Hi Johanna! Welcome to planDisney!
Oh boy! How exciting! There is nothing quite like getting the family together for a large get-together at the
Most Magical Place on Earth! Being able to share all the magical moments together is what makes Walt Disney World as great as it is! I have the best time visiting with my wife and daughters but sharing the experience with even more family members is that much more special. Now, traveling with a large group does come with its challenges, especially when coordinating dining and ride selections. Luckily, Disney has made it easy to share your plans and have one Guest spearhead the planning if needed.
When planning your stay, I would recommend that each family creates their own
My Disney Experience account and link their hotel and ticket information to it. This way if each group is staying in a different room at a Disney Resorts Hotel, they will still be able to use the benefits of their MagicBands at the resort and around the parks. Once these are established, you will be able to link each Guest to one account using the "Family & Friends List". Once logged on, select "Family & Friends" followed by "Add a Guest". Once your entire family is listed on your account, you will be able to manage all of their reservations, including dining, Lightning Lane selections, and park reservations.
If you are planning on purchasing Disney Genie+, you can make Lightning Lane selections for up to 12 Guests for each time slot. Being that your party is slightly smaller than that, you should have no problem making sure everyone can ride the same attraction together. You can also split the group up if not everyone wishes to ride the same attraction. You can customize the day based on what each person wants.
For
dining reservations, you may need to be a bit more creative to ensure that everyone can dine at the same time. If the restaurant allows for larger parties, you should be able to make one reservation for all 11 Guests. However, even if this is the case, larger reservations are not also readily available. I would suggest enlisting a member from the family of 5 and each of you make smaller reservations for around the same time. When it is time to check-in for your meal, speak with a Cast Member upon arrival. They may be able to seat you together or at least very close by.
Johanna, I highly recommend one person taking the lead and being the point person for the group. With so many moving parts to a Walt Disney World holiday, having everyone on the same page with be priceless to your experience. Once the reservations are created, each Guest will be able to view the plans by logging onto their own My Disney Experience account. This way, everyone will be on the same page.
I hope you have an amazing time during your visit!
Stop back to planDisney anytime for more help with planning your stay!
See ya real soon!
Greg