Planning a BIG family Trip

[Chellymouse]

Hello Everyone!
I've been "elected" to handle to big family vacation for summer 2010. The cast: me, DH, DMIL, DB/SIL and their DD6 and DS4, DSIL and her DBF and her 2 DDs ages 12 and 9 (the ages are how old the kids will be at the time of the trip). I've ruled out a GV because my DMIL will probably wind up with the sleeper sofa and I think that's rude. I'm thinking of 2 THV as that would get everyone their own room. However, I've never been to WDW with children (DH and I are DINKS) or that many people for that matter. DH and I are the only ones who've ever been to WDW and we've never travelled with this many people at one time.
So....I need some help!!
1. Anyone done a grand gathering and how was it? Was it worth the extra $$?
2. We usually do DDP (since it's just DH and I) but are we better off not doing DDP since EVERYONE would have to do it? Or do we just "sell it" to the family?
3. I have NO intention of having the group stay together for the whole trip, however, our nieces and nephew will want to hang out with us part of the trip as will the rest of the family. Any suggestions?
Thanks everyone and yes I know....this is pure craziness!

 

[CraftyMouse]

1. Anyone done a grand gathering and how was it? Was it worth the extra $$?
We have never done any of the extra Grand Gathering events, so I can't help you with this one. They do look like a lot of fun, but I think they are pricey.

2. We usually do DDP (since it's just DH and I) but are we better off not doing DDP since EVERYONE would have to do it? Or do we just "sell it" to the family?
Personally, I would skip the dining plan. With that many people, and not knowing where/when everyone is going to want to eat, I think it would be much easier to do meals without the plan. If you have an AP you can get the Tables In Wonderland card which gives you 20% off of food/beverages (including alcohol) at most sit-down and some counter-service dining locations.

3. I have NO intention of having the group stay together for the whole trip, however, our nieces and nephew will want to hang out with us part of the trip as will the rest of the family. Any suggestions?
When we travel with a large group we usually plan one thing to do together each day. Usually it is a meal, whether table-service, counter service or something we make in our villa. Sometimes it's an activity, like the Fort Wilderness campfire. Then, everyone can come go as they please, staying together when they want to and splitting up when they don't, but we know we'll have some regular togetherness.

I'd also suggest, if you're up for it, one night where you and your DH take all of the kids for the evening to let the other couples have some couple time. You could do two kids on two separate evenings or all of them on one. My suggestion would be to take the kids (particularly if you have all 4 of them at once) to Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club for a Kitchen Sink sundae. It's 12 scoops of ice cream and every topping they have in a huge metal serving dish shaped like a kitchen sink. It's quite an event!

Thanks everyone and yes I know....this is pure craziness!
No...it's not crazy at all! It's what Disney is all about!

Have fun planning!

 

[hellerjw]

We did all 4 Grand Gatherings this past June. The only one that was disappointing was the "Good Morning Gathering" which was basically just breakfast at Toni's Town Square Restaurant at MK followed by priority entrance to Mickey's Philharmagic.

The other 3, however, we liked better and were worth doing in my opinon.

The Magical Fireworks Voyage is basically snacks followed by a short boat ride from the Contemporary over to a prime viewing spot in the middle of the lake for the "Electrical Water Pageant" and nightly MK "Wishes" fireworks.

The Safaris Celebration Dinner was my favorite because you got to do a special slower-version of the Kilimanjaro Safari ride followed by a buffet dinner at the Tusker House Restaurant.

My 2nd favorite was the dinner and desert reception at Epcot. You start out with a buffet dinner and entertainment at the Odyssey Restaurant and then head over to a special reserved viewing area for desserts and viewing of "Illuminations".

We did the Deluxe Dining Plan also so all of these with the exception of the Magical Fireworks Voyage (because they don't serve a meal) was covered by the table service credits of the dining plan. This was a big bonus for us and I'm not sure we would have done the Grand Gatherings, or at least not all of them, if we had to pay out of pocket over and above the dining plan costs.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We took my 2 sisters, their husbands and kids.

I wanted to kill one sister while we were planning, and the other sister after we got there. The trip was a success. I still speak to my sisters. One of them actually returned and had a wonderful time. I think I had something to do with my sister having a little bit of a good time with us, and a great time with her kids, later.

