Help please, worried about our arrival day!

[jana616]

OK. here's our situation...our group of 6 (myself, DH, sons ages 4 and 2, and our moms) will be arriving at MCO at 9:17 on 9/7 (Labor Day) after getting up at 4:45 am for our flight. I am figuring we will arrive at POP around 10:30, give or take. We have a 6:30 ADR at Crystal Palace. We are planning to spend our time at a park this day at MK, and this is the only day during our trip that we could see Spectro (not getting PH).

Here's what I am worried about. If our rooms are ready, which I am not planning on, then we'll be fine. I think we'd swim, eat lunch, all rest, and head to the park in the mid-afternoon and stay through Spectro since we'll be rested.

Assuming our rooms are not ready, I'm not sure how to do it. Part of me thinks we should still swim, eat lunch, and hope our rooms are ready by 1 pm or so (will they have any idea when we check in, when rooms will be ready?). Part of me thinks we could drop our stuff, head to a park for a couple hours, bus back around 2:00, and then rest before heading back for dinner and Spectro (but this seems like tons of bus time with little park time, and our rooms still might not be ready by 2:30 or so). Part of me thinks we should drop our stuff, head to the park, stay through dinner (I could move this earlier, probably) and then head back to POP for the night around 7:30, missing Spectro, but time for swimming and unpacking, etc. Downsides to this are that the kids will be pooped by late afternoon after getting up so early, and we miss Spectro.

So...if this were you, what would you do? How awesome is Spectro? We have never seen it and are not planning to do WDW very often (darn husband!), so this would be our only chance for several years. My kids are young, but really like parades. Help please!

 

[1hero2princesses]

hi again. I will start with this. We went last fall for our first trip as a family. I had been many times, DH had been once with me for a few days when we first started dating, kids had never been. I was so nervous, planned and planned. I just knew it would be one of our only trips as my DH does not really like rides, lines or heat and did not get the disney magic. I just "knew" we wern't going back for years. He said he would go this time for me and the kids but we wouldn't be going back for awhile. I knew it couldn't be perfect but I wanted to try to make the best trip I could for the kids. The first full day we were all a little tired. They had forgotten to give me a key card for the youngest so we had to wait in line at Customer Service my DS ran into dumbos arm and split his lip. It was not going well. We got on It's a small World. My DD 17 months went nuts. She was so happy, kept trying to reach out to the dolls, clapping and laughing. My husbands face was priceless he was so happy. She was even crazier at Spectro. Absolutely loved it. She was in awe. We couldn't capture her expression on camera but even people around us noticed it. We will always remember it. By the 5 day of the trip he suggested bouceback (I had never mentioned it to him). It was so different when he experienced it thorough the kids eyes. We also left really early our first day and our kids were wiped out. I would definitely nap first (if your kids will nap) and then go to the park. As I said my kids loved Spectro. So did I. It was my favorite parade and we also saw MNSSHP parade. If your rooms are not ready when you get there go swimming first. They will probably be ready by the time you want to nap. Have fun.

 

[rie'smom]

The kids may sleep on the flight and that would help.
You could leave your luggage at the hotel, have lunch at the hotel then and go to the parks. If the little ones get tired, go to the Hall of Presidents or the Carousel of Progress. Both are about 20 minutes long. It's also air conditioned which is a biggie in the Florida sun.

 

[serene56]

Spectro is by far one of my favorites-- its different then the regular character parade and the music === and the lights- the ages of your kids - they would love it.

But getting up that early-- argg

if they sleep on the plane== great but I wouldnt count on that.

have you considered checking in and staying by the pool til your room is ready.

 

[RMulieri]

I say play it by ear...The rooms are not guaranteed till after 3pm, and even then sometimes they run late.You can when you check in ask if there is a room ready and available.If not you need to play it by ear.It does no one any good to be cranky and be forced full steam ahead. Honestly I have found over the years that the trips I plan out and imagine almost NEVER go as planned, they are all magical and wonderful, but things happen, we miss something we planned on doing etc. Just relax and go with it.

 

[Ktharee]

OK. here's our situation...our group of 6 (myself, DH, sons ages 4 and 2, and our moms) will be arriving at MCO at 9:17 on 9/7 (Labor Day) after getting up at 4:45 am for our flight. I am figuring we will arrive at POP around 10:30, give or take. We have a 6:30 ADR at Crystal Palace. We are planning to spend our time at a park this day at MK, and this is the only day during our trip that we could see Spectro (not getting PH).

