Large Family Trip

[MablePines24]

Hi all!

I'm fresh off my first trip to WDW (Trip report coming soon) and I'm already looking to plan another trip! My recent trip was short and just myself, my son and my father. Many things were learned, tears were shed and blood was spilled. (See forthcoming trip report.) Even after all that I'm not only looking to plan another trip, but one for a group of about 13 people! I am apparently a glutton for punishment lol. But I need your help. I learned so much from the community of DISers for my first trip. I hope this is a good board for this post, wasn't quite sure where to go.

Ok, so here's the deal. I am thinking January or Early December of 2017. I know there is a big difference between those dates, but with my family, we need time to get our act together for saving and requesting vacation time. I also figured these might be good times of year to go. I'm also thinking we might need 4-5 rooms if we stay on site, depending on how we split up. But might it be better to stay off site? As for group make-up, we will have 2-10 year old, a 5 year old and a 7 year old the rest being adults.

Please share with me any kernels of wisdom or stories I can learn from. I would like this to go as smoothly is it can.

 

[LisaCM614]

We love touring with large multi generational groups. A few things that help us plan:
Set everyone's expectations - how much time are you going to spend together? will you tour parks together? experience certain attractions together? get together for meals? or part of the day in the same park? will certain groups break off and do different things together? Do people like to get up for Rope Drop? or do they prefer to go to the parks later in the day?

I like having separate rooms at the same resort. If you use a travel agent they can make sure that your requests are grouped together.

I also like having time apart - time for just my family as opposed to all of the time with the large group. Some people really like to meet characters and others just want to ride coasters - you have to work to make sure everyone gets what they want out of this trip!

Decide if everyone is going to plan on their own or if there will be a central planner. Different things work for different families!
Good luck!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It would be cheaper to stay off-site, but you'll be more dependent on shuttles or rental cars, which makes splitting up a lot harder. If there are 13 people, there are 13 touring styles/interests, and staying joined at the hip will be painful for all concerned. On-site, it may be more expensive, but you'll have more transport flexibility.

It may be worth looking at renting DVC points. An AKL Grand Villa will sleep 12 with one child under 3 in a pack-n-play. Or you could get two smaller villas. A Saratoga Springs Treehouse sleeps 9. Getting a 2BR and a 1BR at Old Key West would also work. (Note: These are 3 of the easiest resorts to get DVC rentals at, since you're looking at high DVC use season; I don't like your odds at monorail resorts or Boardwalk/Beach Club/Yacht Club in the same time period).

 

[kwdw]

Step one - you have to break this down into who shares a bed and who can sleep in the same room to start with lodging plans. You can put parents plus one or two kids in one room, but you can't put two couples usually.

Step two - your general price range. Depending on your sleeping arrangements - two, 2 bedroom DVC villas might be enough space for you all. But 5 separate rooms at a value is FAR cheaper. Renting a house off-property is also a good consideration for a group your size.

Step three - general amount of togetherness you want. The larger groups I travel with are VERY good at "generally" defining this advance - so nobody's expectations are hurt. For example, for one group, if we divided up into individual hotel rooms - we would RARELY be together unless there were pre-defined set meal times or special events. Otherwise - based on personalities - it would be we were all on separate "smaller family unit" vacations. Put that same group in a rental house - we'll naturally spend more time together because of the shared common living space, kitchen, ease of bouncing plans around to build consensus, etc - but still do some things separately.

Step four - you have to ask NOW if folks have a preference of time. Assuming I don't change jobs - I can tell you that taking a week long family vacation in January is nearly impossible for me - but I can go in December anytime, any year. So - you need to poll folks now - get a consensus for your group's preferred time. Getting 4-5 households to agree on this piece - that might the hardest part of all of this. And what's the deal if someone cancels last minute?

 

[rwdavis2]

Make sure they all understand what a trip to WDW usually involves to be successful: planning, stamina, and money. I would not plan to do everything together every day.

