How has your Disney trip start routine changed?

[TiggerBouncy]

Pre-DVC, I stayed mostly in Value resorts (I did one time pay cash for Contemporary for my Honeymoon). I would catch the red-eye flight out of BWI - usually around 6am (which means I would be up at 3am). As soon as I touched down, I would catch ME to Pop, leave my bags at bell hop and go right to MK where my son wanted to ride HM.

After I purchased DVC, I still caught the redeye (still up at 3am), take ME to my resort and drop my bags off with bell services, but then I went to Epcot and generally my first thing I did was make a beeline to Via Nappoli in Epcot for a lunch - that was kinda my vacation "kick off".

Now I fly down planning to arrive at 4-5pm, take a limo / town car to my resort, put my bags in my room (hopefully its ready), have dinner at the resort and look forward to the next day.

How have your first day traditions changed over the years?

 

[Disneypapa]

My first reaction to the title of your post, was that you were talking about travel to WDW in general, not how first day travel itinerary has changed over the years.

With that said, as I have aged (now retired), my travel focus has been to travel internationally to Italy, China and Israel with plans for more international. I have a really long bucket list. My son and his family uses the DVC points every other year and what is not used is rented out. My WDW visits are limited and only for a few days for pre cruise and things like that. I do want to go to Hilton Head and visit Charleston and Savannah, so that would be an exception,

 

[bwvBound]

TL;DR: Our WDW travel was really about a conference. DVC didn't much change our patterns except as a response to secure lodging when the employer stopped covering our expenses. Our patterns took a huge hit when the conference ended.

Pre-DVC, mid-90's through 2004

• We would stay at either the Dolphin or Yacht Club (preferred) on Conference rates. In the later years, we started trading other timeshare into DVC Boardwalk Villas and eventually purchased DVC points to book BWV more easily.
• Work related travel ... so in the years when the employer paid for the travel (the hotel years) hubby and I would not be sharing a room with one another but with others as assigned by the employer.
• We would be gathering with some 20k of our “best friends” in the tech community. Oh, the anticipation!!
• We would fly out on the earliest flight leaving San Diego ... arriving MCO late afternoon (4’ish).
• Catch a Mears Bus to the hotel ... rush through check-in and dump the bags in the rooms.
• Immediately race to the Dolphin Conference Center for our event check-in process. Drool lovingly over the new backpack and its goodies in the Dolphin Rotunda (at the fountain) while gathering and catching up with fellow attendees. Compare badges and their “hidden meanings” (special colors, symbols ... telling us “who is who” this year!)
• March together to the Big River Grill! Such a grounded and specific kick-off!
• Busy week of conferencing!! Very busy ... 98% work, 2% play.
• The conference included one park visit for a few hours, late night on Wed, for a private party event. Spectacular! Spoiled us entirely for what a park visit should be like: small group, no lines, lots of free food and special entertainment. Basically, the park was the backdrop to the party.

With DVC, 2004 to present:

• Same as above until 2015, the final year of the conference at WDW. EXCEPT:
  • Now Hubby and I are in the same room together every year! We are in full control of our own room reservation and not at the whim of the employer's roommate decisions.
  • We are enjoying 1BR units and in better control of our dining choices (full kitchen!).
  • We are enjoying the jetted tub after walking ~8 miles/day around the conference venues.
  • We can pack a little bit less thanks to the in-room laundry!! Yeah!! (But still, we must pack both office-appropriate clothing for the conference and some vacation clothing appropriate for Florida in late January. Packing is still a chore for this particular mixed-use travel.)
• From 2016 forward: Meh. Do we want to bother with WDW? Why? Um, we have timeshare there ... might as well.
• Parks? What are these? Is this why people come to WDW? Yeesh, so expensive!!!!!
• Yeah, ok ... we’ll try them. Oh! This is more fun if we invite friends and family. (Found a reason to go to WDW!! A meeting point with friends and family!)
• No travel patterns established. We sorta stumble to WDW ... always by air but schedules stagger based on cheapest fares or free (reward) fares. Sometimes we arrive in the wee hours of the morning (red-eye) and sometimes very late at night.
• Over the years since 2016, we’ve developed a “need” for APs. If we go, my husband does not want to be restricted in any way. If he wants to walk from BWV to the monorail through Epcot, so be it. Entering and crossing through Epcot should not be a big deal. We aren’t really visiting the park ... just crossing it to reach the monorail. If we want to grab dinner at the (former) Tangerine Cafe (Epcot Morocco), so be it. Entering a park just to grab food shouldn’t have a barrier. So, APs were added to our visits just to erase barriers ... not that we are really big ‘park’ people?
• WDW? Take it or leave it. No big deal. Given Covid, we are increasingly shifting to “leave it.” I really have no desire to drive or fly cross-country for WDW these days.
• DVC? Also shifting to “leave it.” Never was either our favorite or most flexible timeshare.

