First Day- Check In and then what?

[brandip22]

Hello all! I am planning day by day for our trip Spet 3-9th. We'll be staying at the BWV- it'll be me, DH, DS (3) and Niece (10). DS won't ealize, but my niece will be going nuts to at least get to see a park. I think MK will be too crowded to go on Saturday evening, so I looked guide books and the consensus seems to be Epcot or Studios. What do y'all think. We think we'll have our groveries delivered and rest by the pool, but then want to at least have dinner in one of the parks the first night- nothing big- probably no rides unless there are no waits, but just a Welcome day for the kids. What would y'all suggest? Thanks

Brandi

 

[tbelfonti]

We have set traditions that we do when we get to the parks.

First stop is to check in
Next stop is MK and a spin on IASW. Not for DDs, but for me! That's my sign that we're finally "home"
First night's dinner is always Chef Mickey's and early to bed since we are up at 4AM to catch our flight.

 

[pixelpixie]

We went about that time last year. I wanted to experience the disney magic immediately but didn't want to use one of my passes for the parks. We chose to go to the Hoop-De-Doo Musical Review at the Wilderness Lodge. It was me DH and DD(4yo). We had a WONDERFUL time! It was one of my daughter's favorite experiences on our trip. It was so successful that we are planning to attend THE REVIEW again on our trip this year.

Have a magical time!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

If you will not have to use a day on a park hopper, then I say to visit Epcot. HAve dinner and stroll around WS. SAve Mk for the next day when you are all well rested. WE never visit a park on the first day, arriving late in the day. We settle in, rest a little, have dinner at a resort and then take a monorail ride through Epcot. No ticket required. The resort and all will be so exciting that she will be fine waiting till the next morning. There is also DD for a goood first night activitiy.

Jordan's mom

 

[jenndisney]

I would look at maybe doing a character meal. I am not sure what time you are arriving, but I would hate to use up a day for just a few hours.

 

[brandip22]

I don't mind using a day, but we will think about HDDR. DH & I went on our HM back in 2000- didn't really care to go again, but it may be fun with the kids. Or maybe Whispering Canyon?

 

[siouxi31]

We always ride the monorail and visit other resorts on our first night. It's our warm-up to the rest of the vacation.
The HDDR is a good idea as posted above. Fort Wilderness is a neat little area to check out.
Have a great time!

 

[brandip22]

We are thinking le's do Chef Mickey's for a fun first night now.

 

[newholidayx2]

DS13 & I will be turning around from the WL checkin desk and having lunch at Whispering Canyon - then using the pool until checkin time
Taking boat/monorail over to Poly to see the torch lighting then dinner at Kona before trying the volcano pool (DVC). May or may not stay for Wishes. We'll see the EWP from WL then its off to bed.
The first brkfst during this vacation is planned at Chef Mickey's

 

[golfgal]

We are spending our first night at the Grosvener in DTD. We will probably head over to the marketplace and look around and the find a place to watch the fireworks at Epcot. We had a choice of spending a night in a hotel near our airport (we live 3 hours away from the airport) and flying out early the day of our check in at AKL or flying out in the afternoon the day before our check in at AKL, well that was an easy choice!

 

[pixelpixie]

brandip22
What about the Luau at the Polynesian? That might be exciting for the kids too.

 

[dsnymomof4]

If you don't mind using one of the days of your passes, I say go for Magic Kingdom. There is nothing more magical than seeing the castle for the first time! When we arrived on a Saturday last August, we visited the MK around 7:00 - went straight to Tommorrowland and did the rides there with hardly any waits, then grabbed a bite to eat and watched the fireworks - it was a wonderful first evening in the World.

 

[brandip22]

brandip22
What about the Luau at the Polynesian? That might be exciting for the kids too.

I really though about the Luau and think the kids won't be into the food- that goes for some of the other options as well. For what I know both kids will eat, I think CM will be my best bet. I want to get my money's worth on those two!

 

[Laurajeremy]

We will be doing Chef Mickey our first night and then to MK for both night festivities
;-)

 

[tlbwriter]

On our first day, we had reservations for the Fantasmic dinner package, so we went straight to MGM. Got there just in time for the parade, had dinner, dinked around a bit, and saw the show. Very nice.

 

[hookedondizney]

Our tradition on the arrival day is to go to the Hoop de doo Revue. Wonderful show and worth the $$$ because it is all you can eat and drink (beer & wine). Good choice I love it!
Hookedondizney

 

[disneyfanfamily]

We will get in on a Friday around 1:00. We like to go to Epcot first. My kids are not Epcot fans, but we go to "get it over with". There are some rides that we like to do and it has not been that busy in mid afternoons when we went the last time. We usually leave Epcot around 5:00 and have a relaxing evening at the hotel. We may grab a dinner off--site, but because of the plane ride, etc., we like to take it easy. Have fun!

 

[funcinderella]

"If you don't mind using one of the days of your passes, I say go for Magic Kingdom. There is nothing more magical than seeing the castle for the first time! When we arrived on a Saturday last August, we visited the MK around 7:00 - went straight to Tommorrowland and did the rides there with hardly any waits, then grabbed a bite to eat and watched the fireworks - it was a wonderful first evening in the World."

I have to agree with the above poster. Especially with the MYW tickets, extra days are so cheap. We went on Saturday evening from 8-10; we hopped right on the train and got off in Toontown and visited all of the characters with no wait. Then we rode Dumbo with no wait while the parade was happening. It was awesome. We felt like we were sneaking in on the magic of someone else's last night of vacation, but we still had our whole week ahead of us. It was a great "appetizer." Or maybe more like guiltily sneaking a taste of your dessert before you've even started dinner.

 

[Suzanne74]

If you don't mind wasting one of your pass days, then I may go to Epcot since you are so close and save MK for the next day. I like walking into MK real early in the morning and having the whole day there. Also Boardwalk is so close to Epcot and there are a TON of dinner options there without having to travel. Also - that Saturday is Labor Day weekend so it could be pretty crowded like you said. After Sunday, the place should be empty. Keep in mind thought that Spectromagic parade isn't shown every night in Sept so you will have to wait for the park/parade times too before you make definate decisions.

We do not go to a park our first day. We usually check in, go swimming at the pools and head to Chef Mickey's. It is our new tradition and it sikes us up for going to MK the next day. If we did go to a park, it would be the one closest to us.