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View Full Version : Large Extended Family park visit on Dec 26 ...



redrhino
10-29-2004, 07:44 AM
The good news is that we've gotten free tickets. The bad news is that they are for Dec 27th.

My wife's aunt has a very limited schedule so we are going only for one day and the only day she is available to visit is Dec 26. My family (wife and kids) have had the SoCal passes for 3 of the last 5 years, so are pretty familiar with the parks, but because we're "local" (I say that loosely) we tend to go on only days we would predict to have low attendance ... something like Tue-Thu in September.

Some background before my questions.

My wife's aunt is a bit inflexible. She might decide she wants to wake up and have a leisurely cup of coffee before heading to the parks. (Ugh!) My father-in-law hasn't been to the parks since the 80s, but grew up in the Valley so has gone at least yearly between the 1950s and the 80s. The group will be of size 12 where we will have three individuals who are about 60, three that are about 35, two about 25 and four kids, ages 2-10.

My questions are

If we were to arrive about 11am, would the following list of activities be too optimistic for such a crowded day, even with planning ahead and careful useage of FASTpass? [Note: items on list are not in any particular order at all]

DCA
Soarin
Aladin

Disneyland
HHM
Small World Holiday
Matterhorn
Indy
Jungle Cruise
Fireworks at 9:25 [which we'll probably try to see from somewhere less crowded ... perhaps the Inoventions exit]

Note: Fantasmic! is not on our list because I am unsure that we'll make it to 10:30 yet I doubt that anyone will want to camp out for more than an hour to see the first performance. On the other hand, if we are still going strong, who knows?
Is there any reason to think that something like RideMAX would be worthwhile for someone who goes with some regularity, knows their way around and reads this board with some regularity?
Any tips for such a large group on such a crowded day?


I really want to figure out in advance what is realistic so that we will be able to enjoy being together and enjoy the day and not feel frustrated that we aren't able to do everything we had planned on.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Redrhino

3894
10-29-2004, 07:56 AM
With my husband's family, it would be like trying to herd cats! I'd toss any planning and let it just happen... more or less.

By that, I mean I'd make some lunch or dinner reservations or plans and meet up then. That way, people of similar interests/energy levels could stick together.

DISNEYloon
10-29-2004, 08:02 AM
I totally agree with 3984.

If the Aunt wants to get up and have a cup of coffee, awake her much earlier than everyone else. Set the expectations that this day we're going to the Parks and we are leaving at this time.

When we go with large groups we usually enter together and everyone seems to scatter....which is totally fine, since you've been before maybe someone can be designated to stay with the Aunt and do more or less what she wants to do, then work with the rest of the group to meet up for Lunch and also Dinner.

If you have the Walkie Talkies those are great too, we use them when we're at the parks.

Bottom line, you can't take responsibility for EVERYONE...... just set some ground rules and meeting times/locations then everyone will feel like they go to do what THEY wanted to do!

......just my . 02! and HAVE FUN!

Surfingstitch
10-29-2004, 08:10 AM
I would also probably break up into smaller groups. I love spontanous decision making for rides.

I will I could plan as well for the entire day.

redrhino
10-29-2004, 10:05 AM
With this group of people, I suspect that they would far rather stick together than to break up. I would guess that no one will have an agenda or would be unhappy with the choices we would have as a group. (However, your points are well taken that if we were to break up we ought to meet at a prespecified location and time, perhaps a mealtime.)

If it is a given that there will be NO interest in breaking up, does the above list of attractions seem overly optimistic for the crowds likely on the Monday following a Christmas Saturday?

Redrhino

downingfamily1
10-29-2004, 03:26 PM
I'm not sure about your agenda because I've never been
to DL on that day. Just remember that a group that large will take longer to do anything. I am speaking from experience here :) . Park hopping may be a pretty ambitious idea, that is a lot of ground to cover in one day.

On a different track, wearing similar shirts in a bright color might help to keep everyone together as you are walking through the parks.

-Julie

adriennek
10-29-2004, 03:38 PM
I agree with downingfamily- Ditch the park hopping idea fast. With a group of 12 and you don't plan to arrive until 11, I think it will make you more frustrated than anything else.

