Epic Trip planned for a family of 7, suggestions before we plan on seeing it all!

davidskeith,
Congratulations on being able to have all seven of you spend a whole month exploring parts of Europe! I won't comment on your general itinerary, but will offer a couple of suggestions that may aid you in your planning.

First, flying into one city and out of another is very wise and practical (no backtracking).

Second, it is helpful to count nights in a place, not days, as two nights somewhere means one full day there. It seems odd, but, believe me, it helps in organizing a realistic itinerary.

Third, I would research and get real-time info on the time it will take to change locations (checking out of lodgings, getting to train station or airport-getting there 2 hours ahead if flying-actual travel time, getting from airport or station to lodgings in new location, checking in,etc). This will give you how much time you really have in a place. You may need to tweak your itinerary for this, depending on travel options available to you. Based on most of your travel plans, and the fact that you are wrangling 7 people, I would allocate a whole day for each move. (I have done a vacation in Europe with seven people, so I understand.) Just be aware that those days likely won't involve any sightseeing.

Fourth, with seven people you will need two cars, or a real van. Vans are available in Euroipe...we have rented one in the past. Know that cars in Europe trend smaller than in the US. A mid-size car will hold four people and luggage if each has a smallish bag. When there were seven of us staying for ten days in the Dordogne we just rented two cars. A van, however, may be hard to drive through some of the narrow streets in many villages. Two cars also gave us time to do separate things (Of course, we were five adults and thus five drivers with only two kids.)

Fifth, scheduling down times or down days is very wise. Laundry will need to be done and not everyone will be in the same mood for sightseeing at the same time. Built-in flexibility is good for everyone.

Sixth, ask everyone to make a list of about 5 things they would like to see or do on this trip, in the locations you have mentioned. (Not 5 each in each place.) Make sure each person has at least one thing on their list that is done or seen. (Disneyland may be it, who knows?) Some may overlap...all the better. Involve everyone in the planning, but remember, Mom and Dad do have the final say (e.g., no hang gliding off an Alp!). You are, after all, footing the bill and should have final say on expenses and practicality.

We took our kids to France when they were 10 and 8, 20 and 18, and 46 and 44, plus grandkids at 9 and 12. Each trip went well, whether short or long, travel-heavy or single location. Both kids have travelled to Europe on their own more than once. I like to think our introduction to Europe triggered a love of travel in them. Maybe that will happen with your five!

Best of luck and have a wonderful adventure!

We may not have an opportunity to show my children the world like this for years to come.

I think it's a great opportunity and that you might be right that it's your only shot. But this will be a huge undertaking.

When is this trip happening?

Unless you've driven on the wrong side of the road with success in past visits, I would not choose to drive my family around in Scotland. And how big a car do you think you'll find that will accommodate all of you AND all your baggage?

Right now the pacing and some of the specific activities you have penciled in sound pretty "Griswoldy" - "showing the kids Europe" is perhaps too much to expect. I like the idea of visiting the UK... a nice warm-up place. After that, try not to turn your time into the equivalent of a European bus tour... I'd suggest hitting just TWO additional countries. 8-9 days per country will actually give everyone a better "feel" for what each country is like. For variety, I'd probably go with the UK, Switzerland or Austria, and Italy- and I'd fly from London to Italy. Do a good job with those 3, and your kids will want to get back to Europe to see France, Germany and the other countries you are skipping.

Okay, I said I wouldn't comment on your itinerary, but Russ has made some good points. IMO your plans are doable, but in covering so much ground in a month you would likely be missing a lot and suffer some burnout after a couple of weeks. Perhaps when you have refined your plans you may decide to eliminate something. Just a thought.......

