Hello out there to you Jen, we're glad to have you here at planDisney!
In fact, I'm happy to be able to help you and your whole group with this one since I recently faced all of the fun (and frenzy) that comes with bringing a bigger bunch of people together for a trip to Walt Disney World Resort for our
Disney Wedding this year. When planning, we asked a Cast Member who happily said that "any time is the best time to visit" and while this is a sweet sentiment that may be true for many guests, I also think that there is definitely a smarter way to do a bit of research in order to deduce a better time of year for you and your group that most folks don't think about until they're traveling as a pack!
Though the needs and wishes of every group is different, I'll present you with my personal findings to hopefully help determine what works best for all of you:
- Avoiding High Crowd levels and longer Standby Queues: While what used to be considered as an "off-peak" time across the Theme Parks has seemingly shifted from what we were previously used to, there are also definitely some more easy-going periods. From my first-hand observations along with standby queue data I've noted on each of our recent visits, we've spent the least amount of time waiting in lines or amidst crowds in January, May and September overall - the bonus part is that these tend to coincide with the major festivals that take place at EPCOT which is great for groups to experience together. (Some things to look out for are particularly less-popular days when Theme Park Tickets are priced lower on average like Monday-Thursday!)
- Preparing for the Weather: When a little rain might be more manageable in a smaller party looking for temporary cover from the elements, this gets tougher when travelling in larger herds; the greater likelihood of this happening during Hurricane Season is something to look out for along with the frequent storms that we see in Orlando from late spring to early summer, not to mention how incredibly hot it can get!
In the end our large group had an easier experience and more comfortable weather in late January, which is what I would personally recommend. This won't necessarily be everyone's experience and trends or availability may fluctuate, but I think January's the safest bet to plan around with September being a very close second option if you don't mind a bit of weather.
Wishing you and your group have an amazing adventure!
Prince