What do you plan for arrival day?

[Vijoge]

Grandparents here, traveling with 3 DGD's-(6, 8, &11) and trying to decide what, if anything, we should plan for arrival day. We have an 8:30AM flight, which means we'll need to have the kids up and on the road by 5:00AM. We're due to arrive MCO at noon and check-in time at AKV is at 4.

I half suspect the kids will be ready for bed early after getting up before dawn or that they will be tired and cranky by mid-afternoon. But maybe they'll be so excited they want to hit the gates running. I just don't know what to expect.

My original thought was to just head to the MK on arrival. Second thought was just hang out at the resort the first day. I'm considering something like HDD, but I'm picturing them falling asleep in their baked beans. But maybe we could eat at four, and then just go back to the resort for the evening and everyone could crash whenever they wanted. (The little one is mostly adorable but when she's tired the devil gets in her and makes her head spin around lol.) We took their two older sisters about 10 years ago but I can't remember what we did the first day.

Any ideas from people who have done WDW with kids this age?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Personally, I never plan anything for arrival day. I would rather have the time to relax at the resort, maybe swim or have a nice dinner, then get a good night sleep. The kids (and adults!) will be tired from traveling and probably enjoy an early bedtime, so you can hit a park fresh in the AM. Good luck!

 

[awalker1015]

Non park stuff. This year we arrive for a 7-day trip early and plan to tour AoA at kids request. Will tour and eat lunch then head to POR to swim, relax, order in pizza and see Yehaw Bob.

 

[Mazz519]

No parks a nice lunch while we wait for the room in Disney Springs... walk around there then have a close to our resort dinner.. usually a early nite

 

[librarymom2007]

We have done both, headed to MK upon arrival and just hung out at the resort. We have decided we prefer to hang at the resort, maybe get dinner at DS but save the parks for our first full day.

 

[jeepnjudy]

Personally, I never plan anything for arrival day. I would rather have the time to relax at the resort, maybe swim or have a nice dinner, then get a good night sleep. The kids (and adults!) will be tired from traveling and probably enjoy an early bedtime, so you can hit a park fresh in the AM. Good luck!

This is our family as well... Disney is stressful and chaotic enough. It's nice to relax and have everyone rested before the remainder of the chaotic week begins!

 

[mshanson3121]

Definitely just relax. Have lunch, head to the resort, hang out at the pool etc... Let the kids get to bed early so they're ready to go the next day.

 

[Aliceacc]

Our schedule for next week is similar: we're being picked up for the ride to the airport at 6, and will arrive at MCO at 12:30. (I've padded our morning pretty well, between talk of long TSA lines and the never ending traffic on the way to JFK.)

We'll hit the Boardwalk, try to check in. (If not, we'll leave our bags with Bell Services; they'll hold them for us.)
Then it's on to the Magic Kingdom. We have 3 FP+'s, and an ADR for Chef Mickeys.

We may or may not stay for fireworks that night, depending on how tired everyone is.

 

[cjparker0110]

I've always gone to the park the first day. Usually MK. There's just something magical about being there. I think it is something you have to weight the benefits of before making a decision. It is an extra day of tickets. Your kids will be tired. They might not even be up for a trip to the park. Then again, they might sleep on the plane and be just fine. If you do go to a park, make it MK. Don't stress over it. Just go and see what things you can do. It might even be just a great day to catch a couple of the show type attractions (Country Bears, Hall of Presidents, etc.) or go to the Poly for the Luau (Spirit of Ohana I think it's called) or do the HDDR.

Next year will be my first time going with children (4 of them!) and we have not yet decided if we want to do a park the first day or not. We are planning to arrive early and I know my 2 oldest will be ready to go. I'm just not sure about the youngest.

 

[ALEXandFAB]

With kids in tow, no park on the first day. Just arrive at the resort, settle in and have a nice meal. Then go to bed at a decent time in order to be nice and rested for an early rise the next day.

