Will a group of 8 have a headache with no fast passes or dining reservations planned?

[RapunzelIsMyHomeGirl]

[Edited]: I asked this because I was the odd one out about planning, but after receiving SM101's response, I realized I wasn't being "odd" I will just stand firm that reservations and planning would be most helpful in having a relaxing day and will plan them for anyone in my group who wants to join in. I will just feel blessed and grateful to be on vacation with my family

 

[SM101]

I wouldn't walk into a restaurant in the real world with a group of 8 and no reservation without expecting to wait an hour or more, let alone Disney.

 

[KCMiller]

The short answer is yes.

I would suggest just booking FP+ and ADR's for everyone, and you can always change them on the fly if you like. But it's better to have something planned in advance which you can change, but you've PICKED, rather than having to stop and try to figure out what choices you have the day you arrive, when you will be VERY limited.

Just tell them you'll take care of everything . . .

KC

 

[kmb584]

We will be going to WDW soon. We are a group of 8 including a toddler. I have fast passes booked for some of us the first day--that's it.

I want to plan everything but everyone else seems not to want to plan any dinner reservations (we are on the ddp) or fast passes. Will we be guaranteeing ourselves a hard time if we don't plan anything and aren't planning on doing rope drop? Or Is there a middle ground that you would suggest?

Thanks so much for your time and suggestions

Honestly, I think you're all in for a bit of a headache especially where dining is concerned. Are you planning on eating quick service for all meals? Table service is hard to come by via a walk-up though you may not have an issue at a less popular restaurant (think Restaurant Marrakesh). Do the rest of your traveling party understand that people are able to book ADRs 180 days in advance? If not, they might be under the assumption that Disney restaurants are like regular ones where you're seated at the next available table and would probably benefit from knowing that it's simply not like that in WDW.

FP+ is less of an issue, IMO, but do plan for lengthy waits for the headliners. TSMM, for example, can easily reach 90-120 minute stand-by times this time of year. I'd book FP+ regardless of them not wanting to plan, and if you use them great, and if not then that's okay too. At least you'll go in knowing that you have something.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

At the very least do some ADRs. If you aren't doing RD or FP+ you can still get on rides, you are just not going to get to do as many, and you will spend the majority of your day waiting in lines. If you have a group of that size with no ADRs you may find it extremely difficult to get meals unless you plan on eating nothing but CS restaurants.

 

[figment_jii]

I general agree that in most cases, a party of 8 is not going to have a super easy time finding dining venues to walk-up too. I think this is especially true if you want to eat the popular locations (e.g., character meals) and at peak dining times. I just did a search for tables for 8 at 6:00 pm tonight and 23 options came up (70 said nothing was available). Almost all were either at a resort or for later than 6:00 pm. So it looks like your choices will be limited if you try to do all walk-ups with a party that size.

 

[RapunzelIsMyHomeGirl]

The short answer is yes.

I would suggest just booking FP+ and ADR's for everyone, and you can always change them on the fly if you like. But it's better to have something planned in advance which you can change, but you've PICKED, rather than having to stop and try to figure out what choices you have the day you arrive, when you will be VERY limited.

Just tell them you'll take care of everything . . .

KC

Thanks KC. That's what I was thinking would be the best solution

 

[robinb]

We will be going to WDW soon. We are a group of 8 including a toddler. I have fast passes booked for some of us the first day--that's it.

I want to plan everything but everyone else seems not to want to plan any dinner reservations (we are on the ddp) or fast passes. Will we be guaranteeing ourselves a hard time if we don't plan anything and aren't planning on doing rope drop? Or Is there a middle ground that you would suggest?

Thanks so much for your time and suggestions

Yes. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you will have a ginormous headache without Fast Passes and ADRs. There is NO middle ground with a party of 8. You will NOT find places to use your DDP credits for such a large group "playing it by ear" and you will probably have a difficult time getting reservations now ad your trip is in just a few weeks. If you don't make ADRs you will likely have table service credits left over and that is a huge waste of money.

It sucks having to plan everything. I feel your pain. Since they have elected you the "planner" I would go ahead and plan your park days. Get fast passes for everyone. Make ADRs for everyone. Have that as your back-up plan. If people don't want to ride what you selected, then they can change it themselves on the go. If they don't want to go to the park you selected, they can make changes themselves. If they don't want to eat where you selected, you can chance ADRs as late as the night before and not lose your deposit. Know that a group of 8 is like herding cats. It's best to schedule your table service meals for the evening so people don't have to stick together if they don't want to.

 

[RapunzelIsMyHomeGirl]

Honestly, I think you're all in for a bit of a headache especially where dining is concerned. Are you planning on eating quick service for all meals? Table service is hard to come by via a walk-up though you may not have an issue at a less popular restaurant (think Restaurant Marrakesh). Do the rest of your traveling party understand that people are able to book ADRs 180 days in advance? If not, they might be under the assumption that Disney restaurants are like regular ones where you're seated at the next available table and would probably benefit from knowing that it's simply not like that in WDW.

FP+ is less of an issue, IMO, but do plan for lengthy waits for the headliners. TSMM, for example, can easily reach 90-120 minute stand-by times this time of year. I'd book FP+ regardless of them not wanting to plan, and if you use them great, and if not then that's okay too. At least you'll go in knowing that you have something.

