Planning for a mixed group of 16 - HELP!!!

[arieliwish]

Hi guys,

Not sure if I really need any advice on this one or if I just need to let my worries flow on this thread!!!

Problem: A very mixed group of 16 - us, family and friends**(see below) - going to DLP 22-26 Oct Newport Bay with DD (11) dance troupe. We're the only one's who have been before and everyone keeps saying they'll leave it all to me!

** The cast:
Me (Lynn) 37, DH Stephen 52 recovering from stroke 3 years ago, DD Chloe 11, DS Thomas 8 - consider ourselves Dis veterans and know the score!

Aunt 60 has Chronic airways disease so we're hiring a wheelchair or elec w/chair, Uncle 62 who only eats 'proper' meals(!) and doesn't like leaving UK, Aunt No.2, 67 very old fashioned and loud!

Cousin Lou 30 - no probs, she'll go with the flow, her DS 5 and DD 2 - will have to find suitable rides/shows

My friend and 2 boys 8 and 6 - not sure how she'll find my lot as they are very different, boys have early bedtime so have to think about meals in advance

DH's brother and his wife - both 55, newly retired teachers, act like DH mum and dad and they don't do junk food (she was food teacher!), and their daughter 11, same age and class as my DD but different as chalk and cheese, not very sociable!!

So there you have it, a very diverse bunch!!! Where do I begin or do I just tell them to split up and get on with it?!!

Anyone have any experience of travelling in a large group? How do you plan the park strategy and meals??

Thanks for listening!

Cheers

Lynn

 

[Cyrano]

Lynn can't help with a group this but sending you with all the plans.

I'd be tempted to get their input to some of the plans so that they take ownership of what happens. What would they most like to do, see, eat etc

What about agreeing some individual time so that it does not feel like marshalling a school trip

 

[Ware Bears]

everyone keeps saying they'll leave it all to me!

Sorry I've no real experience of holidaying with other families but just wanted to send lots of and and say remember we are here if you need to vent!

Perhaps you could arrange one table service meal where you could all eat together and the rest of the time you can all do your own thing?

 

[higgy66]

Hi

OMG...... are you mad???? - only joking - you're just very very brave! LOL

My family keep talking about a big family trip (18 of us) but we've always said that we'd all make our way to the park together - split up and meet back for lunch. Split up and meet back for evening meal. Stay together for evening fireworks, shows etc

I adore and worship my family and we're all alike (young at heart and a little mad....) but I still don't think we would manage to please everyone as we all have different age group kids. Much better to split and do own thing than stay together and start to get annoyed with each other. You can all swap stories over a nice meal

Have fun ]

Janet

 

[mickey66]

You poor thing, sounds like you are going to have your hands full!!
I don't think families realise how much effort goes into planning the entire holiday
I have a bit of an idea how you feel as I am solely planning our next trip and we(DH, DD, DS and I)will be accompanied by my mum (who's 75),sister, niece and great niece and I have already had to deal with a few hitches(flight cancelled,airport changed, names on booking wrong)
You feel under pressure to make it all perfect, especially if it is their first time

I don't think you are going to be able to keep everyone happy and it may be better to let them go their own ways and just meet up at certain times.
Ask each group what they would like to do and see if anyone else if the group can help you with the planning, get them to have a look through a guide book or dvd for ideas on what they fancy beforehand

Hope it all goes well, let us know how you get on

 

[isma]

Sounds like a real challenge! I took 3 friends to DLP this year and since I was the only one who had been to DLP before they let me decide everything, hadn`t read anything in advance, didn`t know about shows, parades and attractions. Although I really like planning a DLP trip I found myself worrying if everyone would like what we were about to do next thing and was pretty exhausted in the end.
So I too suggest you at least try to sit down with your group (maybe not everyone but so that you do not have to take the whole responsibility for the trip), show them the map and let them decide on attractions, parades, shows and food options. That will make it a lot easier to plan what things you will be doing together and when it will be best to split for some time and you can be sure that you will also be able to enjoy yourself at DLP!

 

[arieliwish]

Thanks guys, its good to have some feedback, and its pretty much what I was thinking! We'll all have mobiles with us so they can contact me if they need to, and I think we'll arrange to meet at meal times.

Will keep you posted on the planning - flights from teesside, 2 x 8 seater minibuses for cdg, EHIC cards (yes I even had to order all of those!) and passport reminders - all sorted by me! Next is manual wheelchair or electric one to be ordered, and meal reservations!

Cheers,

Lynn