Logistics/Planning for Group of 12...Help!

[VakayplannerPA]

Hi Everybody, I'm good with Disney... been there a lot, but never with a group larger than 5-6. I need some help thinking through please!

I'm going to have one family of 7, one family of 4, and then me (the Disney planning fairy). It's my niece's family (ages 42, 41, 21, 18, twin 6, and newborn) and my nephew's family (ages 40, 38, 8 and 5) -- and this will be first visits for them! All the little ones are girls except for the 5 year old.

I'm planning to get 3 rooms at POP Century, with 7 day park hoppers and crossing my fingers for free dining to be offered. Everybody is driving from PA - except me (I'm not that nuts!). My thoughts are to book all three rooms under separate reservations -- unless some of you have other suggestions for me??.... Now, here's my question:

With the regular dining plan, how do I want to do the ADR's? Everybody is going to stick together for the first 3-4 days, then pretty much do whatever. I'm planning on trying to keep everybody together for the TS's. QS's and snacks I'm not worrying about. With the kids, I'm figuring 50% of our time at MK - anywhere else will be a bonus. Downtown Disney is probably out, unless people aren't too tired after AK day.

If I book 2 or 3 tables under separate ADR's what are the odds of sitting together? Or, should I just go for party of 12 for all the TS's? I know I'll have to add extra for the gratuity - no problem there. Then, with that (when I'm up at 7am on day 180 out) will I get them??? Ah... the magical question!

#1 priority is CRT for dinner

Then, I'm tentatively planning for Boma with AK, Garden Grill with Epcot, Sci-Fi, 50's Prime Time and Little Einsteins/Hollywood & Vine Breakfast all for Hollywood Studios, and Liberty Tree Tavern and 1900 Park Fare Breakfast at GF. (We're over our limit, so 1 or 2 TS's will be out of pocket $$). Adults are going for the kids, so I suggested either character meals or buffets to keeps everybody's sanity.

And... do I count the newborn (5 months)? I know under 3 doesn't pay, but are they included in the headcount?

I appreciate any help here... I'm just not sure how to handle the room reservations vs. the dining plan ADR's. Thanks for any help!

Vakay

 

[Cafeen]

Hi Everybody, I'm good with Disney... been there a lot, but never with a group larger than 5-6. I need some help thinking through please!

I'm going to have one family of 7, one family of 4, and then me (the Disney planning fairy). It's my niece's family (ages 42, 41, 21, 18, twin 6, and newborn) and my nephew's family (ages 40, 38, 8 and 5) -- and this will be first visits for them! All the little ones are girls except for the 5 year old.

I'm planning to get 3 rooms at POP Century, with 7 day park hoppers and crossing my fingers for free dining to be offered. Everybody is driving from PA - except me (I'm not that nuts!). My thoughts are to book all three rooms under separate reservations -- unless some of you have other suggestions for me??.... Now, here's my question:

With the regular dining plan, how do I want to do the ADR's? Everybody is going to stick together for the first 3-4 days, then pretty much do whatever. I'm planning on trying to keep everybody together for the TS's. QS's and snacks I'm not worrying about. With the kids, I'm figuring 50% of our time at MK - anywhere else will be a bonus. Downtown Disney is probably out, unless people aren't too tired after AK day.

If I book 2 or 3 tables under separate ADR's what are the odds of sitting together? Or, should I just go for party of 12 for all the TS's? I know I'll have to add extra for the gratuity - no problem there. Then, with that (when I'm up at 7am on day 180 out) will I get them??? Ah... the magical question!

#1 priority is CRT for dinner

Then, I'm tentatively planning for Boma with AK, Garden Grill with Epcot, Sci-Fi, 50's Prime Time and Little Einsteins/Hollywood & Vine Breakfast all for Hollywood Studios, and Liberty Tree Tavern and 1900 Park Fare Breakfast at GF. (We're over our limit, so 1 or 2 TS's will be out of pocket $$). Adults are going for the kids, so I suggested either character meals or buffets to keeps everybody's sanity.

And... do I count the newborn (5 months)? I know under 3 doesn't pay, but are they included in the headcount?

I appreciate any help here... I'm just not sure how to handle the room reservations vs. the dining plan ADR's. Thanks for any help!

Vakay

If you're planning on doing all TS together, just book them all together. There is no need to worry about the different room reservations and all that when booking ADRs. The dining system does not care how many are on your room reservation when booking with a dining plan or utilizing 180+10. Only that you have one.

Inside of 180 days and not using the dining plan to book (really only needed at prepaid locations), then the dining system doesn't even care about your room reservation at all.

As far as the infant, yes, you count everyone on the reservation whether they are eating or not. It's needed for table sizes and fire codes more than anything.

 

[VakayplannerPA]

So I am just panicing and overthinking this? Example: Sci-Fi or 50's Prime Time I can just make one ADR for 12 and they will try to accommodate us in a couple different cars or kitchens hopefully close to each other? But, some place like Boma or Liberty Tree Tavern would easily put us all together because they have larger table groupings? Am I thinking straighter now? If that's the case, this should be a piece of cake to at least get close to times I want (pretty flexible and planning on off-times/not popular ones)...Vakay

 

[TDC Nala]

So I am just panicing and overthinking this? Example: Sci-Fi or 50's Prime Time I can just make one ADR for 12 and they will try to accommodate us in a couple different cars or kitchens hopefully close to each other? But, some place like Boma or Liberty Tree Tavern would easily put us all together because they have larger table groupings? Am I thinking straighter now? If that's the case, this should be a piece of cake to at least get close to times I want (pretty flexible and planning on off-times/not popular ones)...Vakay

They're not going to gurantee that a group of 12 will all be seated at the same table anywhere. But they will try, or they will try to get you close to each other. Book them all together unless you absolutely can't get a reservation for 12 and then don't even think about it until you arrive at the restaurant. And yes you must count everyone at the table, even infants.

 

[olive]

We went on a big family trip a few years back - I think there were 14 of us? We had no problems. I made all of the reservations, and although they did say they may not be able to seat everyone together, we never had a problem (Boma, San Angel Inn, Rose & Crown - which we reserved to overlap with Illuminations and had a fabulous view of the show).

 

[Duster72]

I did this last year. Booked three rooms, had large parties. I did it all via the website. Ultimately I had to call to make some changes and they kind of yelled at me for not utilizing their grand gatherings system. If you just call the phone number and ask for grand gatherings they put you through to a specialist who will help you get ADRs, etc. For example, I couldn't get an ADR at CRT for 10. Call GG and they make 2 separate ADRs, but you get seated together.

They are very helpful, and if you are booking 3+ rooms, you should utilize their free service.

 

[Sushifiend]

I thought they did away with Grand Gatherings in 2012? Or was that just a couple of the special dinning experiences or events?

 

[TDC Nala]

They did away with the Grand Gathering special events, but you can still register your party as a Grand Gathering.

 

[Buzzsgramma]

I can only tell u my experience and hope it helps...In the last 3 yrs we have taken 14 people to WDW at Thanksgiving week.
We are DVC so no problem there...
Okay the ADR's...again since we paid it was all under our name...no small feat..sometimes i would get around the same time and put 1/2 the people under my daughters name...after you have booked the ADR...when we arrived i went up to the podium and ask if we might all sit together...
No problem at Kozzunia's..lots of room...okay with Boma's also on Thanksgiving Day, also did ok at Ohana's.
Also had a TIW card for discounts...