Schedule Input - MK/HS Days w/ Large Group

[Felipe4]

Hi everyone, looking for some schedule input. I'm celebrating my birthday AND bachelorette in Disney in August (postponed the bachelorette from April 2020 and landed on a long weekend after my birthday: Thursday-Monday). We're staying at OKW in a 2BR villa and 1BR villa (13 people total - 6 bridesmaids, myself, and 6 other friends). We're all women between the ages of 28-35, no kids, and the only family member is my sister-in-law. Everyone else are my friends.

We have most people arriving around the same time Thursday (11AM), but some people will be joining later on Friday. My maid of honor is not a Disney planner and may not make it depending on her work schedule, so I told her straight off the bat to leave most of the planning to me.

Right now our preliminary plan is the following (we're not doing park hoppers - not everyone has an extra $70-80 to do them)
Thursday - MK (10 people)
Friday - HS (12 people)
Saturday - Epcot (13 people - DATW/SATW - snack around the world for my friends who don't really drink)
Sunday - Universal Park to Park Ticket (for Harry Potter)
Monday - AK

Saturday has to be Epcot because that's the day everyone will be there and doing the big bachelorette activity. However, I'm contemplating swapping MK and HS days - I do feel bad that one of my friends LOVES Star Wars and that's most important to her, but she's arriving late Friday (probably 9-11PM). Originally we thought of doing HS on Sunday so everyone can enjoy Star Wars, but that would move Universal to Friday. The issue there is that people arriving midday on Friday (1-2 people) can't easily meet up with us once they arrive. They'd have to figure out their transportation and that could likely take another hour and be much more expensive (I think ubers are $30-60 just between Disney/Universal?!). If we were at a Disney park, they could take the next bus to the park.

After Saturday, I'm leaving the other two days optional, so people can decide if they want to spend the money on Universal, go back to another Disney park, or just relax by the pool that day. My flight is late Monday night, so I'm planning a half day at AK with at least 3-5 others before flying home.

There's honestly the most to do in MK, so for the 1-2 people arriving Friday, they could experience as much as possible at arguably the most memorable park. However, I'm also a Star Wars person and would love to try for ROR. We won't arrive at MCO until about 11 so we'd likely have to try for the 1PM boarding passes, which, depending on Magic Express, might still be hectic. The ability to try for boarding passes twice, especially with a larger group, is an attractive option. I was able to experience the rest of the Star Wars section in Sept. '19 before ROR opened, so being able to experience it would be great.

Any input?

 

[brightlined]

Just thinking out loud (I'm a massive over-planner):

I think my only reaction to Epcot on Saturday is the historical "Saturday during Food & Wine" problem of the park being absolutely slammed. If it were me and I had 12 of my friends at a park for one day, I'd have that be the park that had the most things that we would all want to do together. Otherwise, it might be a very hot day spent waiting in line for everything (including the food and drink).

If it were me, I might move Epcot to Sunday. Let people do their own thing early on Sunday (pool, etc) then get together mid-afternoon for a blowout evening of food and drink. Epcot might still be busy, but maybe not as ridiculous as a Saturday night.

I might just push the whole thing forward. As much as I'd choose a Thursday for MK for busy-ness, your reasoning for MK on Friday makes sense. Not sure how I feel about DHS on a Saturday - but there is quite a bit to do there, and that would give you and your SW friend the best chance of riding ROTR (and doing so together). And if there's not enough to do at DHS, or if it's also really busy, you could skip over to Boardwalk (or Disney Springs) to fill in the time.

I'd also set Thursday and Monday as the optional days - there's always that random wildcard travel problem that might screw up someone's day on Thursday, and folks could easily just check in on Thursday and hang out at the pool (etc) if they didn't want to part-day one of the parks. (Plus, I feel like you all get more out of spending an entire day at MK together than to part-day it.)

To be fair, that would make Universal really tricky. But, with the cost of a 1-Day 2-Park Universal pass being what it is, I have a feeling that might be the most-skipped option you've got. (As fun as it would be to do all of that together - it'd be way, way cheaper for everyone to just add one more day to their Disney pass and save Universal for another time.)

