1st day questions

[JadeDarkstar]

We are trying to fly this time. It looks like we could be at the park for a 9am opening if we did the first day in the park.
We would have dinner at the pirates dinner that night so 9 am-3pm in the park.

My question is should we just stick to not having the first day a park day?
So here are our two first day plans.
We will have 5 days in the park. If we decided to do first day park day we would stay one less night at the hotel.

plan 1. Non park day
Arrive by 11:30, go check in at BWPPI, go to target on the Art get food. Go to downtown Disney. Eat lunch some where and then hopefully our room is ready. We relax a few hours before we go to our dinner.

Plan 2 Park day
Arrive by park opening check in head to park. Order food to be delivered (no time to go to target). spend 9am-3 or 4pm at park. Go to hotel get dressed for dinner go to dinner? By doing this we will miss the night time activities at the park this night.

What are your opinions?

 

[Carolynleanne]

Tricky - we are in a similar situation in that we have 5 days in the Disneyland Resort area (including flying in early one morning and flying out late at night.) I know for us, we can't check in until 4pm, so even with an early check in we'll need a few hours to kill. A 5th day at the park is only an extra $11 or so dollars per person, so we just opted to purchase it. We'll hit up the park for maybe 3 hours that first day, then head back for check in, grocery delivery, dinner and an early bed time. We plan to do rope drop the next morning so we don't want to be too exhausted.

Because you've booked a Pirates dinner for that first night, it makes more sense to me to skip that day in the Parks and focus on getting settled, enjoying downtown Disney and grabbing your groceries before heading out for the evening. If it was me that's what I'd do! In the past when we've done Medieval Times dinner show we've always done it on a non Park day.

 

[YukonMommy]

We actually never spend our first day in Disney. We find with the early morning flights and traveling its better to chill a bit. We do like you plan to (up until the supper part) we go to Target, grab some snacks and stuff (were from Canada so its fun to see all the different stuff!!). If there is still some time (depending on how much shopping Dd's and I do! ) we wander over to DTD and usually end up eating supper there. Maybe a quick swim in the pool and an early bedtime!

Have a magical time!

 

[ImDMous]

I skip the park the first day. I love the parks at night and all the different stuff there is to see so I wouldn't want to miss having a night there.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Thank you every one. I have been leaning towards skipping park the first day. We are doing one dinner that night, and then Medieval Times on the off day we are taking. We wanted to spread it out and make it a bit less stressed this time around. One reason I am opting to fly. If all works out this will be one heck of a 60th Celebration trip.
We love Medieval Times, but had never done Pirates dinner. My son really wants to try it and even chose it in stead of another Character meal. We are doing two already he said he wanted to try Pirates so I gave him the choice.

 

[MouseEXP]

At first I was wondering... What's the Pirates Dinner... Of course I thought of the Blue Bayou... you then reminded myself of the Pirates show that is similar to Medieval Times.
Not to be a downer, but I have done the Pirates show in Buena Park and in my opinion it was horrible. Especially when you consider how much better Medieval Times is. Hopefully, you like it more than I did.

If it was me... I also would skip the parks on day one, Have a nice dinner at the Jazz Kitchen and just relax by the pool on day. Go to bed early and get up for the parks.
If I wanted to do the parks on day one, I would take that Pirates money and use it for the Fantasmic dinner at the Blue Bayou. Do a few attractions before dinner and then enjoy the show afterwards.
Or go to Knotts on day one and have the famous Chicken Dinner there and enjoy some of the classic rides while you are there.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

MouseEXP, mind if I ask why you say it was Horrible? What was it you didn't like and how long ago was this?
You have been to both Pirates and Medieval Times? Can you compare the two?
You have my hubby humming and questioning the plan now. Fantasmic won't be playing the night we are there but we could save the money and do BB later on in the week maybe. (we don't think my son would eat anything there but never know.)

 

[rentayenta]

I like having a prep day so to speak. I vote for skipping the park the first day.

 

[MommyJKM]

You have my hubby humming and questioning the plan now. Fantasmic won't be playing the night we are there but we could save the money and do BB later on in the week maybe. (we don't think my son would eat anything there but never know.)

Blue Bayou has an off the menu kids Mac n Cheese if that helps.

 

[Geemo]

If you gave your son the option and he chose Pirate's, don't change anything. As far as the show goes, he will have a fine time.
You'll have to report back and let us know how the evening went for your family.
**********

I am not a local. But I try to go once a year to DLR.
I have done both the Pirates Dinner and Medieval Times dinner, here is my opinion/experience.

Medieval Times about three years ago.
The show was okay, not really my thing but my then 14 yr old DGD loved it. My then DGS(17) said it was so-so.
The food..... Didn't agree with me and I found myself in the bathroom for sometime after we returned to the hotel. If I ever went to MT again, I would not eat a bite. Side note.... We sat in the very front row. Every time the horses went by, they kicked arena dirt up onto our dinner trays. If I ever go again, I will not sit in the front row. Oh... never mind.. I would sit in the front row because I don't plan to eat anything.
It was nice that it was so close to DLR. Only a $20 taxi ride each way.

