We’ve all seen them: Crowds of people at Walt Disney World wearing matching shirts, playing follow the leader as they rush to cross off the next item on a park to-do list. And maybe you’ve thought about gathering up a bunch of your family members and friends for a big group trip too. Planning such a trip can be a huge undertaking, but there are ways to make the process more stress-free and increase your chances of creating a lot of happy memories for your group members. Here are 10 tips for planning a Walt Disney World group trip:
10. Choose the leader
Image: Disney
Group trips involve a lot of different variables, so it will help to pick an organized member to keep track of all of the details (such as Advance Dining Reservations, confirmation numbers and FastPass+ selections) and help ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. The leader can also designate other people in the group to help with the arrangements but one person should definitely be the one to keep everyone in the loop about the plans, whether it’s through emails or a private Facebook event page.
9. Pick dates
Give people a choice of a few dates to avoid that awkward “I don’t know, when do you want to go?” exchange. The people in your party probably have all sorts of previous commitments at various times, so it’s best to start the planning as early as possible. It will also help to plan a trip at times of lower attendance — not only to save money but to help make it easier for your group to find each other and stay together in the parks. Walt Disney World typically sees its lowest attendance in January, February, October, November and December, except on holidays.
8. Get a helping hand
Walt Disney World has Disney Group Specialists who will work with you to help manage room blocks, plan private events if needed and answer questions. They also offer free marketing tools to help promote and generate excitement for the vacation (as if more excitement could be generated). The services of the Disney Group Specialists are free and very valuable for group trip planning.
7. Arrange transportation
Many airlines offer group rates for 10 or more passengers traveling on the same flight, and Disney’s Magical Express can take the stress out of whisking your group to the resort. Rental cars provide more flexibility, though, in case some group members want to venture off of Disney property. Many rental car companies provide group rates too.
6. Make resort reservations
Disney offers discounts for blocks of 10 rooms or more but there are other options for accommodations as well. You might consider renting a vacation home so your entire group can feel more at home, but you’ll also have to keep in mind that this option will mean you’ll need to arrange for transportation to get your group to and from the parks. If you start planning early, you can make sure your whole group spends their nights in the same place — which makes planning so much easier.
5. Get park tickets
Park Hopper tickets are usually the best options for big groups, since they offer a lot of flexibility (and they let the group split up if they want or need to). A Disney Group Specialist can likely advise you about all of the ticket options available. And another item that’s worth adding on to one of the tickets is Disney’s Memory Maker. By buying this option, Disney photographers can take tons of photos of your group and each group member can share them.
4. Get dining reservations
Advance Dining Reservations are a must for large groups — if you want everyone to dine together. You should plan to make the reservations as far in advance as possible. Buffets, such as those offered at Chef Mickey’s in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, are great options that will please the palates of a lot of people. If you’re planning more counter service meals, the Sunshine Season Food Fair at Epcot is a good choice, since it offers so many choices and seating. To make sure your group has enough seats at the counter service establishments, it might be wise to try to schedule meal times outside of the most popular ones. Try early lunches or late dinners.
3. Don’t try to keep everyone together 24/7
Some group members might want to go off on their own to explore the parks. But it’s important to plan designated meeting spots and times in advance because it can sometimes be difficult to reach people on their cell phones in the parks. And meetups can be great times to get group photos (which is another reason why the Memory Maker option is worth the purchase).
2. Add in relaxation time
Some people in your group might not have ever been to Walt Disney World before, and it can be tempting to show them all of the best attractions. But trying to cram too much into a trip can be exhausting, so it’s important to leave some time for hanging out at the pool or taking naps at the hotel. This is also a very useful way to prevent arguments and meltdowns among your group.
1. Have fun!
Even the best laid plans can encounter some bumps, so you shouldn’t take small hiccups too seriously. It can be difficult to corral a large crowd, but it’s also worth it to be able to multiply the magic. If you’ve ever taken a big group trip, be sure to share your experience below!
