Arrival day, no park tickets. Thoughts?

[japanese maple]

Thanks for all these great ideas!

My husband said no go on Disney Springs. We may not be getting to resort until 6 or so and I kind of agree with him, we will have enough time with buses throughout trip, no need to do it first evening. Plus we have a day planned there for shopping/getting lunch at Wine Bar George.

I think we definitely want a bar/lounge dinner. If we get to hotel early enough, we may do the Skyliner route and stop at Bar Riva at Riviera. We've never seen Pop Century or Art of Animation, so that might be fun. Then go on to DHS on Skyliner and catch boat back to Boardwalk if enough time.

Or if we are there later, then original plan of just riding boat around Crescent Lake and picking a lounge around the hotels. Then hopefully ending night with a glass of wine sitting in the comfortable chairs at Belle Vue Lounge - even better if we can sit on the little deck!

 

[KGmomoftwins]

We love BWV last August so
Much we are going back again this summer. If you’re not getting in till 6 I’d honestly just stay at the boardwalk. Have a nice dinner at flying fish, yachtsman, cake bake or budget friendly beaches and cream. We also really enjoyed the sandwiches and salads from the bakery. Walk around the resort get familiar with it. Enjoy the pools. Watch Epcot fireworks from the boardwalk and the boat ride around would also be nice. We also never get park tickets day one and usually just enjoy the pools and a nice meal.

 

[kylenne]

We have a package with tickets- would we get free mini golf tickets? Where do you get them?

should be included in your confirmation mail out

I haven't gotten one of those in years. Maybe it's at front desk? I wonder because now it seems every time we check in it's with a roaming Cast Member with an Ipad. Maybe that's why we never get these things. We always book packages.

Not actually sure it’s necessary, they should be in your Tickets and Passes on your MDE. That’s where i see ours and it says you just need to have checked into your resort (online or in person) to use them.

 

[japanese maple]

Not actually sure it’s necessary, they should be in your Tickets and Passes on your MDE. That’s where i see ours and it says you just need to have checked into your resort (online or in person) to use them.

View attachment 958983

Okay. We definitely don't have that! I see on my confirmation, but nowhere else

 

[kylenne]

Okay. We definitely don't have that! I see on my confirmation, but nowhere else

They may end up in your resort room with the luggage tags, I remember that happening the last time we had a ticketless package.

 

[swummyh20]

We usually take a red eye in from the west coast but are debating taking a flight that gets us to the resort early evening. Typically wed’d go to Epcot for a few hours for dinner and a few rides. Thinking we may forego our usual plans and not do a park on arrival day. Thinking we may do DS for dinner and a little shopping. Like the mini golf idea

For the first time ever, I’m doing a redeye to land first thing in the am from the west coast. How do you typically handle your first day? I’m leaning towards using the water park option (can just sleep on the chaise!) but am wondering about adding on a park day to head to Epcot for the evening. I’m bringing a Disney newbie so trying to make the most out of our 5.5 days! Thanks

 

[elvispursley]

For the first time ever, I’m doing a redeye to land first thing in the am from the west coast. How do you typically handle your first day? I’m leaning towards using the water park option (can just sleep on the chaise!) but am wondering about adding on a park day to head to Epcot for the evening. I’m bringing a Disney newbie so trying to make the most out of our 5.5 days! Thanks

In the past we’ve done the waterpark route and would nap/chill in the lazy river until our room was ready. The last couple trips we get in to MCO around 7:30am. We will usually stop by the front desk and ask if it’s possible for an early check-in—we’ve been icky and usually get a room before 3:00. Last year our room was ready as soon as we checked.

In case our room isn’t ready, we head to breakfast and hang out by the pool. My mom is in her 70s so we usually take a nap either by the pool and/or when the room is ready. My WDW tradition is to head to Epcot late afternoon/evening for dinner and some rides. I try not to nap too long that first day because I want to be able to go to bed and actually sleep before getting up the next day.

 

[Oneanne]

I fly from the west coast and usually get to the resort around 6:30p-ish. I always think that since my body clock will think it is 3:30p I'll have energy to do something once I get there but usually end up so tired that grabbing dinner at the resort is all I can muster. For my trip in a couple weeks, I'm staying at POP and am determined to drag myself down to the sky-liner and get something for dinner at Primo Piatto at the Riviera.

 

[wvjules]

We usually take an early morning flight and spend the day in a park, which I regret every time (zzzzz) but I want to jump right into the magic. Next time however, we are arriving at 5PM and heading to California Grill for a 7:45 dinner to catch the MK fireworks. (I hope they release Celebration at the top for those dates soon so I can try to get that instead.)

I am looking forward to the relaxed first day. Maybe we can even make RD at AK the next morning. (We have never rope dropped!)