groups) smaller groups are easier to manage and they get more done.

 

[danceteachermom]

How many chaperones are going? Band and cheer trips I’ve been on broke the main group up into smaller groups. While it is possible for large groups to stay together (think Brazilian tour groups) smaller groups are easier to manage and they get more done.

We are a pretty small group...15-18 year olds. We assign them touring groups for the first two days but after that the students get to pick who they tour with as long as it is a group of two or more. We have morning, afternoon, and evening check-ins. We have supervision at the hotel. But the chaperones do not tour with the kids. We are in the same park all day and they can call us at anytime. We each have 6-8 students.

We do not try to stay together as a group, but it is a lot of fun to get everyone on the first couple rides after rope drop somewhat together. I used to book the entire groups fastpasses and I was most often able to get them to overlap. I miss being able to advance schedule things for the kids so that they get more value for their investment. They have saved and worked hard for this. For many it is their first trip to Disney and for some their first big vacation.

I agree smaller tour groups does allow them to get more done. But even the small groups can waste time and miss out on the opportunity to do more. Plus they are teenagers so they get distracted by photo ops, coffee, shopping...

 

[danceteachermom]

I am the group leader. I do not expect my chaperones to pay for anything. But I do have some donor funds to supplement the trip if needed. I think I have decided to give the kids a $15 gift card to use to buy a Lightning Lane pass for Rise of the Resistance. If they choose not to do it, they can spend the $15 as they want. But beyond that I am not going to do Genie+ or other individual ride fees.

 

[bffdisney]

You will spend the whole day waiting for someone to get out of the bathroom if you're all together haha

I think your ride plan with one genie+ option is a good one.