DVC-First Night-Traditions

[goofyfamily41]

We are new DVC members coming down to our home (at OKW) in December for the first time. What are some of neat things members do to celebrate their first night "coming home"? Whether it the first time or just coming back home again. We are looking at starting a new tradition, a new memory, for our family.

 

[mikesmom]

We love to have a family dinner at Olivia's. We have teenagers who take off on their own pretty quick, so that starts us off together (we ussually have at least one other dinner together). If it's stillearly enough, we take the launch to Downtown Disney, wander the shops, and people watch.

 

[Lisabell]

....but whenever we check in to any Disney resort as soon as we get into our room, we do what my DH and I call "The Penultimate Dance of Joy". This is where we run around the room jumping up and down, excitedly exclaiming "We're Here!! We're Here!!" until we're out of breath and giggling uncontrollably. We did it on our first trip together (Our Honeymoon) and have made it a tradition ever since.

Another tradition is to go get our refillable mugs and wander around the resort.

Also, we try to take a picture in the same spot at each resort so we can see how we've changed over the years.

Have fun making new traditions for your family!

Welcome Home!
Lisabell

 

[DsnyGeek]

This will be our third visit, so our tradition is not long, but it has been established. We head over to Chef Mickeys for dinner and then take the monorail to MK to ride Splash Mountain & BTM. Then catch Spectromagic.

We'll be repeating this tradition in 4 days!!

 

[lodgelady]

Lisabell- your tradition is SO dear!! I hope you never give it up!
We have only had one trip as members, so we don't have a traditon YET----But I hope watching the Electrical Water Parade from the VWL beach becomes ours. It was so relaxing and SO Disney!

 

[JillU-DVC]

We've always been lucky that our room has been ready when we've checked in.

So, after we drop our bags off in our room, we ALWAYS go over to the Yacht & Beach Club, and go to Beaches and Cream.

I'm not on vacation until I have a bacon cheeseburger there!

Then we usually go back to the room and unpack for the trip, and then usually go over to Epcot for dinner or a snack.

 

[bres@westernMA]

I kind of agree with everyone, who has posted so far, it kind of depends on when you arrive and if you are planning to do the parks on the first day. Usually we opt not to “park”. At OKW, we hit the main pool at the Hospitality House until our room is ready. There is a locker room with showers and lockers available to change. After we unpack, take a nap and have some refreshments, we hop the boat to DD and either hang out there or continue on a monorail site. From there, we ride the monorail thru the parks and visit the monorail resorts to see the 7 Seas Lagoon water parade, the fire works from the 15th floor on the Contemporary, have dinner at ‘Ohana’s or one of the GF restaurants and of course to check out this years souvenirs.

 

[Peggy Sue]

Great question!



IF we arrive with enough time for getting to a park, we always head to the MK...nothing helps you get into the Disney spirit better than a stroll down main street USA!

IF we arrive too late for a park, we unpack and head to Disney West Side and enjoy a meal at wolf gang pucks cafe. If the weather is nice, we like to sit on the outdoor patio facing the west side and watch the people, and soak up the disney atmosphere!

 

[yesdisneyfool]

If we get there early enough we do Main Street USA (have annual passes) this is True Disney.

If it's too late head to DtD for some WofD shopping a bite to eat.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

In the Westgate time share the tradition is, check-in, drop off the luggage, hit the grocery store then fling my/ourselves into the pool (after changing of course). Later, a meal in the unit then off to stroll Downtown Disney.

But with DVC I haven't had a chance to establish a pattern.

First trip was VWL where I took a nap & watched the US Open...followed by shopping in the little store & the traditional pool fling. I'm not sure where I ate but I'm sure I didn't go to DTD.

Next Boardwalk...change clothes, stash the luggage run over to EPCOt to get an annual pass...followed by exploring EPCOT...I believe I ate at Morocco & had a Cassis Royale at France.

Last venture was OKW where I, changed clothes, stashed the luggage....and ran off to Universal (shhhh).

My next trip is BCV for Food & Wine so....I'm pretty sure I will head off to EPCOT after changing clothes & stashing luggage.

So far the VWL trip is my all time favorite...and I didn't go into a park! So...it won't surprise me if my tradition becomes stashing, napping & flinging w/o DTD.

Even as I type I wonder if I should stay a week for Food & Wine or just the scheduled 5 days.

 

[wdeversole]

First night is unpacking, getting settled, and then going out to another resort to explore and splurge by getting a very expensive meal. First time California Grill and the Contemporary, last time Victoria & Albert's at the GF.