David, great plan and doable. Go for it. 'we'r all pretty fit' indicates you are a young family, and so the grandfathers and grandmothers on the forum might have reservations.
There are no issues for renting a van as I assume you will be using these (twice) for trips without moving your luggage. No need for two cars. Even with luggage, a 9-seater will do the job.
Splendid idea to use the Eurostar between London and Paris. TGV Lyria will let you move to Switzerland.
I'm a bit confused about mentioning Neuenschwander castle. You probably are pointing to Neuschwanstein Castle, which is actually located in Germany, not Austria. Can't help you visiting it from Switzerland (I just know the public transport route starting from München - train to Füssen, bus Höhenschwangau and bus Mariënbrucke).
I think you will be doing a fantastic trip. Enjoy planning and execution!

Excellent advice so far. On Skye you're going to run into narrow, single track roads and the size of vehicle you'll need may make the drive hair-raising at times. I'd prepare in advance for driving on the opposite side than your used to.

How experienced are you with getting on and off of trains? At some stations you may not have much time and since you likely won't have a border collie to help herd the kids it's something you'll need to be aware of. Large luggage may be a challenge. I'd keep packing to a minimum for the same of the size of car you'll need to getting on and off of trains efficiently. I had friends last year in Italy that missed their flight home because they missed a train due to struggling with oversized luggage up steps onto a train.

Hi David and a warm welcome to the forum!
My goodness, you have an ambitious project (and exciting adventure!) ahead of you! I suspect that the thread you've started here will become a lively conversation, and that you'll have many other questions!

Just a couple of things off top of head to add to the above?
Time of year: my guess is that this trip will be during summer as your young folks are all in school (unless homeschooled?) That is a busy time in Europe, and with a family the size of yours you're going to want to book accommodations well in advance. Apartments are likely going to be your best option for 7, you'll want to scan the details closely for the actual bed situation is, and you're probably going to want more than 1 bathroom....unless used to managing with only one at home? Also look for added fees such as cleaning, city taxes, etc.

Do allow time to get everyone up, fed, brushed, dressed and 'stuff' (there will be a LOT of that with 7) collected in the mornings. You're only going to move at the pace of your slowest family member so ambitious early-morning departures might present some, er, tense moments. No doubt you've traveled domestically with your tribe so you know who the slowpokes, if any, are.

Many main attractions, such as the Louvre in Paris and Colosseum in Rome, are going to require advance, timed-entry tickets. (sounds as if you're aware of that); again, they're going to be very busy in summer. The good news is that if all of your offspring are under 18, they'll enjoy free entry to a number of attractions, including the two mentioned, although they'll still need reservations to those which require them.

Just in case you were NOT thinking of making this epic journey during the warner months, best to re-think the Dolomites if hiking is in the plan: trekking that one is season-dependent. Same applies to Switzerland.

Trains: as it's not a common mode of transport in Iowa (I'm originally from the eastern side of the state), I think your young folks will find rail trips to be big fun! Additional pluses? No issues accommodating the luggage (although best to keep it to manageable size); the bathroom travels with you so no stops needed for those; you can bring your lunch/breakfast/supper with you; no parking issues; ALL of you can sit back and enjoy the ride versus watch the center line and maps. While not all that familiar with UK and Swiss trains, we enjoy Italian rail travel very much!

Lastly this:

Then over to Austria and (as Windyram kindly pointed out)
Neuschwanstein castle (in Germany) on the way to the Eastern dolomites for a few days, then down to Rome for 4-5 days, and then fly
out Milan(the cheapest flight out).

Honestly, I wouldn't backtrack north from Rome to fly out of Milan unless there are attractions you want to see there. For efficiency and to eliminate booking YET another accommodation + long-distance "fast train" tickets just to try and save a bit, I'd look cutting something else to cover the cost of flying home out of Rome. As well, without trying to overload an already ambitious plan, I would think that your family might enjoy more of Italy, such as a look at Venice as it's sort of unique, but you know YOUR family's interests better than any of us so I'll zip it and go quietly now... :O)

I have traveled twice with a group of seven but not as long or covering as great of a distance. These are my thoughts.

