Help!!!!!!Planning trip for 12

[PrincessNya'sMom]

I am in need of some serious information. I am currently planning a vacation for 13 people. All with very diffrent personalites and dislikes. I need information on the following:
1) Fantasmic dessert and if it runs in decemeber?
2) Photopass is it really worth it?
3) Any suggestions on where to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks either outside or inside the park.

Here is the cast :
Me(PrincessNya'sMom)32
DH-36
DD-(PrincessNya)4
DS1-9
DS2-7

DSI-Tinkerbell 27
DBI-29
DD-8
DS-2
DBABY( not born yet)

DMI-56
DFI-60

Sidenote: My father in law is very picky and will almost hate whatever we plan. However his love is Pirates. He cries everytime he rides that. Any and all sugesstions are greatly appreciated. Hoping Goofster will respond. I love his trip reports.

 

[Blndiebby25]

PrincessNya'sMom,

I went on a family trip with a group of 12 a couple of years ago. I can't help you with all your questions but one suggestion I can make is don't try to tour the park(s) all together in one group. We tried to do this the first day and it didn't work, after that we split up into small groups (each family going together or the younger kids going with my parents while the older kids went with the other adults, etc). We didn't try many places to eat while we were there either, we were trying to keep the spending down so didn't really eat inside the park(s) except for snacks. Most of the time we ended up eatting at the McDonald's across the street.

Happy planning and have a great trip!

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Thanks, I appreciate the tip. My inlaws are a fun bunch in a morbid sort of way. LOL No really my sister in law and brother in law are laid back and love doing the park the way my husband an I do it. One section at a time. However, The father in law is the real problem. I forgot there was a Mcdonald so close. We will have to do some lunches there. Kids love Mcdonalds.

Thanks,
PrincessNya'sMom

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

You will definately want to hit McDonalds across the street on Harbor for breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is also Mimi's, Milly's, Tony Roma's, Denny's and IHOP across the street. Although most DO NOT recommend going to IHOP due to very inflated prices and poor quality of food.

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

We went to Disneyland in 04. Stayed at the Desert Palms Hotel on Katela. We ate at the Quiznos and it was really good. Also did Denny's. Had an exceptional breakfast. I have been reading a lot about Mimi's some good some bad. Have you eaten at any of the places in DTD. We had Naples and really enjoyed it. The house of blues was horrible. I would like to try another rest. this time. We have also done rainforest. Constantly looking for good food. Sidenote: Since you live in California have you ever tried Aunt Kizzy's Soul Food in Marina Del Rey. To Die For.

 

[Barbday62]

Photopass will be your families best friend on the trip. Each person or group that may split up can get a card and that way when your not together you get pictures taken in smaller groups. Then purposely meet up a few times and places to get big group shots as you head into the park or to a show. You can combine all those cards at the end of the trip and buy the cd for $59 at the park or wait until you go home and combine them and order the CD with borders and such for I think about $129. To me it was not worth the extra to get borders so I bought mine my last day at Disneyland. Just dont go late at night when the lines will be long to purchase it. Oh they give discounts too when you pay with Disney VIsa or have an AP

I would suggest you plan a few show type things to meet up or meal and so that as a big group, get a photo pass picture then go your seperate ways. Buzz is one of those rides you can do as a big group easily if you want to do some together. Its a fast moving line and at the end you get to email your pictrues home for free. Also pirates would be another excelent ride as your entire party will get the boat together.
If Aladdan is playing in DCA be sure to check it out as a family. Its like a broadway show and a family could easily get in together and sit together.


Have fun planning but I really am of the school dont plan every second out at Disneyland. There is so much to do and a lot of opportunity to discover something unplanned. If you have a few days you will get everything done anyway. Disneyland is way more laid back than touring at WDW. Also a fast pass suggestion. IF everyone wants to ride a fast pass ride have a runner get them all at once buy gathering admission tickets. You can come back later after the time printed. EVen if its past the end time you can still use it just not any early. Its a good way to get in a late night ride with less wait.

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Wow Thanks. This is really good info on the photopass. I was trying to convince my husband it was a good idea the other night. He wasnt getting it. Now I can show him this and he will understand. Im nervous going in such a big group. We have done it with 8 and it worked out good. We stayed together and were able to do alot. Do you know if the printable maps are useful at all? I saw where you can customize them and print.

