Need ideas for Arrival Day. What do you do?

[bop28]

We will be staying at POR and would like to get some ideas on what others do on their first day. If we get there in the afternoon, we don't want to use a day on our tickets for just 1/2 a day.

 

[Gomez Gang]

On our first day we usually arrive in early afternoon as well and I never use up a park ticket either.
We usually unpack, lay by the pool and go somewhere neat for dinner.

One year, we went to O'Hana for dinner. It is located in the Polynesian hotel. It is an all-u-can-eat family style dinner that is fantastic! Flame grilled pork, turkey and/or steak & shrimp with lots of polynesian sides that the kids really liked. Best of all, there are various activites that happen while you dine. There is a hula hoop contest, a coconut race and lots of laughs. Make priority seating reservations before you go.

Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary is a favortite to do too! It is a buffet meal and here you get the characters too! It's a great way to start a Disney vacation because you get a little one-on-one time with Mickey, Pluto, Chip, Dale, Goofy and my favorite--Minnie!!

You can always check out a restaurant on the Boardwalk, then stroll the board walk, watch the entertainers, rent a surrey bike and watch Epcot's fireworks from there too.

Remember to get an early night in so that you can hit the parks with full force in the a.m.!!

 

[inmyis]

My DW and I plan on arriving at Pop around noon. We then plan to chill by the pool and explore the resort. We plan on seeing the 5pm Hoop Dee Doo show, then heading over to the Polynesian to watch the Water Pagent at 9pm. This will give us the Disney feeling and have us ready for MK the next morning.

 

[ncbyrne]

We will be arriving around noon for our trip coming up in Nov. We'll ride a loop on the monorail and then stop at one of the resorts for lunch. Then spend some time exploring the monorail resorts/shops before heading back to swim in our resort pool. On other trips we have taken the monorail loop, then get off at the Contemporary, take the boat to FW and rent a boat and drive around the lake. FUN!!

 

[RobinMarie]

You have a few options with POR ... If it were us arriving we'd plan on unpacking then going the swimming hole. I'd be pouring over information given to us during checkin.

We'd walk around comparing the Masions to the bayou. It is during these walks I make a mental check lists on photo spots. At POR you have the butterfly garden, gazebos and bridges to use in your photos. In reality, we'd also spend more time than I'd like looking at the ducks and armadillos.

Dinner at Boatwrights followed by a boat ride to DTDisney!

 

[newholiday]

grocery stop, checkin, WL pool, get settled in our VWL 1B, boat to Contemp, ride monorail?, Chef Mickey's dinner, fireworks, EWP, Downtown Disney?, WL bar?

This can be a late night as we'll sleep in Sun morn since thats the night of MNSSHP and we wont be using a park hopper day

 

[mbb]

dinner, then DTD!!

 

[bubba's mom]

This is what we did:
Arrived ASMo appx. 11:00am. They had a room ready for us, so we went there and quickly took photos of the room before we "trashed" it with our belongings.
Then, to the food court for a bite (we'd been up since 4:45am)
Then, to the grounds to explore and take pictures...we did, afterall, pay for atmosphere!
DH & DS were then hot and tired, so I let them nap for about 45 minutes.
Then, off to DTD. Shopping and a (cheap) bite for dinner at McDonald's there...nice to just shop and wander around.
Back to resort for quick dip in pool and then EARLY to bed....busy day the next day!!
Everyone is different, but I wanted to post what we did. May give you some ideas what to do....or NOT do!! Have fun!!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Just like most everyone said...I check out the hotel...and the pool!! You can check out the other hotels too...and if you have kids, go to FW and check out the campfire with Chip and Dale and a movie You'll enjoy the relaxing part of your trip just chillin' at the hotels

 

[Hockeychic]

This time. We will arrive at MCO at 11AM get rental car and head to Daytona Beach for a few hours. Come back and checkin to POP. We decided to go to O'Hanas for dinner then come back for a early night as we are hitting Busch Gardens the next day.

Now is the weather is icky we will head straight to POP check in and then checkout the resort and hit DTD after dinner again at O'Hana's.

Have fun!!!

