Help me plan our first day at WDW, please

[Leeba]

We're taking an obscenely early flight to Orlando on a Saturday, arriving at MCO at just before 9am. We'll have to leave the house by 4:15am for this flight! Yikes. It's me, DH, and our two kids (ages 4 and 8). We are staying for a week, but according to all the crowd calendars, we're not heading to MK until Tuesday, which is our 4th day. Right now, I don't have anything planned for arrival day, except a pretty early dinner at our resort (so we can go to bed early that night!). I was originally thinking that we'd spend the day at the resort swimming and exploring, but since we don't have plans to be at MK until day 4, maybe we could go spend a couple hours there on arrival day, sometime early- or mid-afternoon.

My kids likely won't nap, based on past experiences with them, unfortunately. (DH & I would gladly nap though, lol, if given the chance.) So I'm torn between making the first day very memorable and getting to MK for even just a short time, OR, taking it easy'ish and staying at the resort. We're staying at the Wilderness Lodge, so it seems like it's a short trip over to MK, so theoretically we could go for just a couple hours.

FP+ window opens in 2 weeks, so I'm trying to make plans now. Do you think I should book a couple FP for that arrival day at MK? It seems like the best way to really *arrive* at WDW for our first trip, ya know?

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

If the ticket cost isn't a big deal, I'd swing by MK for a few hours. I'd probably call it an early night though (not sure everyone will make it until fireworks with that wake up!). I'd check in, spend a little time getting settled in the room, then maybe head to MK for a nice lunch (crystal palace is fun!) and a little park time. Then a quiet night at the resort with maybe some swimming.

 

[Alesia]

We always go to a park on arrival day - even last year when we had driven for 15 hours. I honestly can't imagine getting there and just sitting around doing nothing.

 

[Leeba]

We always go to a park on arrival day - even last year when we had driven for 15 hours. I honestly can't imagine getting there and just sitting around doing nothing.

So when we were originally going to arrive more like 3 or 4pm, my plan was to stay on resort for the few hours till bedtime. But yeah, getting to the resort by 10am or so, it seems goofy (haha) to not spend some time at MK.

That being said, my kids LOVE resort pools. And the Wilderness Lodge's pool area looks fantastic, so I know they'll be happy to spend time there. We're planning a couple "free" afternoons or mornings where we just swim and play there. But arrival day seems like we should go to the darn castle! (Right??)

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

But arrival day seems like we should go to the darn castle! (Right??)

Sounds like you already know the answer

 

[JimmyV]

If using up a day on your tickets isn't an issue, I would head over to World Showcase and grab some lunch, and then perhaps enjoy some of the more relaxing entertainment, such as movies, or street performers. Then call it a day and head to your early dinner. The problem with going to the MK (especially as the first thing after arrival), is that the kids will kick into adrenaline overdrive with their: "Let's do this!". "C'mon! Let's go over there." "Hurry! Let's do that!" You could get stuck between having to say "no", or saying "yes" but being too exhausted to enjoy anything. Over at World Showcase, you won't have that problem.

 

[notwifezilla]

Hi There stranger

Our plan the first day, even with a little bit of a later arrival (our plane is set to land at 10:30) is to go to MK. I'm planning on getting a few FPs for later in the day and spend a few hours there. Like you, I cannot imagine being there and NOT going anywhere that first day. I know people mention that we should rest or go to bed early, but I can't fathom my girls wanting to go to bed early. Based off crowd calendars on EasyWDW, our first day doesn't seem to project MK will be that horrible, so we'll just do it. I have a rough plan of the FPs I want to get that day. NO TS dining for that first day so, hopefully it will be a success.

 

[notwifezilla]

Duplicate post

 

[LisaCM614]

I would go for a couple/few hours - definitely. After lunch at WL I would take the boat over to MK, walk down Main Street USA and soak it in - take tons of pictures in front of the castle, and then wander over to Tom Sawyers Island. It is so fun to explore. The Disney details are awesome and you could spend well over an hour there. I think playing on Tom Sawyer's Island is a great way to help the kids get some exercise and be free after their day of travel. Then I'd take the raft back, find a spot on the curb and watch the afternoon parade in Frontierland. Then I'd follow the end of the parade over to Its a Small World and take a ride! After that you can hop on the Carousel for a quick spin and then head on back to your resort for a swim and early dinner. Maybe reserve a FPP but don't go overboard. Tired families do not make happy memories!

 

[LuitaChris]

Sounds like you are set up for just a 'take it easy' first day. Take the boat to MK and ride your fast passes and just see what low wait times you come across.

