What to do on arrival day - The DIS Discussion Forums

james'mommy · 11-06-2009, 08:49 AM

We will be in the world 11/29-12/3. I've been trying to get DH to leave later than usual. He normally likes to leave at 9pm and we get there around 4am. We always go to the park on arrival day so killing time has never been a problem. This time the inlaws are meeting us. They arrive around noon so we don't want to waste a day on our tixs. We'll got to DTD but what else can we do to kill the time until our room is ready?

prncess674 · 11-06-2009, 09:04 AM

Just because your room isn't ready doesn't mean you can't use the resort facilities such as game room, pool, etc. Arriving at noon is still pretty early. You could still have a really full day arriving at noon.

geogat · 11-06-2009, 10:42 AM

How about taking bus to MK and spend some time exploring the resorts on the monorail? That can be a good way to kill some time but be involved with the magic.

But.. I agree that sounds like even if everyone doesn't get in till early afternoon, there still can be many hours of park fun still left to the day!

KellyNY · 11-06-2009, 11:12 AM

I would honestly go to parks, noon is pretty early and extra day will not cost much. Or just hang out in your resort, pool, arcade, diner, you can go to DTD and Boardwalk as well.

james'mommy · 11-06-2009, 11:20 AM

We're not doing the parks because we are going to Medieval Times at 7 that night. By the time we picked up the inlaws and got to the parks we wouldn't have enough hours left for me to consider the day ticket worthy.

MyTwoPrincesses · 11-06-2009, 11:33 AM

We fly in to Orlando just before noon and we plan to go to the Magic Kingdom at ~2 or 3for a few hours. Each ticket day costs $3 per person (I added an extra day and it was $12 for the four of us) so it is a pretty low cost way to soak in some Disney Magic right away! We plan to try a few rides, watch Spectromagic and Wishes, and eat a CS dinner. If we weren't doing that we'd probably go to Downtown Disney, but it's probably cheaper to spend $12 on Park Tickets than to go shopping!

Missytara · 11-06-2009, 11:52 AM

I am actually checking in around 11:00 am, the day before you.

I always get an 8 day ticket, because I leave very late the following Saturday.

I like to do the front part of Epcot on the first day. With the exception of Soarin', I don't feel bad if I don't get back to something there for a second time.

tinkerfan1 · 11-06-2009, 11:56 AM

We go to the parks now but what you might consider doing is what we used to do. We would spend that first day resort hopping to kill time. We didn't use a park admission at all that first day. We do now but then we would just hop on the monorail and maybe even boat and go to as many of the resorts we could to see the decorations and look in the shops. At Thanksgiving/ Christmas time, this is especially fun to do!

scot@dvcstore · 11-06-2009, 12:01 PM

Resort and pool hoping sounds like a great plan. Somewhat relaxing but you will still feel like you did something.

crazycatlady · 11-06-2009, 12:08 PM

We found ourselves with extra time one evening during our trip last week and went to Disney's Winter Summerland minigolf. We had a great time and we got really cute pictures of the kids. We played the winter side of the course and considered going back the next night to play the summer side but ran out of time. It also lets you soak in the Disney magic without being in the parks.

GAMC369 · 11-06-2009, 02:36 PM

We're driving over the day before we hit the parks and plan to spend the afternoon visiting other resorts and maybe the boardwalk. We'll do DTD at night.

PoohsFan1 · 11-06-2009, 03:13 PM

When we go, we always get to MCO before noon and are usually at the resort by 1pm at the latest, however, we never do a park on arrival or departure day. We like to save these days to do resort hopping and go to DTD for some shopping. This year we have ADRs for 1900 Park Fare dinner so our plan after dinner is to get on the monorail and go around to all the resorts to look at the Christmast decorations. We also plan on taking a ferry over from CR to WL to see it's decorations as well.

kiwicassie · 11-06-2009, 04:32 PM

From Downtown Disney, take a boat to Port Orleans and walk around there. The scenery is very nice. Also, go to the Boardwalk?

11-06-2009, 08:49 AM	#1
james'mommy I've always been a green stripe kinda girl I love you Sweatpea Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,850	What to do on arrival day We will be in the world 11/29-12/3. I've been trying to get DH to leave later than usual. He normally likes to leave at 9pm and we get there around 4am. We always go to the park on arrival day so killing time has never been a problem. This time the inlaws are meeting us. They arrive around noon so we don't want to waste a day on our tixs. We'll got to DTD but what else can we do to kill the time until our room is ready?

11-06-2009, 10:42 AM	#3
geogat Mouseketeer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Southern NH Posts: 81	How about taking bus to MK and spend some time exploring the resorts on the monorail? That can be a good way to kill some time but be involved with the magic. But.. I agree that sounds like even if everyone doesn't get in till early afternoon, there still can be many hours of park fun still left to the day! __________________ April 1989-Carbn Beach July 1997-Carbn Beach May 2000-Carbn Beach October 2002-Wildnrs Villas/Animal May 2004-(mg)Wildner villas September 2005-brdwlk Villa May 2005-bdwlk villa October 2006(mg)-wildrnss villa September 2007-brdwlk villa December 2008-brdwlk villa January 2009-Riverside January 2010-brdlwlk villa October 2010-brdwlk villa Daddy mommy Tori Disney World is a place where magic becomes memories, and our memories become our lifestyle!