1. Count nights as others have said. We stayed 3-5 nights in one location. It takes longer to move a group so moving a lot is not very efficient.
2. We used rental cars in Greece and the train in Italy. We rented two cars. We had reserved a van at one point but realized it was not going to work for luggage even with each only taking a carry on bag.
3. Restrict everyone to a carryon bag and a back back.
4. Consider accommodations that allow you to gather together. We mostly rented apartments. On the Greek island of Naxos there were no centrally located accommodations large enough so we were in hotel rooms. The first night we had everyone in our room!! The other three nights we had been able to reserve the roof top unit which had a deck for gathering.
5. Consider cooking some of the time. We cooked or did take out about half the time. European dinners last all night and we tired of that quickly. Plus the cost adds up quickly with a group. This gives you the opportunity to visit markets and supermarkets which is fun. This way going to dinner is an event.

PS on where you are going: I would trade Dolomites for Venice. I was in both this year. While we loved the Dolomites, you are already planning on hiking in Switzerland. Also, it has a very Germanic flavor where German is the first language and the architecture is Austrian. Venice is a unique city and half my groups favorite place (the others favored Lake Como). You also than would not have to rent a car in Italy as traveling by train would be preferable.

This sounds like a fun adventure! I would not say you are too gutsy, but perhaps a bit ambitious.

I think the trip would be easier and more enjoyable if you limited yourself to four countries, roughly a week in each one. You could do Scotland, England, France and Switzerland with one or two stays in each country. Or eliminate one of those to add Italy. The problem with so many far flung locations is it takes a long time to move from one to the other. Even if you fly, you have to travel there, get there two hours ahead and then get to your hotel. You are talking a half day at least. Even with trains, you have to travel there and you need to get there early to figure out where your platform is. Then you need to find your hotel or apartment when you arrive. So at least a half day, maybe most of the day if you are traveling far.

It sounds like you want a variety of experiences. In that case, I don’t think you need to do both Switzerland and the Dolomites. I adore both, but for this trip I would choose one or the other, probably Switzerland because it is easy to get to from Paris and the trains are great. The Dolomites are going to add a lot of travel time.

I would not want to drive a van on the narrow roads in the Scottish highlands and Skye. I also wouldn’t want a van on some of the hairpin turns in the Dolomites. But if you are an adventurous driver, perhaps it won’t bother you.

Another thing to consider — if you are talking about Rome, it will probably be very hot. Are you up for walking all over Rome in 90+ degree temperatures?

Last comment — I’m surprised to see Bern on your list. It’s a perfectly nice town, but it wouldn’t make my list for this trip. I’d stay in Murren or Wengen for five or six nights. If you want to add a city, I’d pick Lucerne.

Whatever you decide, I hope you all have a wonderful time!

You guys area all amazing and I was so happy to read over your input this morning! Thank you so much! I'll give you more details you mentioned.

Thank you all for your wisdom!

Judy:
I like the think of it in nights instead of days, very wise. I hope to only catch a flight in and out of Europe, otherwise Trains and cars(as needed). I have driven in Scotland 2 years ago, and aside from 1 ticket (in an area of construction, I'm still not sure why I got it since it was awarded a couple months later through Enterprise) and one close encounter--I made of habit of saying " Left Side, strong side" over and over. I got the hang of it over time and I got used to the skinny roads. I am going to shoot for a Van, so we can be together, I even thought about a camper van, but I think we'll find hostels and such to stay in. I also like your idea of 5 things per person and stich them all together. My son Brigham(14) is very disappointed we can't fit Auschwitz, but that's a couple more countries east. The jaunt into Germany was to see Dachou, on our way to Austria, and pick up Neuschwanstein castle(I'm a horrible speller).

Russ:
Our window of opportunity is Father's day next year, and the next 4 weeks. Mid June-July. It's the only think we can make happen with church camps, and family, and kids stuff, etc

We are making everyone do the Rick Steves way of travel. 1 carry on, and a backpack. I like his style and we tested this out last time we went to Scotland.

Judy:
Well said, that's why I'm contemplating our plans. Traveling itself is part of the adventure and trains all over western Europe is going to be fun, I think.

