I Screwed Up - Planning a Group Trip

[mulberrybush]

I'm planning a group trip: me, DH, DB, Dsil, two 4yos, and two 2yos.

A 2bed villa at BLT just for the convenience of toddler naps/rest (but who knows if they'll need rest!).

Why am I posting? I really messed up our last vacay with DH's sibs last year. I did a park commando trip (with insane touring plans) because they were unlikely to return for another 10years at least. DHs sibs (mid-20's age) hated the trip and refuse to go back I feel horrible. They were not in shape to do the walking and all the activities I'd planned.

My DB has already stated he'll take another WDW trip two years after the first with us (which is sept2014). I had him a list and links for a variety of resort options so they could choose the resort. DB replied they all looked the same to him and they'd like me to pick/plan. UG.

I'm a psycho (like many of you). I do spreadsheets with each day and select best parks based on crowds predictions, then plan breaks/adrs around where we'll be each day. With little kiddos, I like character meals and table service bc it's just easier...but it does make a day less flexible.

How do you plan a trip with a group, providing a good first visit overview without being a schedule nazi?

I should note: This is not a tightly budgeted trip so park hopping/high end adrs are all fair game. Would you do a DP for ease?

 

[PictureJumpr]

Best advice I can give you is go ahead and make your spreadsheets (you'll go crazy if you don't)... and then spend a lot of time making yourself accept that your brother and his family may not want to follow them.

I've always found, when traveling with a large group, that having simple/basic plans like "We're going to Magic Kingdom tomorrow. Dinner is at Ohana at 7:15, so we're leaving the park gates at 6:45, if we don't see you before then we'll see you at the Main Street Train Station at 6:45" works best. If they want to tour with me, and follow the way I do things, then that is awesome - but if they want to go at their own speed and do their own stuff, that's cool too. We'll have dinner together in either case.

Commando is something I just flat won't do, period - but I do travel with friends and family who thrive on it. Fine, great, see you later

 

[grimley1968]

Traveling with extended family can be tricky, as you discovered earlier obviously. It's a difficult balance of finding things to do together while not getting too much of each other or doing things they don't want to do.

I would plan definite get-togethers at the resort, assuming you all end up at the same resort, and possibly one or two meals inside parks together if you want to go to the same parks at times. Other than that, I would provide the extended family with resources for them to do their own research (links to easywdw crowd calendars, etc.) and tell them which park(s) you're going to each day (if you know early). Leave it up to them if they want to join you. Make it clear to them that there is no pressure to join your immediate family. That way there is less likely to be hurt feelings whenever they inevitably decide they want to do something different from your immediate family at some point.

If you do go to the same parks together, I'd try to set up meeting times/places within the parks to get a meal, but make sure they know they're free to tour the parks how they wish and separate from you until the rendezvous.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I'm planning a group trip: me, DH, DB, Dsil, two 4yos, and two 2yos.

A 2bed villa at BLT just for the convenience of toddler naps/rest (but who knows if they'll need rest!).

Why am I posting? I really messed up our last vacay with DH's sibs last year. I did a park commando trip (with insane touring plans) because they were unlikely to return for another 10years at least. DHs sibs (mid-20's age) hated the trip and refuse to go back I feel horrible. They were not in shape to do the walking and all the activities I'd planned.

My DB has already stated he'll take another WDW trip two years after the first with us (which is sept2014). I had him a list and links for a variety of resort options so they could choose the resort. DB replied they all looked the same to him and they'd like me to pick/plan. UG.

I'm a psycho (like many of you). I do spreadsheets with each day and select best parks based on crowds predictions, then plan breaks/adrs around where we'll be each day. With little kiddos, I like character meals and table service bc it's just easier...but it does make a day less flexible.

How do you plan a trip with a group, providing a good first visit overview without being a schedule nazi?

I should note: This is not a tightly budgeted trip so park hopping/high end adrs are all fair game. Would you do a DP for ease?

I feel your pain

I planned a grand gathering for our family, parents and sister's family. There were three different groups with three touring styles.

Mever planner commando style all the way
Parents: resort style relaxing, little touring and very few rides
Sister's family: sleep in, wander around with no plan touring

I planned our location (AKL) and four ADR's for together meals. I gave them a copy of our schedule and invited them to join us if they wish.

