Major family trip coming up and I need advice!

[samanthastanky]

Hello all- I need some advice about planning a trip that I can't get my head around. Here is the situation: my brothers and I want to take my parents to WDW in late August 2009 for their 49th wedding anniversary (we can't wait until their 50th! we're impatient!). There are four separate parties: myself and my husband, my parents, and then my two brothers with their wives, and they both have one son each about in 6/7th grade.

My husband and I are Annual Passholders, and always use the Disney's DIning Experience discount card, so I never have to think about anything else! I just can't get my head around what would be the most economic way to have us all down there. I want to be sure that I get them the best deal. We would like to stay in either a monorail resort, or at any of the resorts by the Boardwalk. Ideally, I would use my AP to discount all of our rooms but I know I Disney doesn't allow that anymore.

Also, I am concerned about if they book a package with the dining plan- if we go out to dinner (like CA Grill) what happens then? Will we still be able to use our DDE card?

Anything that you all could think of would be great! Thank you!!! This will be a big help! :wave:

[KathyMJ]

If each family has their own room, they can choose the package that best suits them. You and DH could have a room at an AP rate and another family member can have a room with a different type of package or discount. Just keep in mind that everyone sharing one room must be on the same package.

A DDE card can cover up to 10 people in your party.

You can also ask for separate checks at restaurants, if needed. The CM's are used to this, especially with large parties. Everyone is not always on the same dining plan.

A lot can also depend on the time of year that you are planning on visiting. The DDE is not accepted on holidays.

[katzctkpt]

I would talk with Magical Journeys about grand gatherings or even AAA to get some prices and best way to go about setting up the reservations and also your concerns with DDE.

[OogieBoogieMan]

I sent you a PM.

[Cinderelley]

We had a large group a few years ago. I used Magical Journeys to book the rooms. That worked out very well for us.
I used the DDE card to get the discount on all our meals.
I didn't go the grand gathering route, because we weren't interested in anything they had to offer. If you're group is interested in those though, go for it.
I do suggest not planning everyone's day. It worked best for us to plan one meal each day where everyone met up to chat. The rest of the time, each group went and did whatever they wanted. There was one day where we all had breakfast at Crystal Palace and then dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern. That worked out okay too.