Wyndyram:
Yes, Trains would be a asking more about public transportation when I nail down dates and locations.

Allan:
I drove Sky last time, and totally get your thoughts. We drive a 12 passenger Nissan NV at home, so we have to be careful, it's a beast.
No experience on trains, and I plan on buddy systems. we're keeping every one to a carryon and backpack.

Kate:
Summer for sure, and I will be looking at accommodations things like this. We were in Banff last June, and inpatient Dad(me) had to give people more morning time than I wanted, but we are used to getting out kids up a 6 am for scriptures and school. I think I'll not push them too hard to reduce burnout. I will be definitely getting tickets ahead for the big things, the rest will be flexible. Milan was 200 bucks a ticket less than Rome, but I'll make sure to calculate in the train fair to make it worth it.

BethFL:
Thank you for the advice! We do plan on cooking a lot, Breakfast if not provided and lunch prep. Nicer evening meals or sampling in the afternoons. Thanks for the advice on Venice. One of the kids put it on their list and Julie(my wife) wanted Dolomites, we love mountains. I'll run that through the plans :)

Caroll:
Thank you for the input! Bern was just a starting point to arrive. Nothing planned yet, so I appreciate the advice. Once I nail down timing, I'll look at country specific stuff like this! I do love driving in the wild side. Walking in heat is not uncommon for us, I was raised in Az. And those kids will sun screen up, and hydrate. We'll likely do inside stuff in the afternoon and walking in the morning and evening. time of transfers and trains and such is a big deal. I hear ya, and it's a good reality check.

Thank you all for this help! I am taking it all in, and will mess with the itinerary again. I'll post more and I'm open for more advice! Once I lock in a few things, I'll start asking about country specific.

You're all the best!
David

A couple more tips:
Not a carryon AND a backpack each. The teens can (probably) carry a travel backpack. Get one with an adjustable harness system, and they'll be able to use it when they go back on their own (or hand it down the line). I would encourage you and your wife to do the same so that you are hands-free. A packable day bag/pack/tote is helpful.
Split up as needed. For example, the under 12s are too young for Dachau. One parent will need to take them somewhere else.
Don't begrudge them (especially the teens) a little screen time (assuming you allow screens at home), especially on the train, which should be considered down time.
I think someone else mentioned the grocery stores. The different flavors of chips and sodas are fun to explore.

David,
Re Dachau.....I have only been to Dachau, not Auschwitz. If it fits for your timing and travel plans, I highly recommend it. It is a sobering reminder to be grateful for the blessings we enjoy and to "never forget". I believe that all but your seven year old (and maybe the nine year old) will appreciate it. At some point they will have studied 20th century history. The camps one can visit really bring it home and provide perspective. Both our children went when they were older (not 10 and 8) and truly were moved by it. The memory, even after many years, stays with them and colors their opinions and, in some instances, their decisions.

If you do go there, I imagine you may be visiting Munich (one of my favorite cities). If so, don't miss the Deutsches Museum (science and technology). We have all loved it and the displays will appeal to all age groups. I won't further describe it, but everyone who has seen it after our recommendation has been wowed. It's one of the best museums in Europe, IMO.

Have fun planning!

Just a practical note for Dachau. All ages have access (nobody will be denied entrance), but they do refuse to hand out audio guides to children under 13y (they consider 13 to be the year you turn 13, not the exact date).

In checking airfares, be sure you choose the "multi-city" option rather than pricing separate one-way tickets. For the last leg from Rome to Milan, you'll need to figure the cost of not only the Rome-Milan train but also the train from Milan to Malpensa. Malpensa is way outside Milan. And keep in mind that the extra trip can end up costing you most of a vacation day.

1) I'd like to revise my previous advice... Fly from the UK to SWITZERLAND if you are flying out of Italy.