11-06-2009, 11:12 AM	#4
KellyNY DIS Veteran Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: NY Posts: 1,923	I would honestly go to parks, noon is pretty early and extra day will not cost much. Or just hang out in your resort, pool, arcade, diner, you can go to DTD and Boardwalk as well. __________________ KELLY

11-06-2009, 11:52 AM	#7
Missytara I'm all ears! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Delaware Posts: 2,457	I am actually checking in around 11:00 am, the day before you. I always get an 8 day ticket, because I leave very late the following Saturday. I like to do the front part of Epcot on the first day. With the exception of Soarin', I don't feel bad if I don't get back to something there for a second time. __________________ Oct 10, 1971 with dad before dedication Mar 1992 with DBF and DBF's daughter; stayed offsite Dec 2000 on land/sea pkg; CBR Dec 2002 on land/sea pkg; Dolphin Dec 2004 on land/sea pkg with DM; POR Dec 2006 with three friends; POR Dec 2007 solo; POR Dec 2009 with two friends from my local watering hole; SSR Dec 2010 - booked at POR Dec 2011 - planning stages; land/sea pkg with friends

11-06-2009, 11:56 AM	#8
tinkerfan1 DIS Veteran Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Unfortunately, not Disney World Posts: 640	We go to the parks now but what you might consider doing is what we used to do. We would spend that first day resort hopping to kill time. We didn't use a park admission at all that first day. We do now but then we would just hop on the monorail and maybe even boat and go to as many of the resorts we could to see the decorations and look in the shops. At Thanksgiving/ Christmas time, this is especially fun to do! __________________ Pinkerbell

11-06-2009, 09:04 AM	#2
prncess674 DIS Veteran Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 2,259	Just because your room isn't ready doesn't mean you can't use the resort facilities such as game room, pool, etc. Arriving at noon is still pretty early. You could still have a really full day arriving at noon.

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11-06-2009, 11:20 AM	#5
james'mommy I've always been a green stripe kinda girl I love you Sweatpea Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,850	We're not doing the parks because we are going to Medieval Times at 7 that night. By the time we picked up the inlaws and got to the parks we wouldn't have enough hours left for me to consider the day ticket worthy.

11-06-2009, 11:33 AM	#6
MyTwoPrincesses Mouseketeer Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 227	We fly in to Orlando just before noon and we plan to go to the Magic Kingdom at ~2 or 3for a few hours. Each ticket day costs $3 per person (I added an extra day and it was $12 for the four of us) so it is a pretty low cost way to soak in some Disney Magic right away! We plan to try a few rides, watch Spectromagic and Wishes, and eat a CS dinner. If we weren't doing that we'd probably go to Downtown Disney, but it's probably cheaper to spend $12 on Park Tickets than to go shopping!

11-06-2009, 12:01 PM	#9
scot@dvcstore Saratoga Springs Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Clermont, FL Posts: 330	Resort and pool hoping sounds like a great plan. Somewhat relaxing but you will still feel like you did something. __________________

11-06-2009, 12:08 PM	#10
crazycatlady Mouseketeer Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 168	We found ourselves with extra time one evening during our trip last week and went to Disney's Winter Summerland minigolf. We had a great time and we got really cute pictures of the kids. We played the winter side of the course and considered going back the next night to play the summer side but ran out of time. It also lets you soak in the Disney magic without being in the parks. __________________ Amy (40) DH (39) ::DS (14) DD (13) Jack Velveeta Feta Count KiKi

11-06-2009, 02:36 PM	#11
GAMC369 Mouseketeer Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 78	We're driving over the day before we hit the parks and plan to spend the afternoon visiting other resorts and maybe the boardwalk. We'll do DTD at night. __________________ DW DH DS3 DS5months

11-06-2009, 03:13 PM	#12
PoohsFan1 DIS Veteran Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Illinois...Way too far away from the Mouse Posts: 3,138	When we go, we always get to MCO before noon and are usually at the resort by 1pm at the latest, however, we never do a park on arrival or departure day. We like to save these days to do resort hopping and go to DTD for some shopping. This year we have ADRs for 1900 Park Fare dinner so our plan after dinner is to get on the monorail and go around to all the resorts to look at the Christmast decorations. We also plan on taking a ferry over from CR to WL to see it's decorations as well. __________________ Me, DH, DD (8), DD (6) 6/00 Offsite, 9/05 WL, 6/07 POR, 3/09 WL, 12/09 BC Next trip 3/10 POFQ

11-06-2009, 04:32 PM	#13
kiwicassie Mouseketeer Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Jersey Girl Living in New Zealand Posts: 146	From Downtown Disney, take a boat to Port Orleans and walk around there. The scenery is very nice. Also, go to the Boardwalk? __________________ Oh yes mustard! That'll do... Mustard? Don't let's be silly. Now lemon, that's different... 50+ trips so far to the World WDWCP 2003

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