It can be hard with newbies because they may not be on board with what you are trying to accomplish. This was especially true with the sister who didn't want to plan anything until we were in the cars on the way down. She didn't want to plan, but was up for the challenge, so it worked out.

The other sister agreed with me on everything until we got there. She and her DH fought the whole time. They refused to stay in the parks long and complained that they weren't seeing anything. They left a day early to go to Daytona Beach so that the trip wouldn't be a complete disaster for them.

The one very strong piece of advice I can give you is to make sure that everyone gets equal accommodations. A 2 bedroom and a studio doesn't cut it. My smoking sister(irrelevant now) got the studio because we didn't want a smoking room. Disney didn't give her a smoking room, but she was stuck with it. She got mad that DH and I wouldn't take the studio. We paid for the rooms, and my other sister did not want to have a 3rd kid in the 2 bedroom.

I personally like the idea of telling everyone that they are getting the dining plan. (Period). Then let them know that they MUST make advanced dining reservations. I wanted us to do 1 meal a day together but I could not get that far with the planning. My sisters just thought I was obsessed about food.

Anyway, good luck!

 

[Castillo Mom]

Ah, the joys of planning a family trip! I actually had a great time planning our extended family trip last year that was 2 years in the making and consisted of 11 days at WDW and 7 day Disney cruise. I had family coming and leaving on different dates, some did the cruise, some didn't. The process can be very nerve racking but rewarding as well. You're going to find that people have different tastes and desires and you'll have to be creative at finding ways to compromise so as to keep everyone happy. I personally didn't have any issues with my family cooperating but that could be because I'm obsessive about planning and they know how much energyI put into making sure I create lasting memories for my boys whenever we go to WDW. Besides, I was their personal travel agent and saved them a lot of time and effort. Pretty much all they had to do was take care of their expenses and show up!

The number one tip I can give you is to be organized. I kept a binder and kept everyone's demographic and contact info so that I'd have it at my finger tips when making room and dining reservations. I also kept a record of everyone's flight info in case of emergency.

Another important tip is to keep regular communication. Ask everyone what interests they have in terms of Grand Gatherings and then go from there. You can also get their input as to what meals they would like to have together as a family or other activities they may want to participate in as a group.

As for the dining plan, I highly recommend it. As someone else mentioned, two credits can be used for 1 Grand Gathering experience. Everyone in my family got the Dining Plan and absolutely loved it! We didn't have any issues with it but then again we ate almost every meal together and pretty much were together the entire trip.

We did only one Grand Gathering and that was the International Dinner at Epcot. I have to be honest and say that the food was not good at all. The kids did enjoy the story telling and character interaction and we all enjoyed the VIP viewing of Illuminations. The dessert buffet just prior to the show was excellent though. I'm glad we experienced it but don't think we'd ever do it again.

 

[Liljam]

Hello Everyone!
1. Anyone done a grand gathering and how was it? Was it worth the extra $$?
I've never done the GG. I don't know if they're really worth the extra money or not. I think if you plan right and have the time, meeting up for a dinner or brunch can be just as nice.
2. We usually do DDP (since it's just DH and I) but are we better off not doing DDP since EVERYONE would have to do it? Or do we just "sell it" to the family?
We did not ever use the DDP on our trips and we do plan to use the new QS DDP next trip. WE don't do many TS meals and we rarely make ressies. If your family consists of people who will definitely use all of the meal credits, it would be worth your time to discuss the option of it with the rest of your group. If it's not something the rest of your family would be interested in, is it possible to break up the 2 THV in to two ressies booked for the people who'd like the DDP in one and those who would not like it in the other?
3. I have NO intention of having the group stay together for the whole trip, however, our nieces and nephew will want to hang out with us part of the trip as will the rest of the family. Any suggestions?
Definitely make it clear that you will be spending time apart in the parks. Plan ahead of time for any attractions you will all want to see and do together so that everyone will know to meet up at that area. When we went in May, I hated waited for others to do certain things, yet I wanted to spend time with them so I eventually said you go your way and I'll meet you here when "x" show is ready to start. It worked out great after we all figured it out. We also had our 3 mth old DS with us so my mom and step dad watched him during EMT in the evenings and we were able to head out to the parks to have some late night fun with my brother and his friend as well as my dad and other DS.
Thanks everyone and yes I know....this is pure craziness!
Don't be too scared! You're doing a great thing by taking other family members to WDW! The kids will surely love the place! We were in a GV and it was truly amazing for my whole family to be there with us! I can't wait to do it again. We learned some things from the first trip with a large group. It was much easier to split up and not to rely on sticking together. Everyone will want to do their own thing and that was quite alright. Once we were over the initial reaction of all being in WDW together, it was nice. My parents divorced when I was 4 years old and it was the first time since I was 4 that I was in WDW with them together and that was a magical thing for me!

