Arrival Day Suggestions

[beckyd13]

I'm headed to Disney World with my mom in 39 days! We're so excited! Our plane leaves at 5:30am and we arrive in Orlando around 11:00am on Monday, April 27. We're staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for 5 nights and returning home on Saturday. A quick trip, but it'll be fun nonetheless! It's my mom's first time so I'm excited to show her all of my favourite things.

I'm a big planner, but I'm struggling with what we should do on our first day. We do have park hoppers for all 5 days we're there, so we'll be able to enter parks on Monday. I figure we won't arrive at the resort until close to 2 or 2:30pm (probably earlier, but I like to plan for worse case scenario). We'll check-in, explore the resort, and rest a bit. We have an ADR at Boma at 4:40pm. I know we'll be famished. I was thinking we would check out the Magic Kingdom or Epcot in the evening after supper, and then turn in somewhat early.

What do you like to do on your arrival day? Relax, or get right to the parks?
I'm sure we'll be too excited to just stay at the resort and relax all night!

 

[verleniahall]

we head to the park that is open latest - our arrival day is MK this trip

 

[W.E.D.]

We like to relax, and as my wife says, let the pixie dust slowly settle over us. We typically get in around the same time as you, OP. Our favorite resort is POR. We usually go wandering around the resort until our luggage arrives. Then for us it's time for a nap--seeing as we left home around 4 in the morning. We like to take a carriage ride and then have dinner at Boatwright's. Then maybe a swim before bed--get all our energy built up for that first day at MK!!

 

[Andysol]

If you arent arriving to the resort until 2-2:30 and have an ADR at 4:40- then you should just hang that afternoon. I usually don't do anything day one, but I have before. I will in July but I won't in Sept. If ya'll are crazy, go hit some EMH late into the night- up to your energy level and personalities. Everybody is different
Another thought is maybe just watching Fantasmic! that night and fastpassing the early show. That way you can eat, go watch fantasmic, and go to bed.

Do ya'll like to cook? The great thing about Animal Kingdom Lodge vs any other resort is the plethora of activities. At 3:45 or 4pm every day- you can do a culinary tour of either boma or sanaa or jiko (sometimes they go to two). You should for sure do that. Did I mention its free and you get samples? Talk about getting you in the mood for Boma.

 

[PurpleKomodo]

Our tradition is to take a ride on the monorail that goes by EPCOT and MK. It is fun to ride the monorail and get a sneak peek at the parks. It can also be a fun evening to go to a campfire at Wilderness Lodge or take a swim in your resort pool. We like to lay lower that first evening so we are rested and ready to roll on day 1 in the parks.

 

[beckyd13]

All these suggestions are awesome! Keep 'em coming! It's hard to say how tired we'll be... I mean we DO have to leave town around 3:30am, and I doubt we'll be getting much sleep before then, buuuut... when at Disney...

 

[clambert1273]

Our first day is ALWAYS labeled and "chill at resort" day lol regardless of what time we get there.... gives me time to get the kids settled, unpacked, swim etc... finally time to just relax...

 

[RustManFan]

I have never gone to a park on arrival day. After we check-in and grab an iced tea or something we usually grab a bus and head to Epcot and then take the full monorail route to get us excited about at least Epcot and MK for the next day or two. May stop off at a monorail resort just to check it out. Have a number of times had dinner at FW that evening or at the food court....Usually head to DTD at night.

Next trip might head to a non-monorail resort on arrival day to check it out. AKL, BW or BC/YC come to mind. We could grab a snack, lunch or dinner there depending on arrival time.

My DD and DS went and grew up so I don't have to worry about kids having to be settled or taking a nap

 

[Tazzik]

Our first two trips, we did a half day at the parks after we checked in. However, we came to realize that starting our trip like this was wiping our kids out way too fast. Now, it's just grocery shopping and hanging out at the resort. No parks until the next day.

 

[sharonabe]

We've done the early morning flight, and like you, we're too excited to NOT go to a park. With an 11:00 a.m. arrival, you're likely to be in your room by 1:30. I'd vote for a quick nap or at least relax and unpack before heading out to explore the resort before your ADR. BUT, as soon as dinner is finished, I'd be on my way to MK to see the parade and Wishes. You could book FP+ for these. I think that would be a great way to start a first-timers visit to WDW.

