Help with First Day!

[Janemall]

Hi everyone, I hope someone can give me some guidance with my first day schedule!

I have been to Disneyand many times before, but this is the first time with a large group and staying farther down the street.

Our first park day is Sunday December 4th, and we will be staying at Dolphins Cove. We have two 4 year olds with us, and 9 adults.

I made reservations at Plaza Inn for 8:10am on Sunday, and I see ART usually has a 7:15am bus. Will that be enough time for us to exchange our ticket voucher and get through the gate for dining reservations? I thought I read that there is usually a separate turn stall for early dining reservations. Is there one that it's usually always at, or is there a pretty obvious sign that I can't miss?

We're thinking about going to DTD for dinner the night before. Can we just exchange our ticket vouchers that night to save time?

Am I crazy to try and add a BBB package with the pictures the same day as a Character meal? If I do, what time should I make the reservation for?

Thank you!

 

[nikkislaght]

The ART from Dolphins Cove takes approx 5 minutes.. I would check the park hours that day for opening times , as that will effect the crowd at security at the time you want to get through.

Do the ticket exchange the night before,, less stressful..

I believe the first couple of gates are for the early morning entries ect .

cant help you with the BBB Q, never done it.. personally for us.. we wouldnt do two of those types of things in one day... it really does depend on what your plans are ..

Hope you have a great trip

 

[Nonsuch]

Our first park day is Sunday December 4th, and we will be staying at Dolphins Cove. We have two 4 year olds with us, and 9 adults...

There is Candlelight that evening. Some guests might be in line early to try and secure the few available benches. This should have no effect on your morning, just something to be aware of.

...Is there one that it's usually always at, or is there a pretty obvious sign that I can't miss?

There will be as sign above a dedicated entrance, you can't miss it.

 

[3princes+1princess]

I just wanted to say that we are staying at Dolphins Cove too and we plan on just walking to the Toy Story lot where we can just take Disney Transportation over to the parks for free. It is not super close, but I think worth it. The transportation starts one hour before park opening. We have a BBB appt at 8:10 am (park opens at 8:00) so I was happy to see they start so early.

 

[Darkbeer1]

No Way would I walk to the Toy Story Lot from Dolphin's Cove, and walk to the middle of the parking lot to just catch the ART Route 20 Bus for free. (Since the route is on city streets, it is run my the city, not Disney, Disney just pays the costs of operating it). The Mickey and Friends Tram is exclusively on a private roadway, and is run by Disney.

I would just opt to buy the basic ART pass and catch it near the Dolphin's Cove. (ART Route 1) at the corner of Harbor and Orangewood. (In front of the BW Raffles).

www.rideart.org

ART Route 1 starts at the same time as ART Route 20, and since you are on vacation, why not save some walking for just a few dollars a day?

 

[lcp9]

BBB with pictures/royal hall takes about an hour and 20 minutes, maybe a little less depending on how fast your kid picks out the dress and hair style. I usually try to book in the morning, earlier in the trip so my daughter has the hair all day, and the dress all week. I'm not sure I would book back to back breakfast/BBB our first day, but if that's what you think the kids will enjoy the most, why not? There's only room for about 2 adults per kid in the boutique, every one else can do something else, come back when it's time for the escort to meet princesses at the royal hall.

 

[Janemall]

The ART from Dolphins Cove takes approx 5 minutes.. I would check the park hours that day for opening times , as that will effect the crowd at security at the time you want to get through.

Do the ticket exchange the night before,, less stressful..

I believe the first couple of gates are for the early morning entries ect .

cant help you with the BBB Q, never done it.. personally for us.. we wouldnt do two of those types of things in one day... it really does depend on what your plans are ..

Hope you have a great trip

Thanks! I think ticket pick up the night before will be a must!