2) While I've lived in Germany and spent several months traveling there - and love the place dearly - I left Germany OUT of the mix in my rec's for your itinerary. First, it's not really in the headlights of your plan. Second, the 25-minute overcrowded and overpriced tour of Neuschwanstein (which is not a real castle but instead a modern building of concrete construction with a fake castle-look exterior) is in no way worthy of a detour into Germany. Your recent mention of visiting Dachau firms up my opposition to a stay in Germany even more. It's a gruesome experience that was intended for Nazi sympathisizers or others who in the future would not accept that the Holocaust was real. A visit there will be an extra-brutal but unnecessary repeat-lesson for you and your children on the bigotry and ruthlessness of the genocidal Nazi regime. IMHO it would be a shame to ruin your brief visit to this now-great country with the images of Germany and Germans that you will carry away with you on your way to wherever. Perhaps you or your kids will have time later on to make a proper visit to the real Germany.

We were lucky enough to have a month with 3 kids years ago but went in April ( and only Italy!). It was a wonderful experience. Our youngest was 8 at the time.
You are only as fast as your slowest though, so plan on stopping to eat more often than you think you should etc.

Couple of thoughts- would you consider reversing your itinerary- starting in Rome, ending in Scotland? We ended in Rome, and frankly were a bit tired by then. Rome is busy. And in mid- July would be hot. Scotland strikes me as a little bit more of a way to wind down at the end of the trip.

Alternatively, you could drop Rome. You have so much else to see and you could end in Northern Italy and fly out of Milan.
I also think you could do the Dolomites without a car.

Sounds great,
My family of 4 (kids 8 and 12) travelled for 10 weeks in Europe last year and it was the trip of a lifetime and worth every penny we spent and my time researching. We were in Paris for a week before moving on to Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany, for roughly 3 weeks in each country. We had people ask why we wouldn't see 20 countries instead of 4 for that amount of time, but we love slow travel and wouldn't do it any other way.

The year before we did a "trial" trip to Scotland for 3 weeks to see how well our family travelled and had an amazing time (love your idea of attending a Highland games...my son won 10 pounds in the under 10 race, and the picture of him crossing the line with a hundred Scottish boys chasing him was priceless). Our one lesson learned from this trip was that moving after 2 or 3 nights always felt rushed. Even though we had done almost everything we wanted to do in the Inverness area for instance, another night to breathe and not have to drive a longer distance would have been great. We ended up coming home and removing a couple locations off our big trip itinerary and adding more nights to any of our shorter stays.

I expected us all to maybe be homesick at the end of 10 weeks, but none of us were ready to leave. 4 weeks wont' be a problem at all i'm sure. Especially while sprinkling in a theme park every once in awhile (we skipped Disney Paris, but Efteling, Europa Park and Phantasialand were trip highlights), the odd half day at a local beach or pool, and making sure we didn't overdo it on museums, we could easily have kept going.

Cheers,

Sounds like a cool trip. The only thing I would say is why do Switzerland and the Dolomites? They are going to feel a bit repetitive.

Instead, pop down to Cinque Terre. I normally wouldn't recommend this, but in the off-season it should be great. That or spend some time in Tuscany. This will give you a little more geographical diversity to your trip and, more time in Italy is best bc the food is amazing.

June/July is definitely not the off-season in the Cinque Terre.

You have received some great advise from others, I will try to help you as well.

1) You say Keith is Scottish, my surname is Welsh and I always thought Keith was Welsh. Perhaps Keiths come from both.
2) You plan to visit Scotland, Paris (and Disneyland), Switzerland, Austria,Germany and Italy (from the Dolomites down to Rome). This is doable, but a bit ambitious. There is a lot of travel within Europe and that will take away from your touring time and add more cost. Consider eliminating some of your plans. We did four weeks driving around England and South Wales and drove over 1800 miles, it was great, but we were wiped out at the end. Of course, you are younger, but you have all those children.
3) I understand you want to do Euro Disney, probably for the kids. You can do Disneyworld in the USA, why do it in France?