Good luck!

 

[wdwnut]

Hi: Just back from a trip with 19 of us from 10/1-10/7. We had a GV, 2 br, and 1 br at BWV. We only made 3 adr- Chef Mickey's, Boma's, and Le Cellier. No one but my daughter-in-law and I wanted to plan anything. I supplied guide books to most of them to look at and choose back in January, but again it didn't seem to work that well. Plan on letting people go their own way; it will work out better that way. As one of the other posters suggested, make a list of everyone's addresses, cell numbers, room ressies, and adrs; I e-mailed a copy of the list and all updates to the parties. The Tables in Wonderland paid for itself in just one meal. Please make sure to relax- you've given them the tools they'll need to have a great time; whether or not they make use of them is not your problem. Have fun! (the last big trip was 25 of us 2 years ago; and the next will be in 2 years-looks like 20+ again)

 

[Chellymouse]

Thanks Everyone! It's a little overwhelming and I very much appreciate everyone's comments, suggestions and sharing your experiences! I feel better now! Maybe it won't be as bad as I think!

 

[kikiq]

So....I need some help!!
1. Anyone done a grand gathering and how was it? Was it worth the extra $$?
2. We usually do DDP (since it's just DH and I) but are we better off not doing DDP since EVERYONE would have to do it? Or do we just "sell it" to the family?
3. I have NO intention of having the group stay together for the whole trip, however, our nieces and nephew will want to hang out with us part of the trip as will the rest of the family. Any suggestions?
Thanks everyone and yes I know....this is pure craziness!

First take a deep breath and now ask yourself a few questions about the group that is going. The GG events are pricey, is the group willing to pay for it? I asked, my family said no, don't need to do that. Along the same lines, do they know how much DDP cost? Are they willing to pay? Then if they are, how many meals are you eating together and who is going to make the ADRs? We did a 2 bdrm (the gathering place) and 2 studios. Everyone was always in the 2 bdrm , 9 adults and 1 child, hanging out.

My sil and I don't mind cooking because when we cook, the family is usually somewhere close. So for us, we rather use the money spent on DDP on other stuff like Mickey gear and a DDE card. BUT I know that DDP is worth it's weight in gold if you don't want to cook on vacation.

Yeah, it's craziness, but won't it be worth it when you hear one of your nieces or nephews say something like what my niece said, "Are you feelin' it? The magic?" when she saw the WDW sign for the first time.

 

[Tinkerbellcrafter]

Hello Everyone!
I've been "elected" to handle to big family vacation for summer 2010. The cast: me, DH, DMIL, DB/SIL and their DD6 and DS4, DSIL and her DBF and her 2 DDs ages 12 and 9 (the ages are how old the kids will be at the time of the trip). I've ruled out a GV because my DMIL will probably wind up with the sleeper sofa and I think that's rude. I'm thinking of 2 THV as that would get everyone their own room. However, I've never been to WDW with children (DH and I are DINKS) or that many people for that matter. DH and I are the only ones who've ever been to WDW and we've never travelled with this many people at one time.
So....I need some help!!
1. Anyone done a grand gathering and how was it? Was it worth the extra $$?
2. We usually do DDP (since it's just DH and I) but are we better off not doing DDP since EVERYONE would have to do it? Or do we just "sell it" to the family?
3. I have NO intention of having the group stay together for the whole trip, however, our nieces and nephew will want to hang out with us part of the trip as will the rest of the family. Any suggestions?
Thanks everyone and yes I know....this is pure craziness!

wow, you sound like me except I am no longer a DINK...I have planned this type of trip for my mom's 75th May of 2007 and now am doing the same for DH's 40th in June 2009. We did not do the Grand Gathering scenario because everyone in our group did not want DDP or was interested in all of the events connected with it. Hope you have fun and goodluck with the planning!

