This was a very much requested post after we managed a VERY large group on a Disney trip last week. All together we had 9 adults and 21 children, 11 and younger. Not only did we have a large group, it was a very busy park day, as it was spring break for some of SoCal and a lot of Utah. But despite the crows and large group, we can definitely say, it was a successful, magical trip and we accomplished a lot.
There was a lot of planning in order to pull off this trip! Managing a large group of people or kids can be exhausting or overwhelming but it does not have to be! We learned a lot while on this trip on how manage a very large group with a lot of kids. It CAN BE DONE! We want to give you all our tips and tricks so that your trip can be successful too!
DO THIS BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE PARKS:
- For a very large group, consider buying matching shirts or coordinating similar colors. We cannot tell you how extremely helpful it was to keep a large group of children together. We were able to identify our children easily and if one child got slightly left behind in line, people around us knew EXACTLY who that child belonged to.
- Pack and plan your snacks and water. Pack 3-5 snacks for each child and at least one water bottle per child.
- Decided ahead of time if you are going to BUY lunch at the parks. With a large group, accommodating everyone’s food needs can be difficult. During our trip, each mother bought their own children a lunchable or a sack lunch for both days at the parks. At one point, the kids decided they were hungry in the middle of a long Rise of the Resistance line! Because we had our lunches in our back packs, they ate as we moved along in the line. This saved us money and time! Moms ate later, by using quick mobile ordering.
- Link your tickets! This is very important while you are in the parks! Make sure you are all linked together so that you can easily manage tickets or Lightning Lanes throughout the parks.
- The night before, communicate what times you want to leave your hotel or home and what times you need to be walking through security. We recommend being at security 30-45 minutes before to make rope drop. If you don’t care about making rope drop, just be aware of what times you are scheduled to be at the parks.
- Talk to your children about rules. Set expectations for them about the day, and why you have those rules. The parks will be busy and it is important for them to know why you need them to “stay by a parent” for example.
- Bring a toy or fidget spinner that they can play with in line. Sometimes, this helps with climbing or being bored in line.
HAVE A GAME PLAN:
- Genie +, We HIGHLY recommend using Genie + for a larger group or a busy day at the parks. Managing a lot of kids in long lines is hard! It is totally worth the money, to us, to buy Genie + to avoid those lines and to complete rides quicker! Everyone in your group needs one if you want to keep the group together.
- Go into the park knowing EXACTLY where you want to go first, AND have a back up plan. Rise of the Resistance, Web Slingers and Radiator Springs Racers are frequently down and unavailable at rope drop, so have a backup plan just in case.
- Assign partners to manage Genie+ game plan. We split our moms up into twos. Each of the pairs was assigned to manage Genie + Lightning Lane reservations for the whole group for a certain amount of time in the day. We agreed that whatever LL reservations they made, they were in charge and that was what we were going to do. This may mean you need to have conversations with children about being patient.
AT THE PARKS:
- We ALWAYS recommend being in the parks for Rope Drop, if you want to get a majority of the rides out of the way, before the parks get really crowded around lunch. With a large group, this is very important. To reduce stress, I like to be in the actual parks at least 10 minutes before rope drop. This gives me time to soak up Main Street, and get a spot in the Rope Drop crowd. Unless you’ve bought your tickets with Genie + ahead of time, you will need to purchase your Genie + for the day. You cannot buy them until you are physically within the park, so having 10 minutes before rope drop can give you time to do that and book your FIRST lightning lane reservation. Remember, the partners you assigned should be managing your Lightning Lanes for the whole group!
- Hit your priority rides first- This is the ride you will hopefully WALK on to! You will NOT need a lightning lane for your first ride! Use your lightning lane for your second or third ride! Like we said before, have a plan B, in case one of your priority rides is down or unavailable in the morning. Once arriving to your first ride, decide who will stay out with young children, if it is a ride they cannot ride. That person will need to get a rider switch while everyone else gets in line. While in line, arrange kids with who they are going to ride with. Children over 7 can ride with other children over 7 WITHOUT an adult next to them. If you have a child under 7, they will need an adult NEXT to them on the ride.
- Take breaks! Managing a big group can be exhausting! If you need a break, arrange a time to meet up with the group later!
- Always be in charge of your OWN children! If everyone is aware of where their own children are, a large group is much more easily managed!
- Know what entertainment you want to see! Catch the Mickey and Pals calvacade at 12:00 and 1:30, or Elsa and Anna around 3 and 4. Pixar Pals Dance Party is so fun for young kids. It is located in Tomorrowland by Galactic Grill from 7-11 PM.
MENTALITY
- Keep low expectations. You will not be able to hit every single ride in the park. Make a list of your top SEVEN things you want to do and make those your priority. Every thing else on top of it is a BONUS!
- Keep a positive attitude. Children feed off your energy. If you feel stressed or upset, this can effect their mood or mentality. Stay patient with them.
- HAVE FUN! Enjoy this time with your kids. Get on their level! They will love it!
We hope these tips and tricks help you on your next upcoming trip to Disney! We are convinced Disney can still be magical, even with 21 kids! Maybe we should say ESPECIALLY with 21 kids! Some of our best moments at the park with a large group is seeing the excitement through the kids eyes. They had the best time and that makes our mama hearts so happy! If you use these tips, share with us how it went! We love to hear how these tips have helped you!