Hello MaryJane and welcome back to planDisney!
You must be doing the hot diggity dog dance just thinking about your upcoming adventure to Walt Disney World with 16 of your favorite people! My family has had a couple of large groups plan trips together, one was a bi-coastal group of relatives where we planned dining reservations together, and the other was my daughters and grandkids during the holiday season!
MaryJane, my recommendation for a party of your size is when it comes time to book dining reservations, to divide the group into two parties. I’ll book one reservation for the first group and then quickly book the second group for the same time or as close to the same time as the first. You will be more likely to get two reservations for tables of 8 than you will be for the large group of 16.
I suggest that once you get multiple reservations that when it comes to check-in time at the restaurant, go to a Cast Member and let them know that you are actually one large group and would like to sit together if at all possible. The Cast Member might need to juggle your reservation time around a bit to accommodate both groups, but they always try their very best to get you seated together or as close as possible so you can enjoy your dining experience as a group! We were able to do that at
Roundup Rodeo BBQ with our large group and separate reservations that were about 15 minutes apart. The friendly Cast Member at the check-in counter was able to find a table that was large enough for all of us honorary toys, and we rustled up a lot of grub!
MaryJane, you could also check which dining locations will actually take a group of 16 without separating the group into two parties. I did a quick check of some dates coming up on the Walt Disney World website by selecting the “
check dining availability” page and found multiple dining locations that had openings for 16 Guests, so you do have some possibilities to get the whole group on one reservation.
MaryJane, I do recommend setting your alarm for 5:45 am eastern time on that 60-day mark that your dining reservations can be secured! Grab a cup of your favorite morning beverage, have a template in front of you that tells you what days you have planned in each park or resort, and get ready for the 6:00 am dining reservation openings! Think of it as your first Disney rope drop of your trip!
Have a great adventure and don’t forget to enjoy a Mickey Bar or two!
Kurt