Then we go back to the room and do our own version of the "Penultimate Dance of Joy"

 

[rbuzzotta]

First night has always been..........heading to the pool upon check in (usually early) and dinner at Chef Mickeys!!

This time we begin with Hoop De Doo Revue when we arrive at VWL......when we return to OKW after the weekend at VB we will begin that week with Chef Mickeys............

 

[TheWho]

First night, go to France (EPCOT) and have crepes (sugar only, no jelly).

I dream about that first bite all winter.

 

[CK1]

THe first time my ds (age 3 xmas '98) ever went to WDW, he was quite excited. We showed him Mickey as we entered the "hallowed grounds" and when we parked the car at OKW, he was thrilled! He watched a movie in the lobby while we checked-in, and watched the boats on the water, walked around, etc. When we told him to hop in the car, we were going for a ride, he sighed and climbed in, saying, "That was so much fun, Mommy! Will we ever come back to Disney World again?" (The poor kid thought that was all there was to it and we were headed home!)

SO..... Now, several trips later, our tradition is that after we check in, dh and I always joke and say sadly, "Well, that was fun... Oh well...Time to go home!!" And our kids (now 7,6 and 2) laugh and say, "Nooooooo!!!!!!" And then we DO go home -- home to our nice DISNEY home! (And for some odd reason -- we never go out the first night. We ALWAYS eat spaghetti for dinner, and swim, and check out the place, or go "exploring" as the kids say!)

Cindy

"Take Us Home Again, Mom and Dad!"

 

[Jeanne]

CK1 reminded me of a tradition we had when the kids were little, they are teens now. We lived in South Georgia at the time, and anytime we were near Orlando, but not going to WDW, we always stopped at DTD shopped and played on the playground and the kids felt as if they had been to WDW. Little kids, cheap thrills. Someone earlier asked for youngest visitor, my daughter was 5 months old, after all she was our first, and anxious parents, my son made his first visit to the mouse at 5 weeks.

 

[eva]

We usuaully check in sometime in the early morning. Then it is always off to EPCOT. We always ride Spaceship Earth first. We have been doing that since going to WDW in 94. Every trip has to start there. And every first night has to end at the Rose and Crown watching Illuminations. Since 94 we have only had to sit inside for supper one time so I consider us lucky that we get an outside table most every time. When we take people along with us that have never been to WDW you ought to see their face when Illuminations starts becasue I never tell them why we are eating there or what will be happening during dinner. I love sitting in a comfortable chair drinking a 1/2 yard (shared with hubby) and watching the show. It is definitely a magical momment for us every trip.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We usually arrive at OKW about 1 PM and do our precheck in. Since rooms are not guaranteed until 4 pm, we head to Epcot for a few hours. Then we go grocery shop and come "home" to unpack groceries and go back to Epcot for Illuminations. I don't know why Illuminations has become our tradition, but it has. This schedule has only varied once, and that was when our flight was 12 hours late!

 

[Anita Williams]

We've been members since late 91, and made our first visit in March of 92. We always arrive as close to check in as possible. We fly down from NY, take a limo from the airport, stop on the way for groceries and check in. Then we unpack, my husband takes a nap and we always go to DD and eat at Portebello's Yacht Club. After dinner, we stroll around DD, shop a little and head back to OKW for bed. We don't always do the parks anymore. In a week stay, we probably go to the parks 3 days.
Anita.

 

[Peter Johnson]

We've gone through several traditions in the last 10 years. We always arrive at OKW around noon. We didn't rent a car, so after check-in we would head to Goods for a burger, move in to the room whenever it was ready, then hit MK. We always arrived on Saturday, and we're huge Spectromagic fans.

By the mid '90s, Goods had gotten more crowded (and not as tasty IMHO), and we had started renting a car. We would go to Beaches & Cream for our burgers, then to MK.

Now we don't always arrive on Saturday, and we have friends in Kissimmee. We call them between the airport and OKW, and they meet us in the check-in line, and we do whatever we feel like. Ghirardelli's is a favorite first-day snack these days

We have more of a last-day tradition... we have Tonga Toast at the Poly (usually the only breakfast we eat out), then stay in MK until it's time to head to the airport. MK is the "Disneyest" park to us, so we like to spend the first and last days there.

 

[mickeys#1fan]

We don't have a first night tradition so much as pre-trip traditions. WE always write a countdown on our kitchen calendar, and every morning at breakfast we'll say, "Only 12 days, 11 days" and so on. We'll usually watch the vacation planning video before we go. Our longest tradition since moving from Florida to NC has been to watch A Goofy Movie some time in the last week before we leave. A classic road trip movie as far as we're concerned!