Navigating through any scenario with a large family is difficult, but when it comes to planning a vacation, particularly somewhere like Disney World, it can be really tough.
Not only do you have to come up with the additional funds to pay for the group, but you need additional space, more mouths to feed, and catering to everyone’s interests and needs as you navigate through the park.
As a family of five that frequently travels and sometimes includes additional friends and family members, we have learned a few things about surviving Disney Parks with a larger group to accommodate.
Today we will be sharing all of our knowledge, experience, and tips for being successful in your travels with a large family.
Choosing the Right Room: Disney Accommodation for 6+
Disney World Property has a number of Disney resorts for large families, varying from their Value Resorts up to Family Suites, Deluxe Resorts, and Villas.
Choosing the right room to not only accommodate the size of your family but also to accommodate your budget is so important. If you are a family of five or less, you can stay at pretty much any Disney Resort (with some compromises), but once you move into the 6-person range, your options are a bit more limited.
The following are great options to choose from at each price range and that will accommodate families or large groups of up to 6 or more:
Value Resorts
Disney’s Value Resorts are the most affordable option when it comes to staying on Disney Property. At the value resort level, if you would like your family to stay all in one room, the only options for larger families are the All-Star Music Resort and the Art of Animation Resort.
Both of these options include rooms that can accommodate up to 6 adults in their Family Suites that feature a living space, kitchenette, and two full-size bathrooms.
If you have a family larger than six or would prefer to stay in smaller rooms, you can always choose to book multiple rooms at the value resort level, and you will have more options to choose from the Value Resort lineup.
Moderate Resorts
Disney’s Moderate Resorts are going to be a little higher priced compared to your value resorts. In the Moderate Resorts lineup, you have a couple of options to choose from that will accommodate larger groups with Family suites at Disney’s Coronado Springs and the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
- 1 Bedroom suites will offer living space, a generously sized bathroom, and one bedroom. These suites will offer two queen beds and one queen-size sleeper sofa to allow up to 6 adults to sleep comfortably.
- The Executive Suite is equipped with a living space, beautiful bathrooms, a dining space, as well as sleeping accommodations for up to 8 adults that include 1 King bed, 2 Queen Beds, and Queen Sized Sleeper Sofa.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
- Wilderness Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort is a great way to have seclusion for your family with features including a kitchen, dining area, and private bathrooms. Sleeping arrangements accommodate up to 6 adults comfortably with 1 Queen Bed, 1 Double Sleep Sofa, and 1 Bunk Bed.
Deluxe Resorts
Disney’s Deluxe Resorts are the highest tier of resorts that Disney offers before moving into private villas. All of Disney’s resorts offer a great experience. Still, as you move up the tiers, you will notice more perks, prime locations, as well as better amenities, including transportation and dining opportunities.
With those benefits, you will also have to face a larger price tag as well, but if you have a large family and you enjoy the perks and benefits included in booking a deluxe resort, you may want to seize the opportunity.
There are many more options for accommodating large groups. In fact, most of the basic level rooms within the Deluxe resorts will accommodate up to 5 adults comfortably, whereas, in the value and moderate level resorts, basic rooms typically accommodate 2-4 guests.
In the Deluxe Resort level, larger rooms include:
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- The 1 Bedroom Suite will offer your family living space, dining space, kitchen and private bathroom in addition to sleeping conditions to accommodate up to 6 adults. Sleeping options include 2 Queen Beds within the bedroom as well as 1 Queen Size sleeper sofa in the living space.
- The 2 Bedroom Suite will offer the same areas that are included in your one bedroom but of course with an additional bedroom. Sleeping arrangements will accommodate up to 8 adults comfortably, featuring 1 King Bed, 2 Queen Beds, as well as the 1 Queen Size sleeper sofa.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
The Ambassador VP Suite or the King Kamehameha Suite at Disney’s Polynesian Village will accommodate a family or group of up to 8 adults comfortably. Your suite will be fully equipped with a living space, dining and kitchen area, private bathrooms, and sleeping accommodations, including 1 King Bed, 2 Queen Beds as well as 1 Queen Size sleeper sofa.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
The Deluxe Room at Wilderness Lodge will feature a living space, a relaxing balcony, and sleeping accommodations, including two queen beds and one queen-size sleeper sofa to allow up to 6 adults to sleep comfortably in the room.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort (Up to 8)
- The Deluxe Room at Beach Club Resort will feature a living space, a relaxing balcony, and sleeping accommodations, including two queen beds and one queen-size sleeper sofa to allow for up to 6 adults to sleep comfortably in the room.
- A 2 Bedroom Suite is equipped with a spacious living area and private bathrooms and can comfortably sleep up to 7 adults. Sleeping options include 1 King Bed in one of your bedrooms, 2 Queen Beds in the other, and 1 Day Bed.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- The 1 Bedroom Suite will offer your family living space, dining space, kitchen and private bathroom in addition to sleeping conditions to accommodate up to 6 adults. Sleeping options include 2 Queen Beds within the bedroom as well as 1 Queen Size sleeper sofa in the living space.
- The 2 Bedroom Suites at Disney’s Contemporary Resort can accommodate either 8-10 adults, dependent on the room that you book. Your suite will either be equipped with 4 Queen Beds (two in either bedroom) and 1 Queen Size sleeper sofa in the living space or 1 King Bed in one bedroom, two queen beds in the other bedroom and one queen-size sleeper sofa in the living space.
