Family Reunions and Group Gatherings at Walt Disney World

We organized such an event; a 50th Anniversary celebration for Dave's parents, with over 30 guests in attendance. The party was (fortunately) a rousing success, exceeding everyone's expectations (in some cases by a wide margin). That was lucky for us, considering the hundreds of hours we put into planning, organizing and running the show. Despite our experience with these things we still had several close calls, and at one point it took a few hours to unravel a complex room reservations issue during check-in. One child in our party came down with a stomach virus, which put a real crimp in his parent's (and grandparent's) enjoyment, and another member of our party made a brief visit to the hospital on our last evening for what (fortunately) turned out to be just a case of bronchitis. And with all that, when it came time to part everyone had had a wonderful, memorable experience. Hugs and kisses all around!

Over the years we've planned many group events at Walt Disney World -- family groups of up to 10, a "team" event for 35 business associates, and numerous community gatherings, including the huge MouseFest Event which attractions thousands each December. (Dave is MouseFest Chairman; Jennifer is a Co-Chair.) We've learned a few things, but we still have lots to learn.

Communication
You can't communicate enough! If everyone's online, try creating an AOL Group, or Yahoo Group to facilitate communications. Make a web page if you're so inclined. Send out frequent e-mail (and/or snail mail) updates and newsletters, and be prepared to lead. Most people will defer to your judgment, leaving you with no idea of what they really want. Be sure to elicit at least one "More than anything else, I really want to...." from every participant. You may not be able to incorporate all those desires, but it'll sure help you find a way to accomplish the vast majority of them. Play your cards right and group excitement will build as the big day approaches. Also, be sure every nuclear family unit shares their plans with you -- itinerary, airline, arrival/departure dates/times and accommodations info (if making their own arrangements).

Activities Plan
Try to limit whole-group activities to one or two activities daily, such as a Park-of-the-Day and one meal. There are many diverse interests within a group, so allow plenty of flexibility so they can pursue their interests and not miss-out on too many group activities. Encourage folks to share their individual plans with the rest of the group so others may join in.

Lodging
Although you can spend lots of social time touring the parks, the real quality time will probably take place at your resort. Choose a base of operations that you already know well, with public spaces you can freely use for group socializing. A buffet restaurant or food court on premises is a plus, as it'll facilitate group dining for routine meals. Consider booking the group into several villas or suites, as you'll have built-in, private socializing space.

Group Discounts
You'll have to book 16 rooms at a Disney resort to qualify for a discounted rate, or 8 staterooms on the Disney Cruise Line. Can it be done? Yes, but it'll be hard to get everyone to agree on the style of accommodations and the price, and you must promptly put down deposits to cover all those rooms. What about theme park admission? There are no group discounts available for this sort of gathering (although there is a special deal for youth and school groups).

Other Lodging Discounts
You may be tempted to obtain Annual Pass room discounts for as much of your group as possible. You will encounter some limits on how many rooms you can book using your discount, and you'll become responsible for collecting room deposits and "splitting" the reservations when you arrive so each family can pay its own bills. We've done this with generally good success for smaller groups, but we don't recommend it for larger groups or when you don't have close relations to other members of the group. If you have a good working relationship with a Disney Specialist travel agent, see what your agent can do to simplify your tasks.

Group Dining
Do you want everyone seated together in the same restaurant? This can be difficult. Priority Seating arrangements are typically limited to around 8 - 10 guests at Disney's full-service restaurants. That number can go has high as 20 or more at the buffet restaurants, 'Ohana, the Polynesian Luau, Hoop De Doo Revue and the Backyard Barbecue. You can also make several separate Priority Seating reservations, but there's no promise that the tables will be nearby. Once your needs exceed a restaurant's regular Priority Seating limits you'll be referred to Disney's Group Dining department. Group Dining can often make the larger reservations you crave, but there may be a price to pay -- you may be required to make a firm reservation and put down a deposit to guarantee the arrangement, and you may have to forfeit that deposit if some or all of your group doesn't arrive in a timely manner. This will depend on the restaurant and how many seats you need. You may not have to put down a deposit at some of the buffets, but your choice of meal times may be limited -- Disney prefers to accommodate large groups before 6:00 pm and after 9:00 pm. Your bill will also include an automatic service charge (tip) of between 15% and 18%.

Catered and Special Events
Another alternative is a catered event. Several of the resorts and most of the theme parks have private dining rooms, outdoor pavilions, or they'll even erect a tent (for a price). You can also book special events at the various nightspots at Pleasure Island, arrange a special dessert buffet at a private terrace to view IllumiNations at Epcot, or even book an entire theme park (including a fireworks display). Typically, there's a minimum per-person charge, and a "food and beverage minimum." Let's say, for example, that the private dining room you have in mind has a per-person minimum of $50, and a food and beverage minimum of $3,000. This means you'd need 60 guests, each costing $50, to reach the minimum charge for
the room (or 40 guests each costing $75 for a more lavish meal). In addition to those minimums you must also pay a mandatory gratuity and sales tax (which are not included in the minimums). The folks at Disney's Group Dining department (407-939-7707) will put you in contact with the appropriate Catering manager for your needs.

Touring the Parks as a Group
The bigger the group, the slower it moves, and the harder it is to get it to change direction. Restroom breaks alone can bring you to a grinding halt for a half-hour or more. So, divide and conquer. Once you've gathered at a predetermined meeting place try to split the group up into smaller, more manageable groups, and assign several meeting times and places throughout the day when you can all reconnect. It's still a small world, so even when you're divvied up into the "thrill seekers," "midday nappers," "show-lovers," "slow strollers," and "store browsers" you'll still keep running into each other as you crisscross the parks.

"Party Favors"
The event will be far more memorable if everyone has a souvenir or two that is special to your event. You could collect a "registration fee" from all parties, deduct some fair amount for your out-of-pocket expenses, and spend the rest on custom-made T-shirts that can be worn during your gathering or 5x7 prints of a group photo (if everyone is together when entering a park you can usually find a Disney photographer to take the group shot, which will be available later in the day in whatever quantity you please).

And Now a Word From Our Sponsor
You won't be surprised to learn that we sent a PassPorter to every person attending our family gathering. We hoped that at least some folks would use their PassPorter (and make our job easier). And sure enough, some fell absolutely in love with their PassPorters, bless their souls! At several points during our week together we asked folks to fill-in the "Memories of Our Journey" section and share them with the rest of the group. This was an enjoyable family activity. Should you want to follow our suit and order a bunch of PassPorters, write to us -- we can give you a deal!

And Above All...
Relax! Smile! Don't stress-out! Be sure to do some things *you* want to do. You can lead a horse to water.... Everyone will have a good time, even if you don't micromanage every moment of their days. Isn't that why you chose Walt Disney World in the first place?

Things To Do: Everyone in the PassPorter "family" (readers and friends alike) is invited to our a special group gathering in December! Your PassPorter authors, message board guides, and fellow fans will be there for lots of fun events!
To learn more and register, visit: http://www.mousefest.org

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