Need help with Grand Gathering next summer.

[siestakeys04]

OK this may get a little long but i need to start from the beginning. Last year i planned our first dw trip. My 2 aunts with their families wanted to go to. So i search the internet for anything i could find out about dw and low and behold i found disboards I got hooked researched everything i could. called AAA got prices and told them. Well the first of 2006 jan i said i will be putting down my deposit so be ready. That time came and went then they backed out.

I was sad because i was planning a wonderful trip for us all. Now we went during free dining had fun and came back with pictures and video. they were so shocked of how well i planned the whole trip. I was trying to tell them with AAA its like putting your vacation on lay a way.

Now guess what they believe me. They want me to plan a trip for 3 familys of 4. Now this moring my mom said she wanted to get in on it too. I have warned everyone that if they dont do deposits when i do it i will leave them at home again.

We stayed at the wl and there is no other place we would rather stay. If we plan when summer 2008 rates come out everyone should have plenty of time to pay it off. We want the dining plan free or not but they may not.

My question is how difficult is it to plan a trip for about 13-14 people. they have already told me they dont know anything everything is left up to me I have started planning in my head is it to early you think to start thinking about what adr's we want and where to stay?? I really dont think they care because they no nothing about disney.

PLEASE ANY ADVICE????????

 

[siestakeys04]

Anyone out there??????

 

[slamommie]

Hi! I feel your pain! We're a group of 12 that will be at WDW in a couple of weeks. My family said they'd leave everything up to me so I made the plane, hotel, ME reservations and ADR's.

Recommendation #1: Be sure to call Magical Gathering and register as a grand gathering. They'll make every effort to keep your rooms together if this is what you want. You can make your dining reservations through them as well.

Our group ended up commenting on everything I did, questioned "why" all the time, and one family who when asked their opinion kept saying "whatever"...until all the reservations were made! In the end, it all worked out and everyone's issues were taken care of. So my recommendation #2 - practice patience! You'll need it!

I scheduled days at certain parks with meals on your own, free days with meals together, and a "special event" (e.g., Magical Gatherings International Dinner and Illuminations Reception). My recommendation #3 - be flexible.

Lastly, recommendation #4 - smile! Enjoy yourself, and try not to stress. Planning is half the fun! Ask for help...these boards are great!

 

[HannaBelle]

It sounds like you are well on the way with your ideas!

I planned a trip for 12 in 2006 and I am currently planning our second trip (now we are 14) for this December...4 families total.

You already have the time of year and location you want to stay. I would highly recommend the dining plan! I know a lot of people don't like it, but it makes it easy to budget your $$$.

As far as the Grand Gathering goes, you should definitely sign-up! They have special events tailored for large groups. We did all of them last year and here is my "mini" review...

The "Safari Celebration" b/c it was fabulous! The safari was great, the themed was great, the food was great, they brought live snakes for the kids to pet, the kids got to play instruments with the musical performers and everyone had a blast! Dinner was served family style, so no one had to make trips to the buffet with the little ones.

The "Good Morning Gathering" was nice as well AND you get a FP for Fantasmic! We all had a great time there as well. Tony was a lot of fun! I think we are going to do an ADR at the Crystal Place this time instead though.

The "Magical Fireworks Voyage" was probably the kid’s favorite. The dessert was a bit lame and the boat ride was oozing cheese, but it was a good time! I am pretty sure we are going to do this one again too...only b/c the younger kids loved it!

The "International Dinner and IllumiNations Dessert Reception" was our least favorite. Our evening did not start off well b/c we could find "The Odyssey Restaurant” It was not on the map and we were told by 2 different CM's that it had closed several years ago. We tried to explain that we had reservations for dinner there, but the CM's assured us we were mistaken.

We found a 3rd CM that told us it was converted to a meeting center and was now called "Odyssey Center". The Grand Gathering paperwork made no mention of a name change.

Anyway, we make our way over to the "Center".

We check-in, wait in the sun until it is time for us to be escorted to our table. The buffet was in the foyer area and had several different cuisines. Everything was mediocre, but not "bad". We had a table that sat everyone and that was what was important to us.

The program was not to our liking. It was a bit cheesy and the DJ was very lame..stupid jokes, bad music...that kind of thing.

I remember Goofy being there, but I honestly do not remember any other characters. The kids got to sing on stage and do a conga-line as well as a special mother/son and father/daughter dance. Honestly, the dancing was the best part of the evening.

After dinner, we all walked over to our special dessert reception and fireworks viewing. There was not seating. (I assumed there was seating... ) They served Mickey rice krispey treats and several other things...coffee, lemonade...no water...

We were RIGHT on the water and quite frankly too close for my comfort. I was sure that the firework boat was on fire and about to explode...it was VERY hot being that close to all of the fire they had going. The view was good, the globe looked great and the kids had a good time. We were not "jam" packed either.

(Just as a side note...my 4 year old nephew got his head stuck in-between the bars... and caused quite a bit of stress for all of us! My 2 brothers, my father and my DH just about busted their collective guts trying to free my DN's head. Mercifully, after much crying and sweating...his head was freed... I have read a few other threads where kids have done this and they had the kids go the rest of the way through and then just lifted them over. Just FYI in case you go and that happens! None of us thought of that...)

The Grand Gatherings are nice b/c they already have a table reserved for your group at a location with other big family groups. We had an issue with long waits for our ADR's at places like Chef Mickey's and the Concourse Steakhouse. Another bonus for these Grand Gathering events is that everyone gets a special pin. We did not trade pins or get in to that, but my kids really liked getting these as a special memento! For some of these events, you can trade in a TS meal from the dining plan.

We planned to have dinner or breakfast together each day. We were not necessarily in the same park on the same day, but everyone got together at least once each day.

Each family group looked at what events and things they wanted to do the most and then we had a "family" meeting to decide what we wanted to do. Then, once the schedule came out I put it all together in a spreadsheet and made our reservations.

We had a few "ground rules". No griping if you did not participate in the planning. No one is waiting on you to do "whatever" if you are late. We did not even try to move to rides and what not in a large group b/c that is just too many people!

I hope that helps! PM me if you want to know anything else! I would be happy to send my spreadsheet too if you would like to see it. Our first trip I made the mistake of "over" planning. We did breakfast and dinner together, but that it just too much time sitting and eating!

Oh...and the Hoop-Dee-Do Review was wonderful too!