Hiya, Leslie! Welcome to planDisney!
Oh boy! I'm so excited to hear that you're making plans for a magical family vacation next year. There's nothing better than quality time with loved ones and I can't think of a better place to spend that time together than at
Walt Disney World Resort! Here's a little secret: magic multiplies when it's shared, and your trip is sure to be an extra special one.
Planning a family vacation for larger groups can take a little extra care to make things practically perfect in every way, and I'd love to give you some of my best tips!
- First, have all the Guests in your travel party create a My Disney Experience account. This will make planning and creating reservations much easier! Once everyone has made an account, you can connect with each other through your Family & Friends List.
- Take a look at the different Disney Resorts Collection hotels that are available to you so you know which one you'd like to stay at. These offer so many benefits! With so many amenities, themes, and restaurants, you have plenty to choose from and you can't go wrong with any of them. If you're looking for some Disney Resort hotels that accommodate groups of five or more, consider a family suite at Disney's All-Star Music Resort or Disney's Art of Animation Resort, or perhaps even look into a Deluxe Villa which has even more amenities!
- When vacation packages for 2023 open up, you can go ahead and book your vacation package - including your Disney Resort hotel and theme park tickets! You may even consider calling one of the wonderful Cast Members to help you get just the right rooms that you need. If you would like to do that, you can call Disney Resort Hotel Reservations at (407) 939-1936. If you've already made sure all the Guests have their My Disney Experience accounts and you're connected through your Family & Friends List, this step will be as easy as bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!
- Once you've reserved your Disney Resort hotel and have purchased your theme park tickets, your next step will be to make your Theme Park Reservations using the Disney Park Pass system! This is an important step to secure the parks you wish to visit on each day of your trip. I like to do this as early as possible!
- Mark your calendar for 60 days prior to your trip! This is the day you can make your advance dining reservations. With a group of your size, you may want to make a few people a "leader" for their group's reservations. This way, you can have a few smaller groups of reservations at the same restaurant, close to the same time. On the day of your restaurant reservations, stop by the check-in desk a little earlier and let them know that you're all a part of the same travel party and they'll do their best to seat you close to each other!
I hope I was able to start you off in the right direction, Leslie! If you have any more questions, please visit us again. After all, you've got a friend in me!
Your Fairy Godmother in Planning,
Michelle