[Question] Large Group Trip on December 11th!

[PaperCutter92]

Hey you guys!
My senior class is ditching school for the day to head to Disneyland on December 11th (sponsored by the school, of course). I'm an AP holder and I've never been to Disneyland in a group of 38+ people..what do you guys suggest I take them to? We're going to have park hoppers and I want them to make the most of that feature. They all know me as the Disney Fanatic, and I don't want to disappoint them..I had so many ideas in my head..but with a party of 38+..it might be tough! Thanks for your help! =]

[HiddenMickeyBook]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Want to have the most fun? Pick 3 of your favorite friends and ditch the rest!

I am only kinda kidding.... A large group sounds like fun, but getting that many people to go in the same direction at the same time is VERY DIFFICULT! We had a group of abut 10 family members. In 5 hours we had gone on 2 rides.... It was not a fun day.

"What do you want to go on?" "I don't know. What do you want to go on?" "I don't know. I don't want to go on that." "I'm hungry." "I just ate." "Roller coasters make me sick." "I love roller coasters!"

If you are considered the expert, give them hints and guides before you go so they can get around easily in the Parks by themselves, or in the groups of their choosing. If you try to take the responsibility of 38 people having fun onto your shoulders, it would be very stressful.

[penguinsoda]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Being a veteran of several MiceChat mega meets.... it can be done! But you have to be realistic in that you most likely won't be able to keep everyone all together all day. But I have to tell you... its a lot of fun to go up to the CM on Pirates and when they ask how many... tell them 40. (Actually I think one time we had 80 MiceChatters in line for Pirates once, but we might of split it to two groups of 40).

Its also a lot of fun when you have that many to do "hand slaps" with the group as you go through the switch backs in the cue. Sometimes you will even get non members of the groups in on the fun if they somehow get mixed up with the group. They look at you funny... but they smile and hand slap too!

What we usually do with large groups is plan certain things for certain times for everyone to participate in. Then the group also has some blocks of time they can do what they want, or still hang together. You could set a certain time... like 10:00 meet in front of Haunted to ride that together... then say Noon for lunch somewhere or have the group get food where they want and meet at Carnation Gardens to all eat together or something like that.

And if the plan seems to fall apart... don't worry about it. The important part is that YOU are there enjoying one of your favorite places, and most likely everyone else will enjoy themselves too no matter what!

[Dopey's Girl]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Most important advice: Have fun!! You are only a Senior once (hopefully) and it's important to enjoy every minute of it.

Gotta know... What school? Be sure you represent them with pride.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

When I was in high school the last place we wanted to go on Senior Ditch Day was Disneyland. Of course we were a bunch of locals who didn't want to really admit that we loved the place as much as we do.

[sediment]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Want to have the most fun? Pick 3 of your favorite friends and ditch the rest!

I am only kinda kidding...

I am not kidding. Sounds like the only way to go. Go and have fun. You are not responsible for everyone's fun time. That is a no-win situation.

Pick a time and a place to get lunch. There will be stragglers, but that's the way it is. Don't go to a sit-down-and-order place. Some place with a lot of room in the back. Don't pick noon. Everyone has lunch at that time. Try for 1PM and ReddRockets, or something like that. Or French Market, then you all get on POTC or Haunted Mansion all at once. They are easier to experience after a meal, and they're slow so you can get pictures of others on the attraction.

[JulieMouse]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

We have often done a holiday trip for a large group of my swing dance friends, a couple years it was about 40.

We required everyone to stay together at all times, but it sounds like you have a bit of a looser group. So, have a master plan. Plan 3 times during the day/evening when you have a re-gathering of anyone who has wandered off. Plan it for a place people will be just sitting anyway (rather than just waiting) such as mealtime, parade, fireworks, etc. Warn everyone that it will get busy early and if you want to all sit together everyone must arrive by a certain time.

Have a few people in charge of getting all Fastpasses, they hold all the tickets. Keep in mind, that if anyone with passes wants to be apart from the group, they may want their pass for food discounts, but if they take it back, they won't get the FP's you'll be using later.

Make sure your entire group is together before you enter the lines, otherwise it creates problems when 20 people from your group want to pass up others in line, or when you tell a family of 5 (in the middle of your group) to go ahead of 20 or so of your group...

This sounds harsh, but don't ask for opinions. You will get 5 different ones and and then you'll make 80% of people unhappy. Just go with a plan with confidence!!

Have fun!

[PaperCutter92]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Thanks you guys for all the tips!
I most certainly will suggest breaking off into 4 groups of 10..
Hmm..do you guys think it'd be insane to go to City Hall and ask for 38+ Celebration pins.. after all, my class is celebrating our senior ditch day..
What can I surprise my group of 10 with?
I can't do the Mark Twain pilot's cabin..I can't take them on a tinder ride..things like those..
What could I do with a group of 10, including myself, that non-regulars don't normally do?

[Imagineer Scott]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Have everyone do Splash (which is usually a ride everyone wants to go on) and then either Space/BTMRR/or split.

Like said above, I can barely keep my 5 family members in the same direction

[HiddenMickeyBook]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Yeah, those are good ideas to split up and then meet at one or two designated times for a meal or a show (like Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe where you can have lunch and a show!) That way you can check on everyone's progress and either make suggestions or join a different group to be their guide.

[PaperCutter92]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

You guys are absolutely right! I told my prospective group about it and they loved the ideas! Thankssss!

[PaperCutter92]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

I followed your guys' advice and everything went flawlessly!
I broke off into my own group of 8.
We met up with everyone for the fireworks, Indiana Jones, and Small World.
Thank you guys for helping make my Senior Ditch Day a memorable one!
=]

[Disney Wrassler]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

Here's the best advice I can give. Focus on making your own plans, not theirs. . It's just going to take the fun out of things if you stress about making 30 plus others happy.

[HiddenMickeyBook]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

I followed your guys' advice and everything went flawlessly!
I broke off into my own group of 8.
We met up with everyone for the fireworks, Indiana Jones, and Small World.
Thank you guys for helping make my Senior Ditch Day a memorable one!
=]

So glad to hear it all went well! Sounds like you had a wonderful day.

[kaykay07]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

u should have done the canoes and then race!

Glad u had fun!

[wannabejack]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

I followed your guys' advice and everything went flawlessly!
I broke off into my own group of 8.
We met up with everyone for the fireworks, Indiana Jones, and Small World.
Thank you guys for helping make my Senior Ditch Day a memorable one!
=]

I'm glad you had a good time even though it was kind of wet through out the day. My friend and I were there too - did you happen to see "Princess Tiana's Showboat Jubilee" at 2:45 when you went?

[PaperCutter92]

Re: Large Group Trip on December 11th!

I wish I saw it that day!
My friends had never been to DCA until that day..so we spent most of the day there..were you in the show?? How'd you get tickets??