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EPCOT; Mother and Son; Spaceship Earth
  • On Dec 8, 2008
    Todd from TX Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    What started as a trip for Nana (party of 5) in Jan has turned into a large group. 1 day we will have 11, 3 days we will have 9 and 4 days we will have 7. Everyone wants to be with us, the experts. Do we have any hope of getting around?

    I've gone to WDW in configurations everywhere from me alone up to groups of family and friends as large as 11 people. In my experience, with a large group, you need both more and less structure to you day. Let me explain ...

    With a large group, it is 100% imperative that you make dining reservations. A party of two might have good luck getting a quick table at a restaurant, but a group of 11 will be waiting a loooong time for a seat. It's really during meals that you're going to be able to have good conversations with each other. I would schedule at least one or two sit-down meals per day. This way you know that you'll all have some quality time together. (That's the more structure part.)

    The less structure part is that with a group of 11 people of different ages, realistically you will not all have the same interests in the rides and attractions. The teenage cousins may want Expedition Everest over and over again. While younger kids might want more time at Triceratops Spin. With such divergent interests, no one will happy if you make everyone stick together the entire time. Let the group split up for 1 or 2 hour chunks at a time with set meeting points (like the meals). This way you have both the family togetherness and the individual fun.

    It sounds like this a family reunion sort of trip. Because of this, you might want to schedule some extra special family events such as a PhotoPass portrait session, a Grand Gathering meal, or a fireworks cruise. Any of these could be just the sort of event that you'll all remember together for years to come.
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Meet the Panelist: Erin, New York

I have three teenage daughters. We're DVC members obsessed with Disney travel. We've been to Walt Disney World countless times and have visited Disneyland & Disneyland Paris. We've taken several Adventures by Disney and Disney Cruise trips. Learn More About Erin

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