 

[Felipe4]

Yeah the problem is that some people may be leaving on Sunday, and if that's Epcot, they're leaving on the big day we're doing stuff.

 

[_19disnA]

I personally think for that large of a group it would work out better if everyone does whatever they want and then perhaps agree on a time/restaurant to meet at each park for lunch or dinner. Everyone has a different way to enjoy Disney, some will do rides, some will shop, some might just walk around. I really think it works out best if you just let everyone do what they want. This is especially true if these are mostly friends (i.e. compared to family members) and some may know some better then others.

I just don't think it makes sense to expect 10+ people to walk around as one large group at Disney. Doing 5 parks on 5 consecutive days will be a LOT of walking and some may have no interest in doing that vs. staying at the pool, for example.

 

[brightlined]

Yeah the problem is that some people may be leaving on Sunday, and if that's Epcot, they're leaving on the big day we're doing stuff.

Honestly, I'm just apprehensive about Epcot on a Saturday during Food and Wine. I don't know if that's going to be as fun as you're imagining - even if it sounds like it might be "big thing", I'm not sure it'll actually turn out that way.

Food and Wine is really at its best later in the day, and the Friday and Saturday crowds are historically the worst - not just in size, but in behavior. If your crowd is the type who doesn't mind getting into a beach crowd during Spring Break, then no worries. But, if it were me, I would be kinda miserable. (But trying to keep a smile on my face so that you wouldn't know I was miserable.)

If it were me - instead, I'd maybe find my favorite non-park WDW restaurant and book a reservation for everyone for like 8:00pm or 8:30pm on Saturday night. That way, if, after a couple of days of parks, people could bail Saturday afternoon and crash at the resort, and recharge for the big dinner on Saturday. (If it was a Disney Springs restaurant, it'd leave open the option of keeping the party rolling there afterward.) The bonus there is that ADR's aren't open yet for August, so it shouldn't be a problem booking something like that the morning they become available.

I would do Epcot either Thursday or Sunday, and just know that I might not get everyone there. (To be fair, if people are intentionally flying out to go to Epcot, that might change my answer.) It would actually be a perfect Thursday park, given how late the group is arriving. Everybody could mosey over to Epcot once they arrive, and then eat and drink around the World Showcase that afternoon/evening.

(If it absolutely had to be Epcot on Saturday, I might still book an ADR somewhere at Epcot for 8:00/8:30pm just to have a focal point for the evening out of the crowds - that people could come back for if they got overloaded earlier in the day.)

When I've imagined things like this for myself - for me, it really depends on what my group likes, and what they would most enjoy doing all together. If they're having fun, I'm having fun. (I think a summer Saturday is also going to be a bit of a struggle for anyone who's not a die-hard theme park lover.)

I might even split up the plan, per the above suggestion. For example, plan for everyone to meet up at MK Friday morning, arrange a group dinner (maybe at Contemporary or Poly) for like 5pm, then return to MK afterward to close the park. Give the morning folks the option to go off on their own the middle part of the day. (It's going to be 90+ degrees every day you're there, and will probably rain for thirty minutes around 3pm or 4pm.)

I would definitely do whatever I could to do ROTR with everyone who wants to do it, either Saturday or Sunday. That would be an absolute picture-postcard moment to look back on, especially if it included a group picture either during or afterward. (And I think if it ends up being a highlight for you, your friend will feel even worse about missing it.)

For me, the highlights of these kind of weekends aren't necessarily the moments of what we all did together - it was the smaller moments between myself and parts of the group (sometimes even just one person). A lot of the time, it felt more like herding cats, and that wasn't really that memorable. (Sometimes, people just want to bail and go do something else.)

And, to be completely fair, I don't know your crowd at all, so I could be completely off-base. (And I don't know your personal taste.) Just, if it were me, that's what I'd do.