 

[margot31]

A few years ago we did a group of 9 adults and 2 kids. We were able to get int he WL villas and had two rooms. 6 of the adults and 2 kids where in the 2 bedroom unit and the other 3 adults in the other unit.

We actually just kind of broke up in small groups of who we wanted to hang out with and we all had nanny duty....well except my sister who had her two kids.

We planned a few meals all together but it was do what you want kind of thing.

My husband and I plan on doing another trip in 4 years as a big family for my son's 5th birthday. My parents like to stay in 1 resort while some of us might be in another. I guess my family doesn't need to do EVERYTHING together.

To me I would also take in consideration as to what exactly is everyone intentions when they get down there. Do everything together and really plan out the trip or say Hey these people are going to this park and these people at this park. That is the style we liked.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It would be cheaper to stay off-site, but you'll be more dependent on shuttles or rental cars, which makes splitting up a lot harder. If there are 13 people, there are 13 touring styles/interests, and staying joined at the hip will be painful for all concerned. On-site, it may be more expensive, but you'll have more transport flexibility.

It may be worth looking at renting DVC points. An AKL Grand Villa will sleep 12 with one child under 3 in a pack-n-play. Or you could get two smaller villas. A Saratoga Springs Treehouse sleeps 9. Getting a 2BR and a 1BR at Old Key West would also work. (Note: These are 3 of the easiest resorts to get DVC rentals at, since you're looking at high DVC use season; I don't like your odds at monorail resorts or Boardwalk/Beach Club/Yacht Club in the same time period).

If you decide on DVC points, you'll need to reserve that villa at 11 months out for early Dec or early January (you are running into Marathon time). Be prepared to pay in full and usually there is no cancellation policy - meaning if you cancel your money will not be refunded.

 

[Lori74]

we are taking our extended family to orlando next august. there are 13 of us. we told the family they need to buy the groceries and car rentals for themselves and we got the rest. we rented a 6 bedroom house for $1400, got magic kingdom tickets, universal tickets, and will get plane tickets next year. we will try to have a meal together in the parks, other than that i expect we will all scatter, and possibly leave the parks at different times. some of us have more stamina than others! we have one beach day planned, a day at disney springs and shopping in orlando, and a day at home just sitting by the pool. hopefully it all goes well. have a great trip and best of luck to you!

 

[MablePines24]

Thank you guys!! I realized early on that we may all be doing different things at some point. I know for myself, being a bit of a geek, want to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour, but likely no one else in my family will want to do it. I just want to make sure that we maybe do the same park on the same day, albeit at different paces, and try to do dinner together each evening. I know for us adults, some of us can hit the park all day and some will need a break. Those of us who don't break can watch the kids that don't want to break, and those who do break can take the kids who want to rest. Though I think I will make sure to bring a teenage cousin to act as a babysitter for an adult only EPCOT night.

 

[lovin'fl]

Think about renting a DVC villa or 2. We did two 15 person family trips where we had 3 2BR villas with 5 in each (my fam of 5, SIL1's fam of 5 and then MIL/FIL/SIL2's fam of 3). We get together right after the 180 ADR window opens to book ADRs. One year each family chose 1 place and then we had 1 must-do that we all agreed on (Ohana). The second trip, SIL1 didn't want us to each choose because her family is picky and they didn't like some of the places we'd pick so we all sat around and had to agree on 5 places. These were Christmas trips so some of us felt we should do dinner together every night but the best way to go would be to have everyone do their own thing but match up where you can (have everyone right down their choices and see where they match up). Then we got together again at 60 day FP+ mark to schedule those. This is the hardest. Some like early and some like late, some like thrill rides and some like shows/parades. And it is such a pain to know where you'll be when. But as long as you get FP+ for the toughest things, you can always change the other stuff on the fly. We found that folks just went to the parks on their own and didn't really stick to the plans or FP+ so much. We have all been to WDW a lot so we can skip stuff and not be too hard pressed. If we were to do another family trip, I'd push for us to each plan our own and try and match up when possible but not try to force it.