First Day Arrive-What to do when not in park

[brown eyed girl]

When we arrive on the first day we usually arrive after noon and don't use a park ticket on that day. So if that happens, what do you do on the first day and where do you eat?

[Stacy's a freak]

I always head to the parks, but you could...

1. enjoy the amenities at your resort.
2. go to Downtown Disney (lots of great places to eat).
3. visit other resorts and perhaps eat at one of their dining options.

If it were me and I didn't plan to go to a park, I would probably go to DTD and shop/eat/wander around.

[brown eyed girl]

That's what I'm leaning towards...what's the best place to eat Downtown?

[MNFootballMommy]

On our last trip, we ate at Boma (a new place for us, so we had time to explore the resort as well) then took the bus to DTD and got the stuff that we KNEW would be shipped home (personalized C-mas ornaments, etc.) or would be needed to start our vacay out right (lanyard, etc.) so that we were ready to hit the parks the next morning!:goodvibes

[MinnieMO]

Earl of Sandwich :lovestruc is reallly good we ate there on your first day


We got to POP bought our cups while mom checked in and then headed to the room unpacked and headed to DTD and ate supper and shopped and then went back and went swimming for awhile and then right to bed and a always start out with MK :wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

[Dawn68PA]

We always do DTD on our first day. DDs like to go to Disney Quest and do some beginning of the trip shopping in World of Disney. Wolfgang Puck was a nice meal. Very informal for our first day. This trip we are going to a resort for dinner but still doing DTD.

[goofiecrazy]

How about heading over to FW and doing the movie and the campfire.

[stopher1]

We like going miniature golfing at Fantasia Gardens on that first afternoon - and then dinner at the Boardwalk is nice.

If not that, we will swim or explore the resort - or head over to DTD. We like Rainforest Cafe, Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express. Then the kids love to explore what might be new at OUAT.

[wdwdancerwannabe]

You could go to GF or Poly and watch the Wishes Fireworks from the beach and also watch the Electric Light Parade on the Water...

[marypoppinswannabe]

To "get in the Disney mood", DTD is the best place to go.

The last two times we have gone, we ate at the RainForest Cafe, shopped for a little while and then ate a sundae at Ghiradelli's.

However, I am thinking that I might want to check out Disney Quest this time.

[The Lion King]

Our first day we explored the resort and had dinner at 'Ohana. I wish I had known to head to DTD. We didn't get to spend much time there so I will make sure to do that the next time we go.

[Wife2Grumpy]

You could go to GF or Poly and watch the Wishes Fireworks from the beach and also watch the Electric Light Parade on the Water...

We have done this and loved it!!!!
Though, if you are going in December or any of the non summer months, you
may want to take a blanket or jacket. The wind off the lake was pretty cold.
We ended up putting on our rain ponchos to keep warm. It was still fun!!

[J&J'sMOM]

We take some time to expore our resort and then head over to CR to eat at Chef Mickey's!!!!:cloud9:

[Zoebear]

Are the rest. in DTD on the dining plan ?

We are going on our first night:yay: , and I'm wondering if Earl of Sand or Wolfgang Puck's would be available for CS or TS credits........:confused3

[suzimar57]

we're planning on spending our afternoon/evening arrival day at our resort - we'll check in, store the luggage, eat at the food court, wander around the property, walk along (half) the lake, sit poolside - just unwind and transition into "vacation mode" - no DTD for us: did that last year, DH wound up with a migraine (too much overload for him with crowds, noise, heat, sunlight) - no parks either or taking busses to another resort - just staying put!

[Just(donald)Ducky]

When I went there in jan, Wolfgang pucks was closed. Don't know why.

However, earl of sandwhich is good, good food and takes CS credits. Very good.

This past time we went, we got off the plane, ran to get our rental car, ran to wal-mart to go shopping, ran to the hotel, ran to the room, unpacked really really fast, then ran to Chef Mickey's. By the end of the night, we were exhausted from all the running, plus the boys spent more time in the little shops in the contemporary then actually eating dinner.

Next time, we are skipping buying stuff at wal-mart (such as hassle!), going to the hotel, then going to DTD for earl of sandwhich, shopping, then a sundae at ghiradles However you spell it, it was SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! We got one of those huge sundaes....

Question: can two adults and two kids knock off a sundae with 8 scoops of icecream and 8 toppings?

