First day options

[drcmk]

I know this question is asked often, I apologize. I thought I had our plans worked out but now I am second guessing myself.

My family (myself, DH, DDs 5&7) are supposed to arrive at MCO at 10:45 on Saturday. Our plane leaves at 8am, so we will have gotten up early. We will take a limo (not yet decided which) to the Poly. My best guess is that we arrive at noonish and try to check-in or store our luggage. My only other solid plan for that day is PS for Chef Mickey's at 6:30 followed by watching the fireworks at 8:00 from either CR or Poly, depending on timing.

I feel like I cannot plan or predict the rest of the day. We may be exhausted after lunch or excitedly energetic. We may be starving at noon or we may have snacked all morning to pass the travel time. I think I have to have several do-able options for the afternoon. We have LOS passes. My ideal is to hop over to Epcot for lunch and do some future world exhibits. But with potentially sleepy cranky kids, it might be better to plan to explore the resort, eat at Poly, swim, hang out.

What do you think?

 

[F5CHASER]

My family will be arriving sometime early afternoon and I think we will forego the parks on that first day. We will have park hopper passes so that will make a difference, but we will probably head over to Downtown Disney that first day and get into the Disney spirit over there and probably eat at Rainforest Cafe. It's a cheap way to enjoy the Disney atmosphere without wasting a full day's park admission.

 

[Dolphin_Girl008]

We (my sis and I) will be arriving early afternoon (Saturday). Our plan is to check out Downtown Disney.

 

[MickDaddy]

We also plan to arrive around ten. Our circumstances are different in that we will be driving. We plan to spend the day at Typhoon Lagoon until check in time then catch the fireworks at MK in the evening. We don't plan to miss a minute of Disney fun.

 

[shafke]

I would do Epcot for a couple of hours... mostly because with LOS passes you have already paid for the admission. I would choose Epcot because it seems less hectic there than the other parks.

 

[disneysteve]

When we arrive around noon, we usually don't go to a park. We usually settle in at our hotel, unpack, get something to eat. We enjoy just being away - lying in bed, watching cable (don't have it at home). In the late afternoon/early evening we usually head over to DTD for dinner and getting into the whole Disney atmosphere.

When we have an AP, we have occasionally ventured into MGM or EPCOT in the evening but we usually don't. We like to be fresh and rested to attack the parks the next morning.

Steve

 

[XStAnt]

See how you feel when you get to the resort. I'll bet your children will not be able to "take it easy" and will be dying to go to a park. From the Poly you are closest to MK, which is where they will probably want to spend most of their time. It's also close to CR for your dinner plans.

I would head over to MK for a few hours. Eat lunch there or at Poly before you head over. Plan a few rides to do or catch the parade. I wouldn't over do it, but you may as well take advantage of the time. It's not costing you anything, you're right near MK, you have to do something before your room is ready, and your kids will love to get to the parks ASAP. If they get tired after a few hours go back to your room until your dinner time. If not, stay at MK until 6:00 and head over to CR for dinner. In other words, play it by ear.

 

[drcmk]

You are all right, of course, I DO have to play it by ear and see how my kids are holding up on Saturday afternoon. That really goes against my personality, so it is aggravating me. I don't suppose there is anything wrong with having a resort/relax afternoon, my husband would enjoy it, I think. But I am sure I will be eager to get to a park.

If we are able to get to a park, I chose Epcot over MK, because it is still monorail accessible and because my understanding was that future world was relatively less crowded in the afternoons when everyone makes their way over to World Showcase. I'm actually avoiding MK (though my kids WOULD enjoy it) because it is Saturday AND one of the few days that week (Nov 15 - 22) that MK will have fireworks and Spectromagic, so I am afraid it will be very busy.

 

[jdads2]

We're ussually up no later than 5:00am on travel day. We get to our resort by noon and then head to a park. Our first trip we stayed at the Poly and it was very easy to get to MK so that's where we headed first.

We have a quick lunch, I don't bother making a PS for lunch on our first day, you never know what might happen to make you late. We head back to the resort for a quick swim, you'll love the pool if the weather is warm enough, and then take in a park, ussually EPCOT, and don't get back to the resort until 11:00.

You might want to go to MK just because it's so easy to get to and from the Poly.

Have fun!

 

[crisi]

I've always had great plans to get a lot done on the arrival day, and always end up disappointing myself.

Either I am too tired and skip them all together and then am mad at myself for blowing my plans that quickly, or I push myself (and my family) to do something and am too tired and cranky to enjoy it (and so are they).

So this trip we are planning on flying in - arriving at the airport about 11:00 (having gotten up at 5:00am). Doing a grocery stop in the towncar (with luck, the kids - aged 4 and 5 - will nap if they aren't too wound up). Getting to BWVs around 1:00. Checking in and......

We will see. We may wander over to Beaches and Cream for a late lunch. We may nap. We may check out Epcot (we will have UPHs - pricier, but the money has been spent for flexibility). If we are REALLY ambitious, we will go see Spectro. Its the only night I have no reservations. The kids may swim, or they may not. To check the day off as a success, we just need to get there - everything else is gravy. Its the ONE day I'll completely play by ear - once we arrive.

 

[drcmk]

Crisi, you definitely have the attitude I need! I like that . . . the only goal is getting there, everything else is gravy. Let me repeat that to myself a few times . . .

 

[Jillpie]

We have three children and every single trip we make Blizzard Beach our first day. This way, if somebody wants to just relax on a lounge chair (which nobody ever does, lol), they can do that. Its usually a hugely fun day going on all the slides and swimming. Its such a great atmosphere there and then we can start the parks the next day. We also take the very early flight (coming from Boston), so I understand your fatigue. Blizzard Beach is a great first day alternative from the parks.