POLL: what do you do on yor 1st day in DW?

[disney ready]

I am always curious as to how other famlies spend their 1st day at DW? We plan on arriving around 3:00. we'll check in, hopefully and probably take in the sights around POR. That evening we have PS at Chef Mickeys. I think this will really be a blast for my little ones, including myself Maybe check out the electrical water parade or just browse around the other resorts. I am just soooo excited I can hardly wait.

 

[Deah]

Our first night may not appeal to most but to us it is a blast!! We do not have children sooo.... On the first day we will go get groceries and arrive at the resort around 4. Boardwalk. this will be on a Sunday. we plan to get a bunch of brochures to plan out our week and sit in and read over them... order pizza, and have some beer. (hopefully whie overlooking the boardwalk if we can swing that view. We may go down and watch the fireworks at epcot......from the boardwalk and then check out some of the entertainment on the boardwalk. We use this day to get in vacation mode and plan a very loose itenerary of what we want to do that weeek.. Breath in the air of the boardwalk and just relax.

 

[lizfromfl]

I usually arrive in the mid-afternoon. I check out the hotel,
unpack and then go to Downtown Disney for dinner and
shopping.

My first full day at Disney I always go to Magic Kingdom...

 

[Deah]

lizfromfl

We do too!!! Our first whole day we always go to magic kingdom and we like to go on our last also!

 

[heidihiden]

I agree, start if off where it all began. the magic kingdom is great. Can't wait to go back....

 

[phyllis1966]

On our last trip in October, we arrived in Orlando at 10:30 am because we wanted to have as much of the day as possible. We checked in and had lunch at the GF Cafe - it was wonderful and will become our new tradition! We then went off to the MK, which we feel is a great place to start the vacation!

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

My last few trips I've arrived late at night, so my first day has consisted of getting to the resort from the airport and sleeping!

If I arrive at a decent time, I usually check in, drop things off at the resort, and head off to MK!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

In the past we have gone to Downtown Disney. This year I think we will just lay around the pool and eat a pizza or something at our resort. We'll get up early to do MK the next morning

 

[Trish5768]

We always check in, get settled, swim a little and then have dinner at Chef Mickeys. It has become a tradition, we love it!

 

[Virgo10]

One Word



EPCOT



As soon as I can drop my luggage and grab a bus, I'm there. Depending on the time of day, I might have lunch first at the Electric Umbrella and watch the fountain. If it's too early or mid afternoon, I'll just watch the fountain for a while then go ride TT.

Because I'll be there during the F&G show, I'll probably check out the displays for a while. But, sadly, after several hours my adrenalin will wear off and, after watching my fountain for a few more minutes, it will be back to the hotel for a rest.

I start and end every trip to WDW at EPCOT.

Roberta

 

[poohangel]

We will be arriving at about 4 or 5 on a Friday night, so I thought we would go to MGM eat at 50's prime time and maybe catch Fantasmic if it is showing that night.

poohangel

 

[kdibattista]

We normally check in early (9:00am or so), hand out at the resort, grab some lunch at the food court and then head over to Epcot for the rest of the day. We end our first night with Illuminations.... what's better

 

[tidoublegger]

This time, we'll arrive at around 2:30p and have PS at Rainforest Cafe for 5:30p. If we can get our luggage & rental car quickly, we'll check in at the hotel and hopefully have some time to poke around Downtown Disney before dinner. Then we'll be at MGM early Thu. morning! Only 48 hrs to go!!!

 

[shovelhd]

Our inbound flight got pushed back four hours so we will be arriving at 11:30am or so. Drop the bags at the desk and let them know we are here. Get some lunch and hang out on the Boardwalk. People watch. Go swimming. Rest. Then off to the HDDR for 7:15!

 

[monalsw]

check in at the ASMusic, grab a bus and head for MK!!! we spend the first day there and cap it off with a nice dinner, like ohana's or cape may, before heading to dtd marketplace til closing!

we have to see as much as we can the first day, just makes it sink in that we're there!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

If we get there before noon, we grab lunch and head over to MK. If it's after noon, then we stay at the resort, swim and have dinner at Chef Mickey's. Watch the Electric Water Parade and ride the monorail.

 

[jjohns]

Usually, we're getting to Orlando around 1 or 2. Things we've done...

1) Arrive and get all organized - get groceries, get upacked, get passes, get park maps & schedules, just relax at the resort.
2) While DW is getting groceries (!) take the kids into MK just in time to see the parade as it circles in front of the train station. Then a few rides.
3) Once we did arrive much later (about 6 pm). That time we checked in and immediately went to the pool for some unwinding!
4) Wander around the BW, stop at the Bakery, then to the pool.

Of all of those, I personally liked getting to MK and seeing the parade the best. Definitely a mood-setter! We had annual passes for that trip, so didn't worry about 'wasting' a park day on such a short visit.

Some things I would like to do:
1) Dinner and see the MK fireworks
2) Dinner and watch the water parade

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

For the second trip in a row, we'll be headed to MNSSHP shortly after arriving. What we do prior to that depends on whether we're able to get a decent fare on a non-stop from the Twin Cities to Orlando. A stop at a Publix right off of 4 will probably be included. I would love to stop at the Nike outlet, but DW might veto that! We also drove through Celebration on the way from the airport to WDW starting our last trip.

Does anyone else avoid MK the first day? On our 2000 trip, the kids weren't real impressed with EPCOT on day 2 having been to MK on the first night.

 

[jjohns]

Does anyone else avoid MK the first day? On our 2000 trip, the kids weren't real impressed with EPCOT on day 2 having been to MK on the first night

We have usually made MK a Day 2 thing. AK is usually Day 1.

Two exceptions:
1) Went to MK on arrival day, saw the parade and a few Fantasyland rides. More of a 'whet your appetite' than a 'day at the park'. This was wonderful. Seeing the parade, the characters and the castle was so much fun.

2) ONCE we went to MK on the first full day of a trip. I (personally) hated it. On top of it all we also moved resorts (did a money-saving All-Stars night on arrival before moving for the full week) so I didn't feel 'settled'... My backpack didn't have the right stuff, didn't have my water bottles, etc etc. I don't think it made the rest of the parks a 'letdown', but I didn't feel 'ready' for MK. I'm going to put this into a 'NEVER AGAIN' category!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Originally posted by manchurianbrownbear
Does anyone else avoid MK the first day? On our 2000 trip, the kids weren't real impressed with EPCOT on day 2 having been to MK on the first night.

I agree with that, especially if you have little kids. You may want to work up to the MK and go later in your trip. It was my DH's first time at WDW and I wanted being at MK to be the "grand finale" of the trip.

As far as crowds, going to MK on the first day is not always the best idea, especially if you arrive on the weekend. Most people arrive on the weekend and have that same idea, making MK crowded.