 

[Leeba]

Hi There stranger

Our plan the first day, even with a little bit of a later arrival (our plane is set to land at 10:30) is to go to MK. I'm planning on getting a few FPs for later in the day and spend a few hours there. Like you, I cannot imagine being there and NOT going anywhere that first day. I know people mention that we should rest or go to bed early, but I can't fathom my girls wanting to go to bed early. Based off crowd calendars on EasyWDW, our first day doesn't seem to project MK will be that horrible, so we'll just do it. I have a rough plan of the FPs I want to get that day. NO TS dining for that first day so, hopefully it will be a success.

Hah! And, oh we are definitely going to bed early. Have I mentioned leaving the house at 4:15?! Omg. Now, granted, I'm planning to have the kids packed & ready to go, and just pick them up from bed minutes before we're pulling out, but still. 4:15!

I would go for a couple/few hours - definitely. After lunch at WL I would take the boat over to MK, walk down Main Street USA and soak it in - take tons of pictures in front of the castle, and then wander over to Tom Sawyers Island. It is so fun to explore. The Disney details are awesome and you could spend well over an hour there. I think playing on Tom Sawyer's Island is a great way to help the kids get some exercise and be free after their day of travel. Then I'd take the raft back, find a spot on the curb and watch the afternoon parade in Frontierland. Then I'd follow the end of the parade over to Its a Small World and take a ride! After that you can hop on the Carousel for a quick spin and then head on back to your resort for a swim and early dinner. Maybe reserve a FPP but don't go overboard. Tired families do not make happy memories!

This sounds like a lovely plan. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, or where anything is, so this sounds like a great way to spend a first day.

 

[LisaCM614]

This sounds like a lovely plan. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, or where anything is, so this sounds like a great way to spend a first day.

This is exactly how we spent our first day of our first trip when my 3 kids were 5 & 6. We had to leave the house around 5AM that day too. We did eat dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table at 4:30Pm that day and we went right back to the Poly after dinner. The kids put their pj's on and we were all sound asleep before 9pm! The great thing was that they were totally ready to go the next morning.

 

[Arden01]

Since you are at WL, a few hours at MK seems okay. I would keep it an early night though. We had a 6am flight last summer and went to MK from 3:30-8. We were at the Beach Club. I pushed it with a 6pm Crystal Palace ADR and a FP+ for Jungle Cruise after that. My girls (9 at the time) were a wreck by 7 and wanted to leave during dinner. They had been up since 2am because they were too excited to sleep! They got super cranky and it kind of ruined the next day at Animal Kingdom. You know your kids best but if I had to do it over, I would have kept the day more relaxed. In our case, I should have done Epcot on arrival day since we were right there and left around 7.

 

[wdwpracticalprincess]

We have an obscenely early flight in, too! Arriving on a Friday at 9:40am, we are planning on taking it easy because we want to be in decent shape for Rope Drop the next day. After arrival, hitting First Watch (local fave, i think) for breakfast, Publix to pickup necessities, check in at offsite resort, pool for DD(8) and grandma, and DH and I head *straight* to Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at Poly. Grandparents and DD will meet up with us for early dinner (5:25pm) at Kona Cafe. I'm hoping we'll all be asleep by 8pm!

 

[Virtucomp]

I would not want to get all the way to WDW in the morning after an early flight and not go into one of the parks for part of the day. You know your kids better then we do so you can judge how late to stay out but at least visit one park. Maybe spend the time at AK since it is an early park and you will be able to use FP+ to get on anything you want once you get there.

We were able to see the welcome show at MK for the first time on our last trip. I told my wife after seeing the show I would recommend taking the kids(or grand kids) to MK at rope drop the first full day so that they see the show and then spend the day at the park. You could go to MK on the first day but then the welcome show would come after being in the park. MK is the only park with a welcome show now.

The other issue with MK on the first day is that your going to want to see the parades and fireworks but that would make for a late first day in the park. Save it for a day when everyone is awake and not so cranky.

 

[jsrj21]

My family and I come down from NYC and always take the earliest flight. We too have to be up by 3:00am but since we're going to WDW, it's all goooood. Are we tired, heck yea, but we usually arrive to our beloved CBR and our room may or may not be ready. If it is, we'll settle in, wash up a bit, and head to EPCOT [it's a tradition for us]. With FP+, I usually book some FP's for the 1st day and then we kind of wing it depending on how we feel. We might stay at EPCOT and watch the fireworks [which are earlier than MK] and then head home, or if we've somehow caught a 2nd wind, we'll even take the monorail over to MK and watch Wishes. My son is 19 now though so we don't have to worry as much about his age. When he was younger like your little ones, we just kind of played it by ear. I couldn't imagine not going to a park for a few hours on arrival day....

To answer your question, YES, I would book a few of your favorite rides at MK. Since you arrive in Orlando by 9:00am, theoretically, you should be in your resort by 11:00am. FP's starting at around 2:00ish I would say. Just my humble opinion. Have a wonderful trip!