They laughed at me a little, well actually alot! We were all able to take our WDW vacation at our own pace and get together for some great meals.

 

[LisaCM614]

I would do a staged spreadsheet and process. This is what I do with our group planning.
1. Fill out your spreadsheet with tentative parks on each day. Have comments around possible evening entertainment for each day.
2. Review with group and adjust.
3. Add in ADRs. Now only you guys know the little ones - are they better at early AM character breakfasts, early lunch? is it easier to eat breakfast or any meal in the villa?
4. Find out what is most important by park (is it certain characters, rides, meals)
5. Your staying at BCV - do you want to schedule a resort day? or at least a resort AM with parks in the afternoon?
Just throwing some ideas out there!

 

[Shaden]

If, as you say, the budget isn't TOO tight on this trip, first thing I would make sure to do is book Park Hoppers.

We personally love the flexibility of PH's. Our first trip we went with some members of our extended family (for half the trip) and they did not have hoppers, and so, we didn't buy them at first either. Then seeing how every day was perfectly planned and restricted, we upgraded our tickets to PH's. It seemed horrible to be completely locked into a plan and a specific park with a specific restaurant for that day. We like the ability to be able to go to Animal Kingdom during the day and still catch Wishes or Illuminations that night.

Also like the ability to be in a park, (especially MK or Epcot) see that the crowd levels are too high, and then bounce to another park.

Don't get me wrong, we have a plan, I have spread sheets, we have all our ADRs booked, but, we also like to feel like we aren't on a schedule or a plan, because we spend the rest of our year like that

 

[Pakey]

I've done a few grand gatherings. My first one was a disaster. I learned my lessons from that one.

After that I put us all at the same resort but separate villas/hotel rooms for each family. No staying together in large villas.

I set a meeting time for every morning in the lobby. Whoever showed up, fine. If they didn't show, we did our own thing. Everyone was told what park we were going to that day. Some met us in the morning, some joined us later in the day after they got up, some didn't join us at all.

Group meals were limited to dinners only. Individual families were responsible for making their own reservations for daytime meals if they wanted them. I called and made their reservations for them but they had to pick the restaurants/dates/times for anything other than dinner.

I learned that too much time together is not a good thing, even for families that get along well. I've had great success on all of the vacatons after the first disaster.

 

[vcunning]

We've done the Grand Gatherings too. Ours was pretty successful. 4 different parts of the family ranging from 3 years old to 80 years old. The multiple rooms idea is great. We had 4.

You mentioned that budget isn't really an issue. We did concierge and found that was a great way for people to casually have breakfast or meet before dinner.

We only outlined one specific meal or event per day (kinda required) and said that everyone could do what they want during the remainder of the time. I made little credit card size schedules just to show my family where they needed to be when. We did emphasize, go have fun. We don't all need to be together at the same time.

It really helps to be on the monorail in terms of transportation.

 

[Lynne M]

I think the key to success for your brother's trip is to plan, and then be willing to throw the plan in the trash if it's not working. Flexibility is EVERYTHING when traveling with a group. Planning is good, being rigid in your execution of the plan is a recipe for disaster. As you've unfortunately learned.

From reading these boards for so many years, it's clear to me that the successful plans are the ones that go for efficiency, not the ones that try to cram in every possible ride and activity. Smart use of fast pass, knowledge of what rides to hit early, doing counter service meals at off times - that eliminates a lot of wasted time and lets you do more of what you want to do.

Here's what I'd suggest: First, talk to your brother. Ask what kind of trip they're envisioning. Do they see themselves in the parks day and night? Do they think their kids will need to spend the afternoon back at the resort, resting? Do they want an all- Disney parks trip, or are they hoping to do some offsite exploring and shopping? Do they want to spend afternoons at the pool? Do they want to sleep in, or hit the parks at rope drop?

Then you plan. Remember, you're going for quality, not quantity. Don't insist they do rope drop if they want to sleep in. There's no ride on this earth that's worth me getting up at the crack of dawn when I'm on vacation; they may feel the same way. If that means they miss TSM, so be it. It's their vacation, too.