Answer: No. No they can't. But they had a great time trying! BEST SUNDAE EVER!

[tandj]

We're staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We're going to use the resort's pool, go on a hotel tour, do the arcarde, eat dinner at Boma and then go to the Boardwalk. There we plan on renting a bike, and stopping at the carnival games and sit outside the Big River Grille. I think there's miniature golf too!:banana:

[Abharmagic]

Go to Downtown Disney- that's what we did and will do again on our first day- it's very fun!!!

[mickeynut1]

You could check out other resorts, hang out at your resort, or go to DTD. If you go to DTD, Wolfgang Puck Express is a GREAT place to eat:goodvibes.

[powellrj]

If there is a hard ticket event the night you are there like MNSSHP, P&PP or MVMCP you can enter the park after 4 with just your party ticket and not have to use a park ticket for the evening. We did this on our last trip and it worked out great! We arrived around 1, had lunch at Rainforest at DTD, checked into hotel and headed over to MK!

[Planning fanatic mom]

We did DTD too and ate at the Earl of Sandwich. We stayed at POR so the boat ride was so cool. The DDs also bought their stuffed character that night so that mousekeeping would have something to "play" with when they cleaned out room. Our favorite was goofy swinging from the blinds.

I've always wanted to try Chef Mickey's or Hoop-de-du revue. The sing along and campfire sound interesting too.

Have Fun:banana:

[karters*mom]

When we arrive on the first day we usually arrive after noon and don't use a park ticket on that day. So if that happens, what do you do on the first day and where do you eat?

Do you have a car?
We hit a tonne of shops. 2 Disney outlets. Stuff was SO much cheaper there!
We put 386 Miles on our Rental Car...lol
3 fleamarkets, disney outlets, tonnes of shops...lots of fun!

[mrs_hower726]

The DH and I are going to be in WDW for our first time in a couple of weeks and we will be getting in around noon. We are staying at the POR and we're going to grab lunch there then head to downtown disney to hit some of the stores. We are eating dinner at Planet Hollywood (they are on the dining plan) and by the sounds of others, dessert of Giradelli chocolate sounds delicious!!!

I also have read others that like to hop from resort to resort to take a look of what they all look like.

Have fun!

[dburg30]

How many days are you there for? After what, 5 or 6 days, extra days are like 2 bucks or something silly like that? If staying for that long, get the extra day ticket, and go hit a park!!

[ZoZo]

Downtown Disney is very fun. I like Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express for inexpensive, quick places to eat. You can do some shopping and looking around.

You could also do a little resort-hopping. It's fun to go to a new hotel like Animal Kingdom Lodge or the Grand Floridian and really look around.

Another fun place to spend some time is Boardwalk.

[idlewoman1]

We have actually driven to the Contemporary and hopped on the monorail and rode it around and then you can transfer to the other monorail that takes you around EPCOT, that is if you have a rental car to get you to the Contemporary. We have also enjoyed the resorts pool and then had a nice dinner at one of the resorts and shopped a bit at Pleasure Island. :banana: Have a great trip.

[DisneyMagick2008]

I always head to the parks, but you could...

1. enjoy the amenities at your resort.
2. go to Downtown Disney (lots of great places to eat).
3. visit other resorts and perhaps eat at one of their dining options.

If it were me and I didn't plan to go to a park, I would probably go to DTD and shop/eat/wander around.

Downtown Disney's a great idea. I've never been, never really thought about going or trying to work it in with all of the theme park fun and everything, but next time I arrive in the afternoon, I'm there. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Rora]

Like most have said DTD is the place to go.. However, it can get hectic so maybe you want to opt for relaxing at your resort or resort hopping (my favorite!!) Almost every resort has a gift shop with different themed merchandise unique to that particular resort and the resorts are just beautiful in themselves.. No matter what you do, you'll have a great trip!

[3princesses+aprince]

We should be arriving around 12/1 on our arrival day also. I think we'll have lunch at the foodcourt, go to the pool, and check out the resort.
Then we're going to have dinner at chef mickeys, then go play Mini golf. My kids love mini golf, and the courses look so cute here.
we're not going to do a park either, I want the kids to get to bed pretty early, as we usually go for very early flights when we fly. I don't want to start them off exhausted for the week.:goodvibes Although i'm sure whatever you do in disney will be nice.