Something like:

Thursday: Epcot
Friday: MK morn / 5pm dinner / MK eve
Saturday: DHS (or the most popular park choice among your group) / 8pm dinner
Sunday: Group choice or DHS (if ROTR fails Sat) or AK and/or group lunch somewhere for the folks leaving
Monday: Potpourri

 

[danceintherain]

I would just plan the big party day at Epcot on Saturday, and leave everything else open for others to plan what they want to do. With that big of a group all arriving and leaving at different times, it will be pretty much impossible to accommodate all of them. If someone wants to do something specific that badly, then they will go by themselves, or find someone else who wants to do it too. They're also free to buy park hoppers if they wish to.
I would also probably be prone to skipping Universal altogether, especially as a planned group activity, and even more especially if cost is a concern.

Does nobody HAVE kids? Or is it just that no kids will be coming along? My vacationing style is a lot different now that I have kids, even though I don't always bring them along. The last time I did Disney without my kids, I did do quite a bit of park time, but I also spent quite a bit of time in the air conditioning napping, reading, and generally enjoying not having anyone ask me for anything. I went on all the more intense rides alone, because my sister prefers meeting characters over thrill rides.

 

[Kerr84]

Could you swap HS and AK so your friend can still do Star Wars?

Thurs MK
Fri AK
Sat EP
Sun Universal
Mon HS

or even

Thurs MK
Fri Ak
Sat EP
Sun HS
Mon Universal

 

[Felipe4]

Does nobody HAVE kids? Or is it just that no kids will be coming along? My vacationing style is a lot different now that I have kids, even though I don't always bring them along. The last time I did Disney without my kids, I did do quite a bit of park time, but I also spent quite a bit of time in the air conditioning napping, reading, and generally enjoying not having anyone ask me for anything. I went on all the more intense rides alone, because my sister prefers meeting characters over thrill rides.

Only one person has kids and she's not bringing them nor are they invited. I don't know of anyone who brings kids to a bachelorette party tbh, especially when alcohol is involved like DATW.

 

[Felipe4]

Could you swap HS and AK so your friend can still do Star Wars?

Thurs MK
Fri AK
Sat EP
Sun Universal
Mon HS

or even

Thurs MK
Fri Ak
Sat EP
Sun HS
Mon Universal

I think that person has the shortest time that she has available for PTO or her job demands - she'd have to leave very early Monday morning, if not late Sunday night. She's be coming late Friday after work and leaving either late Sunday or early Monday. She has to be in the office for afternoon appointments that Monday. I don't think AK is worth a full day, tbh, which is why I threw it on Monday.

 

[Heather07438]

Honestly... I’d think about removing Universal. That would open up the schedule and cost less (you could even add a day &/or hoppers and still spend less).

Universal is exciting and it’s fun to ‘see it all’ but the trade off is it could feel very hectic trying to herd cats in a heavy schedule. Taking it down a notch could help the overall experience be more pleasant, less stressful.

You know your group best though. Have a great trip!

 

[Felipe4]

I pitched Thursday DATW and that was vetoed as at least 3 people would be missing out - so we're landing on Sunday DATW.

Schedule would then be:

Thursday - MK
Friday - HS
Saturday - Universal [optional - at least 4 people are going back to Disney parks]
Sunday - EP
Monday - AK

I'm not totally crazy about EP on Sunday as one person can't partake the whole day, but it's 1 vs 3 people.

Group wise, we have a few different groups that have some overlap, but there are 2 people that really don't get along and are sucking it up for this. That overall group is 8 people. One is a bridesmaid and leaving out the other person is leaving "out the other half" of someone else invited, whose bachelorette I went to, and it would have caused a lot of hurt and drama to not include just that person - both people are friends with a bunch of other people going. The friendships are like a Venn diagram where 3-4 people overlap in both groups and 2 people are on the outskirts of each side.

Otherwise there's 2 people from home/growing up that have one another and 2 people from college who didn't know each other and really only know me out of everyone, but get along with just about anyone and make friends easily.