I traveled with kids from age 5 up through teens and found the younger ones got bored with museums very quickly. We were in the Lourve for half and hour and my 7 year old asked when we were leaving. Museums are fantastic, especially the Lourve and Vatican Museum, but just a warning.
4) I suggest you do your research on exactly what you will do and book your lodgings in advance. This is the safest way to go, since if there is a big event in the city or town, it can be a problem finding lodgings sometimes.
5) Transport will be a challenge. Try to find one vehicle, perhaps a van for all 7 with luggage.
6) Consider that you will need to do laundry during your 4 weeks. Launderettes are in the UK. Coin operated laundromats can be hard to find in some countries. Do your research. Perhaps one of your apartments will have a washer and dryer.
7) Suggest booking travel insurance for medical evacuation and coverage. Many US Health insurance policies don't cover overseas or even if they do, the local hospitals/doctors may demand payment up front.
8) Places like the Vatican and some museums will require advance booking.
9) Switzerland is wonderful, but very expensive. Why are you choosing Bern. I suggest Lucern and Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen.
10) Moving around in large cities like London, Paris and Rome can be complicated with 7. First, make sure all the kids stay close to you, especially the really young ones. Taxis are expensive, but you can take subways (the underground in London). Hop on, Hop off busses sound like a great idea, but we did one in London this year and it took three hours just to make the circuit of London. That was just sitting on the bus, not the stops. We took a taxi from Victoria Station to the airport and it cost 110 GBP.
11) Credit cards are widely taken in Europe, but I suggest getting some local cash as a backup. You will need coins for toilets in some countries. Also, I always carry about $300 in US cash for emergencies. Watch out for pickpockets, consider a neck wallet.

6) Consider that you will need to do laundry during your 4 weeks.
Launderettes are in the UK. Coin operated laundromats can be hard to
find in some countries. Do your research. Perhaps one of your
apartments will have a washer and dryer.

I don't think self-serve laundromats are as rare as all that in Western Europe, although more numerous in the cities. But even if your apartment(s) have washers, doing up clothes for 7 could be more time-consuming than at a public laundry where you have multiple machines to work with, including dryers.. Even if an apartment has a washer, it may not have a dryer or have a (rather odd, so I've read) combo of both.

Consider it to be another cultural experience; we've met some interesting - and some very nice - people while banishing the pee-yews! These threads on the subject are a few years old but I'd guess not much has changed:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/laundry-in-italy-0040ade0-4636-4d33-9a9b-99d80ceb66ff

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/guesthouse-or-hotel-in-florence-with-free-to-use-laundry-access

An apartment with a washing machine would be nice for laundry emergencies and small loads. But the washing machine will probably be small, it will probably take a long time to run, and you may not have a dryer. I can’t imagine doing a week’s worth of laundry for seven people with that set up.

A self service laundry is the way to go. A place that does the laundry for you is even better. It’s not terribly expensive (if you don’t go through a hotel), and it’s totally worth it. Don’t skimp here!

If you use a washing machine in an apartment, Google or You Tube can help you figure out how it works. But again, I would save that for emergencies. Researching the location of laundries near where you are staying before you leave home (or before you reserve a place to stay) would be an excellent idea.

My $0.02:

• If you can avoid renting a car or van you'll be better off. Transit in Europe - trains, trams, buses - is extremely good and will get you most everywhere. It's also a good teaching moment for the kids: that transit systems work, both in big cities and rural areas (even in Scotland and the Dolomites), and that life is possible without a car. Will it be slightly more challenging? Sure. But it likely will cause fewer headaches in the end.

• I'd travel with a backpack-style carry-on (e.g. Cotopaxi Allpa 35L) and stash a smaller travel backpack inside that can be used during the day (or to be used as the under-seat bag for the flight). Backpack style is easier for navigation than a roller/spinner bag (anything you don't need to drag is a plus). Use compression sacks and packing cubes to optimize space in the carry-on. Economize the clothing you bring, and expect to do some sink laundry during the trip. It's possible to bring a bare minimum of clothing and make it work for you (and if you lack anything, good clothing is easy to find in Europe). And the travel backpack is great for day excursions (and bringing the extra stuff acquired on the road back home to the U.S.).

