Arrival Day/Am I Being Unrealistic

[Sparty1833]

My wife, almost 3 year old daughter, one year old son, and I will be going to Disney World. We will be arriving at MCO around 2 and probably to our resort at 3. Would it be to much for the kids to go to one of the parks and grab food/wander around at one of the parks right after getting to the hotel or would it be better to just veg and rest up for the rest of the trip?

Also, what does everyone else typically do on their arrival day?

 

[loves to dive]

It really depends on your kids and only you know if they are able. I would play it by ear. If you get there and your room isn't ready, why not, you have to go somewhere. If you get there and your room is ready and your kids are still feeling pretty good, why not. We started going when my son was just shy of 3 and we usually got there around 3 or 4 (drive from Georgia) and we would always go to a park that first day.

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

I would prefer to stay at the resort on arrival day with such young kids. Explore the resort, swim, relax. Maybe hit Disney Springs for dinner. But, I would save the parks for the first full day. But, you know your kids best. Mine are better having a low key night after flying. Either way, I hope you have a great trip!

 

[Dismama2boys]

We are rope-droppers, and my kids do better when they go to bed early. Starting a trip with a potentially tiring and late evening would wreak havoc on the next few days for us and would not be worth it. But every family is different - if your kids are used to busy afternoons and late(r) evenings, then go for it!

 

[Candris79]

I think it depends on what time you are getting up in the morning and if the kids get naps. If you're not getting up earlier than usual and everyone naps during your trip there, I'd say go to the park! If you're staying quite a few days the additional day for your passes shouldn't cost that much more so if you don't stay at the park for long that day, it wouldn't be a big loss of $.

 

[Capang]

With kids that little a safe bet is staying at the resort. It will take you more than an hour if you are riding ME and another 10-40 minutes getting to a park depending on where you stay. Hit Disney springs or swim or just explore the resort. Don't waste the admission ticket especially if you are not staying at the parks late.

 

[danielocha30]

Do you have annual passes? or you will be using a park ticket for a half day? I wouldn't spend a ticket for a half day, you could enjoy the resort pool and hop to one of the monorail resort for a dinner and watch fireworks and call the night. With annual passes I will definitely go as soon as possible to one of the parks. Have a great trip!

 

[Cloudy]

I am a big fan of the character dinner at Chef Mickeys and a ride on the Monorail on arrival day for little ones.

 

[scrapquitler]

We always go to the MK on our arrival day, even if it's just for an hour. That said, we have APs, so we aren't wasting a day of ticket expenses to do so.

 

[ArtieRyder]

One thing I could add is a personal word of caution. We did this last April. 6yo boy, 4yo girl, 2yo boy/girl twins.

We stayed at Grand Flo. Got to the hotel around 2 and just went straight to the MK as we waited for the room to be ready. It was only a 4 night trip, so we wanted to squeeze everything out of it.

We wound up wearing them down pretty good the first day, with early flights, travel, and the park. They couldn't really catch up, they were pretty tired the rest of the trip.

 

[MNDisneyMommy]

My kids were almost 4 and just over 1 when we made our last trip. We had to get up early for the flight. Both kids slept a bit on the plane. Both kids (and DH) slept a bit on magical express. We arrived at AKL and then went off to Disney Springs. We made it a couple hours and everyone was exhausted...it did help for easy bedtime (both kids totally zonked when we got back to the room) but it was a bit much. Let me put it this way - when neither I nor my kids are really excited about ghiradelli sundaes, you know it's time to head back!

Our next trip (just turned 6 and just turned 3) now we plan on dinner at the resort and that's about it...I keep getting tempted by making plans, and then I remember our first day last trip and commit to making this one more low-key.

 

[katie111]

I think the biggest thing is you are underestimating how long it will take to get to the resort. If you are renting a car, the lines at MCO can be really long. If you are taking DME, it can take awhile. You may have just missed your resort bus or you may be the last hotel to get dropped off. It's easily taken us 2 hours from the time the flight lands to when we are actually at our hotel. Where are you staying and what time are your flights? If you are staying at an Epcot resort for example, then I would head over to Epcot for a bit. If you are staying offsite, I would probably just stay at the resort & head to the parks in the morning. I wouldn't do Disney Springs on my first night. We were there a couple of weeks ago and it was a zoo, certainly not a relaxing night at all.

 

[Klayfish]

As others have said, it depends a lot on your kids. How long is your flight? Will they sleep on the plane? How are you getting to WDW? Will they sleep in the rental car or on the bus?

Just my own $.02 is absolutely yes we would go to a park. We're not going all the way down to WDW to see a hotel room or a swimming pool. We're there for WDW. If our flight was like yours, we wouldn't do anything over the top for that day, but would go to MK and do a few low key rides. Then go back to the hotel/condo at a decent hour and get a good night sleep...let the kids sleep until 8 or 9 the next morning and be in the parks before 10am. Always worked fine for us.

 

[HBaney84]

We are going with my two kids who will be 5 and 3. We are arriving around lunch time, and plan to head to Magic Kingdom in the evening, as it's extra magic Hours. I also have a whole day planned there, but was hoping we can knock out somethings in the evening. How long we'll stay out will depend on them (as we also have to have my DD back at 9:15 the next morning for BBB). But between arriving and heading to the park, I think we're going to check out the hotel, maybe the pool a bit and just start try to relax a bit before we head to the park and start the busy-ness. (I'm also thinking if I can get three fast passes for the evening... then I have a whole new 3 for our full day there as well...) But, the first day is mostly going to go by ear, and who knows... we may not even end up in a part (but I kind of hope so...)