 

[AshleeH]

We usually don't do anything big on Arrival Day. I try to schedule an ADR - this year it will be for brunch because we'll be getting there earlier than usual. We're planning to go to AK this year - it's a half day park for us, so we like to get it out of the way because it's not a favorite for any of my kids or my husband. Then we'll head back to the hotel and watch the MK fireworks. I try to make arrival days very go-with-the-flow - especially when I have younger kids who aren't used to the overstimulation of Disney.

 

[DisneyMomma63026]

We usually settle into the room, explore the resort a little and then hit downtown Disney!

 

[tami82]

I don't plan much for the first day and don't have any high expectations. We are flying in in early am this time around so I will get to bed probably 2-3 a.m. We will sleep in and whatever time we get up is fine since we are going straight to our resort after the flight. We will do the MK for a bit in afternoon but I didn't plan any meals this time on arrival day. I plan to have some pool time and maybe go back to MK at night if I feel up to it. If not my older daughter who will be joining us this trip can take the kids for me if I'm not up to it.

 

[kreckl]

In the past we have done a non-park character dinner, early. But then we tried going to MK, and thats our plan next trip, too. Its exciting to think we will be on Splash Mountain "tonight!" We don't stay late, but will do our FP's and have an early dinner at BOG. We don't like to feel like we lose the whole first day of vacation to travel and want to fit in some fun. Our last day is just traveling home

 

[MelissaBee]

We drive down and arrive at dinner time. First stop--Earl of Sandwich at Disney Springs! We follow dinner (holiday sandwich is soooo good) up with a browsing-only trip through World of Disney. That way we know what's available there and can make more informed souvenir choices in the parks. So no ADRs or real commitments and if we are exhausted, we just head on to the hotel.

Also, whenever there is a Disney newbie in our group, after EoS we visit the shop that has the full selection of mouse ears for personalization. That way they have their ears to start the trip and we don't spend time in the park doing that (it's amazing how long kids and adults will agonize over an ear purchase, haha).

Bonus--It's dark when we finish, so the twinkle lights are all aglow. When DD was 3 she saw the lights and exclaimed, "Mommy, Disney really is magic! Look! Fairies live in all the trees!" That made the whole trip and turned going to DS into our arrival tradition. We always reminisce about the fairies in the trees .

 

[Neotericisis]

I would do Disney Springs. There is tons to do there, including have a nice dinner. You will still have enough time to enjoy the resort and the pool, and be able to rest up fully for your first big day!

 

[jvz82]

Well, we drive for 28 hours straight to get to Orlando so will leave Saturday morning and get to the resort around lunch time on Sunday. Check in is at 3 pm but hopefully we'll check in before that. My plan is to hang out in the resort all day, have some pool time, eat dinner at the resort, and go to bed early. If we feel up to it, possibly Disney Springs but honestly I think we'll all be wiped out.

 

[roseaster]

We don't waste a park ticket on that short of a day. One of my favorite things to do is have dinner at Chef Mickey's see the characters, set the mood and take a monorail ride around MK to get everyone excited for the next day.

 

[Aliceacc]

We do a park every single day we're on Disney property.

Why not make a few FP's, just in case you want them?

If everyone is too tired to hit a park, cancel them and make someone else very happy.

 

[Pesky]

Are we on the same flight? We are leaving the same time and kids will also have to be up incredibly early. We are renting a car for at least the first part of our trip (to USO) so we have some greater flexibility when we land. I'm planning to play it by ear depending on energy levels and if they can sleep on the plane and during the car ride to the airport. I figure if the kids are up for it, we'll hit Gatorland, which is pretty low key and quick, a Publix and then dinner at the hotel. Back when I planned to start at WDW, I was planning on DTD time. So I think I wouldn't do park time after a flight simply because you just don't know when that jet lag is going to hit and when it does, it usually hits like a freight train. Plus if you don't go to a park, they are more likely to want to go to bed early and get plenty of rest to try and hurry up the next day with the park.