Making Group Trips Fun for Everyone!
So, you’re planning a trip with a big group? That’s awesome!
While big groups with lots of ideas can make things a little trickier, it is
completely doable!
Recently, we went to the Disneyland Resort with a group of
12! From people in their 60s to toddlers, to nearly every decade in between!
With that came plenty of favorites, likes/dislikes, schedules, and needs...but
also a really amazing time.
How did we do it? Here are out best tips:
1. Plan! Plan! Plan!
Talk through everything ahead of time! (We like to hold
official meetings and serve Disney–themed treats, but that’s just us.) Things to consider: Are you
all going for the same amount of time? Do you want to stick together as much as
possible or are you fine with splitting up? Do you like to open the park? Stay
until closing? Both? What is everyone’s wish list or things to do and see? These
are things you want to get established right from the get-go. For us, everyone
agreeing to get park hopper tickets (instead of one park per day) was a huge and fantastic agreement!
2. Stay together, play together!
One great thing that we decided to do was to all stay at the
same hotel. (Ok, motel.) They were even accommodating enough to give us rooms
all next to one another! It was great to see everyone in the morning, sunscreen
together, grab hotel-provided snacks together, and head out at the same time!
3. Play up the big group!
Big groups are fun, but can get
separated easily. That’s why we love having a “Matching Shirt Day.” Not only
does it make wandering family members easier to spot, but it makes for some
pretty amazing photos! We also love making our own special buttons for everyone
to wear. Try making ones with inside jokes that other visitors to the park won’t
understand.
4. Take advantage of what the
parks offer!
With a couple younger kids with
us, the rider switch program is great for us! When your group goes to get in line
for a ride, whoever is watching the littles goes, too. The cast member will
scan your ticket and the ticket of two others(!) to go on the ride after your
party has finished. What that means is that either 2 people from your group get
to ride twice or, your group can split up: Some cam go on the big ride and
others can take the littles on a ride for them, then switch! Having a couple
people wait with you is pretty sweet and a perk of a larger group! (NOTE: THIS
IS A NEW SYSTEM! IF YOU HAVEN’T USED RIDER SWITCH IN A WHILE, IT HAS CHANGED!)
5. Don’t forget to take care of
your own needs!
Not everyone can stay up tackling
the rides until midnight. My 2-year-old wouldn’t take a nap in the stroller (too
much to see!) and we needed to go back to the hotel room to get him to rest.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself and your needs. It’s your trip, too.
6. Don’t overthink it…Just have
fun! It will be great!
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