after checking into your resort...

[suzimar57]

we'll check in, have the luggage stored away, eat in the food court, and then just hang around the resort (Pop Century) until the room is ready - we'll sit by the pool, walk along the lake - just relax and unwind from our flight!

 

[JB2K]

On our recent trip, we arrived in the early evening, so we decided to make it a little slow-moving on day one (also, that particular night had lows in the upper 30's, so lesiure time at the hotel pool was out of the question!) -- we strolled through Downtown Disney, as it had been a while since my last visit, there...

 

[lady browning]

Last year we checked into the Poly, unloaded the bags, explored the resort a little then headed to MK for dinner at Tony's and to watch Spectromagic. This year we plan to check into the Poly, unload and get settled into our room, go swimming at the pool, boy, a nice umbrella drink sounds soo good right now, have dinner at the Kona and watch Wishes from the Poly beach. Go to bed early so we can make RD in the morning.

 

[jazzgirl]

Our flight usually lands late morning so we're checked in by lunchtime. We stay at the BC, so we head to Epcot, have CS lunch, and then a nice TS dinner (this year at Teppan Edo). We usually call it an early night to get a fresh start on the first full day!

 

[typhoonlagooner]

We checked into the GF around 1pm and rented water mice for an hour. It was a wonderful start to the vacation! After that, we headed off to the MK for the P&PP.

 

[Micca]

We usually do DTD and dinner, or a monorail resort tour with dinner. The first half-day like this is usually really fun.

 

[Disneyof3]

We usually have lunch, get into our room, unpack, swim for a little while and then drive to Universal where we have dinner at Emeril's every year. This year friends are going with us and we have altered our plans. We will arrive at the resort around 12:30 or 1:00 and hope to check in, take a quick dip in the pool and then head over to Hollywood Studios for dinner at Mama Melrose with the Fantasmic Package and stay for extra magic hours.

DID someone say Emeril's???? Where or where or where??????

 

[KatMark]

DID someone say Emeril's???? Where or where or where??????

Emeril's is at City Walk at Universal Studios. It is about a 20-25 minute ride from the Coronado (where we always stay). There is free parking after either 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. It is one of our all-time favs and we will miss not going this year (but we'll be back next year for sure). Just a heads up: if it is something you decide to do, you should make reservations as soon as possible. You also HAVE to confirm 24 hours prior to your reservation or they will give it away.

 

[Disneyof3]

Emeril's is at City Walk at Universal Studios. It is about a 20-25 minute ride from the Coronado (where we always stay). There is free parking after either 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. It is one of our all-time favs and we will miss not going this year (but we'll be back next year for sure). Just a heads up: if it is something you decide to do, you should make reservations as soon as possible. You also HAVE to confirm 24 hours prior to your reservation or they will give it away.

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou

 

[Biggreen19]

And don't forget Emeril's Tchoup Chop over in Universal's Royal Pacific Resort adjacent to Universal's City Walk, excellent as well!

 

[dejr_8]

What do you do for the rest of the day? DTD, character dining, hit the parks? We are arriving a little before noon and we check into WL. Any thoughts? What did you do?

If this is your first visit at WL spend a few hours searching the grounds. Then take the boat to MK.

 

[MickeyNicki]

We go to the room, unpack a bit, head to DTD for a meal and shopping...we usually arrive in the early am...then we go back to the room, freshen up and then to Epcot.

 

[thomasclan85]

This trip we're going to go to DTD to shop and eat then we're heading for Epcot so we can see Illuminations before retiring for a good nights sleep.

 

[SleepingUgly]

We drive overnight, so we get there by mid-morning at the latest. Check in, then head to DTD to walk around and grab a bite to eat. DTD is amazingly empty for late Saturday morning / early Saturday afternoon. Then we head back to hotel and rest (mostly for dh, who does all the driving). Then we head to MK for the evening / night.

Linda

 

[karemore]

We like to settle into our room and then explore the resort. Swim, eat, unpack, and rest.

 

[bdcp]

In the past we've just hung out, walked some, checked out other resorts, gone to DTD and then had dinner at a TS (Ohana the last time). This trip, once I figured out it's a whopping $2 each more for a 6 day ticket than a 5 day, we're going to go to MK for the afternoon. We'll probably do CP for dinner that day and save Ohana for dinner the day we go to AK since it closes earlier. We're coming in from a cruise and should be on the road from Port Canaveral before 10 am. Last time we were just getting off the autotrain (did the cruise after WDW) and by the time we checked in and showered, it was after 2, so we just checked out the monorail resorts before dinner.

 

[mom2ike]

What do you do for the rest of the day? DTD, character dining, hit the parks? We are arriving a little before noon and we check into WL. Any thoughts? What did you do?

We haven't been yet, but here's our plan.

We plan on arriving Sunday afternoon to CS around 1pm. We will unpack swim and then in the afternoon head to MK. We have 7:30 dinner with Pooh at CP and then we will hang out in the MK after dinner. The EMH run until 3am the first day we arrive. I doubt we will be out until 3am though.

 

[iloveeeyore]

We are arriving at WL about the same time of day as you are. We are using ME, so we will pack our swimsuits and clean underwear in Ziplock bags in carry-ons so we can swim right after our lunch at RF. This is our first time at WL, so we are looking forward to enjoying the resort that afternoon. DH and I are planning on possible Lodge Fizzes at the pool bar, even! When we can get into our room, we will take a quick nap before 6pm dinner at WCC. Then a lovely boat ride to MK for Spectro and Wishes. We can't wait.

That said, my kids are older than yours (11&13). Younger ones might not tolerate this plan as well. When mine were younger, we used to grab CS lunch then head to MK until it was time to leave for dinner at CM. If they were still standing (which they always were), we'd watch EWP. You could dine at CM or WCC and then watch EWP from beach at WL at 9:35.

Have fun!

 

[Atchley]

We try to arrive at the resorts around 9am for checkin, but we don't do a park the first day. We will check in and if time allows, look around the resort a little while. My DD has an appt at BBB at noon in DTD so we will hop a bus over there. We will probably look around there for a bit. Try to go back to the resort to set up our room. We have reservations for HDDR for 7:15 that night. Then we'll go back to the resort to watch the Water Parade and try to get a good night's sleep for AM EMH at Epcot the next day.

 

[Gymbomom]

yeah I am torn since if it is my kids first time if I should take them right to a park or let them relax and get a good dinner. I know I would like to hit the parks, but I didn't know with the traveling if it would be to much for DS2 and DS6.

Have you had anything they have talked about OVER and OVER? Like, seeing Mickey, seeing the castle, riding Buzz Lightyear, etc.
For some kids they don't think you are AT Disney unless you do exactly what they have thought about.

For my sister's toddler it was seeing Mickey, so they went to MK, boarded a train for Toontown and saw Mickey. He was a happy kiddo after that.