Size matters - what to do with big group?

[binwinbinwin]

We will be staying at AS sports this week with over 10 people including kids, seniors, parents. During our 6 days, we will go to all 4 parks, see Candlelight Processional, Harlem Gospel Choir, Osborne Family Lights and have 5 character dining meals. Any suggestions for this grand gathering of Disney first-timers?

 

[bord1niowa]

We'll have 11 with us in June and the same spread of ages. Do your big events together but besides that, don't be upset if some want to go off on their own to do things they like. I personally couldn't see being in Fantasyland all day every day with little ones. And conversely, I don't expect them to have to sit outside Mission Space while I am in there. Meet up at a certain time for anything special and be open the rest of the time.

 

[disnut8]

One thing I'd like to do for our Grand Gathering is to do a minature golf tournament. Split the group into random teams and then do two rounds of golf. One on the Winterland/Summerland course and one at the Fantasia Gardens course. You can have prizes for the lowest score, the highest score, a hole in one (or the most holes in one). You can pick one hole at each of the course and have prizes for the lowest and highest score just on that one hole. Aprize for the youngest participant and the oldest. Whatever it takes to have everyone win a prize. Have a prize ceremony somewhere.

Another thing to do while you are all out and about is to give each family or person a stuffed toy (the dollar stores usually have these for $1). Then, have the stuffed toys posed throughout Disney World. Then see the pictures back at the resort every night. Gives everyone a chance to get together on a daily basis without having to be all together all day long.

 

[inloveindisney]

For us, some of hte best things we did involved meals. Pick meals that are fun like Whispering Canyon, etc. Those places are great with a lot of people.

 

[binwinbinwin]

We'll have 11 with us in June and the same spread of ages. Do your big events together but besides that, don't be upset if some want to go off on their own to do things they like. I personally couldn't see being in Fantasyland all day every day with little ones. And conversely, I don't expect them to have to sit outside Mission Space while I am in there. Meet up at a certain time for anything special and be open the rest of the time.

Your suggestion to split up when necessary makes a lot of sense. Not everyone wants to see the same attractions. I've already talked to one of the other families in our grand gathering and they like your idea.

 

[Traveliz]

One thing I'd like to do for our Grand Gathering is to do a minature golf tournament. Split the group into random teams and then do two rounds of golf. One on the Winterland/Summerland course and one at the Fantasia Gardens course. You can have prizes for the lowest score, the highest score, a hole in one (or the most holes in one). You can pick one hole at each of the course and have prizes for the lowest and highest score just on that one hole. Aprize for the youngest participant and the oldest. Whatever it takes to have everyone win a prize. Have a prize ceremony somewhere.


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We are a big group coming in a couple of weeks - and we are doing this very same thing! I have been working on the tourney today!

Liz

 

[binwinbinwin]

Dinner together with your large group is a great way to finish off the evening. It also gives you a chance to share stories and experiences from the day (and pass on tips/suggestions to your friends/family).

 

[CinderellyCinderelly]

We had a Grand Gathrering in 2000 with 12 of us and we ended up splitting up sometimes. It was always nice at the end of the day to come back and have dinner together and then watch the fireworks.

 

[J. Galt]

I travel with a group of 11 every couple of years with the same age span. We have found the notecard system to work best for our group. Basically, I am the head planner. I poll each person traveling that is old enough to have an opinion to see what couple of things they absolutely, positively must do so that I can work it into the plan. Then I type up an itinerary (including set dining ressies and ressie numbers) and place it on notecards (one notecard/day/adult) so that everyone has the schedule at their fingertips and can plan their day. Our group really liked to start the day out together - we all would go to the same park together in the morning. We didn't really tour together too much - too many differing ages/interests - we might do a couple of rides together first thing and then split up until lunch. We always tried to eat lunch together. Afternoons, except for a couple of nights, was "on your own" time for each family. If we wanted to all go to the same park together, great... if someone wanted to go back to the pool and take a nap, no problem. We did schedule a couple of dinners when we would meet up too, but most times it was just lunch so that everyone had ample "free time". Basically, I just tried to plan one meal together for each day so that we could "catch up". I also highly recommend the Grand Gathering Experiences as a nice way to get together. We did the Fireworks Cruise with Cap't Hook/Smee and it was awesome!