Planning a trip with either magical gatherings or regular

[magdog79]

I have just brought into the DVC and have been planning a trip for my family with my parents and sister and my fiances family(mother). I was thinking about possibly trying the magical gatherings. but I am unsure if there is a person limit and what comes with it. What the costs are and what to expect.
My other option was just to buy annual passes since we are planning 7 nights stay and possible either getting the DDE or DDP. Are they any different combos possible?

 

[Nanajo1]

A Magical Gathering requires at least 8 people. Children over 3 are counted. You must let Member services know you want to register for one. You get a Magical Gathering number. Check out the grand gatherings info on the disney site. There are Special Character Breakfasts, Illumination viewings, Safaris and Firework cruises. They can be pricey. The cruise was $35 per adult. It included a dessert buffet of cookies, snacks, brownies, soft drinks, coffee with Capt Hook and Mr Smee, a Cruise around Seven Lagoon Lake at MK with an entertaining pirate "Patch and a wonderful viewing of the Wishes Fireworks.
We also got a special edition pin. When we returned to the dock Peter Pan was waiting for us.

 

[uicbear]

I also read on a different thread that when you are assigned magical gathering #, and make your room ressies, they will try and keep your rooms in the same area. I am planning a trip for 11 people (3 villas) and probably won't do the "extra" events, but if that little number can help keep our rooms together, that's one less request.

Please, fellow disers, confirm or correct this.

 

[Nanajo1]

I got a couple of calls to confirm my dates and names of those in my MG. Our rooms were all on the 3rd floor. 3103, 3169, 3179. Not exactly close but so much better than last time w/o MG when DBIL was on the 4th floor and we were on the 1st!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We had a MG in December '04 and all of our 5 rooms were standard BWV (except one, PV), and they were close to each other and all on the 2nd floor. 3 of them were dedicated studios, 1 was a 2 bedroom, and the last was a lock off studio.

Bobbi