Challenges for groups going to Disney World – PREP105

In this episode, I discuss challenges often faced by groups going to Disney World, including picking when to go, where to stay, places to eat, and touring.

I also have a quick tip about the dining plan, recent news, and a featured company.

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These are notes from this episode. There’s much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.

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Challenges for groups

Groups going to Disney World should consider not doing everything together, assigning 1 person to manage My Disney Experience reservations, sharing responsibilities (such as food or Tinker Bell gifts), and getting Memory Maker.

Some areas where challenges often come up include:

• Trip dates – going when everybody can go often means being at Disney World during busier and more expensive times
• Deciding where to stay – everybody has different budgets, many Disney resorts only allow 4 per room (read my post about rooms that allow 5+), and many people may decide to stay offsite. People who stay onsite and have 2+ rooms should call Disney and ask for a “travel with” number to link the reservations which will allow room requests for the group to be granted before everybody else at the resort.
• Finding places to eat – buffets are good, but also consider places like Ohana, Whispering Canyon Cafe, Garden Grill, and Liberty Tree Tavern which will appeal to a wide range of people. Making reservations for a group online can be a challenge since restaurants have maximums, but you can split it into 2 smaller reservations and just let the restaurant know when you’re checking in that you’re together. Remember that 18% gratuity will automatically be added for groups of 6 or more.
• Touring as a group – I’d recommend splitting into smaller groups based on individual families, age, or interest to make it easier.

News

• Star Wars Half Marathon – the Dark Side was announced and will feature kids races, a 5K, and a 10K in addition to the half marathon. The race weekend will be April 14-17, 2016, and registration opens on September 22, 2015.
• The My Disney Experience app was updated and now shows PhotoPass pics.
• The Blizzard Beach closure will now begin on October 4 instead of in late October.
• Eat to the Beat concerts, which take place during Food and Wine Festival, now offer a tier 1 FastPass+ option
• People traveling to Disney World September 29 and later will receive luggage tags with their MagicBands. The luggage tag you get will depend on which color MagicBand you choose.
  

Quick tip of the day

Adding a Disney Dining Plan to a reservation is usually something you can only do if you purchase a package, but you can add it to a room-only reservation if you call Disney or book through a travel agent. People who rent points can also add a dining plan to their reservations.

Featured company

Today’s featured company is Mom Approved Costumes who has washable, glitter free, non-itchy, packable costumes for kids. Use code “wdwprep” at checkout to save 10% on purchases.

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