 

[hereyago]

Depends on the kids and you.

I have taken dd now 18 plenty of times in her youth.

We usually take the first plane out in the morning so have to get up crazy early to avoid traffic, etc. like 4 am.

The last time we went, was gasp 7 years ago. We got to the resort, our room was ready when we got there. we grabbed a bite, she swam a little bit and then said if we could just take a nap until MNSSHP. So we took a couple hours nap.

Other times, we got to the resort, dropped off our stuff and headed out.

 

[kboo]

I think it depends on whether your kids will be tired (how long will they have been up, how long a flight do you have) and where you are staying. Also what time of year and what day of the week are you arriving?

If you had a good stroller and they are good stroller nappers, you might be able to take them to a nearby park and hope they catch a nap for part of the time. I would generally err on the side of slower paced and relaxed, but it's not impossible.

We tried this on our February trip with an infant and a 4.5 year old who no longer napped, but who had been up since 5am. We had APs and a short flight from NYC - flight landed around 10:30am, we got to the Contemporary around noonish, our stroller rental was waiting for us, but we couldn't get the car seat attachment off. The baby had napped on DME and was awake, ODD was slaphappy and a little hangry. We'd made FP+ reservations at DHS (what was I thinking?!?!) and we had to get the car seat attachment off in order to fold the stroller for the bus. So, no DHS for us. Swapped out the stroller, checked in but our room wasn't ready yet. We decided to walk to MK instead and get lunch at Columbia Harbour House. We got the kids in the stroller, repacked our carry ons so we took one bag into the park, checked the other bags, and set off. It was CROWDED on a Saturday at (1? 1:30?), we ended up stopping to watch the show in front of the castle because ODD *couldn't* just walk past it (the struggle is real), we finally got to CHH after 2. On the plus side, lines weren't too long for lunch by then, everyone was hangry and we found seats on the first floor. We all inhaled our food (including nursing the baby), got in the stroller and set out again. I can't remember what we did after that - I don't think we did any rides, since we got our room ready text and then we had to watch the castle show on the way out, AGAIN, oh, yeah, we watched part of the parade... then it was off to the room, quick change, and head to the GF for an early dinner at 1900 park fare.

What we could have done better:

Had ONE bag packed for a park, had ONE carryon packed for pool, so we could decide when we got to the resort whether to go to a park or a pool. I think some of our problem was we would have hungout in the room if it was ready, but it wasn't. The 4.5yo was tired and hungry, and by the time she saw THE CASTLE!!!! and OMG THE SHOW!!! she was beside herself. If we could have folded the stroller and hopped on the bus right away, we might have made it to DHS which was supposed to be less crowded, and had a more peaceful time. We probably should have just eaten lunch at the hotel before going out anywhere. But we wanted to get in the middle of the magic so, off to MK we went.

The year before, we only had 1 kid and our room was ready early, and we arrived on a Thursday, so we had lunch outside on the BW, walked around there, got into the room and took a nap, and then walked to Epcot for a Soarin' FP and dinner at the WS. That was totally doable and more relaxed. But the contemporary and MK on a Saturday were just much more hectic than the Boardwalk area on a random Thursday afternoon in May.

 

[Lmans77]

As others have said, it depends a lot on your kids. How long is your flight? Will they sleep on the plane? How are you getting to WDW? Will they sleep in the rental car or on the bus?

Just my own $.02 is absolutely yes we would go to a park. We're not going all the way down to WDW to see a hotel room or a swimming pool. We're there for WDW. If our flight was like yours, we wouldn't do anything over the top for that day, but would go to MK and do a few low key rides. Then go back to the hotel/condo at a decent hour and get a good night sleep...let the kids sleep until 8 or 9 the next morning and be in the parks before 10am. Always worked fine for us.

I agree. I say it depends on where you're coming from and how early you have to wake up to get to the airport. If they will be able to get up at their normal bedtime, then I would take a couple hours to hit a park. You can check some stuff out, wander around and ride a ride or two. Get back to the resort for normal/early bedtime. Don't expect too much out of that first day, but there is nothing like going to MK that first day and seeing all the oohs and ahhs on their faces. That is what we did for our first trip when ours were 2 and 4. Went to MK mid afternoon and just basically wandered around.

 

[Sparty1833]

Thanks for all the input! We will be going in a couple of months and staying at the AKL. I was lucky enough to get a 3 hour nonstop flight that departs at 11ish. After reading the comments, I think we may just take it easy at the resort (grab a late lunch at the QS and then dinner at Boma, pool or animal watching in between). I think we will still get tickets for that day in case we feel up to walking around in one of the parks (it's only 40 more dollars to add that extra day).

 

[kboo]

If you're staying at AKL, you could easily do a resort day on arrival and feel like you got a lot done.

 

[laraashley4]

We are in a similar boat. Our kids are 2.5 and 5. It is an early flight, and the kids will be up 1.5 hours earlier than normal. Flight arrives at 935am on Saturday. Taking magical express and feel like we will safely be at the Poly by noon. I would like to grab a quick bite at Capt Cooks and then head to MK. Is that overzealous? I wouldn't plan on making it all the way to fireworks, but would like to see the afternoon parade, do a few rides, and get dinner. I'm afraid our room won't be ready with that early of an arrival even if we decided to skip the park that day. The other option would be a later flight that arrives around 230. This is our first trip and I'm anxious to get in to the parks and start doing stuff and I feel like I may be trying to accomplish too much, but I just don't have any real feel for how exhausting the trip may be.