 

[della]

Is there a difference between Grand Gatherings and Magical Gatherings?

And am I understanding correctly that all GG does is help you to book one of their special events?

What about making ADR's for a large group? We are planning a trip for Dec 09. So far we are a group of 15. We do not plan on doing everything together but we would like to come together for a few meals. Do you make ADR's the same way you normally would?

Thanks

 

[Tinkerbellcrafter]

With our trip in May 2007, I made ADRS for 16 people the same as with a party of three. The tricky thing is that they would not seat us or actually check us in until everyone was there. I have read other posts and people have been able tobe seated with out all of their party there, so I am not sure why we weren't. Scheduling, I guess.

 

[della]

We are typically a party of 7-dh and I plus 5 children. We have run into this issue of not being checked in until everyone was present. I think that will be a great point to stress when we are making plans with extended family.

 

[CommandoDawg]

To celebrate my mother's 80th birthday, my 3 sisters, our spouses all 12 of her grandchildren and her 2 greatgrands went to WDW in June. We had 3 2BRs at Boardwalk which works great for the TS at Epcot. We didn't do DDP because we had sandwiches and breakfast in the rooms, but we did have DDE for the daily big meal. The buffets at Cape May and Boma worked well with that many people.

 

[photobob]

I'll pray for you!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

THis June there were 10 to 11 of us at various times, a GV & Studio. We planned a few ADR's so that we could get all together at least one time a day. The 4 that had never done Disney hung out with us the most.

We all did Tusker House Character B'fast the dayswe did AK and then the groups broke up and did different areas and even park hopped. We had a quiet night with no activites other than the pool so that the two couples could go out clubbing and to DTD. We had pizza night and our teenager (19)watched the kids, 1 (11) 1(8) 1 (4) so that we could do JIKO, it was superb. A couple of us took the 8 & 11 yearl old to Disney Quest.

Some did the Segway Tour at Epcot. We all did the Illuminations cruise.

It was good to break it up, and for 6 days and nights we all had a blast.

Good luck to you, and most important, no matter what you do, you won't be able to always please everyone. Take time to enjoy, don't get over-stressed playing Julie McCoy, cruise director.

I'm jealous! You're going to have such a great time!

 

[Tinkerbellcrafter]

Good luck to you, and most important, no matter what you do, you won't be able to always please everyone. Take time to enjoy, don't get over-stressed playing Julie McCoy, cruise director.

Yes, definitely remember to take time for yourself and don't try to "organize" everyone! I did and was exhausted by the time I got home! I spent time looking ahead and behind me to make sure we were all together in the parks when we were together because everyone relied on DH & I to direct them around.....

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Hey Tinkerbellcrafter, my 96 Grandma lives in Waterloo NY, 1hr away f/ Rochester!

 

[snyderla]

Is there a difference between Grand Gatherings and Magical Gatherings?

And am I understanding correctly that all GG does is help you to book one of their special events?

What about making ADR's for a large group? We are planning a trip for Dec 09. So far we are a group of 15. We do not plan on doing everything together but we would like to come together for a few meals. Do you make ADR's the same way you normally would?

Thanks

Grand Gathering is for linking everyone's reservations together, etc. We have 4 rooms booked and one of the things GG does is make sure we have rooms near each other. They can help with the ADR's, too. When you call and book, they will ask if you want to be booked as a GG, and they will ask you to name your group. Be prepared! We have 6 different last names and I couldn't think of a name for our group. Anyway, they give you a grand gathering number, so each time a family member calls Disney regarding trip arrangements, they will need that number.
Magical Gatherings I believe is what they call the special events? those events don't have to be booked through Grand Gatherings.
I'm not sure, bu I think if you have more than 10 people in your group when making ADR's that there was a surcharge? I may be wrong.

 

[della]

Thanks! I guess I should make some calls and find out about all this.