Here's what I am worried about. If our rooms are ready, which I am not planning on, then we'll be fine. I think we'd swim, eat lunch, all rest, and head to the park in the mid-afternoon and stay through Spectro since we'll be rested.

Assuming our rooms are not ready, I'm not sure how to do it. Part of me thinks we should still swim, eat lunch, and hope our rooms are ready by 1 pm or so (will they have any idea when we check in, when rooms will be ready?). Part of me thinks we could drop our stuff, head to a park for a couple hours, bus back around 2:00, and then rest before heading back for dinner and Spectro (but this seems like tons of bus time with little park time, and our rooms still might not be ready by 2:30 or so). Part of me thinks we should drop our stuff, head to the park, stay through dinner (I could move this earlier, probably) and then head back to POP for the night around 7:30, missing Spectro, but time for swimming and unpacking, etc. Downsides to this are that the kids will be pooped by late afternoon after getting up so early, and we miss Spectro.

So...if this were you, what would you do? How awesome is Spectro? We have never seen it and are not planning to do WDW very often (darn husband!), so this would be our only chance for several years. My kids are young, but really like parades. Help please!

Don't miss spectro! Stay at the resort for eating/swimming/resting for as long as it takes. The latest will be 3pm (which is highly unlikely). They now text you when your room is ready, so have no fear, you'll be the first to know! Ease into your trip. I've found when we go Commando from the get go, we are exhausted everyday because we never quite recover. Take it easy, you and your kids will be happier people and enjoy things more. If they can sleep in strollers then that is a huge plus!

 

[g-dad66]

Part of me thinks we could drop our stuff, head to a park for a couple hours, bus back around 2:00, and then rest before heading back for dinner and Spectro (but this seems like tons of bus time with little park time

Regarding this option, I agree with your last thought -- too much bus time (also too much walking time, bag check time, and turnstile-entering time) and not enough park time.

I would definitely discard this option if I were you.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I would plan to spend the afternoon at the pool. Get lounge chairs in the shade if your room is not ready and the kids can nap there. The room should be ready by 3pm which is plenty of time to shower, change, and get to the MK in time for dinner.

 

[SHISHI]

We get in tomorrow. Our flight leaves @ 6:20am and gets in to MCO @ 1100am, so I plan on swimming and resting at ASMo for our room to be ready before we head off to MK for the evening. My DS12 thinks we can make it all evening at MK to the EMH ends at 2 am. I think he can, but I don't know about me!!

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with the others - I would hang out at the hotel and then head for the park in time to make your ADR. It's no fun to hang out with 1000's of people when you're all tired.

By the way, no guarantees but the left side of the entry hub (as you face the castle) seems to be one of the least crowded areas during Spectromagic. At least it was that way until the last time we saw Spectromagic which was a few years ago. I would try not to miss this parade either way.

 

[marciedoo]

Spectro is awesome! I have two boys...4 and 2...and they love it! We were there in Feb, it was so cold we had on parkas, mittens, and hats, and there was NO WAY they would let us leave.

I second the "seeing it through a kid's eyes". We are trying to go as often as we can do WDW while our kids are little because it is just so fun to watch them. The first time one of them screams "MICKEY!" at a parade, your husband will be hooked!

As for your question....do your kids stroller nap? That's been our solution...put them in there, walk 'em around, get them to sleep. Then we just sit and rest our feet. Don't go commando with little ones...not the first day (or ever, really). Just enjoy the little stuff. They'll be happy at the resort during the day, either napping or at the pool or the playground. Don't rush it and enjoy your vacation!

 

[spider0215]

I am arriving at POP that day myself but later in the afternoon and not making it a park day, DTD and the pool most likely. This is my first trip but here is my opinion. Do online checkin, that may help. If your room is not ready when you physically check in go to the pool I would think your room should be ready by 1 or 2 then if the kids didn't fall out in a lounge chair by the pool you could nap and head to the parks. Just a thought.

 

[ajk912]

Arrival day sucks for us, too. We would drive through the night and my DH does all the driving, but I can't sleep in the car so even though I am not paying attention to the road I am exhausted. Of course, the kids sleep great and are wired and we are dragging.

What DH wants is to take the kids to the pool where he can sleep in the lounge chair while I watch the kids swim. That, to me, is MORE work than just taking them to the park. At least there I have them herded in the same line, or waiting for the same parade, or whatever. It's stressful to be one parent watching three kids, especially when you are exhausted!!! But DH doesn't want to miss their first moments in the parks, understandable. I am just too tired to deal with the kids in the pool. But ugh..it's difficult, to say the least!