Edited, 2/4, to add dates to the headings and to expand a thought in the "with DVC" section (see nested bullet points under the 1st main point).

 

[Sandisw]

I still try to get there as earlier as I can, but choose flights for price...and prefer the direct ones which are few here from Syracuse.

Depending on when I get there, we hit Epcot...if it’s at least if there by 4 pm. If not, it’s enjoy the pool with a drink,,,even if it’s just hanging there vs, going in,

The rest of the trip depends on who is there but one thing is that we no longer worry and just go with the flow, Its the best thing for DVC...we will be back so we see what we can and not worry about the rest!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Pre DVC we traveled every 2-3 years staying mostly in value and moderate resorts. Maximized our time by being in parks opening to closing. Fast forward we have a 5 year old and another on the way. We travel a few times a year, staying of course at DVC resorts and are much more relaxed with our time being that we always have a child with us and we go frequently enough we don't feel the urgency to fit as much in as we possibly can. We also rent a car now! Waiting for busses and holding a sleeping kid on a 20 minute bus ride while standing was the last straw for me.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I’m still blown away that a 6am flight is a redeye.

 

[gisele2]

We did not change over the years. Our routine is trying to catch a flight to arrive around noon, checking at the resort if possible, and then heading to EPCOT to eat at Tangerine café.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

We don't live in the most convenient city to fly into Florida, so taking the earliest flight out gets us to MCO by noon at the earliest. So every trip before now, we skip a park that day and go to a nice dinner, shop, take a walk, etc, instead of burning a park ticket on a half day.

This summer we are flying in a few days early, renting a car, and going to see some new things in Florida. Check in day we plan to be there bright and early to enjoy a full day in a park and will take a rest day mid trip.

 

[sethschroeder]

Depends mostly on when we arrive. I would always prefer to fly out the night before instead of the day of my vacation. Maybe in the future things will change.

• Evening flight (after work)
  • Plan QS dinner based on if things will be open
  • Wait for grocery delivery
  • Settle in to room
• Morning flight
  • Plan on hitting the closest park to the hotel (Epcot normally only stayed somewhere else once at AKV)
  • Grab lunch
  • Hit up Living with the Land (previously Maelstrom)
  • Then decide on evening based on wait times
  • Grab dinner
  • Wait for grocery delivery in evening
  • Settle in to room
• Mid day flight
  • Same as morning flight except already had lunch so straight to Living with the Land

I can see switching to Ratatouille after its open if ride waits are low.

 

[bakerworld]

When we had the kids the first day was hanging at the pool and hitting the parks early the following day. Once we aged out of kids trips our first day evolved into hanging at the pool bar until the room was ready.

 

[Castillo Mom]

We have a routine that we follow each trip. Being from the west coast, I book us a flight around 8:30 a.m. which gets us to WDW around 4:30 p.m. We‘ve taken multiple modes of transportation to our resort. We‘ve taken a limo, used ME several times, rented a car once (never again) and used the Minnie Van service last trip and plan on doing that next visit if they’re up and running, Upon arrival at our resort, we head straight to the room to freshen up and then have a sit down dinner at the resort. When staying at PVB, it’s tradition to dine at ‘Ohana and if staying at AKV, we have dinner at Boma. After dinner, we might go into the gift shop for our first souvenirs and then back to the room to relax a bit.

 

[vacay77]

My family and I are from the west coast, so we take an early flight out to Florida but the flight usually takes all day, so we arrive in Orlando late in the day. We then take the ME to our resort, check in, grab a quick dinner, then just try to unwind at the hotel. Then we head to the parks the following morning.

For DL, we drive since we live in Arizona. But even then, the drive usually takes all day, too. So once we arrive, we check into our hotel, then walk to Downtown Disney for dinner. Like our WDW trips, we head to the parks the next morning.

 

[Donna M]

In the beginning, our trips were one day, once a year, driving from the coast where we stayed with my parents. Then we bought DVC. Early on, when young with energy, we´d get early flights, 7 am out of Boston which meant awakening around 4 to catch a bus to the airport. When we got there we would spend the day at the pool. We never went into the parks more than twice a week. Now we fly out without having to get up early, and just enjoy a relaxing trip.

I think relaxing might be gone now. Next trip will have the grandkids, 3 and 4 year olds.

 

[heynowirv]

In the beginning, our trips were one day, once a year, driving from the coast where we stayed with my parents. Then we bought DVC. Early on, when young with energy, we´d get early flights, 7 am out of Boston which meant awakening around 4 to catch a bus to the airport. When we got there we would spend the day at the pool. We never went into the parks more than twice a week. Now we fly out without having to get up early, and just enjoy a relaxing trip.

I think relaxing might be gone now. Next trip will have the grandkids, 3 and 4 year olds.

wonderful, we are doing our first grandchild trip in December . she'll be 2 and 11 months.

 

[Donna M]

wonderful, we are doing our first grandchild trip in December . she'll be 2 and 11 months.

Our trip is Dec too!