My significant other enjoys waiting in lines. I think I will just go with the flow and be happy to be there with everyone (while stile deciding to plan our ADRS and fastpasses and being okay if we don't follow them/making sure I changed ADRS on time if needed)

At the very least do some ADRs. If you aren't doing RD or FP+ you can still get on rides, you are just not going to get to do as many, and you will spend the majority of your day waiting in lines. If you have a group of that size with no ADRs you may find it extremely difficult to get meals unless you plan on eating nothing but CS restaurants.

Thanks for your advice. I thought maybe I was being paranoid, but alas, I'm not! I've gone to disney quite a few times as a party of two and winged a lot of things (which still involved planning) and enjoyed that, but I knew that would not be possible for 8 and just wanted everyone to have a great time

I general agree that in most cases, a party of 8 is not going to have a super easy time finding dining venues to walk-up too. I think this is especially true if you want to eat the popular locations (e.g., character meals) and at peak dining times. I just did a search for tables for 8 at 6:00 pm tonight and 23 options came up (70 said nothing was available). Almost all were either at a resort or for later than 6:00 pm. So it looks like your choices will be limited if you try to do all walk-ups with a party that size.

I think part of the reluctance to plan is because we're a mixed group so everyone's not sure what meals we would do together separate, rides together or separate, etc. But I think I'll just plan ahead with good ideas of who would be joining in to what so at least somethings in place, especially for dining.

 

[RapunzelIsMyHomeGirl]

Yes. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you will have a ginormous headache without Fast Passes and ADRs. There is NO middle ground with a party of 8. You will NOT find places to use your DDP credits for such a large group "playing it by ear" and you will probably have a difficult time getting reservations now ad your trip is in just a few weeks. If you don't make ADRs you will likely have table service credits left over and that is a huge waste of money.

It sucks having to plan everything. I feel your pain. Since they have elected you the "planner" I would go ahead and plan your park days. Get fast passes for everyone. Make ADRs for everyone. Have that as your back-up plan. If people don't want to ride what you selected, then they can change it themselves on the go. If they don't want to go to the park you selected, they can make changes themselves. If they don't want to eat where you selected, you can chance ADRs as late as the night before and not lose your deposit. Know that a group of 8 is like herding cats. It's best to schedule your table service meals for the evening so people don't have to stick together if they don't want to.

Thanks Robin B! I was thinking of planning 4 out of 6 table service meals, and leaving 2 open for everyone so people could do what they want with those--break off into parties of 2 or 4 for 1 or 2 meals at their leisure--knowing they might be "under-appreciated" restaurants or at weird times. Do you think that might be a good idea?

 

[asmit4]

I'm at work right now and I seriously LOL'd out loud when I read this---I'm sorry- I know I should be sympathetic to newbies but

YES, YES, you will have a headache. You cannot walk into ANY sit down restaurant with 8 people without a ressie. and no fast passes? unless you want to wait in line an average of 40 minutes and up for every single ride- and perhaps even 2 hours.....YES, you will need them.

 

[RapunzelIsMyHomeGirl]

I'm at work right now and I seriously LOL'd out loud when I read this---I'm sorry- I know I should be sympathetic to newbies but

YES, YES, you will have a headache. You cannot walk into ANY sit down restaurant with 8 people without a ressie. and no fast passes? unless you want to wait in line an average of 40 minutes and up for every single ride- and perhaps even 2 hours.....YES, you will need them.

Hahaha love your response. I'm actually not a newbie but i AM a newbie to a large group. I've been quite a few times as a party of two. As a party of two, we were able to wing things here and there but I knew this was only because we were a party of two. I think that's influencing some group member's thinking a little but I thought maybe I WAS being too much of a planner by feeling like everything needed to be planned for us since we are a large group (I'm def. type A and know I plan much more than others )

I just want everyone to have a good time so I will just plan everything and let people change it if they want (totally okay with this!) and I'll make sure to be on top of changing ADRS if needed. That's the only thing I could see definitely changing. We might go from 7+1 to 5 + 0 because of the babies schedule etc. That situation would be workable over the phone with the restaurant?

 

[wdw4rfam]

Yes, you will. We always go to Disney with 7-10. I can tell you that you will not get a TS for 8 anywhere good the day of.

 

[asmit4]

Reducing a # simply by NOT showing up with those 2 people is NEVER a problem. Adding is a problem.

So book your ressies for the max you think you will have and show up with whomever.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I'm personally not a TS fan at all. So, I'd do great with no reservations.

FP's OTOH......., not a chance I'd forego them in today's Disney.

 

[robinb]

Thanks Robin B! I was thinking of planning 4 out of 6 table service meals, and leaving 2 open for everyone so people could do what they want with those--break off into parties of 2 or 4 for 1 or 2 meals at their leisure--knowing they might be "under-appreciated" restaurants or at weird times. Do you think that might be a good idea?

I would still make reservations for everyone (unless you want to go somewhere where you can't get everyone in) and drop people as you go.

Reducing a # simply by NOT showing up with those 2 people is NEVER a problem. Adding is a problem.

So book your ressies for the max you think you will have and show up with whomever.

What is the policy with the credit card deposit? Will you be charged a cancellation fee for 3 people if only 5 people show up?

 

[jimandami]

I would still make reservations for everyone (unless you want to go somewhere where you can't get everyone in) and drop people as you go.

What is the policy with the credit card deposit? Will you be charged a cancellation fee for 3 people if only 5 people show up?

No, you are not charged if you show up with fewer people. You are only charged if no one shows up at all.