Could we do a park on arrival night?

[disneyfreak202]

We are going to be arriving at 5:51pm at MCO on September 4th. Would we be able to do a park that night? If so what time would you estimate our arrival? I am trying to plan dinner and am wondering if I should do an ADR in the park, Disney Springs, or just eat at our hotel food court.

 

[Alesia]

I would definitely go to a park, but I would skip the ADR -- too many possible delays when traveling.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

Are you driving yourself from the airport? That will save a ton of time.

On our last visit, we landed at MCO at 6:10 pm and made it to DHS right at 7. We had time for 8 rides plus fireworks and Fantasmic in less than 4 hours.

 

[eiblehs]

If you’re taking a Magical Express bus, factor in about 40 minutes to an hour to get to your hotel after you land.

We always do a park day on our arrival day. But I’m afraid with you landing in Orlando at 6 pm would put you in the parks around 8 pm after checking in the hotel and traveling by bus to the park.

Check the park hours calendar and pick the park with the latest hours for your arrival date. Sometimes MK has EMH to midnight so that could work for you. I definitely wouldn’t book any ADRs for that evening. It’d be pretty stressful, I’d imagine.

You should consider visiting Disney Springs rather than a park for your arrival night. The night life there is awesome and they’re open sometimes even past midnight.

 

[disneyfreak202]

Thank you for the help. We are taking Magical Express. I know we won't want too late of a night because we will be getting up early the next morning, but since we will be coming from CA the time zone will be messing with our brains lol

 

[g-dad66]

We always use the Magical Express and then the bus transportation from Disney resort to the park, and it always takes us just right around 3 hours from the time the place touches down until we are entering a park.

So that could make it close to 9pm by the time you enter a park.

 

[ChristineOH]

We always use the Magical Express and then the bus transportation from Disney resort to the park, and it always takes us just right around 3 hours from the time the place touches down until we are entering a park.

So that could make it close to 9pm by the time you enter a park.

I agree. Three hours is about what it takes from plane landing to in the park, if you take Magical Express. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but usually that's pretty accurate. Where are you staying and do you have kids with you?

Unless park hours are extended, you won't have enough time. Even if you rented a car and could leave your carry-ons there instead of having to stop at the hotel first, you still wouldn't have a lot of time.

My kids HATE not going to a park on arrival day, but in your case, I wouldn't.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Barring any delays, I wouldn't expect to be setting foot into a park any earlier than 8:30 pm if you are taking DME from the airport. If parks are open later that evening and you are up for it, I would do it. You don't mention where you are staying, but we typically go to the park closest to our resort on our arrival day. I wouldn't make any ADR's that evening. I would try to go with the flow a little and plan for QS or wait and make an ADR for whatever is available once you land or get to the resort.

 

[Nancyg56]

My family would never make it. I know a park on arrival day woudl be fun, but if I tried to get to one with that arrival hour I would set my crew up for a rough night. If I set the expectation we could get to a park and we hit traffic, there woudl be a let down. Personally, I would plan to get to our resort, settle in have dinner and begin early the following day.

 

[saraheliz]

Depends on if you're travelling with kids, how old, etc. We always do a park on arrival night, but we've never been scheduled to land later than 4. Last time we were scheduled to land at 3:45 and were walking into the park by 5:40....but we were back on the bus to the resort by 9 for a good night's sleep and rope drop the next morning. ALmost 6 might be pushing it as you won't get into a park until 8 or 9...and if you go to MK at that point Main Street will be all jammed up with people waiting for the fireworks.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

If you are staying at POR your ride may be longer than an hour. Makes a bunch of stops first.

 

[MHSweb79]

If you’re going to get up early the next day, I’d advise going to Disney Springs on you first night and taking it easy. Especially if you’re staying at a resort with boat service to DS- it’s a fun little activity that will definitely get you in the Disney spirit while allowing for a relatively early night.

 

[dclpluto]

Not worth it. You give us little information about what resort you have. Do you have annual passes? I doubt it since you are from California.
Right now magic kingdom and Epcot closes at 9 the other 2 parks 8:30. They could change the time. The only way I will go to a park if I had annual passes and I was staying at a Epcot resort. I will go to Epcot have fast passes for frozen 8-9. After that ride I will go to the Mexico ride. Than watch illumatuons.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I wouldn't try to do it that late. I would want to get settled in our room and get rest before a big day the next day.

 

[Momoftwins+1]

I wouldn't try a park being your arrival will be so late. Just relax, maybe head to Disney Springs for a bite to eat and explore there or hang around at your resort, hit the pool and prep for the next morning so your refreshed.

 

[GillianP1301]

I love going to a park on arrival day, but we are usually hitting the resort by 3:00pm. With your arrival, I would expect you to be check-in by about 8:00 and could go straight to a park and be in a little before 8:30. So, if there was a park open that night until 11:00 or midnight, I would do it. But anything earlier than a 10:00pm closing I don't think is worth the trouble.

 

[MaC410]

I'd say it's a big depends. You're arriving on a Tuesday and that's typically the day Epcot has PM extra magic hours. If you happen to be staying at one of the resorts right near Epcot you could have a decent amount of time in Epcot if you can just walk there.

 

[Accidental Magpie]

I'd wait til the next day for a park. Get to your resort, check in, and go to dinner. Maybe at your resort, or another resort, or Disney Springs.
We don't do hoppers. I won't do a park for just 3-4 hours, especially if 60-90 of those minutes are for dinner.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

That time of year it appears parks are usually open until 9. So you can probably squeeze in some time if you feel it's necessary. But if you get in to MCO at 5:51PM, get your bags, get on a Magical Express bus, etc. you are probably looking at 6:30-7 after you check-in. Personally, I'd probably just check in, have dinner at a Disney Springs restaurant, and then shop or just goof around Disney Springs.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

The only way I would even attempt it is if a park is open until at least 11PM. Anything that closes earlier than that would just not be worth the effort, in my opinion.