Favorite Arrival Night Dinner/FP or Where would you recommend?

[Thomasboys]

We are headed back to Disney in March and arrive at MCO at 12:45p (fingers crossed...ha!). I'm estimating we will get to our hotel by 3:30-4:30p which would give us time for an early dinner and maybe even a few FP rides for a park. We will spend the following days at MK, AK, MK, HS, E, AK, HS, and MK. So....which restaurant would you pick for your first night and why? Which park would you FP in consideration of dinner? We are staying at CBR and have two boys ages 8 and 7. No signature dining. A few FP at MK is tempting but I'd like to be in bed by 8p since it will be an early travel day for us that day and the next day will be a full MK 1st park day. HS and Epcot would be very close. Maybe Test Track at Epcot so we don't have to do that again on our Epcot day (our kiddos really just want to do Test Tracy and Soarin at Epcot so knocking TT out could give us a more casual day where we are not rushing to rope drop!). My boys also LOVE Tower of Terror, Slinky Dog Dash, and Rock-n-Roller Coaster so FP one of those could work too..

Welcome to the chaos of my brain. Paralysis by analysis.

 

[babyruth]

I would probably just eat at the resort. I’ve heard great reviews of Sebastian’s. For me that would be too much bus time from CBR to a park just to be there for an hour or so. If you got into your room at 430 and want to be in bed by 8 I wouldn’t bother leaving. But you don’t mention Disney Springs or the Boardwalk at all in your plans so if that was an option the first day I’d do one of those. So many good options. If your boys are into dinosaurs I’d do T Rex. Food not wonderful but such a fun atmosphere. If you’re dead set on a park I would do Sci Fi at HS because my son loved it at that age. In my experience 7 and 8 year old boys aren’t foodies LOL. But, if yours are go to Biergarten at Epcot since you only have one day there.

 

[Thomasboys]

I would probably just eat at the resort. I’ve heard great reviews of Sebastian’s. For me that would be too much bus time from CBR to a park just to be there for an hour or so. If you got into your room at 430 and want to be in bed by 8 I wouldn’t bother leaving. But you don’t mention Disney Springs or the Boardwalk at all in your plans so if that was an option the first day I’d do one of those. So many good options. If your boys are into dinosaurs I’d do T Rex. Food not wonderful but such a fun atmosphere. If you’re dead set on a park I would do Sci Fi at HS because my son loved it at that age. In my experience 7 and 8 year old boys aren’t foodies LOL. But, if yours are go to Biergarten at Epcot since you only have one day there.

CBR is a really quick bus ride to Epcot, HS, and AK. We will also have the new skyliner as an option for Epcot and HS. We are not planning on Disney Springs. I think we will do a FP for Test Track, grab dinner at Epcot and head back. That way we don't have to worry about TT on our Epcot day. We can do Soarin a few other things, a quick loop of World Showcase and call it a day. We loved Sci-Fi but our boys didn't love it. They thought the movie was too scary...they don't scare easily which is weird.

 

[mom2cgj]

On our last trip, we arrived mid-afternoon. We had dinner at 5:30 at the Wave at CR. Followed that up with the Pirates and Pals fireworks cruise. It was the perfect start to our trip! The Wave is great, and rarely crowded. The cruise was really fun and a nice way to see the fireworks and meet some characters. It would be later than your 8pm bedtime, but I would recommend it!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

CBR is a really quick bus ride to Epcot, HS, and AK. We will also have the new skyliner as an option for Epcot and HS. We are not planning on Disney Springs. I think we will do a FP for Test Track, grab dinner at Epcot and head back. That way we don't have to worry about TT on our Epcot day. We can do Soarin a few other things, a quick loop of World Showcase and call it a day. We loved Sci-Fi but our boys didn't love it. They thought the movie was too scary...they don't scare easily which is weird.

If you are planning on getting FP for TT on your first night, I would consider trying to snag a reservation for the new Space restaurant when ADRs become available. It's supposed to open later this year. It sounds totally cool and will be close to Mission Space, so very close to TT. That way you can go in, do your TT FP+, eat and go back to the resort. If that doesn't pan out, perhaps consider Coral Reef so that at least you are staying in FW and won't have to walk all the way back to WS for something to eat. You could also simply consider Sunshine Seasons QS for dinner so you aren't tied to an ADR. If you decide to pick up a FP+ in DHS, consider 50's Prime Time as it's pretty centrally located for SDD, ToT and RnRC.

 

[Nancyg56]

CBR is a really quick bus ride to Epcot, HS, and AK. We will also have the new skyliner as an option for Epcot and HS. We are not planning on Disney Springs. I think we will do a FP for Test Track, grab dinner at Epcot and head back. That way we don't have to worry about TT on our Epcot day. We can do Soarin a few other things, a quick loop of World Showcase and call it a day. We loved Sci-Fi but our boys didn't love it. They thought the movie was too scary...they don't scare easily which is weird.

I was going to suggest the Skyliner to Epcot. We always tried to use teh monorail on arrivalnight ebecause it is so Disney, but with the Skyliner right tere, I woudl totally kick a trip off with a ride to Epcot.

I agree with @DisneyWishes14 and book the Space Restaurant as soon as ADR's open, and FP TT.

 

[Thomasboys]

Yes!!! The Skyliner to Epcot!!!

 

[Thomasboys]

If you are planning on getting FP for TT on your first night, I would consider trying to snag a reservation for the new Space restaurant when ADRs become available. It's supposed to open later this year. It sounds totally cool and will be close to Mission Space, so very close to TT. That way you can go in, do your TT FP+, eat and go back to the resort. If that doesn't pan out, perhaps consider Coral Reef so that at least you are staying in FW and won't have to walk all the way back to WS for something to eat. You could also simply consider Sunshine Seasons QS for dinner so you aren't tied to an ADR. If you decide to pick up a FP+ in DHS, consider 50's Prime Time as it's pretty centrally located for SDD, ToT and RnRC.

Oh this is soooo good! I wouldn't have considered the new Space restaurant....that would be PERFECT. It looks like the Skyliner is back in WS, so if we take that back it wouldn't make WS a bad stop. Either way, we've narrowed down our first afternoon/night to knock some of these things out at Epcot. I'm going to keep my eyes open for news of Space 220 (i think that is what it is called..) opening! Thank you!!!!!

 

[DISNEY1975]

My favorite arrival night is a dinner show. For me, specifically, Spirit of Aloha, but HDDR would do too.

We get up early that morning, I finish packing carryons, drive to airport, deal with security, sit on a plane for 3 hours, get luggage, pickup rental car, check in hotel, unpack, possible swim/look around resort and Im drained! A dinner show is entertaining enough that I dont need to hold a conversation with my family (Im a little tired/hungry/cranky by then!!) and it gets me in the vacation /Disney mood! Unlimited beer/wine/sangria, gratuities included (though I leave a little something extra). Also dont need to waste a park ticket on our first day! Into bed early and ready for rope drop the next morning