Arrival Day.... Should we plan on getting on any rides?

[BusySpeechMom]

Hi! We are driving and will arrive on Monday, July 25th late morning. We can't decide if we want to go to the parks that afternoon/evening or not. My question is this.... If we do decide to go to a park will we be able to get on any rides without waiting in lines for hours? We have not been in three years. Fastpass was not the beast it is today. If you think we will be out of luck with the rides then may not go into the parks Monday. Thank you!

 

[jvncnt]

We never go the parks on the first day of our arrival, as we really prefer mornings to afternoons, but this is probably because our vacations are generally 7 - 9 days. If we were only there for a few days that could change our thoughts. On our arrival days, we usually get there, explore the hotel and our son insists on pool and arcade. Helps us unwind from the pre-trip planning and travel and get ready for an early start the next day. Either way, enjoy!

 

[Linleedo]

We usually enjoy the resort and pool on the first day. Other trips we have gone to Disney Springs and then returned to the pool.

 

[strat68]

Why not make some FP reservations for the first day if you have tickets for it?

 

[mindeola]

Can't you make Fastpasses?

We use arrival day for Disney Springs, pool time and a resort table service dinner. It is a good way for us to unwind from travel whole still getting the Disney experience!

 

[Robo]

Hi! We are driving and will arrive on Monday, July 25th late morning. We can't decide if we want to go to the parks that afternoon/evening or not. My question is this.... If we do decide to go to a park will we be able to get on any rides without waiting in lines for hours? We have not been in three years. Fastpass was not the beast it is today. If you think we will be out of luck with the rides then may not go into the parks Monday. Thank you!

If you want to go that day...

Order your tickets at least 30 days before your trip and that way you can make FP+ reservations and KNOW what principle rides you will be able to get at that park a month before your trip.

If you are going for 5 or more days, adding another day (the arrival day) will only cost you $10-15 per person, so the cost factor is minimal for that extra "magic."

 

[Alesia]

We would never consider not going to a park on arrival day!

On our last trip,we drove 15 hours and arrived at MK just before 9:00. We rode tons of things in the couple of hours we were there!

Waiting for hours is never necessary. We very rarely wait more than 20 minutes and never more than 30.

 

[BusySpeechMom]

Why not make some FP reservations for the first day if you have tickets for it?

We have 6 days of tickets with Park Hopper. We arrive Monday and leave Sunday. On our last few trips we always went to the MK until around 1 pm and then left for the drive home. We would shop along Main Street and do the meet and great with Mickey and Minnie. So the question is do we start our trip on Monday and skip Sunday in the MK or start the trip Tuesday and go to the MK Sunday.
Side note.... Our drive is 18 hours (we split it up), both kids are 12 years old, we are doing a split stay (Pop and Polynesian) and my husband LOVES rollercoasters.

 

[Robo]

We have 6 days of tickets with Park Hopper. We arrive Monday and leave Sunday. On our last few trips we always went to the MK until around 1 pm and then left for the drive home. We would shop along Main Street and do the meet and great with Mickey and Minnie. So the question is do we start our trip on Monday and skip Sunday in the MK or start the trip Tuesday and go to the MK Sunday.
Side note.... Our drive is 18 hours (we split it up), both kids are 12 years old and my husband LOVES rollercoasters.

For $15 more for each person, you can do BOTH.

$15.

 

[kiramay]

We always go to a park on arrival day with Fastpasses. Either Epcot or HS. We ride our 3 rides, grab dinner at a CS, maybe see a show or ride a less popular ride, and then get to bed early.

 

[BusySpeechMom]

I made reservations for Beaches and Cream on Monday night at 7:20. If we do a park I was thinking of HS. We typically start and end our trip with the MK but we have two full days scheduled so I think we will get out fill. Maybe check in on Monday, get settled, explore Pop, head to HS before or after dinner for Rocking Roller coaster and ToT? Get us back to the room by 10 so w can get a good sleep for our first full day.

 

[jon18uk]

We won't get to the hotel until at least 6pm. Yet we are still planning on going to Epcot that night! Watching Illuminations is a great start to the holiday.

But if you are going to ge tthere earlier then just make a few FastPasses, that way you have the option of those three rides with little wait.

 

[dreiwhit]

FWIW, we try to schedule a half day to a full day after our arrival and before going to the parks. That lets us get groceries, go to the Disney outlet, get ready, etc.

 

[BusySpeechMom]

Also, how long do you think we will be eating at Beaches and Cream? One hour? Just trying to get an idea for scheduling FP. I assume it will take 30-45 minutes to get back to HS from Beaches and Cream? Thank you again for helping!

 

[ELSA711]

I made reservations for Beaches and Cream on Monday night at 7:20. If we do a park I was thinking of HS. We typically start and end our trip with the MK but we have two full days scheduled so I think we will get out fill. Maybe check in on Monday, get settled, explore Pop, head to HS before or after dinner for Rocking Roller coaster and ToT? Get us back to the room by 10 so w can get a good sleep for our first full day.

That's what I would do. We have the same type of drive. We arrived at 9:30am and hit MK at 3pm before our Chef Mickey's reservation on our arrival day! We always need a little something on arrival day and departure day

 

[TXStormtrooper]

We always go to a park on arrival day with Fastpasses. Either Epcot or HS. We ride our 3 rides, grab dinner at a CS, maybe see a show or ride a less popular ride, and then get to bed early.

We always head to MK on arrival day after checking into our resort. We schedule an ADR for that evening and 3 FP. The one year we arrived later in the evening, we headed over for a parade and fireworks, then enjoyed a few rides (pre-FP+) before heading back to the resort. It is certainly doable.

 

[Robo]

Also, how long do you think we will be eating at Beaches and Cream?

1. One hour? Just trying to get an idea for scheduling FP.
2. I assume it will take 30-45 minutes to get back to HS from Beaches and Cream?

1. Give or take.
2. Yup.

 

[BusySpeechMom]

Boo! HS closes at 8:30 on that Monday night.

 

[nilla]

Order your tickets at least 30 days before your trip and that way you can make FP+ reservations and KNOW what principle rides you will be able to get at that park a month before your trip.

My wife and I decided to change our arrival day last June to include a visit to DHS, 3 days prior to our arrival. While we were unable to get TSM FPs, we had no problem getting TOT, Star Tours, and Fantasmic!

 

[Grand Admiral]

I got a deal through my work where you buy 4 days of tickets with park hopper and get 3 more days free. Since we're going to be there for 6 nights, we'll absolutely head to MK on our arrival day. It's a Sunday and the crowd forecast is low, so even without FPs we should do fine.