Hey, there! Hi, there! Ho, there! I'm glad to see you back at planDisney, where you are as welcome as can be. Lori, a trip to
Walt Disney World Resort with friends and your grandkids sounds practically perfect in every way. I, too, am an out-of-state Annual Passholder and just had a quick trip with my Florida-resident nephew. Oh, the memories!
It sounds like you are one step ahead by having everyone connected as
Family & Friends. Hot dog! Now, let's go through everything on your list.
Lightning Lane passes help you speed through the lines at some of your favorite attractions. This is the one item that is slightly different for Guests staying within the
Disney Resorts Collection. You can book a Lightning Lane Single Pass and a Lightning Lane Multi Pass for you and your peeps staying at Walt Disney World seven days before your check-in date. The non-resort Guests can access these starting three days before their first theme park day. If you plan to enjoy attractions together, waiting until three days before the theme parks is probably the easiest.
Dining reservations can be booked 60 days before your check-in date for every day of your Walt Disney World vacation (up to 10 days). When you make your reservation, you can select the party size to accommodate all of your Guests.
If you have the
Disney PhotoPass option on your Annual Pass or have purchased Memory Maker for this trip, you can download all the photos of your connected Family & Friends.
The only restriction your grandkids may have since they are not listed on the resort reservation is access to the swimming pool, depending on where you are staying. There are a few resorts, like
Disney's Yacht Club Resort and
Disney's Beach Club Resort, that only permit registered Guests. If you want to end your day with a splash in the water, stop by the front desk, check to see if it's allowed, and let them know you have Guests joining you for a day.
Lori, I hope this information helps. If you have any other questions, you know you have a friend in
planDisney.
Reach for the Sky!
Jana