Deluxe Villas
Disney’s Deluxe Villas are a part of the Disney Vacation Club and are an extension of Disney Deluxe resorts that are more of a vacation home and allow for more personal and private space for your family.
Most villas have multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, a laundry space, and a living space and can accommodate much larger groups of people. Most villas can comfortably sleep anywhere from 8-12 adults.
- Disney’s Villas at Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa (Maximum of 12 people)
- Disney’s Villas Old Key West Resort (Maximum of 12 people)
- Disney’s Villas Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (Maximum of 8 people)
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (Maximum of 12 people)
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (Maximum of 12 people)
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village (Maximum of 12 people)
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Villas (Maximum of 9 people)
- Disney’s Beach Club Villas (Maximum of 8 people)
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Maximum of 12 people)
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House (Maximum of 12 people)
- Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Maximum of 12 people)
- Disney’s Riviera Resort (Maximum of 12 people)
Limitations of Large Groups at Disney World
Travelling with a large group throughout the Disney property can have its challenges that unfortunately just come with the territory. The more people you have to keep track of and cater to, the more complications you are bound to encounter. Here are some of the limitations or challenges that you may face within a large group.
Making Dining Reservations
Some restaurants on Disney properties do have limits set to making dining reservations. There is no specific set number for the property as a whole, so you will need to check with the specific restaurant on their limitations.
Most restaurants can accommodate groups of up to 10 people, and for anything beyond that, it is recommended to split into smaller groups. Consider visiting buffets, as they tend to be a little more doable for a large group.
Boarding Rides
If you have a large group, it can sometimes be difficult to get everyone in your group on the same car or train for a ride. I have found that groups larger than six is where it gets a little difficult to accommodate.
Be aware that if you do have a large group, you may be separated into smaller groups in order to allow everyone to board the ride/attraction.
Sticking Together
Another challenge includes sticking together as a group. It is hard and, quite frankly, unrealistic to expect to be able to stay together throughout your whole visit and do everything together.
Don’t be afraid to split up into groups based on common interests and ages and break off to do small group activities. Just make sure every group has a fully-charged cell phone between them so you can rendezvous again later.
Top Tip: A little cheesy, yes, but having matching family t-shirts for a trip to Disney can really help keep your group together and identify your group in a crowd – trust us, they’re worth the investment!
Accommodating Everyone’s Wants and Interests on a Disney Vacation
When you have a large group of people, you are bound to have different interests and wants.
We always recommend having everyone make a list ahead of time of the things that they would most like to do throughout their visit to Disney World. This will give you an idea of what you need to game plan. You can compare lists and make sure that if there is a ride or attraction on multiple lists, that is an absolute must amongst your group.
Don’t be afraid to split into smaller groups. Making your most want-to-do lists will also help you out if you do choose to break into smaller groups.
It is important to set an expectation with your group or family that you may not get to accomplish every single thing on everyone’s list. There is a lot of ground to cover at Disney, and when you have a large group, things take longer and are more difficult to achieve.
Transportation With a Large Family
Getting your group to and from parks and your hotels can be a huge challenge in and of itself. If you are staying on Disney property, you are lucky to have the opportunity to use Disney transportation services but again, this can be challenging with large groups as your family may not be the only guests they need to transport at that time.
Keep in mind that you may have to choose either to split your group into more than one shuttle or choose to wait for a more open shuttle that can accommodate your group size.
If you are staying off-site, transporting a large group may be a bit more difficult. Off-site hotel shuttles tend to be smaller, have group size limits and run less frequently, so you will have to do some careful planning in order to use these services. It’s always best to check with the front desk or concierge service at your hotel to achieve the most accurate advice and information.
Additionally, if you are staying off-site, you may choose to transport yourself to the park either by driving in your vehicle or walking to the park. We have a detailed parking guide for Disney here – noting if your family requires a vehicle larger than the average parking space, your cost will go up.
Completing a Disney World trip with a large group may be difficult, but it is completely doable. Large group travelling may require additional planning and more time to find solutions, but it is completely achievable.
We hope this guide has provided you with helpful information, tips, and advice that will allow your large group or family to have a successful trip to Walt Disney World Parks.
You may also want to read up on our favorite Orlando Resorts with Water Parks – these can provide a happy medium between being at theme parks all day, every day and staying offsite but close to the main attractions
More Disney & Orlando Advice
Making plans for a big WDW or Orlando family vacation? You may also want to check out these detailed planning guides to make the most of your trip to central Florida:
- All the Best Theme Parks in Orlando Explained – including which are best for each age group
- Orlando Activities That Aren’t Theme Parks – when you’re ready for a break from the magic!
- Essentials We Always Pack in Our Disney Day Pack – you won’t want to be caught short without these items
- Activities to Pass the Time When You Line at Disney – queues are inevitable, do keep some of these tricks up your sleeve to pass the time
- What to Wear to Disney for All-Day Comfort – making the wisest wardrobe choices for a Disney vacation
- Best Shoes for Theme Parks – comfort over style every time; try these shoes for a theme park vacation
- The Best Beaches near Disney World – extend your Florida vacation with a trip to the beach
- Florida’s Most Beautiful Islands and Keys – sensational escapes from the theme park fun
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