Arrival Day Plans???

[mickeyluv'r]

I keep first day options as flexible as possible. You NEVER know when you will encounter travel delays. Indeed, I was just at WDW in late August and had a considerable flight delay getting home. Especially now a days when SO many WDW reservations requier a credit card hold, I hate to be at the mercy of a WDW CM.

You really don't have to decide now what you are going to do that day. Truly, my favorite thing of all to do the first day...decide then and there what I FEEL like doing.
Some options include: hopping on the first bus to arrive, getting a snack, exploring our resort/gift shop, if we have a car- stopping by some place off WDW property, checking out a WDW resort other than our own, DTD, pool, napping, unpacking, hitting a grocery store, doing a resort activity.

Most Disney resorts, esp deluxe ones, have a list of resort activities that you will get upon arrival. Many are free. Some resorts have things like surrey bikes to rent or horse carriage rides, free shuttle boats, non-freeboats to rent. Aany of those are fun to do on your first day when you aren't locked into a schedule.

If you are already going to WDW for four park days or more- than adding one more day is not very much money. It's not like adding one day is going to cost $85 per person, it's more like $12 per person if you've got mutliday tickets. If you have a certain number of days planned, and you decide upon arrival that you want to go - thus changing your tickets from say six to seven day tickets- just find a time after you've used your tickets at least once, but before your last day - to stop by guest services to have your tickets modified. youcan evne do it at your WDW resort concierge desk. Find a time when the line is short (not 9am). See teh sticky above about how to do this so you are informed, if it's an option you are considering.

I say again, you'll do best to keep your options free that day. And if you end up doing nothing, that is okay too. It's a vacation after all.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

How much time should i allow from when the plane is expected to land to when we would arrive at the resort? (really unsure of traffic, the Orlando airport, etc.)

TIA!

Plan that it will take at least half an hour to get from your arrival gate to the ME desk or car rental counter, esp if you stop to use the restroom and/or get checked luggage. MCO has an internal monorail shuttle, and the airport is fairly large. There is also an indoor mall to distract you.

Waiting to board the ME bus- assuming you have no trouble finding the area- will take from zero to ten minutes. Waiting for the bus to depart could be from zero to 30 minutes. The ride from MCO to WDW is about 20minutes in great traffic, can be somewhat longer in rush hour. If your resort is the first stop, you could well be there in as little as 30minutes after you get on the bus - or it could be well over an hour. Each stop adds about 15minutes.

So the total time using ME might be as little as an hour if all the timing works perfectly, or it could be over three hours. Usually it runs about 2 to 2.5 hours.

Mind, all that is assuming your flight lands on time. That is far from a given. Just a few days ago, my flight back from MCO was delayed over an hour.

If you are getting a rental car, and are quick to pick your car, and don't get lost, then even with checked luggage, your time from gate to resort will be closer to the one hour mark. Say, 60-90 minutes from gate to resort. If you have a GPS, I find it helpful at WDW.

OH- and if you are getting a rental car, and take the highway (suggested) you will have to pay several tolls along the way. Make sure you: a.) know how to roll down the window b.) have cash ready. How much cash depends on which way you go. Some tolls are $2, some are $1.25. Iusualy take the north exit form the airport, so I paid $1.25 and $2. I'm not sure what the tolls are going out the airport south exit, but Ithink they are higher. (A few exits (not to WDW) require $.50 exact change only (or a transponder). I discovered that on my recent trip. I was glad I had some quarters handy!)

 

[ghtx]

Let me be a contrarian and recommend against going to DTD.

DTD seems to be the default answer for "what to do on a free half day?" But I don't see its appeal. It's just a big outdoor shopping mall. I could do that at home.

I recommend going to a park. Sure, you "waste" a ticket day on just a half-day in the park, but I'd rather that than "waste" a half-day of my vacation at DTD! Plus, if you've already got a ticket that's at least 4 days, then the cost of an additional day is just $10 per ticket plus tax. That seems worth it to me for even a few hours in a theme park.

Obviously, many other people like DTD a lot more than I do, but I thought that I'd throw in my opinion.

 

[goofy Jr. 88]

if you've already got a ticket that's at least 4 days, then the cost of an additional day is just $10 per ticket plus tax. That seems worth it to me for even a few hours in a theme park

Last trip, early flight, CS lunch at Mara ( AKL), check in.
Afternoon trip to MK, dinner at The Plaza Restaurant, light dinner.
Take in some attractions and enjoy overall atmosphere.
Ride SM at night

 

[tinktinktink]

We are driving from NC on 9/21 and will probably arrive around 2pm. I made a reservation for t Rex and I'm starting to think I should cancel and go with the flow. I'm so torn! Hanging out at the pool sounds better and better!

 

[SillyFamily]

Disney is all about relaxing for us. We check in online then in person around noon head to our room. (We have never had to wait for our room with online check in.) Check out room for unwanted guests. Clean and unpack. Our next stop is always our favorite restaurant The Wave. Then we meander around DTD and preview all the goodies we might need during our trip. A new hat with ears is a must!!!!! Then its back to our resort to read, relax and just basically forget the outside world.

 

[rentayenta]

Hi All, We are really unsure what we'd like to do on the day we arrive. Plane lands at noon, so I guess we'd be in our room by 2:30 or 3:00. Kiddos would like to chill at the pool, DH doesn't care, and I feel stressed and obligated to plan something *wonderful*

So I wonder, what does YOUR family usually do for the 1/2 day or so on the day and night you first arrive???

