Heigh-ho Shaye, it's off to Walt Disney World you go! And with more folks than Snow White and all seven of her dwarf friends. When it comes to vacations, I saw the more the merrier, so let's start planning yours.
Disney Group Getaways are special trips, available only to groups size who book and occupy at least ten guest rooms during at least one night of their stay. If this sounds like something your crew would need, you'll want to contact Disney Group Getaways by calling (407) 828-3318 or filling out
their online form here.
If you are looking to book fewer than ten guest rooms, I suggest calling the Disney Reservation Center at (407) 939-5277 to get started, and a Cast Member can help you reserve everything for all 15 of you. Alternatively, you could have each family unit
book their own vacation packages either online or over the phone, and then connect and share planning on My Disney Experience.
When I travel with extended family, if possible, it's convenient and fun for everyone to stay at the same resort hotel. That way, you can enjoy pool time together!
Disney's Art of Animation Resort and
Disney's All-Star Music Resort are great options when traveling with families of different sizes since they offer both family suites and standard hotel rooms. Two parents with small children could stay in a family suite (they accommodate up to 6 guests and feature two full bathrooms!) while a smaller party could reserve a regular room that sleeps up to four.
Another option to consider is reserving rooms at adjacent or nearby resorts. Next summer, my family is part of a group traveling together with different needs and budgets. Some of us will be using Disney Vacation Club points at
Disney's Riviera Resort, while others will stay just one stop away on the
Disney Skyliner at
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. While we aren't permitted to use each other's swimming pools, it will still be easy to get together for meals and downtime in and around the resorts since we'll be situated so closely together.
Shaye, I recommend getting started by choosing a resort (or resorts) and booking vacation packages. After that, I like to start a common planning resource, like a Google doc, that includes confirmation numbers and a basic itinerary for each family. As your trip approaches, everyone can add
Advance Dining Reservations and must-do attractions to the document. By the time you're ready to go, all members of your party will have an overview of the entire trip, and they'll always know where everyone is. With a large group, it can be hard to stay together all day every day, but it's nice to coordinate at least a few meals, attractions, and experiences.
Best wishes as you start putting together your magical gathering. If there's anything else we can do as the planning process continues, don't hesitate to reach out again. Thanks for stopping by, and we hope to see ya real soon.
Betsy