How to spend our "off" day/hotel transfer day?

[Kacie]

Hi! We are going on our first family trip to WDW at the end of April 2014. So excited!

Us: Mom, Dad, DS5, DD3, DD7 months

Hotels: Art of Animation 3 nights, then Wilderness Lodge 4 nights

We are trying to think of how to spend our time on our transition day, when we check out of AoA and check into WL.

I'm thinking sleeping in a little bit in the morning would be good, maybe a swim before check out, I dunno.

What should we do with our time before we can check in at WL at 4 p.m.?

Ideas:

- Character meal (I'm so-so on this, because my big kids are nervous about meeting the characters. They are excited to see them from afar but they may not be into seeing them up close. We'll find out -- but I'll need to make a reservation soon, ya know?) I'm also so-so on it because of the excitement, they may not eat very much. Lotsa money for them to not eat much!

- Something at Downtown Disney? But what?

- Anything to consider at Wide World of Sports?

- What about spending time at WL before check-in?

We won't have a car. I'm just a bit stumped with how we should spend our day. I would prefer to stay out of the parks for that day to give us a little break, but also since we won't be able to go "home" to the hotel mid-day.

Thank you!

 

[kmb584]

You can check-in prior to 4pm. There isn't a guarantee that your room will be ready but the room assigner will do everything in his/her power to get you into a room before the stated check-in time. Once you are checked in they'll send a text message with your room number but in the meantime you can explore your new home for the coming 4 nights.

If it were me I'd sleep in at AoA, check-out, check-in at WL then explore the resort, go for a swim, and head to DTD.

Hi! We are going on our first family trip to WDW at the end of April 2014. So excited!

Us: Mom, Dad, DS5, DD3, DD7 months

Hotels: Art of Animation 3 nights, then Wilderness Lodge 4 nights

We are trying to think of how to spend our time on our transition day, when we check out of AoA and check into WL.

I'm thinking sleeping in a little bit in the morning would be good, maybe a swim before check out, I dunno.

What should we do with our time before we can check in at WL at 4 p.m.?

Ideas:

- Character meal (I'm so-so on this, because my big kids are nervous about meeting the characters. They are excited to see them from afar but they may not be into seeing them up close. We'll find out -- but I'll need to make a reservation soon, ya know?) I'm also so-so on it because of the excitement, they may not eat very much. Lotsa money for them to not eat much!

- Something at Downtown Disney? But what?

- Anything to consider at Wide World of Sports?

- What about spending time at WL before check-in?

We won't have a car. I'm just a bit stumped with how we should spend our day. I would prefer to stay out of the parks for that day to give us a little break, but also since we won't be able to go "home" to the hotel mid-day.

Thank you!

 

[clanmcculloch]

Pack a pool bag that you keep with you when you have your luggage transferred to WL. Sleep in, have a hearty breakfast at AoA, and wander around getting pictures in all the "lands". Hop a bus to MK to catch the boat to WL and check in (or take a cab to avoid seeing a park or catch the first park bus that comes and catch the WL bus from that park). Go down to the pool, put on your swimsuits in the changing room by the pool, and hang by the pool until the text comes in saying your room's ready. You could even book a lunch ADR at WCC timed for when you expect to get over to WL and then swim afterward, or book a dinner ADR at WCC for after you're done swimming and get into your room.

 

[squirrel]

Skip the swim at AoA and check in at WL. You can go swimming there as soon as you have checked in even if your room isn't ready. Make sure you have a bag packed with some clothes in case your room isn't ready.

If you don't feel like swimming right away, I would go to DTD and then head back to WL and go for a swim.

 

[Kacie]

Thanks! I like the idea of swimming at wl instead. Didn't think about how we'll need to take two busses to get there. I suppose we could bus over to DTD for a little while, have lunch, shop, and go to wl from there

Definitely wouldn't want to connect at MK, they would be so sad not to go in ASAP.

 

[Holly Quinlan]

I would explore WL, sit by the fireplace!

 

[jimandami]

Another option to pass time if your room isn't ready is to head over to Ft. Wilderness on the boat. There is a ton of stuff to do over there!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'd make that day a park day. Check out of AoA, head to a park, check into WL. That way you aren't just sitting around waiting for the room to be available.

 

[Kacie]

My concern with it being a park day is just running ourselves ragged. We'll be there Tuesday-Tuesday, and the switch day is Friday.

Plus, not having a hotel mid-day might be a challenge.

I suppose we could just do a park, but a really slow pace and only for part of the day.

Lots to think about!

 

[GAGirlInVA]

If I was set on having a break day, I'd choose either the day before or after and make this switch day a park day.

 

[jimandami]

If I was set on having a break day, I'd choose either the day before or after and make this switch day a park day.

I agree with this. I would make the day after the move a break day so you can swim at the WL, maybe check out Ft. Wilderness, or take the boat over to the Contemporary and check out the other monorail resorts.

 

[Kacie]

Is there a park that might be easier to do without a mid-day break? Animal Kingdom, perhaps? Or?

 

[tina.tina]

I think your day off should really be a day off with nothing to do but rest- not worry about not having a room to rest in.

Personally, off the top of my head, I would get up late and go to Epcot that day because you could spend a lot of time indoors at The Land, The Seas or Innoventions if it gets hot mid-day (we went in April).

AK seems really humid to me with not a lot of places to go in and cool off.

Ride the monorail back to TTC/MK and take a boat to WL. At the age of your kids, they will think the boat is another ride. Mine were so excited to ride the boats and the monorail.