Tips for Planning a Group Trip?

[nicolebridget22]

I'm hoping to get my family together for a group trip to WDW next year, and I'm wondering what tips you might have for organizing a group trip? Seems like it might be tough to organize, wanting to make sure everyone has the trip of their dreams. Our group would tentatively be 9-12 people, all adults except for my 7/8YO nephew, and I don't think we would all stay at the same resort. Seems like the best plan would be to plan separately, but arrange some meals and fast passes together. Your thoughts?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I know if you book flights on SWA and have more than 8 people they will offer a group discount on tickets but you must call them. And everyone has to be flying from the same airport to get the discount

 

[suevee]

It is more fun if you stay at the same hotel that way you can visit at pool or hot tub in the evening. I am going with 9 this June ages 9 to 66. I plan 1 meal a day for the group. Then everyone does their own thing and meet up at the hotel later.

I do write out an itinerary with suggestions to help the newbies. I also plan a group day at a water park and rent a cabana.

 

[KellyHonos]

I'm hoping to get my family together for a group trip to WDW next year, and I'm wondering what tips you might have for organizing a group trip? Seems like it might be tough to organize, wanting to make sure everyone has the trip of their dreams. Our group would tentatively be 9-12 people, all adults except for my 7/8YO nephew, and I don't think we would all stay at the same resort. Seems like the best plan would be to plan separately, but arrange some meals and fast passes together. Your thoughts?

I think your last sentence was the answer to your question. The more people you involve in anything, the more people you have to please. I'd suggest before reserving anything, sit down or skype/facetime with everyone and discuss resort interests and budgets, restaurant interests, park interests, etc. Also, please please please remember that you don't all have to do everything together. If Sally, Timmy, Bob and Sue want to go ride Expedition Everest and Tom, Billy and Sarah want to go explore Pandora, split up and meet up later!!! Sticking together 100% of the time is so silly and useless. It will make people grumpier than needed and it will also make people resentful. With cell phones and all the technology that is available to us, "getting lost" or "separated" is really a thing of the past. Of course small children should always be supervised by adults, but I mean in the sense of sticking together just to avoid separating is so silly. A quick text or phone call to meet up is very easy.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

You are on the right track already, recognizing that everyone’s dream trip will not be the same, and that’s OK!

If you can pick some things you would like to experience together and nail down the reservations for those, the rest is gravy. It may be that certain folk want to stick together most of the time, like very close cousins, but it should be by choice as much as possible. Technology gives us a lot of comfort when our group splits up. We usually head into the same park, but the avid riders are out in front. Our usual agreement is “have fun, keep in touch, see ya later!”

 

[wisteria1019]

I agree with staying at the same resort, if at all possible. It will be impossible to spend all day together, but if you plan a table service meal for the group each evening, you can check in, share experiences and decide to hang out or break off into smaller groups. Remember that you are not responsible for everyone's good time. Do you live within clos, e proximity? When I have put together a trip for a group (6 to 8 people), I gathered info, then invited everyone to a planning party - we choose resort (and booked with individual credit cards), looked over menus for ADRs, had a trivia contest with prizes etc... Have fun and don't take on stress!

 

[Wild4Walt]

Our second family trip we planned for our group of 11 ( 4 families ) each family had a representative and we got together and planned what park we'd do that day AND dinner together as a family each night. That way, no one had to get up early, so stay up super later and everyone shared their favorite parts of the day. No one missed out on anything.

Our 1st trip, well, as a public service reminder of sorts - don't overplan. The 1st trip my family left it all to me to plan and plan I did. At the end of the trip my Dad called me the travel- something that ends in zi. Too much overplanning/committing and everyone felt drained.