Hypothetical questions for a large(-ish) group

[RememberWhen]

Hi all! I'm hoping somebody with on the ground experience can answer a couple if questions for me.

I have a trip planned for September 2014!! I'm so excited, but it's so far away that I can't do any real planning yet. In anticipation of real planning I'm trying to get a good understanding of the whole new FP+ system. Honestly it's got me nervous, but I'm trying to be really open about it maybe being awesome.

So here's the background and then I'll get to the questions:
We're staying at the boardwalk in a grand villa on my mom's DVC points; she owns at Boardwalk and will be coming with us. The reservation is currently booked from the 2nd through the 14th.
Our group is currently (though I suppose it could change):
-Myself, my wife and our DS who will be 2 1/4. It'll be his first trip, though we've been zillions of times.
-My mom and maybe dad. Mom's the Disney person. Dad comes along sometimes depending on work. Also, my mom's birthday is the 5th.
-My baby sister. Her birthday is the 2nd. She'll be 22.
-Another sister. Her birthday is the 3rd. She'll be... 29 I think.
-My cousin. Not her birthday. Maybe her first trip. She's 25-ish.

So this isn't a huge group, but we are traveling from different places, and potentially arriving different days. Most of us have been before, so we don't need to see everything. We're not likely to stick together in the parks, or even go to the same parks each day. Two year olds and 22 year olds have different paces.

Currently I have everybody in my MDE account. I'm assuming all this will be live by next September. Barring some huge disaster.

Some questions:
1) should I have everybody make their own accounts? This way they can link to me, but maybe can choose their own magic band color and whatnot without me nagging them about it. Or do you think it's easier for me just to take care of that?
2) if everybody is linked (or under my control) in my account I can make fast pass reservations for everybody. But do they all have to be the same? For example, the older girls may want to go to Epcot, while the two year old and crew may go to Magic Kingdom. Can we make separate FP+ reservations for the two groups for the same day? Either in different parks or even within a park?
3) any other suggestions people have for this type of group with the new system?

Help?
-RW

 

[Weather_Lady]

My knowledge on this is limited -- but my advice would be:
1) Yes, have all of the adults make their own MME accounts and link them so everyone is on the same page, planning-wise. If you're going to be the designated maker of Fastpass+, make sure all are on board with it and have a chance to express their opinions. (I actually gave my family members a survey so I could be sure of who can't go on spinners, who can't do rough simulators, etc.)
2) Yes, you can make FP+ reservations for everyone. They do not have to be for the same attraction/time. However, each person's FP+ must be in the same park for the same day, so if you're spending the day all together and then splitting up for Epcot/MK and people want to use FP+s in those parks, then the "Epcot" folks have to use all of their FP+s in Epcot that day, and the MK people must use all of theirs in the MK that day.

 

[Rob562]

Also, you should make sure that after each of the adults create their own accounts they should each inter-link their accounts as "Friends & Family" so that you each can see each other on the FP+/reservations lists. That'll make it easier when it comes time to coordinate plans.

Another question would be: whose name is the DVC reservation under? Is it in your Mom's name or yours? Whoever's name it's under should probably be the person to "claim" the reservation. Once assigned as the lead guest on the reservation, everyone else's MDE profiles should be linked as Guests of that reservation. That'll ensure that everyone gets MagicBands.

-Rob