If the group isn't going to break up, then I suggest that you go ahead and take the lead and tell everyone what to do. Since you and your wife both have APs and know the ropes, have your wife take everyone's tickets to collect whatever FP's she can and communicate back with the group by cell phone or family radio if she needs to.

Eat at odd times, especially on that day, especially with a group that size. Pack snacks if you need to in order to stretch the kids and the elderly folks as far from traditional hours as possible. Also- plan snacks when you're in long lines. Small World and Matterhorn would be perfect for this because they have easy to get to outdoor lines, know what I mean? You can all get in line and one or two people can go buy snacks and bring them back to the rest of the group in line if they need to.

Good luck!
Adrienne

sediment
10-29-2004, 04:07 PM
I'm with AK, but I actually go one step further: I don't go. Just the absolute worst time to go.
Leave the aunt at home, if she can't get up to be there by the crack of the rope-drop or stay until the CMs are pushing you out the door.
I suggest two means of transportation: one for the aunt and some others, and the other for the hardcores.
And if you don't want to be where it's crowded, then by all means, go to and stay in DCA the whole day. I'd like to see that trip report.

What I'd like to know is, how can the free admission tickets be good on only one particular day? And that particular day?

Earkid
10-29-2004, 06:42 PM
What I'd like to know is, how can the free admission tickets be good on only one particular day? And that particular day?

I think the reason for going on that particular day is because the Aunt is not flexible with her schedule.

I agree that that particular day/week is horridly crowded. I don't think I would concentrate on making everyone happy, not going to happen. Go on the holiday themed rides and take time to look at the decor and of course the parade for the little ones and the fireworks. Try not to have expectations of having a traditional DL day.

redrhino
10-29-2004, 07:30 PM
I agree with downingfamily- Ditch the park hopping idea fast. With a group of 12 and you don't plan to arrive until 11, I think it will make you more frustrated than anything else.


I'll think that through. If we get there about 7:30 or 8 (my goal ... we'll see if we can pull it off), they'll do HMH, Indy and Jungle right away while I get Fastpasses for SWH. Do Matterhorn on way to SWH. If all goes well or if Disneyland gets too crowded for us, perhaps we'll attempt DCA. There is some desire to "show the new park, especially Soarin" to the father-in-law who hasn't been there since the 80s.



If the group isn't going to break up, then I suggest that you go ahead and take the lead and tell everyone what to do. Since you and your wife both have APs and know the ropes, have your wife take everyone's tickets to collect whatever FP's she can and communicate back with the group by cell phone or family radio if she needs to.
I was thinking along those lines. The only problem here is that this aunt can tend to be a control freak and my mother-in-law also tends to want to spend time making sure everyone is "okay" with the plan. We've done something like this before, but on a Sunday in October and I was able to finese these issues by making suggestions when asked. Hopefully it will work this time. On the other hand, I know that there are two or three people in every group who have an agenda. (Some would say I do ... but they would be wrong.) If one of the many adults pitches a fit, we are hosed from the POV of accomplishing much. (Imagine someone saying "let's go do Peter Pan" about 2pm on a very crowded day.)


Eat at odd times, especially on that day, especially with a group that size. Pack snacks if you need to in order to stretch the kids and the elderly folks as far from traditional hours as possible. Also- plan snacks when you're in long lines. Small World and Matterhorn would be perfect for this because they have easy to get to outdoor lines, know what I mean? You can all get in line and one or two people can go buy snacks and bring them back to the rest of the group in line if they need to.
Good tip!


Sediment, the idea of simply not going because it will be crowded is not an option ... one of the goals is to "be together" and if we were to not go, that whole thing would be shot. By the way, the reason we need to go on that particular day is that this is the only day that will fit the schedules of those who live across the country who most want to go and who are able help the rest of us get in for free. We're not complaining.

Earkid, we won't be able to make everyone happy. I'll try to make sure as many people are able to "do" what they most want to do. We'll find out how reasonable it is when we do it.

Thanks ... and any more suggestions from those who've been about that time would be much appreciated...

Redrhino