Help for first day...

[wasabi girl]

Hi everyone! I'm in the early (very early) planning of our first trip to WDW. It will be myself, my DDs (age 18 & 16), and possibly my DH or DM. We will be arriving at MCO around 8:30am (so says the airline) and expect to be at our hotel (we're staying at the CR) and ready for fun by lunchtime. Our arrival day will be a Saturday....and since it will be December , I know the hours will be shorter at the parks....(we're doing a gold plan so our tickets are length of stay)...my question is which park would you guys go to? The MK? and do lunch at CRT? or MGM and 50s Diner? or go to Epcot and have lunch at the Coral Reef or Chefs de France? I want our first experience with the restaurants and the parks to be memorable and fun....any suggestions? What would make a big impact on my Disney Deprived older teen daughters? What do your kids love or what did you love to do as teens at Disney? We'll be there for 8 days. Thanks!

 

[cindy_k]

I'm an Epcot fan. I try to make a PS for Lunch at Coral Reef for the last lunch seating which I think is 2:30p (it might be later, called WDW-DINE)
My son (11) likes to eat there next to the fish.

Then we head for Test Track and Mission:Space, finishing the next with Illuminations.

If your kids are more the Roller Coaster types... I would head for MGM, eat at Prime Time Cafe (they should get a kick out of it.) and then on to RocknRoller Coaster and Tower of Terror, finishing the night with Fantasmic.

Be careful about lunch PS's for too early a time. I find by the time I get to the parks it is usually at the very least 1:30p.

No matter what you choose I am sure you will have a fun trip.

(EPCOT Tip - When leaving the park after Dark, steer to the left over by the Innoventions, there are cool lights embedded in the concrete that you can only see when it is dark out. )

 

[mikewdw]

since it is your first trip the girls might have an idea what they want to see. i didnt go until i was 26 and on honeymoon but that first glimpse of castle was amazing (i remember all those sunday nites of watching the wonderful world of disney on tv as a kid).
i think either magic kingdom or epcot first, both have those signature places that make the first day so memorable. no matter where you choose they will love it. just be sure and let them enjoy it as a small child would. that is how my wife and i do and how we want to do with our 7 month old, ( we are taking her at xmas too for her first trip!) hope you have a great time.
mikewdw

 

[RLewis]

I always suggest first timers go directly to MK for the full effect. There's nothing like walking and seeing the castle for the first time. I would suggest lonch dinner at CRT. LTT is also nice, but CRT has the most Disney feel.

Our kids are younger, but we enjoy Sci-Fi and 50's at MGM (both just fun). Whispering Canyon (at WL) is a similar experience.

At Epcot, we really didn't get too thrilled with Coral Reef. It's OK,but there's not a lot to see.

At EPCOT, we also like Rose and Crown (England), Tepayanni (Japan) and Le Cellier (Canada). Also, the Garden Grill.

There are several nice restaurants in the hotels. The Poly has acouple, as does AKL. I partcularly like the Concourse Stakehouse in the Contemporary (good food, relaxing atmosphere, and easy access to MK).

My biggest "don't miss" is the Fantasmic show at night at MGM.