• Agreed with coming up with a priority list for each family member and accommodating them as you can, but not being totally tied to said sites. Improvisational visits on these kinds of trips are often the most memorable and the most "real." Even if the improvisation is staying an extra day or two in a town or city because you find it amazing - that's good improvisation.

• One rest day (a full rest day) for every four days of rigorous travel is worth it - both for you and the kids. Half days are OK, but often the full day is needed to process, rest, and heal (these trips take a toll on muscles and joints).

Otherwise, there's a lot of good advice already dealt here - good luck!

You guys area amazing! I have been reading the answers and speaking to my wife.

With your help I've made some adjustments:

Fly into Rome, start there, then Florence and Venice for a couple days each(counting nights). Then train THROUGH the Dolomites to Munich. Stay there and go to Salzburg via train in the am and back, so I don't need to find more lodgings, and Dachau for the older kids, and something fun for the smaller ones. Then onto Switzerland. I haven't made firm plans in the Country. I planned Bern as a starting point. a German professor a know mentioned Bern over Zurich, but yes, Interlaken may be home base for 5 days.. Not sure yet. I'm trying to line up timings.

Then Switzerland to Paris(may stop in the black forest for some hiking and beauty--A Suggestion of the German Professor and my sister who lived in Germany for years). Paris for 2-3 days, and then London for 3 days, to do the big stuff and Harry Potter stuff.
Then back to Scotland for a week of exploring, leave from Edinburg.

With less places to move to, I think it will give us less stress and I can stay in VRBOs easier and longer.

You guys have been amazing! I'll get more tacked down and get more details in so get more help.

Thank you so much!

David,
Like your new plan.

This does look better.

The first time I went to Salzburg it was by train from Munich. I have very fond memories of that trip. And I liked Munich a lot too.

David,
New plan looks more "doable". Have fun!

I agree with the others; this is much better. I would just suggest you don’t stay in Interlaken (it’s a transportation hub). Stay in Murren or Wengen and be in the mountains. Huge difference. Don’t be put off by the extra transportation legs. It will not be a big deal, I promise.

Seriously, you guys were a huge help!! What a great community!

David

this really looks so much better!

And I agree about staying up in the mountains instead of in Interlaken. I stayed the first few years in Interlaken and adjacent Unterseen until I listed to the advice to stay up the mountain - then I never looked back. A huge difference for the better...

Couple suggestions after seeing your updated plan.

If you are stopping in the Black Forest, I would highly recommend a day in Europa Park, in lieu of Disneyland Paris. With the amount of duplicated rides with the North American parks, Europa Park was a stark difference and a much more unique experience. It's also very laid back, and hardly seemed to have any long lines, despite it being the busy summer season when we were there. It does a great job of having a lot more thrill rides, along with ones for younger kids as well. Would be well suited to a diverse group like yours.

Also noticed you mention Harry Potter as an interest for your group. When we were in Edinburgh we had a private guide, Robert, who does an amazing 2 hour tour called "Harry Potter, Haggis & Horrible Histories". It was very much a fun history tour of Edinburgh, with some of the Harry Potter sites sprinkled in that inspired the characters in the books. He did a great job of keeping everyone in our party interested, and I notice it is still very highly rated a few years later:

https://www.airbnb.ca/experiences/2988725?adults=2&children=2&infants=0&pets=0&currentTab=all_tab&federatedSearchId=&searchId=&source=wishlist&s=67&unique_share_id=d8fb9bcb-cac0-4c3f-b127-d7b05ae59b5d

Cheers,

Don't overlook campgrounds for accommodation. Many have cabins to rent. The campgrounds I stayed in near Lucerne, Innsbruck and Salzburg were very well appointed, with fresh rolls and pastries available every morning, some type of restaurant on site, plus playgrounds, pools and loads of kids to play with.