The Pirates Dinner about two years ago.
Seating for this show makes a real difference. We were in the Green section and missed alot of the action. Parts of the set blocked seeing the show.
This trip I took my DIL, DGS(18), DGD(15), DGS(11) and DGD(9). The younger two really enjoyed the part where they got to go up on stage and help the pirates. The kids in general had a fun time and after all that's what the trip is all about for me.
The food.... Similar menu as MT. So I didn't eat anything.


For someone trying to decide which one to choose, I feel it depends on the age group and gender.
The younger age kids would probably enjoy Pirates more than Medieval Times.
Pirates has lots of action and audience participation.
The kids get to go up on stage with the pirates and help with a mission.
They'll get to eat chicken nuggets for dinner.
The two teenager's had a fine time too. My DGD(15) liked the special attention the green sections pirate gave her.
Even though we were in a bad section for viewing the show, I like the Pirate's Show better than Medieval Times Show.

 

[ImDMous]

MouseEXP, mind if I ask why you say it was Horrible? What was it you didn't like and how long ago was this?
You have been to both Pirates and Medieval Times? Can you compare the two?
You have my hubby humming and questioning the plan now. Fantasmic won't be playing the night we are there but we could save the money and do BB later on in the week maybe. (we don't think my son would eat anything there but never know.)

I wouldn't change your plans if that's what your son picked. We went about 7 years ago (doesn't seem like that long) and had a great time. Food was fine, show was good, atmosphere was fun. Try it out! We were a group of 8 adults and we all dressed a little pirate-y for the occasion. Just go and have fun! I would love to go back but just haven't gotten around to it.

 

[SMD]

Which airport are you flying into? It might be best to skip the first day because you already have dinner plans, plus you need to leave a buffer for possible flight delays or traffic (if you're going into LAX). Although I certainly understand the appeal of saving a little money and staying one less night at the hotel. Is this a Christmas trip? Are you thinking of doing any more runDisney races next year? You might want to think about getting deluxe APs for 1 year if possible, then you can get 2 trips out of them. If that's at all possible, you could do the park on day 1 and then depending on blockout you could do a 6th day.

 

[MouseEXP]

MouseEXP, mind if I ask why you say it was Horrible? What was it you didn't like and how long ago was this?
You have been to both Pirates and Medieval Times? Can you compare the two?
You have my hubby humming and questioning the plan now. Fantasmic won't be playing the night we are there but we could save the money and do BB later on in the week maybe. (we don't think my son would eat anything there but never know.)

It was two years ago. The holding area was nice, and then you enter the theater and was immediately hit with kind of a rotten water indoor smell. The food wasn't good at all, the show was not good or bad but just eh.

If you have Pirate fans then maybe they will have a better time. I just expected more.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

no this is the last disney land trip for a few years after this we are starting to save and plan for a wdw trip. this years 60th stuff just called to us.
we are flying in to Sna if it works out for us.
with the reviews we are getting from people we are seriously considering saving the money and not doing the dinner. We know we liked the other one but Pirates?? Well i had read bad reviews about it before but had thought of maybe it had gotten better and maybe it wasn't as bad. However we as a family are sitting down tomorrow to show our son pics of the food. Asking him if that and the show is worth the price or should we wait and have extra cash for other Disney land or dtd meals?

We are going to go though the menus, and ideas we could do instead of Pirates. My son is gung ho about us doing the first day in the park. LOL we, the adults keep going back and forth with the first day. Yes flight delays have also been in my head of things that could be trouble.
We are only flying from PHX so its only 1 hour and a half in the air but still flight delays could happen.

 

[SMD]

no this is the last disney land trip for a few years after this we are starting to save and plan for a wdw trip. this years 60th stuff just called to us.
we are flying in to Sna if it works out for us.
with the reviews we are getting from people we are seriously considering saving the money and not doing the dinner. We know we liked the other one but Pirates?? Well i had read bad reviews about it before but had thought of maybe it had gotten better and maybe it wasn't as bad. However we as a family are sitting down tomorrow to show our son pics of the food. Asking him if that and the show is worth the price or should we wait and have extra cash for other Disney land or dtd meals?

We are going to go though the menus, and ideas we could do instead of Pirates. My son is gung ho about us doing the first day in the park. LOL we, the adults keep going back and forth with the first day. Yes flight delays have also been in my head of things that could be trouble.
We are only flying from PHX so its only 1 hour and a half in the air but still flight delays could happen.

I used to travel from LAX to PHX and TUS often. The problem is rarely at PHX. It's that these short haul flights go from the Bay Area to So Cal to AZ in a loop. If there's fog in the morning, or they miss a slot at LAX, it's always AZ that gets delayed. This was all before 9/11 when there were more flights and tighter schedules, hopefully with an early flight you'll be fine.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Thanks, if we go park day one we would be on the 6 am flight. If not day one park then an 9 or so flight.