 

[Janemall]

BBB with pictures/royal hall takes about an hour and 20 minutes, maybe a little less depending on how fast your kid picks out the dress and hair style. I usually try to book in the morning, earlier in the trip so my daughter has the hair all day, and the dress all week. I'm not sure I would book back to back breakfast/BBB our first day, but if that's what you think the kids will enjoy the most, why not? There's only room for about 2 adults per kid in the boutique, every one else can do something else, come back when it's time for the escort to meet princesses at the royal hall.

My husband/daughter and I will have 5 day hoppers, but my sister in law and niece only have 2 days. Maybe we'll switch and do BBB on the first morning, and Plaza Inn on the second day. That way the girls will have their hair for two days!

 

[Darkbeer1]

What type of voucher do you have?

Most of them now have a bar code and state "Take directly to the turnstiles", if so, no need to go a day early, as you just get the actual ticket as part of the check in process on day one at the turnstile, where they take your photo. ask you to write your name on the ticket, and print it out right there.

Only if the voucher states to take it to a ticket booth/guest relations would I do it the evening before.

 

[Janemall]

What type of voucher do you have?

Most of them now have a bar code and state "Take directly to the turnstiles", if so, no need to go a day early, as you just get the actual ticket as part of the check in process on day one at the turnstile, where they take your photo. ask you to write your name on the ticket, and print it out right there.

Only if the voucher states to take it to a ticket booth/guest relations would I do it the evening before.

They're the Canadian discount tickets through Flight Centre. We haven't purchased our tickets yet, but I'll get someone else in our group to check.

Glad to hear we might not need to switch the voucher for tickets!

 

[Aladora]

They're the Canadian discount tickets through Flight Centre. We haven't purchased our tickets yet, but I'll get someone else in our group to check.

Glad to hear we might not need to switch the voucher for tickets!

You will have to go to the ticket booth to get the Canadian discount tickets since you have to show proof that you are Canadian. Definitely go the night before!

Edit: are these the new Canadian discount tickets that are 25% off or just the regular FC tix? I think the FC ones might have the bar code but the new Canadian discounted ones have to be exchanged at the ticket booth.

 

[NannyBeBe]

We always do the BBB early in the morning, then do lunch with the princesses at Ariel's Grotto. It has never seemed like too much in one day.

 

[3princes+1princess]

No Way would I walk to the Toy Story Lot from Dolphin's Cove, and walk to the middle of the parking lot to just catch the ART Route 20 Bus for free. (Since the route is on city streets, it is run my the city, not Disney, Disney just pays the costs of operating it). The Mickey and Friends Tram is exclusively on a private roadway, and is run by Disney.

I would just opt to buy the basic ART pass and catch it near the Dolphin's Cove. (ART Route 1) at the corner of Harbor and Orangewood. (In front of the BW Raffles).

www.rideart.org

ART Route 1 starts at the same time as ART Route 20, and since you are on vacation, why not save some walking for just a few dollars a day?

Thanks for the information for me to check ART out again. For our family of 6, it would save us over $20 a day (for 5 days) to walk the extra. We could drive and park at a DL parking lot cheaper than than paying for ART (though I think it would be more of a hassle).

 

[Disney_Alli]

You will have to go to the ticket booth to get the Canadian discount tickets since you have to show proof that you are Canadian. Definitely go the night before!

Edit: are these the new Canadian discount tickets that are 25% off or just the regular FC tix? I think the FC ones might have the bar code but the new Canadian discounted ones have to be exchanged at the ticket booth.

No matter what with Flight Centre tickets you'll need to go to the ticket booth. We just used them in August and the print out from them is basically two lines that say you've bought tickets from them. Definitely do the exchange the night before. HTH

 

[Janemall]

You will have to go to the ticket booth to get the Canadian discount tickets since you have to show proof that you are Canadian. Definitely go the night before!

Edit: are these the new Canadian discount tickets that are 25% off or just the regular FC tix? I think the FC ones might have the bar code but the new Canadian discounted ones have to be exchanged at the ticket booth.

Yes they're the ones that want us to show our passports