Arrival day ritual/routine?

[TX Momof2]

We've only been to DW once, but on our first day we went to AK (we were staying at AKL). It was lots of fun to get a few hours in before having an early dinner and getting ready for RD the next day. For this trip, we're going to AK also for the late hours (open until 8pm) and dinner at Yak & Yeti! I'm looking forward to starting off slow and walking around the park seeing animals and I can't wait to see AK at night!

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

The last 2 trips I have started in EP instead of MK. I always end there too! EP just feels right for the beginning and end of vacation. Not sure why but it might have something to do with the grey goose slushy.

I agree about Epcot being how to end a vacation! Our last full day is always spent at Epcot. I love leisurely walking around World Showcase at night and maybe getting in a ride on Soarin' and Spaceship Earth to end the trip. We will often go to another park the morning before we leave, but our last evening must be Epcot!

 

[afnaechiquita]

at POR i liked getting a pizza and eating it outside, people watching, then heading to DTD. since we're at YC this year and i'm getting in later, i think i'll head to the boardwalk pizza window and relax around the resort. but pizza is a must.

 

[Hopefully]

We take an early monring flight, meaning we are up between 3 - 4 AM. We arrive at MCO about 10:15 AM and take ME to BCV. We check in and leave our carryons with Bell SErvices and head to Epcot for a CS international lunch - often Tangerine Cafe. We explore WS for a few hours and head back to receive our grocery delivery in our Villa about 5 PM. By then our bags have usually arrived via ME. I put groceries away, unpack and settle in for the week. We then head back to Epcot for a 7:30ish ADR for dinner. We watch Illuminations and head back to our nearby Villa and fall into bed, exhausted.
We've been doing exactly this for years.
We travel for Food & Wine Festival in Epcot. Last year, for the first time ever, Saturday afternoon was so miserable in WS with the masses of obnoxious people, we actually left Epcot not long after arriving. We went to the Crew's Cup Lounge in the YC to escape the obnoxious crowds and the heat while we waited for our room to be ready. I have read here on the DIS about the crowded weekends and lots of young, drunk people in WS. I always responded that I never experienced that. Well now I have.
Our trip this year will be Sunday to Sunday to avoid arriving on a Saturday afternoon at Epcot. We'll see, I guess.

 

[FFerret]

We stay at the cabins. First thing is get the rental golf cart and go cruuuisin' the Fort!

 

[W.E.D.]

We always arrive early afternoon, get checked in to POR, and relax. Take a nap while we wait for our luggage to arrive, get unpacked, tour the resort, maybe go for a swim. The carriage rides are really very nice and romantic. Then dinner at Boatwrights and off to bed to rest up before our first day of touring.

 

[sixxmum]

We stay offsite (big family), so the first day we go to DTD to exchange ticket vouchers and walk through, then get groceries and go to the condo, then dinner at a WDW resort (O'hana this time, often Boma).

 

[Stefecatzz]

I agree about Epcot being how to end a vacation! Our last full day is always spent at Epcot. I love leisurely walking around World Showcase at night and maybe getting in a ride on Soarin' and Spaceship Earth to end the trip. We will often go to another park the morning before we leave, but our last evening must be Epcot!

In my opinion, Epcot for the most part is more of a slower pace than the other parks. Maybe that's why it feels better to end the night there. I have never had one of the slushies from France since I can never justify spending that price for a small drink but I do believe things like the margaritas & international beer & wines do add to the enjoyment factor there.

We take an early monring flight, meaning we are up between 3 - 4 AM. We arrive at MCO about 10:15 AM and take ME to BCV. We check in and leave our carryons with Bell SErvices and head to Epcot for a CS international lunch - often Tangerine Cafe. We explore WS for a few hours and head back to receive our grocery delivery in our Villa about 5 PM. By then our bags have usually arrived via ME. I put groceries away, unpack and settle in for the week. We then head back to Epcot for a 7:30ish ADR for dinner. We watch Illuminations and head back to our nearby Villa and fall into bed, exhausted.
We've been doing exactly this for years.
We travel for Food & Wine Festival in Epcot. Last year, for the first time ever, Saturday afternoon was so miserable in WS with the masses of obnoxious people, we actually left Epcot not long after arriving. We went to the Crew's Cup Lounge in the YC to escape the obnoxious crowds and the heat while we waited for our room to be ready. I have read here on the DIS about the crowded weekends and lots of young, drunk people in WS. I always responded that I never experienced that. Well now I have.
Our trip this year will be Sunday to Sunday to avoid arriving on a Saturday afternoon at Epcot. We'll see, I guess.

I believe that arriving on a Sunday will help. I have been going up there for short trips every couple months for the past two years and have changed my trips from weekends to taking Sunday-Wednesday instead. I have noticed a difference in the crowds and the guests in Epcot because of this (even during F&W). I do like to enjoy some drinks but I don't enjoy the obnoxious groups that are sometimes there, either. Btw, have you tried any of the sandwiches or appetizers at Crew's Cup Lounge? I recently heard that they have one of the best burgers on property..just curious.

