Suggestions please!!! Park rearrangement

[7beasley]

Hi All -- heading to WDW 9/13 till 9/20. Landing in Orlando at 9:30am on Sat 9/13 and had originally intended to go to Blizzard Beach that day - just found out that BB is closed on weekends in September (annoying and ridiculous - but that's another matter!)

Here is my diilema - it is just me and my husband going (both 30) - its our third trip there since Sept 2000 - we plan to do one full day at MK, AK, MGM and EPCOT (and we have therefore bought a 4 day hopper pass) - we are also doing one full day at IOA and one full day at Universal.

We were thinking of upgrading our 4 day hopper pass to a 5 day pass - but (and I know some of you are going to think we are crazy) - we don't want to do an abbreviated day at WDW - we like to show up on that one day and spend the whole day there and have it be wonderful and we are afraid that a 1/2 day at (most likely) MK would ruin that "Magic" for us. We have the same feelings about doing a 1/2 day at one of the Universal parks as well.

So what do we do on arrival day Saturday? We thought about Sea World but my husbnad thinks that is a long day and we will already be tired since we got up to fly that morning at 4 am - we have been to Typhoon Lagoon before and therefore REALLY wanted to try BB -- so now my husband is saying lets just hang by the pool all day (our PS at California Grill are not until 9pm - I am still trying to get those earlier for 8 or 830pm).

My thoughts are if we are going to hang by the pool anyway - we might as well go to TL....

Any other thoughts, ideas or suggestions - we really don't want to waste the day but at the same time we don't want to start out are vacation by killing ourselves (meaning maybe we should take that 1st day easy since we will have been up since 4am and won't be in bed until at least 11pm) so that we don't enjoy the rest of our week.

PS our plan for the rest of the week is Epcot (Sun); Universal (Mon); AK (Tues); MK (Wed); IOA (Thurs) and MGM (Fri).

Thanks in Advance
Nicole

 

[XStAnt]

Hello Nicole,

No offense, but I think your fear of losing the "magic" by only having a partial day is a little silly. If your plane lands at 9:30 you could be checked in at your hotel by 11:00 and at a park by noon. That's plenty of time to "feel the magic". Since you've both been many times before it's not like you'll be rushing to see everything, etc. I think it would be different if you couldn't get to a park until 3:00 or 4:00, but you have at least 8 hours (?) in a park. More time in the parks = more fun.

However, if you don't want to go to a park your first day try DisneyQuest. Rent a boat at one of the resorts (not sure if you need to be a resort guest). Tour all the resorts. Play mini golf. Go to a water park in Orlando. Shop at DTD.

 

[7beasley]

XStant - thanks for the suggestions. I knew as soon as I posted it that we did not want to do a 1/2 day at MK on our arrival day that people would disagree with us and think we were weird - but it is something that my husband and I feel so strongly about -- for us - we really think it would change our experience to show up on day 1 and do a few attractions and then leave and come back later in the week.

To each his own I guess. Your ideas are good ones though and I appreciate them.

Thanks again!

 

[Rajah]

I think for me it really depends on what time you could get to the park. Getting there by noon, you'd definitely have enough time to be able to experience the magic. Really, you'd only be short 3 hours. When we go, it's not unusual for DH and myself to sleep in on mornings and not get to the parks until noon-ish anyway.

But, if you don't want to do that (and that's totally fine), there are *lots* of other options. You could resort-hop and check out the other deluxe resorts if you haven't seen them. Go to Downtown Disney for some shopping or to visit Disneyquest. Hop over to the WinterSummerland Mini Golf near Blizzard Beach, or the Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf near the Swan and Dolphin. Hit the Boardwalk for some entertainment and shopping. Rent those little 2-person boats and spend some time on the lakes. Isn't there a trail ride over at Fort Wilderness? Run down to Animal Kingdom Lodge, grab lunch at Boma's, and watch the animals for a little bit. Go catch a movie at Downtown Disney. Hit Typhoon Lagoon as you suggested.

Lots of options.

 

[SnowWhite33]

7beasley, we always arrive early and NEVER go to a park on the first day for the exact same reason you are giving. We get checked in and then head straight to the monorail for the traditional ride around and then go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast. We then head to DTD and DisneyQuest. In the afternoon we head back "home" for a swim, usually a nap (also up at 4am), and get ready for dinner. There is plenty to do without using a day's admission and relaxing by the pool is the cheaper (free) alternative to TL.

Have fun, relax, you're at Disney!!