What size is your typical group at WDW

[Accident]

Disney made a reservations group just to handle large groups and help out.. I think those that are realistic that there is sub groups that like different things and if they don't try to force immediate family to stick together and instead by interest is can be fairly easy to put together....

I, personally, would use a travel agent for any sizable group

 

[starsweeper]

We have 5 on most trips (our 4 kids and myself). My husband grew up an hour from WDW and isn't as keen on it. I take the kids to WDW during spring or fall break, and we plan a summer family vacation that is not Disney-related. My husband has been on one WDW trip (2013) with all the kids, and plans to go again once Star Wars land opens.

 

[Meriweather]

Typically there are 2 of us, me and DH.
Sometimes the 2 of us are me and DD.

If the whole family goes there are 6 of us, but that doesn't happen very often.

All very different trips.

 

[bochnikm]

Most trips are usually just the wife and I. But next month will be the third trip with 25 people!

Our last big trip with 25 was in 2010. It was the second time we did a big trip and because everyone knew the ropes, made it easy. We planned only the first part of the mornings, then everyone broke up into smaller groups. We would group together for an evening meal here and there. We all took afternoon breaks back at the resort.

Next month’s trip will be somewhat similar, but more planned. My Disney Experience made it much easier to pre-plan the days. We organized all 25 FastPasses each day (mornings). Individuals are free to change them if they want. We have an ADR’s almost every night, sometimes two with the group split up. Again a big e-mail list and MyDisney Experience app made this somewhat easy to set up.

The only issues were two. One was getting 3-4 people correctly set up on My Disney Experience App. Once that was done it was easy to do the FastPasses. Only three experience travelers consulted to make those decisions.

The second was everyone letting us know which ADR’s they were coming to. This was to ensure we had enough spots for everyone.

For instance we have 5 ADR’s for 23 people at the same restaurant the day we arrive. Another ADR handles the other two people.

The next night we have ADRs for Chef Mickeys for twelve and the Biergarten for fourteen. We will adjust those numbers if need be as we get closer and everyone makes a decision.


I have trip reports for the other trips in 2006 and 2010 on my web site if you’re interested in seeing how things went.


It does help quite a bit in planning with having two people help plan this. My nephew who has good knowledge of Disney and myself with great knowledge with 15 trips in the last 10 years.


The challenges will be making rope drop. We won’t wait for stragglers. They must catch up when they can. Cell phones makes this easy.

 

[MrsDuck]

2 - just DH and I. Sometimes my parents go and we are a party of 4.

 

[maltdizzy]

I won't even go to dinner with a group larger than 6 these days, it always seems to big a hassle getting people to all agree on anything.

We are a family of 3 and have a rule that we travel at the same time as others, but not with them. When going to WDW or DL around the same time as friends, we try and overlap only half the trip. That way both families get time together and apart so we have time to do what we want without feeling guilty about scheduling around ours.

 

[Silvermist999]

We've done our share of family trips/excursions with larger groups (ie. extended family) and it ends up being a big waste of time and money, waiting around for people to wake up, finish getting showered/dressed, discussing and deciding on what to do that day, on the morning of, instead of in advance!, trying to satisfy everyone, etc. etc. We "can't" leave first for one reason or another, so it's a lot of waiting around for "THEM".

It seems like only DH & I are the "planners", everyone else wants to just play by ear or go with the flow regardless of whether it's going to the local zoo, amusement park or on an expensive vacation overseas. I dislike strongly when you have a group of people all standing around trying to decide where to ALL go. No splitting up this group unfortunately, it's all or nothing!

For our Disney vacations, DH & I just go with our two kids, that's it. We have a great time and manage to do everything we like/want!

 

[BrianL]

IT is sometimes me and one friend and sometimes it is just me. It's easy to manage, that's for sure!

