Hi, there!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Carla. I'm so glad you stopped by! Traveling with extended family makes for an extra magical visit. My extended family traveled as a group of 14 (8 adults and 6 kids) two summers ago, and we had an unforgettable time! What worked for us was a healthy balance of doing some things together and splitting up for others.
There are so many
benefits of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, that staying "on property" was a must-do for us. There are a few
Resort hotels that can accommodate your party of 11, like Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. With six kids under the age of 6, we chose to stay in adjoining rooms at Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside so that each immediate family had their own space. This made each family's personal routines (naptime, bedtime) easier to manage with the kiddos. I encourage you to explore the Walt Disney World Resort website to find a Resort hotel that would best meet your family's unique needs!
As a group, we met each morning to leave for the theme parks together. We maintained a daytime itinerary that included
FastPass+ experiences and
advanced dining reservations, giving us a chance to spend a lot of quality time together. In the afternoon, everyone returned to the Resort hotel for a break. Sometimes, we'd meet again to enjoy the theme parks in the evening, and other times, each immediate family would do their own thing.
I hope this was helpful, Carla. Please visit us again soon with any new questions you may have!
Ashley