My family of 4 have not been to WDW since 2013.
We are planning a large family trip with 2 other families who have never been for October 2025. We will be a party of 13. We will have 12 people over 18 and a 4 year old.
Our plan is to stay off-site in a big house.
I know there are many new things and changes since 2013. I know resort guests get early entry.
I want to kick off the planning and researching now to help us have the most amazing trip.
Since we will be non-resort guests, can anyone help us with tips, must know, etc?
What time should we get to the parks before opening?
Touring help since we will be non-resort guest?
I’ve planned trips like this. Our 2019 trip had several immediate family groups, about half new to Disney, folks arriving and departing on different schedules and we were staying off property.
The first thing we did was have a teen make a Power Point presentation to introduce the various Disney Parks, transportation, and general info to the new families. We had at least two restaurant suppers with each of the new families giving them a preview of the World and what we’d be seeing while following our schedule. Which is more like a guidelines. Along the way we got ideas of what interested the new families.
Our big 2019 trip was in August. We started the supper presentations in the winter before. Eventually I started on schedules, because we weren’t all doing the same thing each day. Then reservations for meals.
Two trip specific things that worked out well were having several smallish (like for 5) reservations (ADRs) for the same or very close times for each meal. I used my credit card and 3 other cards of family members. This allowed us options at meal times without having to wait for everyone to show up to eat. We were happy with the idea of close tables tho several restaurants combined our reservations and tables.
The other was for shirts for photos by Disney Photo Pass photographers. We didn’t want to get into sizes and v neck or crew neck, etc. so we said Monday is teal day, wear a shirt you’ve got that has some or all teal, Tuesday is green, Thursday is white, Friday is red. (Wednesday was waterpark day.) Our photos look coordinated but not matchy matchy.
Have fun planning! I love planning - everything works out
Are you planning to buy Lightning Lane passes? I’m sort of assuming not based on how you phrased it, but if you are, read the first post in the thread below thorougly.
There is indeed a LOT that is new since 2013 – in fact you could spend days just doing the new stuff.
One interesting trip from a planning viewpoint was my cousins - one with back issues from a mispent youth and the other with neck issues from a car wreck. So no jarring rides
We did quintessential Walt at MK with all old school attractions - Tiki Birds, Carousel of Progress, etc and lots of animal watching at AK.
Suppers at Epcot.
It’s fun to have different sorts accompanying on trips.
I love planning - everything works out 