Help me decide! What should I do on arrival day??

[Jsharp13]

Frequent DIS'ers... or just big Disney World fans... help me decide!!!
I am planning a trip in Jan/Feb of next year, and it's going to be a mash up of a solo trip, my son joining, and my friends joining.
I've been yearly for the past several years, so I'm very comfortable and familiar with the Disney bubble, and what I am hoping to see and do.
After booking my flight, I have reconsidered and saw a price drop and might come in one day early... but of course my lodging is not available for that extra night at the front of my vacation. Wherever I end up, I know I'll need to transfer my bags, either on my own or with Disney, and I'm ok with that.

I will be arriving SOLO at this point, so these plans are just for ME!!!

Here are my options - what do you think would be a great use of my time and money, but also just a great experience?

1) Flight: Depart so early Land early (10 am). Resort: Something near Epcot, like Beach Club, around $500 , or Dolphin around $400, with the plans to relax and then enjoy Epcot After Hours starting at 7 pm.
-- Cons: Early, and I'll be tired. Likely can't get into room for a bit. What to do for a full day (don't want to add a park day, if I'm going to pay for After Hours). Expensive room. I love Epcot, but I know I won't ride Guardians 5 times. Maybe once, and maybe Remy once. I like the World showcase and I know that's not open for After Hours, so is that cost even worth it??

2) Flight: Medium, land 1 pm. Resort: Something near Epcot, like Beach Club, around $500, or Dolphin around $400, with the plans to relax and then enjoy Epcot After Hours starting at 7 pm.
-- Cons: I won't be as tired, but the flight is more and I'll have to purchase a few miles just to make this work. Same cons for my Epcot After Hours Concerns.

3) Flight: Later, land 5 pm.
Resort: Something near Epcot, like Beach Club, around $500, or Dolphin around $400, with the plans to relax and then enjoy Epcot After Hours starting at 7 pm.
-- Cons: Affordable flight. Drop bags and get right to Epcot. Same cons / concerns for value of Epcot After hours.

Now, a different scenario...

4) Flight: Depart so early Land early (10 am). Resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge, pricey at $500 (unless I can keep watching for a DVC rental). My plan for this day would literally be just to explore this resort, and watch animals from all the public viewing areas, eat at the restaurants, activities, etc. Just a nice resort day at a resort that I have always wanted to stay at! No park, no After Hours. My plans the next day are to go to Animal Kingdom, and while I know it's not directly accessible, it is closer, and certainly gets me into that Animal Kingdom mood before that park day. Maybe I'll even get into bed nice and early and crush that early entry the next day!!!
-- Cons: Early, tired. Expensive resort. No park.

5) Flight: Medium, land 1 pm. Resort: Animal Kingdom Lodge, pricey at $500 (unless I can keep watching for a DVC rental). Resort Day.
-- Cons: Early, tired. Expensive resort. No park.

And, a third, kind of in-between scenario:

6) Flight: Depart so early Land early (10 am). Resort: Moderate, like Port Orleans Riverside, around $300. Plans to relax and then enjoy Epcot After Hours starting at 7 pm.
-- Cons: Early, and I'll be tired. Likely can't get into room for a bit. What to do for a full day (don't want to add a park day, if I'm going to pay for After Hours). Room isn't too expensive, but end of the night transportation will be considered (but POR looks close). I love Epcot, but I know I won't ride Guardians 5 times. Maybe once, and maybe Remy once. I like the World showcase and I know that's not open for After Hours, so is that cost even worth it??

7) Flight: Medium, land 1 pm. Resort: Resort: Moderate, like Port Orleans Riverside, around $300., with the plans to relax and then enjoy Epcot After Hours starting at 7 pm.
-- Cons: I won't be as tired, but the flight is more and I'll have to purchase a few miles just to make this work. Same cons for my Epcot After Hours Concerns.

8) Flight: Later, land 5 pm. Resort: Resort: Moderate, like Port Orleans Riverside, around $300., with the plans to relax and then enjoy Epcot After Hours starting at 7 pm.
-- Cons: Affordable flight. Drop bags and get right to Epcot. Same cons / concerns for value of Epcot After hours.