 

[CounselorX]

We normally leave the house to head to the airport around 3:00 AM Saturday and get to our resort at about 3:00 PM (driving to the airport + time zone change + layover, so total flight time is only 3.5 hours). We're dead tired but we sleep as much as possible during our 2 plane trips. Once we land in Orlando, we're pumped. We check into our resort, sit in our room for 5 to 10 minutes and then eat at our resort. Then, we head to MK and have a casual park day/night. MK usually doesn't close until midnight to 2:00 AM when we arrive, so we just take it slow and enjoy our first day. It's almost tradition for us now to start with MK and end with MK, although our very last day we just hang out mostly at the resort or stroll around Downtown Disney for a while.

 

[pmaurer74]

we go to CM for dinner then to MK for parade and fireworks

 

[librarymom2007]

We always go straight to the MK but I have a 7 year old.

 

[Nanalise]

My family usually heads to a park right away, but we also usually drive down and arrive in Orlando the day before where we spend a night in a non Disney hotel, so we can check in bright and early for our Disney package.
I am taking my almost 4 year old granddaughter in the beginning of May. It will be just her and I. We have a 5:30 am flight, and are due to arrive at MCO around 8 am. I requested an early check in, because I am hoping that we can get our room early and take a little nap after I get her a bite to eat. If not, then we will just eat, explore the resort and swim for awhile until we can get our room. Then it will be nap time for us both most likely( I can never sleep the night before arriving at Disney) After our nap, we plan to head over to downtown Disney for a late lunch/early dinner reservation at T REX, and hopefully a ride on Characters in Flight ( found a groupon deal where we both ride for $16.00) We will then just hang out, maybe shop a bit and enjoy the entertainment there until we head back to our resort and rest up for our first day,in the Magic Kingdom. I also thought about taking her to Fort Wilderness and giving her a pony ride until I found the Characters in Flight deal. I just may do the pony thing with her another day though. I don't think we could ever be bored while at Disney, even if we don't hit a park that day. lol

 

[grecorj]

Our first trip to WDW with the kids we had 830am flight, so had been up since 530am. As I recall we got to the resort around 12 (we had to make a quick stop in MCO for Crocs shopping -- long story). We waited to get in rooms and then after a brief "ah, we're in freakin' Disney World!!!!" moment we decided to go into MK.

Of course after getting on Monorail (kids ride with pilot), we get into MK....just as parade is about to start. Instead of watching we fight our way thru crowded sidewalk to get to some rides. Do we think to cut thru the shops? Uh, no.

We pick Peter Pan as first ride ever! Um, yes, you heard that right. PP. At 3pm. During Spring Break. Do we notice wait time of 60 minutes? Uh, not so much.

After waiting in hot line for 75+ minutes we ride PP for 2.

Worst. Planning. Ever.

At that moment I looked at my wife and she looked at her parents and we all looked at the kids and thought: what have we signed up for!

Needless to say: DON'T DO THIS!! Lol.

Of course there is a happy ending -- by end of trip we knew we'd be back again. This summer will be our 5th trip in last 9 years!

These days we take a later flight, get to resort around dinner time, check-in, eat at resort -- and if we do go to MK, we avoid parades (or watch them) and we don't get in 75 minute lines!

 

[loves to dive]

I drive down from Georgia and usually arrive around 2 or 3 so I usually check in and head off to which park is the closest to my resort, which is usually Epcot as I love to stay in YC/BC. This May I'm doing a split stay AKL 2 nights then BWV 3 nights so I decided to take advantage of AKL on arrival day. I've made reservations for the safari they have for lodge guests that takes you out on the savannah then you get dinner there at the resort. I think it starts around 4, I was told to arrive at the podium at 3:45. It is supposed to last for about 3 hours so according to how sloshed I get at dinner (they give you wine with each course) I'll either just chill and explore AK or head over to MK and knock out a few rides. I have APs so I don't have to worry about wasting tickets.

 

[Shmily01]

We drive from South Carolina (9 hours ) and usually during the middle of the night. So my husband is up all night driving....but he refuses to take it easy at the hotel when we get there. He wants the hit the park as soon as possible. Our last trip we drove all night...arrived at POP at 7:00am and was at Epcot at RD. We do usually go back and rest in the afternoon of arrival day but still...he's a trooper!

 

[PSUGuy]

If it's an all adult trip I'd suggest hitting Epcot as soon as you can. We time our flights to get us to Board Walk before 11 and we go straight through the IG. Usually we get to the Rose&Crown just as they open the taps and then we do the Food&Wine thing. You'll be there for Flower&Garden and they have food kiosks during that also. With PF+ you can have some rides reserved in advance.

Bill From PA

 

[Hootch]

We'll be driving to WDW and should arrive about 3:00-3:30. We will head straight to the MK which is open until midnight that night.

 

[kaetra]

Head straight to the parks! You're burning daylight!