Making Group Trips Fun for Everyone!

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!