[kg66]

This trip we're doing something different. I usually like to set up and go right to MK. This trip we're arriving at POP around noon. We'll grab lunch, unpack a bit, lounge at the pool all afternoon. Dinner at WL then over to FW for the campfire & movie.

That's the plan so far!

[polyfan60]

Usually we swim and what we did last trip was we went swimming then we walked to Epcot and then went to the arcade at ESPN. Downtown Disney is also a fun way to catch a movie and eat dinner!:thumbsup2

[ADAMS4]

We do DTD, and eat at earl of sandwich.

[05MM08MM]

We should be arriving at the airport around noonish, and figure another hour & 1/2 after that arrive at our resort to check-in early. If we can't get a room right away we may jump on a bus to another location, but if not we will settle in our rooms for a while and check out the resort since it will be our first visit their, maybe go for a swim & then rest for a little while. We have an ADR at 1900 Park Fare for dinner, then plan to watch the water parade from our hotel at night.

We plan to do DTD our last day their before we take our flight back home.

[BigDopeyMom]

Do you have a car?
We hit a tonne of shops. 2 Disney outlets. Stuff was SO much cheaper there!
We put 386 Miles on our Rental Car...lol
3 fleamarkets, disney outlets, tonnes of shops...lots of fun!

This will be our 4th trip to Disney, first time we are renting a car...can you tell me where these outlets and flea markets are? Sounds like FUN!!

[srwarden1928]

We went to Cirque on our arrival day. It was a nice Disney beginning without burning a park day. We planned to walk around DTD after, but it was pouring down rain. Then it didnt rain again until we were packing the car to leave.:rotfl:

[EJKONZ]

We always drive to WDW (I need more than three oz. of liquid to keep my old self in presentable shape!) and will check in at the resort (SSR) by noon then off to the outlet malls! After a few hours of shopping and a quick stop at the grocery store in the Crossroads center, our room should be ready so we can "move in". We will acclimate to the resort (our 1st time - not DVC members) then either head to DTD (our usual M.O.) or perhaps, as this trip is one where we are trying to do different things than usual, we might explore some other resorts ... we have never seen or been to the Boardwalk area!

[dis75ney]

We'll be driving down from Chicago and spending our first day in Florida at Kennedy Space Center. We'll most likely spend all day there (DH and DS and HUGE space buffs), and from there we'll drive to Orlando and have dinner at the McDonalds with the world's largest Playplace (we saw it featured on the Travel Channel and DS would love it) before heading to Pop. We'll most likely spend the rest of the evening relaxing in our room and getting to bed early so we're ready to hit the parks the next day!

On previous trips, I've hit DTD, or just burned a day from my ticket - I've always stayed for longer than five days, so an extra day has never cost me more than $20. I suppose it all depends on how early you get to WDW on that first day...

[retire2disney]

Downtown Disney's a great idea. I've never been, never really thought about going or trying to work it in with all of the theme park fun and everything, but next time I arrive in the afternoon, I'm there. Thanks for the suggestion.

I have to say that the first time we ever went was 2 years ago. We had NO idea how great it was. At that time, our kids were 11 and 5 and they had such a blast!! I really thought that our kids would be bored. Not at all which was a great surprise. If your not wanting to head to a park, this would be a great place to head. We've eaten at Wolfgang Puck cafe, Wolfgang Puck express, Raglan Road and the Rain Forrest. I'm not a big fan of Lego's, but I have to admit it was really very cool. There is sooo much to see there. Have a blast where ever you decide to go!!:thumbsup2

[exwdwcm]

a few different things we have done......

if we are arriving late afternoon or something- we might just tour our resort- which is a task in itself, then have a nice dinner- usually Chef Mickey's is a great way to start off the trip- a nice ride aroudn the monorail, pass by the MK and wave hi, then stop at Contemporary for Chef Mickey's. We have also done California Grill on our first night as a nice first night dinner and watched the MK fireworks over dessert.

Of course there is downtown disney and Earle, my favorite counter service! or just tour some resorts- they are worth checking out, especially during the holidays.

we've also done disneyquest on our first day.

maybe visit fort wilderness, there is a petting zoo, horses or canoeing. check out the campfire or hoop dee doo.

there is also the electrical water pageant you can see from the MK resorts- maybe have dinner at the Poly (Ohana) and then go down to the beach and watch the parade and then WISHES!

