Large Family Gathering, Helping my friends sort out -lots of details, I really could use lots of sets of eyes, Trip Cancelled 3/23

[LovesTimone]

Info - My friends are coming for their first trip ever with whole family with their families, they are coming in early September, so at the 6 month mark... So my friend was planning on her own she got completely over whelmed, and was crying and begging for help... So of course I jumped in to help ... and Wow, what a mess... I think that I have gotten stuff straighten around... but every time I open up the file I see new things, and she has sent me more info, and stuff she has planned out, like dessert parties, and wanting to squeeze in the Halloween party... that wasn't in the file... So we talked, and I said lets get all this basic stuff under control, then lets see where you can add in anything else... So I really need lots of set of eyes for whatever I have missed... which is probably a lot of stuff...

Celebrating - Her husband beat cancer and is 3 years cancer free... plus a few milestone birthdays, and a couple of anniversaries...

They are the nicest people you can ever know, and have the biggest hearts.... They have 3 kids of their own, and adopted their niece and nephew when they were babies... so then they had 5 kids, now that the kids are grown-ups with spouses and families of their own, their oldest son's wife only has a 1 brother and his wife and son for family... There middle daughter husband is the same -1 sister, her Dh and 2 kids is the only family he has left... so they just took them in made them family ... So now they have a very large family...

Cast -
My Friend and her DH
DS(1) DIL (1) and grandson 6 years old
DD ( 1) - 2 granddaughter 10, 13
DD (2) SIL (2) 1 grandson 8, 1 granddaughter 5
DS (2) and DIL (2) 1 son 8 and granddaughter 4
DD (3) and SIL (3) - 3 grandson 2,4,6
BIL (1) and DIL (1) - grandson 6 years old
DIL (2) and BIL (2) - 2 granddaughter 2,5

So my friends are DVC owners, they have 2 - 2 bedrooms at AKL the rest of the rooms they are renting points, or gifts of points from other family and friends...

Room assignment - 7 nights..
1 - 2 bedroom - my Friend and her DH master bedroom, and her DD(1) and 2 daughters 10, 13
2 -2 bedroom - DS(1) and DiL (1) and grandson 6 year old / BIL(1) and DIL (1) with grandson 6 year old
3- 2 bedroom - DD(2) and SIL (2) grandson 8 and grand daughter 5 / DIL(2) and BIL (2) and 2 granddaughters age 2 and 5
4 - 1 bedroom - DS(2) and DIL (2) 1 son 8 and granddaughter 4
5- 1 bedroom - DD (3) and Sil (3) and grandsons 2, 4, and 6...

So this is what they have booked, with the rooms no changing this ... I think that this is the best configuration for them... I think everyone will have a bed, or use the pull out...
Anyone see any problems with this arrangement?

I going to go in sections, so that I can keep it all straight... Next up transportation...

 

[LovesTimone]

So originally they were all going to use DME, then they decided they wanted to be able stop get groceries, then started thinking about maybe -playing golf and hitting the outlet malls, and make a trip to UV, or Legoland, Cape Kennedy or a beach day... not everyone staying together... I think that they are over planning, and with heat, humidity and the age of the kids, they are over estimating what they really can get done...

With them living in different areas of the country, different airlines, and arrival times...and departure time... DME is the easiest route...

Then renting larger vehicles that is car seat friendly... even if they rent large number passenger vans, or individual vehicles... plus adding car seats to all the luggage is not something I think is going to be easy moving around...

So after looking at it and looking at it... I think that they should just stick with DME, order groceries from insta-cart, and use Uber to get around... and cut down..

Any suggestions?

Next up the Parks and Dinning...

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I agree. They can Uber to US or wherever. 7 days is too short for what it looks like they wanna do anyway. Instacart or amazon or whatever for groceries. I’ve gone in groups this large before and we’d usually meet up like once a day and smaller groups would form naturally but we didn’t plan too much together stuff. It’s super fun but super stressful! They’re lucky to have you!

 

[LovesTimone]

Op here... So Parks and Dinning.,,

Before I jump into all this I did have a conversation with her last week and for her to sort it all out, then talking with her last night... She agreed that all the extras are way to much... as the point of all this is everyone to actually have some family time together...

As well we did talk about everyone breaking up and not trying to stay together... She said that everyone wants to be together... I said in theory that sounds good... but with a group your size everyone should have some separate family time... to kinda do there own thing... everyone needs space...I think I got the message across... She knows her family the best so in the end it up them to decide...

They did as a group decide to go to the Halloween Party... Monday night Sept 7th...

Plus my friend has rented 4 double strollers, to be shared between everyone...so picking up the strollers is something that they will need to do right away... They will be using umbrella strollers for the airports during travel...

As well as dealing with getting groceries for breakfast and snacks, and drinks... they are still deciding on transportation...

Right now they do not have Park Hoppers... some of them think that they should get it, so it would give them more flexibility in the evenings... I am always for park hoppers, so I feel my thoughts are skewed towards going for the park hoppers... Thoughts?

Arrival Day - Saturday Sept 5 -
Since everyone is coming from different areas of the country... some are arriving very early like 8:00 am early... I think the latest arrival is at 4:30...
Here are the options we got it down to...
1) Everyone to having dinner at Ohana's then into MK for fireworks...
2) Head over to Disney Springs for Dinner, The choices are - the Polite Pig, Boathouse, Terralina, RainForest or T-Rex.. and check it all out...
3) Just do a pool day, and for dinner QS or Boma....

Plus it is one of her DIL birthdays and she wants to get a cake for her it is a milestone birthday... Suggestion for fitting in Birthday Cake?..


Day 1 - Animal Kingdom - Sunday Sept. 6th
Breakfast in room..

Whole group - Kilimanjaro safari, Maharajah Jungle trek, It's tough to be a bug, and whatever else they can get done...

Lunch - Flame Tree BBQ - planning on 11:00 lunch break

After lunch the little one will need naps and are planning heading back to the resort - so they are going to break up and some going back with the little ones for nap, and the rest staying in the park, for Pandora, and such... then once the little ones are up back to the park, and the parents trading off...

Dinner - Tusker House... I think she ended up with 4 or 5 ADR's - starting at 5:05 - she is hoping that they all can be seated in the same room and next to each other... Thoughts on this?

Tree of Life lighting and Rivers of Light...

Back to the resort, with the little kids.... Then they are planning on trading off, and which ever park has EMH some of them going to ride the more thrilling rides... that's where the PH's come into play... Her DD with the older girls ( they for sure are getting PH's) said she would take the 8 year old boys with them, and hit the parks till late...

Next up Day 2 and 3, Anniversary, and another birthday...

 

[LovesTimone]

OP here.

Last night my friend called me crying they are having to cancel their trip... Her DH wasn't feeling so good, so they rushed him to the hospital, his gallbladder was about to rupture... so he had to have emergency surgery... apparently there were some complications, the gallbladder was leaking basically infection into his body... so it was touch and go for the first 72 hours... he is doing a better... still in ICU... but things are looking really good right now... So no one can visit him... ICU is on lock down ... That's the worst part for them... they did let him have his phone and iPad, so they can see each other and talk...