Which brings me to the other really important point: assume you won't be doing everything together. If they want to sleep in and you want to do rope drop, they can meet you in the parks. If they want to bag the dinner ADR and go back to the resort to relax, you can still go enjoy the dinner.

And last....watch for the telltale signs of 'it's not fun anymore'. If they're starting to drag, and have gotten quiet, or the kids are increasingly cranky, STOP. Ask what they want to do. Would an ice cream break in a shady spot help? A cold drink in an air-conditioned counter service place? Or is it time to hang it up and go back to the resort for awhile?

They may try to press on for fear of making you unhappy by bailing out, but don't let that happen. Make sure they know that you're ok with them going their own way for awhile.


Good luck!

 

[Shaden]

Which brings me to the other really important point: assume you won't be doing everything together. If they want to sleep in and you want to do rope drop, they can meet you in the parks. If they want to bag the dinner ADR and go back to the resort to relax, you can still go enjoy the dinner.

This is great advice, and also part of our group trip experience, and ALSO, part of my reason for suggesting park hoppers.

We did this several times, actually it work out awesome a few times because the group that went to the park for rope drop, picked up a few fast passes for us ... so when we got there, we already had fast passes !

We also did stuff like going to different parks, then meeting up in the afternoon or for dinner in another.

 

[mmmears]

I also have our days planned out when we go. My advice is to plan a little "vacation" into your WDW vacation -- some down time each day at the hotel pool, BB or TL... or something else that you think your family would enjoy (like renting a boat?). We can do "commando" touring early morning and evening, but not if we don't get some down time in the afternoon.

Also, check with them ahead of time and explain what the trip days will be like -- and adjust if necessary. Not everyone can handle the way we do WDW -- so far I have escaped from planning a large group trip!

 

[Gretchen]

I am VERY upfront with EVERYONE about how I do Disney. Y'all are welcome to come along, but this is how we (I) roll. People laugh, etc, but if you come with me, you will see and do it all and have blast! If you want to sleep in, fine. Don't want to come to the MK for rope drop, fine. I'm good. I won't sit around and wait for you either, lol! We did a big group trip a few years ago-worked out great. Used PP's philosophy-planned what to do together-dinner, etc. and went our own way. Sometimes we all hung together, and others not so much.
Only way to go--

 

[nkereina]

I would avoid DDP. That might be a lot for a newbie to grasp and it will just add to your stress. I took my fiance to WDW two years ago for the first time and we were on DDP. It wasn't until our last day there that he finally understood how the credits worked without me telling him what to do.

We are planning a trip with my parents next year. I am considering them more than me in our planning. I know they aren't so much into park touring as they are into relaxing, so I've taken that into consideration by planning on days to sleep in, planning a few nights at some of the DTD bars, etc. If you determine what you think he will be into and not into, it will definitely help in the planning.

 

[amfie928]

Years ago my family went to Disney with a large group. All friends of the family. In all there were 17 of us. We each had our own room (family) and at the beginning of the trip we all would agree to meet at say 8:30 am.

Now this was my first trip to the world since 1981 before Epcot. I was excited and was ready to go go go! Now even though we all 'agreed' to meet at a specific time it never worked out that way! I am an 'on time' person...usually early. If we said 8 then 8 it is. We would have 4 people waiting and a half hour would go by. Then a few more ppl would show up. Then those ready and waiting would need to go back for something. Then someone would be missing and we would find out they were still taking a shower. It was a disaster! And to top it off some people refused to do cs for a meal so we would have to wait for a large group to be seated at a ts place (pre ddp).

By the third day I was over it. We finally decided that whoever was ready would go off and do their thing. We would meet at whatever park we were going to that day for lunch and then stick together (or not) the rest of the day.

I think if you leave the touring options open you may find that your family may be with you in the morning but then decide to wander off on their own once they get the lay of the land. Or maybe not!

A dream of mine is to plan a grand gathering for my mom's side of the family. Many of them have never been to WDW. There are 48 of us! If money was no object I think a concierge level would be ideal. This way we would have our own rooms. Be in the same building but could use the lounge as a gathering and meeting place throughout the day. I would plan maybe 3 or 4 family meals but then each family could do their own thing.