 

[Amirah95]

We check in early, unpack, sit a little, go to Walmart and check out DTD and get ready for MK the next day on the first day. Nothing much!

 

[bubba's mom]

Originally posted by Hockeychic
This time. We will arrive at MCO at 11AM get rental car and head to Daytona Beach for a few hours. Come back and checkin to POP. We decided to go to O'Hanas for dinner then come back for a early night as we are hitting Busch Gardens the next day.

Now is the weather is icky we will head straight to POP check in and then checkout the resort and hit DTD after dinner again at O'Hana's.

Have fun!!!

That trip to Daytona and then back....isn't that a lot of driving when you've just endured a long flight from Canada?? I was wondering because my BIL lives just south of Daytona in New Smyrna Beach. You could always fly into Daytona airport....... just wondering.

 

[hokiefan33]

What, no going to the parks on your arrival day? What are you thinking? We typically arrive mid to late afternoon (between 2 and 4) after about a 9 1/2 hour drive, and by the time we get there, we are so ready to go to the parks that staying by the pool or just visiting DTD wouldn't suffice! If I told the kids we couldn't go to the MK until the next day, I would be killed! Seriously though, we're all ready to get to the parks and enjoy some of that Disney fun as soon as we arrive, no waiting for us. Picture this: this July I went to bed on Saturday morning at 1 AM, got up at 2:30 to start driving, had made it to Disney by around 2 PM, unpacked, got situated, were on a bus with the wife and kids by 3:30 to the MK, and stayed there until 10:30 to see the parade and fireworks. We made it in bed by 11:30. Now that's a first day! But we wouldn't have it any other way. Of course, we all had UPH passes, so it wasn't like we were "wasting" a day, which I guess you might have to consider if you only had Plus passes, but I can't imaging not setting foot in the MK on your first day!

 

[GQQFY]

I personally would consider walking aroung Downtown Disney (it's great in the evening!) catch a dinner in one of the many restaurants. (there's a restaurant for everyone's budget if you look around) and then go see Cirque Du Soliel's "La Nuba!" Amazing show for all ages!

GQQFY

 

[GQQFY]

I personally would consider walking aroung Downtown Disney (it's great in the evening!) catch a dinner in one of the many restaurants. (there's a restaurant for everyone's budget if you look around) and then go see Cirque Du Soliel's "La Nouba!" Amazing show for all ages!

GQQFY

 

[ErinInCT]

We too will want to do the parks asap!! We're planning to go in time for the afternoon parade, then run over to the Harmony Barber shop to get dd1's 1st haircut & pixie dust for dd4's hair. Then we're going to see Cindy's Surprise Celebration & Belle's Storytime. I figured parades & shows are a nice way to start a vacation so we'll save the rides for the next day! After that we'll hit CP for dinner with Pooh & then watch Wishes. Yes, it's only a half day but with little ones we can't do full days anyway so I don't feel like I'm wasting my money. Just PLEASE DON'T LET OUR FLIGHT BE DELAYED or all of my plans may be ruined!

 

[ddisney333]

We check into our room, take a little nap and get ready for our PS at Chef Mickeys. We dont want to waste a half day on our hoppers. Take a trip on the monarail after dinner and head back to our resort.

 

[DiaDeGuadalupe]

We'll be getting to the resort by 11am, so we'll check in and jump on the bus to AK. It doesn't take that long for us to get through that park, so we can come back, unpack, and then probably hit up DTD for dinner

 

[dopeys biggest fan]

If you don't want to use up a park pass, I suggest checking out your hotel, hang by the pool, and then catch a bus to DTD! It gives you the disney feel without using a park pass. There is something to eat for everyone and tons of cool shops. Make sure you check out the Lego store!!! Way Cool!!

Have fun~

 

[Amirah95]

We don't like wasting a half day on a PH either so we explore our resort, do a little grocery shopping, hit the pool and sightsee around DTD the first day. We're early birds when it comes to themeparks so getting to a park in the afternoon would be a drag to us.

On the other hand, my sister and her family drop everything after check in and run straight for MK.

So, for the original poster...what do you have in mind for your first day?