Are you in charge of putting together a group trip to Orlando? You’re in for a treat, as there’s a ton to do here and there are many extra steps taken to make it a group-friendly location. However, you do want to make sure that you’re starting off on the right foot. As you begin the planning process, consider these 5 questions to ask the group.
1. What’s your budget?
First and foremost you must get everyone on the same page budget-wise. One of the biggest mistakes group travel planners make is to gather the costs and then present them to those considering going. Inevitably some will not be able to afford it, which would be fine except for one issue: pricing for larger groups is going to be lower. You want to avoid pricing for a group of 50, only to find that less than half are comfortable with the price and have to get new quotes over again.
2. Which parks do you want to visit?
You have tons of options in the Orlando area. You could focus on just the Disney theme parks and still not see everything there is to see, or you could branch out to Universal and some lesser visited parks like GatorLand, SeaWorld, or Legoland. Just make sure everyone’s wants and needs are clear.
3. How do you want to get there?
One of the largest costs of your trip will be travel expenses. Ask your group what their preferences are. Generally speaking you’ll save by chartering a bus versus buying plane tickets, but depending on the size of your group and how far away you are from Orlando, this could shave days off the amount of time you have to spend at your destination.
4. How much time do you want the group to spend together?
Some groups want to spend all their time together while others want free time to venture out on their own. Either is fine – as long as everyone knows what they’re signing up for. You pay decide to make dinner reservations for the group every night and let the rest of the day be up to the individuals, or you may decide to plan everything together. Either way, get clear feedback from those traveling.
5. How much do you want the group travel coordinator to do?
Once again, this is just a matter of making sure everyone’s expectations are in order. Some groups may want you to get the accommodations together, buy theme park tickets, and get everyone there – and that’s it! Others may expect you to have a detailed itinerary for every day of the trip. Find out what people want and then compromise to make sure everyone is as happy as possible.