 

[bigbabyblues]

We are a family of 4. We don't travel with other people, that sounds like a nightmare to me.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Typically 2 now, but have gone as many as 15. I prefer lower numbers, easier to stay together in crowds

 

[Robertfam08]

Usually it's just our family, so it's been 5-6 people for the last few years. I can't tell you how many comments we got on our last trip when we were there with four kids. Lots of "You're so brave!" kind of remarks, haha. We even got a special dessert at Coral Reef because, "You need to celebrate making it at Disney with four kids." Well this year we'll have baby #5 along but also grandparents to help out. We'll be a party of 10. It's the biggest group I've ever gone with, and getting reservations has been a nightmare for the week after Thanksgiving.... But that has been true even looking for just our immediate family as a party of seven (including the baby.) Apparently we've crossed a threshold.

 

[Sparkly]

Usually 3 of us, but sometimes only 2. Mostly easy to get round the parks, although if someone's in a bad mood...

 

[katt789]

I usually put a big stop sign around 4. BUT, that is when we're traveling from other places and all staying together. 4 is nice because we only need 1 room, don't need a suite, it's an even number for rides, if we split up, etc.
I've also gone solo and loved it.
Bigger groups: we're doing 6 for the Princess next year, but part of that is because we really want to stay in a cabin and not pay extra because of less people, and chances are we'll split up for some of the days.

When we lived down there, we'd have days that throughout the day, people would come & go, and we'd end up with over 10 of us all together. Since we lived there, we wouldn't be too stressed out about seeing everything, we'd make a bunch of fast passes for everyone since we were all linked, pick a headliner, something like HM, and a meet and greet. We'd spend the morning meeting a couple characters & watching shows, catch the parade, use our fp, then head to the GFlo for some wine and cheese boards, and come back for DEP/Wishes. There wasn't much that went into it because we were all pretty chill and people ducked in and out all day!

 

[mindeola]

We've done 3,4, 5 and 15. We have done the large group several times- both at Disney and other locations. We love vacationing together. I love to plan- everyone else really does not. Communication and a plan are key. Of course, you have to have the mindset that you won't be upset if some break off from the agreed upon plan or things go a little off course.

It works best for us to space FP and make one sit down ADR per day. That way we know we are together for those things and there is flexibility the rest of the time.

 

[disneymom0104]

We have travelled as a family of 4, 5 and now 6. We have also done an extended family trip, which was 12 total. We would split up in the parks, but meet for all of the meals.

 

[GWhitten98]

we are a family of 5 and have added a grandparent or two and found it no issue. I am helping a friend plan and they are a group of 11 going in two weeks. It has been interesting planning for a group that large

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Solo most of the time. Although that may change some now that we own DVC - my husband wants me to book a weekend in February 2017 for the 2 of us.

I love my solo trips and am hoping that doesn't mean the end of those!

 

[VAfamily1998]

Well, we have a family of 6 (2 adults, 4 kids) but we don't always go as a complete family. Most of my recent Disney trips have been for the RunDisney races---so I've been going either with a friend, my oldest son who also runs, or by myself.

Our last trip as a complete family of 6 was in 2012!

About a year ago, my parents took our oldest two kids on a trip, so Dh and I surprised the younger 2 with a trip to Disney. I have to say, Disney with a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) was by far my most enjoyable. Six people is more difficult as far as room occupancy logistics. Two people is just a little less "fun" and you're too "dependent" or obligated to each other. 4 was really perfect. My parents will be taking the younger two on a trip next summer--so I hope Dh and I will be able to take just the older two to Disney during that time

 

[beck00]

I went several times as a child and teenager with just my immediate family. In 2014, DH and I took our 2 daughters. Thanksgiving 2015, BIL and his GF & MIL and her new husband joined us to make a group of 8. Had a trip as fam of 4 planned again for this September until more family decided they want to go as a group of 15 but would prefer Feb 2017. I'm always the planner...gotta say, planning for 15 is going to be wild!

 

[Dreamport]

A family of four is our usual. I've gone with as little as two (my friend and myself) and as many as 9 (friend's family and my grandparents/cousins visiting for the day). Our next trip, if we can get it to work, will be six people. Back in the day you showed up and had fun. Now with all of the booking in advance needed it's a little more stressful. Somehow we still have fun.