Need advice on how to plan arrival day

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We have an early morning flight scheduled to arrive at MCO around 10am on a Sun morning. We figure with Magical Express and check in that we should be settled around 12 noon. We will most likely be more than ready to eat by then and will have lunch at the food court (we are staying at Pop). As for the rest of the day we don't have anything planned. We don't have any ADRs scheduled for our arrival day either. Any advice on what we should do for the rest of the afternoon and evening? Although going to MK would be nice, we aren't sure if going there in the afternoon when the heat and crowds are at peak level is a good idea (there is also EMH at MK that night). HS has Fantasmic that night as well. Since we arrive early that day I think it would be a waste not to spend at least a few hours in a park, especially since we have 7 day park tickets. I know we are all going to be excited to do something; but we don't want to exhaust ourselves either since we will have to be up early that day for our flight in. Thanks

 

[christine*]

I would eat lunch at POP after checking in, and if rooms are ready, go back to the room and take a nap and unpack because you'll probably be tired from traveling. After everyone is well rested I would go to the MK EMH at night. I always want MK to be the first park I go to on any trip, but that's just my presonal preference. I see some of your kids are young. With kids that age I would just play it by ear on how they feel and how tired they are.

 

[hart6066]

I find that our kids, 6 and 9, aren't tired once they're up--you'll just want to go to bed at a reasonable time. If it were me, I'd drop the bags at POP (probably 50/50 that your room will be ready), grab a quick snack to tide the kids over, and head over to MK! Just remind the kids that you probably won't be able to do many rides, but you might be able to see a parade or do more low key attractions (ride the train, Main Street shops, Tom Sawyer island). You could either have lunch at a CS at MK, or you could take the monorail over to Poly and have lunch at their CS.

If you do a light lunch, you could do an early CS dinner at MK and then head back to POP early to swim and go to bed early. MK can still be a lot of fun even if you can't get on the big rides--I would definitely head over but just have the right expectations.

 

[bfamily5]

We are sort of in the same boat. Our flight will arrive around 11 am, as it did last trip. My kids and DH will be way too wound up to do anything other than a park Our plan is to check in (if we can) or store the bags and head straight to HS. We have an early ADR (4:30) at 50's PT..We know going in that the park will be crowded and the FP's gone so we are going to focus on the sit down shows, then F!. We want to get that done so our first real rope drop day at HS will be a non F! day, less crowded and more enjoyable

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I just realized I put this post in the Disney Restaurants forum . Well, I guess I could make this thread "restaurant" related then . Since we don't have any ADRs scheduled should we eat a counter service lunch at a park or just stick to having lunch at the resort? I'm reluctant to make a dinner reservation anywhere because I don't want to make a commitment for our arrival day just in case the flight is delayed, or if there are issues with Magical Express, or if we are just plain too tired at the end of the day. Also, do you think a Sun pm EMH day at MK would be too crowded to start our first day there? Thanks

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I would eat lunch at POP after checking in, and if rooms are ready, go back to the room and take a nap and unpack because you'll probably be tired from traveling. After everyone is well rested I would go to the MK EMH at night. I always want MK to be the first park I go to on any trip, but that's just my presonal preference. I see some of your kids are young. With kids that age I would just play it by ear on how they feel and how tired they are.

This sounds like a practical plan for our arrival day. Have lunch, nap or swim, and head over to a park when the afternoon crowds and heat go down a bit. Can someone fill me in on what a Sun night EMH day is like at the MK? Thanks

 

[Quin]

Personally, I like to go to Epcot on our first day and not arrive any time before about 3 pm, so long as Epcot does not have evening EMH (if it does, avoid it like the plague - WAY too crowded).

My thinking is that by mid-afternoon the crowds from FW have dispersed into WS, and everything except Soarin' and Test Track is as low of a crowd level as you will get all week. To walk in to Epcot and literally walk right on to Spaceship Earth is how I LOVE to start a Disney vacation. When you get off, take the time to play with all the games and simulators in the exit area. Then maybe go spend some quality time at the Seas and really enjoy the aquariums. Again much less crowded than in the morning when everybody is pent up in FW, before WS opens.

I also don't like to make ADRs for our arrival night (seems like it's just tempting fate for a big fat flight delay), so dinner might be at Sunshine Seasons or take-out CS back in WS while watching a street show or a band. Finish off the evening with an ice cream and the 9 pm Illuminations and you're back at the resort at a fairly reasonable hour. Then the next morning you can head to MK for rope drop!