Unless you are extremely close as a family I would probably book separate rooms. But that's my preference. I know some of my family don't mind all staying together but I like my space

 

[Sue M]

As everyone says, do your spread sheets! Consult crowd calendars and make sched. for which park to go to each day.

Schedule in mid day breaks every day. The little ones will need it. Seen too many melt downs with little ones being over stimulated, too little rest, and out too late. So I would do a relaxed plan.

I would plan on getting to park rope, mid day break, out for dinner, and a little more park time either before or after dinner, and call it a day.

Don't sched more then 1 TS a day. Breakfast may require getting the kids up too early. So I wouldn't go heavy on character breakfasts. If you are at BLT, Chef Mickey would be easy. Maybe a dinner at 1900 Park Fair.

Watching Wishes from BLT or CR would be fun.

Have everyone put down a couple of must do's for each park, and relax. Realize your not going to be able to do it all and have fun!

 

[denneg]

We went in November with 3 of my cousins and their families, and it very quickly turned obvious that we were not on the same page. Our spreadsheet simply indicated the park, based on the crowd, and any table service meals. Otherwise, we went our separate ways and used our cells to meet up when the time was right. My DH is a morning person, so we hit rope drop and are back at the resort by 1 for swimming/naps. My cousins were the opposite, so we maybe had 2 hours mid-morning to hang out, then we would meet at the pool and go to dinner. It was perfect, the kids could play and we could sit and have a drink without stressing over lines or who the kids were bumping in to! I think the best way to handle it is a little structure, like ADRs, so you know you'll have time together, and then a whole lot of flexibility!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm planning a group trip: me, DH, DB, Dsil, two 4yos, and two 2yos.

A 2bed villa at BLT just for the convenience of toddler naps/rest (but who knows if they'll need rest!)....

Which couple gets the master bedroom at BLT? Will that be a problem? If it will, why not just get two one bedroom villas?

 

[Sue M]

Which couple gets the master bedroom at BLT? Will that be a problem? If it will, why not just get two one bedroom villas?

Good point! They could flip for it I guess, and maybe the person who gets master bedroom pays a bit more? Or 2 one bedroom villas would be a better idea. I think I'd prefer my own space.

 

[magicbob]

I'm planning a group trip: me, DH, DB, Dsil, two 4yos, and two 2yos.

A 2bed villa at BLT just for the convenience of toddler naps/rest (but who knows if they'll need rest!).

Why am I posting? I really messed up our last vacay with DH's sibs last year. I did a park commando trip (with insane touring plans) because they were unlikely to return for another 10years at least. DHs sibs (mid-20's age) hated the trip and refuse to go back I feel horrible. They were not in shape to do the walking and all the activities I'd planned.

My DB has already stated he'll take another WDW trip two years after the first with us (which is sept2014). I had him a list and links for a variety of resort options so they could choose the resort. DB replied they all looked the same to him and they'd like me to pick/plan. UG.

I'm a psycho (like many of you). I do spreadsheets with each day and select best parks based on crowds predictions, then plan breaks/adrs around where we'll be each day. With little kiddos, I like character meals and table service bc it's just easier...but it does make a day less flexible.

How do you plan a trip with a group, providing a good first visit overview without being a schedule nazi?

I should note: This is not a tightly budgeted trip so park hopping/high end adrs are all fair game. Would you do a DP for ease?

Traveling with a large group can be a challenge, but if it's just you and your DB's family, it should be fine. I visited WDW a few years ago and my DB (who lives in the area and is a WDW veteran too) met us for dinner at Boma one evening and we met up at MK a few days later.

There was no expectation that we needed to spend every moment together. We arrived at MK for RD. They drove from home and arrived around 10am. We met up, did some rides, had lunch, did some more rides. We let them know from the start that we were planning to leave the park around 3-4pm. They stuck around and did some more stuff at MK that afternoon.

IMO, one of the keys to a successful trip with family is to be flexible and compromise. We made the MK day about my young Niece and going on things she liked, even though some of the "kiddie" rides are things we normally don't visit these days. Our children are older now (DD in grad school and DS is 16), so it was nice to be visit with a youngster and experience MK again through her eyes.

 

[mulberrybush]

These are all fabulous suggestions - soooo helpful! TY