 

[Husker Mickey]

Our last trip was with 22 people.(see my signature picture) (My MIL, all of her kids, their spouses, and all of the grandkids, plus a couple of days with MIL's brother, wife and son who lives in CA) We had a blast! I would also suggest breaking up and doing your own things. We stayed together most of our first day, but realized that it just was too hard to do what the older kids wanted to do along with what the little ones wanted to do. Do try to gather for meals or other spots for group photos, they are priceless.
A few suggestions to do as a family - Turtle Talk with Crush (too cute), Jungle Cruise, Pirates, and Buzz.
A couple of places to eat in CA - White Water Snacks and Pacific Wharf - both offer a lot of variety and you can all sit together. We also liked Test Pilot's Grill, tried to get seating together but it was impossible. We went at prime eating time.
Have a great time and keep up a possitive attitude so that all the kids will remember this trip with Grammy and Grandpa to DL as one of the best times of their lives!!!

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Wow 22. We may be adding 6 more which will bring our total to 19.My BIL lives in Ca with his wife and 3 kids. My other SIL and BIL may now want to go. I for one am completely excited.

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Are there ever any free dining plans like they do for Walt Disneyworld? With 12 possibly 19 going this would be a big benefit. We are also going to be driving from Texas to Ca.

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Are there ever any free dining plans like they do for Walt Disneyworld? With 12 possibly 19 going this would be a big benefit. We are also going to be driving from Texas to Ca.

 

[silence]

DL doesn't have good Dining Plans like WDW. It's basically like paying in advance for your food but you don't get change back.

We did the parks with 13 in our last December trip. I also recommend splitting up or at least having a PLAN of what you want to do for the day. The first day we spent WAY too much time trying to figure out "what do we do next" that it drove me crazy!

That trip we did the Fantasmic Balcony seating for our group. Worked out perfectly as there were a lot of first timers and we didn't want to sit and wait hours to watch the show. It was so worth it to us.

PHOTO PASS ROCKS! Get several cards and combine them. Also, when you go to buy the CD, if the line is long at DL, you can also buy them at DCA. We have done that the last two trips and had no wait at all.

Happy Planning!

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me what the desert was for fantasmic? Just curious. My husband and I decided against the dining plan as we are not big eaters and neither are our children.

 

[silence]

well, i have not done the riverside. we did the balcony seating when they had it and really did enjoy it. we would do riverside on a future trip if they had the show scheduled while we were there. our last trip was a m-f thing and it was not scheduled during our stay.

somewhere, perhaps this board, i have seen pictures of the desserts posted. like a mickey mouse rice crispy, some choc covered strawberries maybe?

sorry i'm not more of a help!

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Thanks I actually found the thread that had the desert box. Didnt look like I would have expected. Cookies, Strawberry, rice crispy treat. I guess your paying for the view?

 

[imjen]

We are doing a similar trip this year. There will be 12 of us: FIL, BIL (18), SIL (20), Dh, Me, DD (8), DD (6), DD (3), BIL, BIL's girlfriend, & his kids (6 & 3).

We arrive a day earlier than everyone else which gives us time to visit my grandparents and then get some time at the parks by ourselves. Everyone else arrives late morning the next day. I figured I'd have a basic plan in place for things that my immediate family wants to do and we'll probably plan on switching off part of the time into smaller groups with the younger kids since they won't be able or won't want to do a lot of the bigger rides.

I will also probably figure out a block of time with rides that we can all enjoy together as well. I'm really the only planner in this family and it will drive me nuts if we stand around figuring out what to do. At least if I have a few tentative/flexible plans in place there's some guidelines to go off of. And planning's fun! LOL We've got MHT together on Thurs, Blue Bayou on Friday, and Minnie's on Saturday. And probably Fantasmic together on Friday night. We are staying at different hotels due to finances, which in a way is nice b/c then I don't have to worry about waiting for those in the party that will probably sleep in and not make opening. We'll just meet up sometime after we all get there each day and go from there. We can't wait!

 

[PrincessNya'sMom]

Wow Im excited for you. Wish I was going soon, alas it isnt so. I wont be going till next year. Let me know how it goes with fantasmic if you decide to do the desert or prime seating. I'd also like to now who the trip goes with 12. I am the only planner as well and they pretty much will stick to what I have planned mainly because they know I will have something fun to do for everyone.