We don't do the parks on arrival day either but you're landing pretty early. We'll be to AoA by 6:00 pm. Our plan is to have dinner and then I'm sure the kids will swim. We'll shop at the gift sho, I hope they have resort specific merchandise. We check into the THV the following day but I just had to stay a night at AoA.

 

[TunaSled]

We check in and head straight Downtown for dinner and some general hanging out/immediate Disney immersion.

 

[canopynut66]

we used to always arrive by 11 AM and this year are going to arrive at resort about 5 and so hope room ready but we get settled and stuff out we want out and we decorate our room according to closest holiday and ehn we head to DTD and look around and see what is new in the last year and then we eat at Rain Forest (as we do not have one close at home) and then we make it a early night to bed as we usually up all night before as so excited and this year will all be working early morning so will still be tired. when we used to arrive earlier we would sit out by pool or swim and relax. then we hit it the first full day and start off with a character breakfast and this year in Crystal Palace at MK in 55 more days for two weeks.

 

[glass half full]

We also plan on doing Some pool time at the Poly, then DTD for dinner at T-Rex. I posted this somewhere else but not sure I got an answer. My question is...I've heard there is a pretty good convenience store across from DTD. Is it possible to hit that store for munchies, water and beer and get them back to the poly using Disney transportation after dinner and shopping?

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[Katie In Wonderland]

The last three trips, my mom and I had a flight that got us there around 10am (which I LOVE) and we'd go to the hotel, check in and do all that fun stuff. We'd put our carry-ons in the room then head for the bus (or Monorail, like last year...I miss the Grand Floridian) to the Magic Kingdom. We'd have lunch at Pinocchio's Village Haus (which is where in 2010 it hit me where we were and I started crying because less than 24 hours before, I was onstage performing in my first leading role (I was Edwin Drood in The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and then I was having lunch at Walt Disney World.). After lunch, we'd ride some of our favorite rides (including my beloved Space Mountain at least once <3) then have dinner at The Plaza (which won't happen this year. We're having our Plaza meal later in the trip.). Then maybe ride some more rides or say hi to Mickey, really do whatever we want, and head back to the room to get our luggage (since we take Magical Express) and unpack before turning in for another fun filled magical day.

This just made me insanely excited. I'll be there in four weeks and it can't come soon enough (and my 21st birthday's in four weeks)

 

[doitforlove]

We arrive tomorrow and all of these arrival plans are making me so excited. I can't wait for my yummy lunch at WPE and dinner at Les Chefs!

 

[nharding20]

Let me be a contrarian and recommend against going to DTD.

DTD seems to be the default answer for "what to do on a free half day?" But I don't see its appeal. It's just a big outdoor shopping mall. I could do that at home.

I recommend going to a park. Sure, you "waste" a ticket day on just a half-day in the park, but I'd rather that than "waste" a half-day of my vacation at DTD! Plus, if you've already got a ticket that's at least 4 days, then the cost of an additional day is just $10 per ticket plus tax. That seems worth it to me for even a few hours in a theme park.

Obviously, many other people like DTD a lot more than I do, but I thought that I'd throw in my opinion.

I completely agree, GHTX. I can shop anywhere, but when I'm at WDW I want to be in a park or a resort. We have tix for everyday we are there. For an extra $10 it was so worth it!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I've heard there is a pretty good convenience store across from DTD. Is it possible to hit that store for munchies, water and beer and get them back to the poly using Disney transportation after dinner and shopping?

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

I'm not recalling 100% the exact location of everything, but I think you might be thinking of the Hess station? (try Hess website to find locations, WDW's zip code is 32830) There are several on WDW property. Other than bottled water, there isn't much there. they probably have a few beers, but so do the resort gift shops, last I checked. You would likely do just about as well to pick up stuff in a resort gift shop with less effort. (except for water) If you go beyond DTD, Crossroads plaza is not very far...but I would not do it on foot, since you'd have a healthy walk. (Crossroads has Goodlings? Grocery store, but it is supposedly quite overpriced) Some folks have reported going there, but to me it is not worth the time. You can also try Garden Grocer, but again, it has not seemed like a great deal to me. If I'm going to do all that, I just assume get my own rental car and stop some place with a real selection of goodies. (Publix is a good middle of the road grocery store with beer/wine)

Then again, I'm someone who thinks club level makes sense. With a reasonable discount code, you get cold beer, wine, breakfast, appetizers, desserts, real lattes, and extra service.

For water delivered to your resort, there are a few options. I think the leading one right now is costco. You can have water delivered to your resort. Some resorts charge a delivery fee, but I'm thinking Poly is not among the 'covention' resorts that charge (GF and CR do, and it was $10 per half case of water! ). One other option is to get a minimum of water bottles, then at each QS meal, ask for ice water. Drink as much as you can during the meal, and refill your bottles with the leftovers.

If airline baggage fees aren'ta problem, you can brink a half case in checked luggage fairly easily. If' I'm going to do that, I try to put it in an oversize ziplock, just incase it leaks.


In any case, my experience was that I was not impressed withthe water carried at the Hess or the one delivered. I think it is Zephyr Hills- which is basically Florida water ina bottle. Not really any diffferent than refilling one bottle. That's why I say, if youa re doing a certain amount of gorceries, then renting a car starts to make snese. At WDW, time =money.

 

[DeaverTex]

We expect to be checked into POR about 3:00 PM or so. After that, we're heading to DTD for some shopping/wandering, and a 9:15 reservation at Raglan Road.