 

[teacherlisa1978]

We have a slightly insane arrival day plan. I am not sure how long we can keep it up but we will try!

Since we fly from the West Coast we like to take a red eye and avoid "wasting" an entire day flying. So we arrive around 5 am. Last trip we got to POFQ just as the computers rolled over for the day at 6 am, having had an entire Magical Express coach all to ourselves! We changed, had breakfast at the food court and stored our bags, then we were off to Epcot!

We arrived for rope drop and had a fun morning doing Turtle Talk and Nemo with our 2 year old, Spaceship Earth, and a few fun and easy things. Then we had lunch at Beaches and Cream right as they opened. Our little guy was being a real trooper but he was very tired at that point so we headed back. We figured he'd nap at the resort in the stroller if our room wasn't ready but it was so that was great. (About 1:00 by this time on a Saturday, 3rd week in August.)

Then we swam and relaxed and met my parents and niece when they arrived around dinner time. Food court dinner and early to bed, ready for rope drop at MK the next morning! This has been our routine the last two trips, hoping our then 4 year old will still be up to it this summer!

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[Jenny Sanders]

We always explore our on site accommodations, and then have dinner at a MK resort, and stay to watch Wishes. It's a good way to ease into the magic. We also always have one non park day, where we sleep in, have a character breakfast, then spend time swimming and shopping.
29 trips to Disney World and counting...next stop POFQ March 2014
70 days to go!!!!!

 

[miblue]

I like to go to DTD and chill out for the evening and start fresh the next day at the MK.

This is what we always do too And explore the resort.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We usually arrive by 7 am (driving), check into our resort, grab breakfast and get on a bus. We choose parks based on easywdw recommendations, but it almost always DHS or Ak. This year, we left home earlier in the day and arrived at Disney around ten a.m. We checked in and went to our favorite park--Epcot

 

[SusieQ79]

We fly in from Dallas and take the first flight or two out that we can. We usually land by noon-ish. We let Magical Express handle the bags - we hightail it to MK. It just doesn't feel like we're offically "there" until we do that first walk down Main Street.

 

[LucyBC80]

This past trip we arrived after a 10 hour red-eye flight, checked in around 2pm and went to MK afterwards. We also had dinner reservations at Narcoossee's. Biggest mistake ever, my mom was dead tired and had a terrible headache. I said never again, we're taking the first day off next time.

For our next trip we'll arrive and sleep for at least a few hours before we do anything. But we're staying at Royal Pacific at Universal for a few days before moving on to POFQ and knowing we'll be well rested the day before the day is to check out of RP around 7am, go to Disney, check in and head to EPCOT for rope drop. This time I know we won't have problems with headaches and fatigue!

 

[Sam33]

We fly in from Denver and usually can't find flights earlier than 7 or 8 AM. We snag the earliest flight we can and arrive around 1. So we check in and go to Epcot to do World Showcase! I liked doing it this way before FP+ because arriving at a park at 3-4PM left little chances for riding lots of rides. And World Showcase is leisurely and holds crowds well. We get a table service meal and watch Illuminations and get to bed early for rope drop at Magic Kingdom the next day!
With FP+ we'll probably have to throw in a ride of Soarin or Test Track that night since we'll only have one other morning in Epcot this trip. Kind of annoying to have to leave the WS for one ride and head back for dinner but I feel good knowing I will have a Soarin and Test Track ride scheduled!

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

we always explore our resort , swim a little and then head down to DTD to eat at T Rex. Except for this year i had to force my GF to Ak first so i can propose to her then we did our ritual !

 

[purpledisneyprncess]

I like to go to DTD and chill out for the evening and start fresh the next day at the MK.

Us too!! We drive down and visit DTD, get a bite to eat (either EoS or Wolfgang Puck Express) then go back to hotel and rest. Next day is the start of our park days which we like to start at MK but some trips it's Hollywood Studios.

 

[THiiNKTiiNKx0]

Last year we arrived at MCO around 930 AM. We rented a car then stopped for lunch at the really cool McDonald's with the arcade above it. We then checked in at POR, headed to Walmart for some essentials, unpacked, explored the resort then headed to ft wilderness for an ADR at hoop de doo. We will probably do something very similar next year with maybe adding in the water pageant or chip n Dale sing along. We just like to take it easy on the first day.

 

[dayvewc]

we always explore our resort , swim a little and then head down to DTD to eat at T Rex. Except for this year i had to force my GF to Ak first so i can propose to her then we did our ritual !

Ok, there needs to be photos or a travel blog or more to tell than just "I forced my GF to AK so I can propose". I'm guessing that since you did the rest of the ritual she said yes?

 

[middlesista]

Unpack, settle in and head to pool if weather permits. We also always go to DTD that first day - it is getting closer and we are all so excited!!!