Check out the boardwalk- have dinner there and watch Illuminations from there. Grab ice cream at Beaches and cream afterwards!

[exwdwcm]

This will be our 4th trip to Disney, first time we are renting a car...can you tell me where these outlets and flea markets are? Sounds like FUN!!i know there is one at the outlet mall on 535, right off i-4. you just head on 535 opposite of DTD area. and you will see a smaller outlet mall on your left- there is a disney outlet store in the back. It is the second one listed below I believe and I think the closest.

Disney's Character Premiere - Suite #1252
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m - 10 p.m. · Sunday, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Summer Hours: May 28 - Sept 5:
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m - 11 p.m. · Sunday, 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.
8200 Vineland Avenue, Orlando, FL 32821
Mall Office: 407/238-7787
Store: 407/477-0222

Character Outlet
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m - 9 p.m. · Sunday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
15591 State Road 535, Orlando, FL 32821
Mall Office: 407/238-9301

two more that are closer to universal than disney.

Character Premiere - Mall #1, Store #47
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m - 9 p.m. · Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
5401 W. Oakridge Road, Orlando, FL 32819
Mall Office: 407/352-9611
Store: 407/354-3255

Character Warehouse - Mall #2, Store #109-110
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m -9 p.m. · Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
5401 W. Oakridge Road, Orlando, FL 32819
Mall Office: 407/352-9611
Store: 407/354-5285

[naf917]

We usually travel in either Dec or Mar and hung aroung the resort. We have young children so after a day of travel it is nice to relax and make sure we are rested to hit the parks the next day.

This year we are going in Aug and will be checking out Mickey's Backyard BBQ on our first night.

[WeGoDisney04]

Last year I made dinner reservations at Boma for the first night. I chose the latest dinner seating just in case our flight was late getting in. In the mean time we spent the afternoon getting familiar with the resort, reviewing our plan of attack, and took lots of pictures. Before we knew it it was time to head off to dinner. It was probably one of the best days of our entire trip.

The best part of the first day is that sureal feeling you get when you realize that after all the planning and waiting.........and waiting.........and waiting is that you are finally here!!!!!:cool1:

[buggyfam4]

So we will stop at the grocery store and maybe go to the outlet stores if they are open. If they are not then either DTD or go in the pool.

Renee

[jhshmh]

How do you know what the movie they are playing is that night? What animals are in the petting zoo? I have stayed there befoe I had my kids and i never knew they had a petting zoo. Thank so muchi n advance.pirate:

[bgbodnar]

We always go to Downtown Disney when we don't have park tickets, the grandkids love Lego Store. And I'm for eating at Earl's for a small meal, for a big meal Planet Hollywood. I've always wanted to go to the Campfire at the campgrounds but never have made it there yet.

[P&B's Mom]

We are arriving around 12:30 pm and heading to DTD after picking up rental car. DD has BBB apptment at 3 pm. I plan to have kids make light sabres and DS to Lego store. While at BBB, DH will check us into POR. We have HDDR ADR that night. If we want, we can always catch Wishes from beach @ WL or Poly. I think, though, we will be tired and head back for a good night's sleep. We will be ready to hit MK running the next morning for CRT breakfast. DD's "do" should still be good and we didn't have to waste any valuable park time getting it done.

[Disney Doll]

The Monorail Tour is fun. We get on the monorail and visit every resort on it...shopping, dining, looking around.

You could do the same thing over at the Boardwalk too.

[dizneychik]

On our first day we usually get there early( we drive) and go to Typhoon Lagoon and do dinner downtown disney and take the rest of the evening to prepare for the exciting week we will have.

[njcamper95]

we drive from NJ to GA usually savanha then drive to disneythe second day so our first day in disney is a little slow also because we stay 7 or more days so why rush we stay in FW so also part of our first day is setting up our trailer we get in after 1:00 which is check in by time we settle ourselves and our 2 dogs in it's usually a shame to waste a day on our passes unless we do annual's then we will go for food and maybe a few rides

[mjkaferle5]

We take some time to expore our resort and then head over to CR to eat at Chef Mickey's!!!!:cloud9:


This is what we did!! After dinner we watched the fireworks from the observation deck at the Contemporary.

[kjaswiger]

If you like taking lots of photos, find an area of WDW outside of parks that you would normally not visit to take pics. One example is take WDW transportation to other resorts and take pics of buildings, pools, and landscaping. Have fun.