Can you see how I have spun myself into a downward decision spiral? Therefore, please don't give me any more options or my head my explode! (And, know that I probably have already looked at a million other options before narrowing it down here, such as monorail resorts - monorail won't run at the end of After Hours, so that decreases that value; Value resorts like All Stars, which I actually really like, but they are full...)

Thanks great DIS'ers!!!

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

For starters, I would definitely choose the early flight. I don't do well waiting for flights after I'm awake. I'm antsy, pacing, checking my watch, unable to focus on anything else. I'd rather just get up early and get it over with. I don't usually sleep well the night before a trip anyway. This also gives you some cushion in case there are flight delays / issues. That's just me though, if you are able to have an enjoyable productive time while waiting several extra hours to go to the airport, it might not be an issue for you.

Second, I would choose the AKL resort day. I always wanted to stay there and haven't had the chance, and would really love just decompressing and exploring rather than going into Epcot for a few hours.

 

[Skippyboo]

If you’re going to pay for an After Hours, I would not pay large amount of money for Deluxe or Moderate. I would just book an All Star or Pop for a night or one of the hotels in DS area like the Drury.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Personally I would fly in early, stay at a moderate or value, add one day tickets and go to Epcot until I’m tired then head back to the hotel. I don’t think AH at Epcot are that valuable. There’s not enough rides and the rides they have are far apart so you spend a lot of those 2 hours walking. If you enjoy the WS more than the rides it makes more sense to go there during the day and it’ll be cheaper to add a day onto your tickets.

My second option would be to stay AKL and make it a resort day. We stayed there in May and it truly is an amazing resort.

 

[VGCgroupie]

1st recommendation. Did you know you can do a night Safari w/o a park ticket for AK? If I could book that I would do that for sure. We once took a red eye and AKV had our room ready at 7am! While this is never a guarantee AKV is the only place Ive ever had this happen at. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/animal-kingdom/night-safari/

My 2nd recommendation would be chill at the pool of the resort you choose until room is ready, Beach Club is known for its pool and you have access to Yacht Club pool as well.

3rd would be something you didnt give as an option. Stay at a Ft Wilderness Cabin or Wilderness lodge and go see all they have to offer at Ft Wilderness. Archery, horse back riding etc.

 

[Jsharp13]

Thanks for the great ideas and advice so far. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me decide! I know there is no wrong answer here.

Regarding the flight, on paper, no one likes an early flight... and when that alarm goes off at crazy o'clock in the morning, it is NO FUN!!! But when your eyes open and you realize you are headed to Disney, it might all be worth it! And, it is the cheaper flight, and gives me a bit of a cushion for delays (weather issues, coming from Michigan in January!)

And the more I think about it, the more I am straying from the Epcot After Hours. I have done MK After Hours and LOVED it, as well as HS After Hours which was great too (albeit a bit busier, some longer lines). But for Epcot and my love of World Showcase, it probably isn't a great value. I might either save the money and redirect to AKL, possibly that night time safari, or just enjoying the resort on its own.

 

[Dave006]

And the more I think about it, the more I am straying from the Epcot After Hours. I have done MK After Hours and LOVED it, as well as HS After Hours which was great too (albeit a bit busier, some longer lines).

How long is your total visit planned for, and where are you planning to stay for the bulk of your visit?

If you are going a day early, and planning to have a late night. I would not waste money on a Deluxe resort for (1) night. You can always visit the AKL and/or all the resorts around Epcot without staying overnight. Your room is often not available until after 4 PM depending on how busy the time frame is when you will be visiting.

As far as what ticket you might want to purchase for that day, if you have a multi-day ticket it will always be cheaper to add a day on the Front End of your visit. It will be cheaper than an After Hours event. For your other days are you purchasing a package that includes tickets? I ask since the package tickets have a start date tied to your package resort start date. You can no longer start your tickets early if your plans change as in your example.

Dave