So you’re planning a Disney trip with friends… I’m sure there’s a perfectly good reason why you’ve decided to do this. Perhaps you’re headed there for a special celebration? Or maybe your daughter has insisted on experiencing all the princesses with her BFF? Any way you slice it, traveling to Disney in a larger group (outside of your own family) can quickly become stressful without some advanced planning. Especially if the friends you happen to be traveling with are Walt Disney World novices. Yes, they do exist! 😉
Here are some essential tips to make planning a Disney trip with friends as stress-free as possible!
Agree on goals in advance
This trip, my family and I definitely wanted to see Toy Story Land. Our friends, on the other hand, wanted their youngest to meet as many princesses as possible (it was her first Disney trip). We divvied up our time at the parks and made sure we were able to accomplish both goals, so everyone was happy.
MBMom Tip: It also helps if all members of your group have the My Disney Experience App AND you are all connected as friends so you can coordinate Fast Passes for everyone in advance.
Rent a house vs. a hotel room
Between us and our friends, our group was traveling with 3 kids and 4 adults. One child just turned two and needed her own room to sleep in. The other girls were okay bunking together. That left the need for two additional bedrooms for the adults. There was no way we were going to make all of those special requests happen affordably at a hotel. So, we rented a 4-bedroom house…with a pool…for under $200 a family for the whole weekend. It had a huge tub to bathe all the kids in. Plus, we brought a lot of our own food (and wine). Winning.
MBMom Tip: Bring a collapsible step stool for the bathroom. This came in SUPER handy for us when planning a Disney trip with friends for brushing teeth and washing hands!
Travel in a large SUV
I can’t say enough good things about the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander. We’ve tested previous models of this vehicle and it’s the perfect size to schlep everyone from your rental house to the parks and back again. We were able to fit 4 adults, 2 car seats and a booster in this vehicle comfortably. Winning again.
The 2019 Outlander has standard third-row seating for family, friends, and everything in-between. If you need more room, just fold down the second and third row seats for space that fits your family’s needs.
I also became obsessed with the Apple CarPlay™ in this vehicle. It has a 7” Smartphone Link Display Audio which makes switching playlists, getting directions, and safely accessing apps simple. All it takes is a tap.
There’s also multiple cameras around the 2019 Outlander to create a composite, bird’s-eye view of your vehicle in addition to a wide-angle view, helping to show what’s directly behind you. I love this safety feature. Plus leather. I love buttery leather seats.
You can learn all about the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander on the Mitsubishi website. Also, be sure to connect with Mitsubishi on your favorite social media sites! Like them on Facebook, follow Mitsubishi on Twitter Instagramand to stay updated on all of their latest car trends and special offers!
Split up when it makes sense
On the third day…we split up. Don’t get offended if one or both of your traveling parties want to do this. Our family wanted to visit Pandora and ride Flight of Passage on the last day of our trip. Our daughter is finally tall enough! Their family wanted to go see Enchanted Tales with Belle. Everyone had fun on their own. But that being said, if you decide to split up….
Book at least one dining reservation together per day
That way, when planning a Disney trip with friends, you have a guaranteed time slot to spend a meal together as a group. We booked Disney princess dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Epcot’s Norway this trip.
All who attend can expect to meet several of the following Disney Characters:
- Snow White
- Cinderella
- Belle
- Princess Aurora
- Ariel
The girls had an absolute blast while the adults were able to dine comfortably in air conditioning and get some great photos. I even ordered a Norwegian beer. Winning for the third time.
Partner: This planning a Disney trip with friends in the 2019 Mitsubishi Outlander post was hosted by DriveShop USA. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own. They are not influenced in any way by the sponsor. Any statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclosure for more information. I have been given the use of a vehicle for one week, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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