First Day-arrival-around 6pm

[WDWannabe]

Need advice, we are driving to WDW, and we should arrive around 6pm ish...on a Saturday. I thought a dinner would be a great way to start the magic! But, which one! It will have to be one not in the parks, I am not getting one for an evening only. Hints, ideas, thoughts???

Thanks!

 

[WDWannabe]

we will have free dinning, since this will be in sept. sorry forgot to say this!

 

[Tinkerbelll]

I don't know if you are willing to use 2 dining credits for your first meal, but we like to do the Hoop-Dee-Doo dinner show at FW on our first night. It is not in the park, so no need to use a ticket. And you could always do the 9:15 show. It gives you plenty of time to get settled into your resort, bus to MK, and boat to FW from there. A great way to start a trip! Otherwise, maybe a character meal? Chef Mickey's is a nice character dinner at CR. Whatever you decide, have a magical trip!

 

[WDWannabe]

I see that you have been several times....Tinkerbell...If we arrive around 6pm, and need to check in to get our rooms and such how much time do you think we will need? Also, if I get this right I get free dinning for each night we stay, even if we get tickets to the parks for less amount of time? Right?! So, our arrival day is late, so, no park day...but dinning is.

Thanks!

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

Need advice, we are driving to WDW, and we should arrive around 6pm ish...on a Saturday. I thought a dinner would be a great way to start the magic! But, which one! It will have to be one not in the parks, I am not getting one for an evening only. Hints, ideas, thoughts???

Thanks!

Do you have any children? If so, then I would say Chef Mickeys.

 

[lovecop]

Keep in mind that saturday is one of the busiest check in day's at the resorts. If you've been driving all day and then have to get through check in, it might be better to just eat in your resort.

 

[daretodream]

We enjoyed 1900 Park Fare. We have a disney princess wannabe She thought it amazing

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I love starting my vacation at California Grille, right around Wishes time. If you time it right, you can get the water parade, too.

 

[crisi]

Where are you staying?

How are you getting in (10 hour drive? Two hour plane ride?)

Is 6 the time you intend to be at your resort?

Do you have a car?

Do you want fast, fun, interesting, fancy?

We like Flying Fish at the Boardwalk, but its fancy and I wouldn't do it the first night - too much effort.

Boma is well liked (not by me, but by others), but unless you are at AKL its out of the way.

The Boardwalk area, if you are there already, has a lot of restaurant, Spoodles, Cape May, Beaches and Cream.

If I were staying way out at Pop, driving ten hours, I'd just eat at the Pop food court and enjoy the resort. I hate travel days and by the time I'm there I don't want too much effort for food.

 

[WDWannabe]

We are driving...it will take about 8hours of drive time.

I think we should be getting in around 6pm.

Do you think check in will take that long? Is it the buzyest day to check in?

Probably something a little tame...we are staying at pop, it think.

Thanks!

 

[TiggerFamily]

We are going at the end of the month and get in about 5 PM so we are doing Down town Disney for dinner that night and to bed early so we are ready to go go go for the next week. Nancy

 

[Tinkerbelll]

I see that you have been several times....Tinkerbell...If we arrive around 6pm, and need to check in to get our rooms and such how much time do you think we will need? Also, if I get this right I get free dinning for each night we stay, even if we get tickets to the parks for less amount of time? Right?! So, our arrival day is late, so, no park day...but dinning is.

Thanks!

Hi!! Sorry for the delayed response.... Now, will you be arriving at the resort at 6pm? If so, you should have plenty of time to make the last showing of Hoop-Dee-Doo, which is at 9:30pm. The time it takes to check in and get your rooms varies depending on the # of people checking in at the same time as you, Cast Members working the front desk at that specific time etc., but at 6pm I would say it would take an hour at most. Then, once you get your rooms (figure 7:30pm as the absolute latest), you can take a bus to MK. Get off at MK, get a glimpse of the castle to get your excitement pumping, and then take a nice boat ride over to Fort Wilderness, where the Hoop-Dee-Doo is. It will be a little late to be having dinner, but there is so much going on that any sleepyheads in your group will wake right up! If you don't decide to do Hoop-Dee-Doo, I would suggest maybe Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary. It is a nice dinner buffet with characters, only one dining credit, which is nice, AND you still get to get a taste of MK!

Personally, I love that first sight of the castle on the first day of the trip, even if we're not going into the park that day. It's the one thing, for me, that says "You're finally in WDW!!!!".

BTW, you are correct about the free dining. Each night of your package entitles each member of your group to one table service credit, one counter service credit, and one snack credit. This is regardless of the number of days you purchased for your park passes.

Whatever you choose, have a magical stay ... and don't hesitate to ask anymore questions!!

 

[mello]

We did Chef Mickey's our first night, and thought it was a fun way to get in the spirit of things. It got DD 2 used to the characters, and the kids all loved the music and napkin waving. A festive intro to the whole thing!

Another fun option would be to do Ohana and time it right to see Wishes, either in the restaurant or from the beach. My kids (and dh) still talk about that and want to do it again. It wasn't our first night there, but it was a magical experience!

Or, for a more relaxed time, you could eat at whatever restaurant is at your resort (if you're staying onsite?). We commented that we might do that next time, just so as to rest up for the next day lol.

 

[babywewe]

I'm doing the Mama rose fantasmic package for my first night.

 

[crisi]

Saturday is a busy check in day. We've had ten minutes worth of check in, and check ins that have taken an hour (we've learned to have the kids swimsuits handy - if there is a line, my husband takes the kids to the pool and I check in).

With a car, your options open up a lot. AKL doesn't become burdensome to get to - from Pop its quite close. AKL is quite the sight to see.

Personally, we avoid anywhere you can SEE the MK from until we go there. If we can see the castle, the kids want to know why we aren't in the parks. Just easier to avoid letting them see it (they don't have the same reaction to being able to see the Epcot ball).