Unexpected park day- yes/no

[Jerzetta]

We arrive in a week and land at MCO at 2pm. We are meeting other family members around the same time so I figured by 3pm we would depart for POR. Original plan was to unpack, play at the arcade, maybe Downtime disney and an ADR for dinner.

Here is the kicker- we just got 4 free park hoppers for the arrival day. I have planned the trip out for months. Here is the original schedule.

Arrival. No parks
Sun: MK
Mon: MK. Celebrate DD bday
Tues: AK
Wed: HS
Thurs: rest then MNSSHP
Fri: breakfast Epcot and DD picks park
Sat: home

We are going to Epcot a few dinners and will play there at night.

So what to I do. Rearrange. I really wanted 1st day at MK and 2nd day is bday and has to be at MK due to ADR.

I was honestly thinking of just giving the tickets away. I know this is a great issue to have but since I am a planner it throws me into a tizzy.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I would do Epcot and eat there, so much easier then DTD arrival day. I saved a park day doing DTD arrival and if I had a choice I would rather be at Epcot.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We always do Epcot on that later in the day arrival day. We save MK for our first REAL day at WDW. We get settled in and head to Epcot for a few hours and sometimes Illumination. What we do, is when we arrive, we ask at the service desk what ADR we can get at Epcot, there is always something available. We have tried some really different places this way and it's fun! We mostly do WS and maybe one or two things in FW. We rarely do DTD anymore. It a pain to get there, and we end up spending a ton of money there. We much prefer a park, and free tickets would be a no brainer. If you choose not to go, maybe you can use the tickets the day of MVMCP and get into the MK a few hours early, or do a few hours in one park that morning and return back to the hotel by noon to chill.

 

[ktlm]

How old is your DD? My DD'(7)'s favorite park other than MK has always been EPCOT since she was 2 years old. It is a 2 day park for us. It doesn't look like you are spending any time there other than a breakfast? That is where I would head on arrival day. The only issue I have is it looks like your arrival is on a Saturday? With food and wine festival going on, EPCOT would likely be pretty crowded on a Saturday night. You say you are going there for a few dinners and to play around those, but the evenings EPCOT will be pretty crowded with Food and Wine, plus, there is a good sized convention (Gartner) in the EPCOT area starting Oct. 6, and while it doesn't affect EPCOT during the day, I've heard it can make WS really crowded at night. You could always go over that first day and see if you can do most of the FW things at EPCOT if WS is too crowded. MK is open until midnight that night and you said you had hoppers. If you think EPCOT FW is too crowded, you can always take the monorail over to MK and just soak up the atmosphere over there for awhile. We always do a park on arrival day- we think of it as bonus time.

 

[sb682]

I would go to Epcot and just wander around World Showcase for a little while and have a light dinner or hit some of the F&W booths. Don't go in with any plans or expectations, just enjoy the atmosphere. If it's too crazy, leave and relax at your resort. DtD is too busy at night for my taste, especially on weekends. We went the morning of our MNSSHP and took a break in the room before getting ready to leave for the night.

 

[whositsandwhatsits]

I love the Epcot idea!

Here's an idea if you want MK to be the first park up, but it may be too late to get ressies (I would call instead of book online for this b/c there may be an opening):

Go on over to MK and book the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party. What an AWESOME way to start your trip. I just checked and MNSSHP is not on for that night. Plus, than you could go into Tomorrowland and join in the dance party.

Also, if you are big into character meet and greets, this could take some pressure off in that you could get some pics taken and free up time later for rides (or vice-versa).

Have a blast!!! Sounds like an awesome trip .

 

[whositsandwhatsits]

I love the Epcot idea!

Here's an idea if you want MK to be the first park up, but it may be too late to get ressies (I would call instead of book online for this b/c there may be an opening):

Go on over to MK and book the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party. What an AWESOME way to start your trip. I just checked and MNSSHP is not on for that night. Plus, than you could go into Tomorrowland and join in the dance party.

Also, if you are big into character meet and greets, this could take some pressure off in that you could get some pics taken and free up time later for rides (or vice-versa).

Have a blast!!! Sounds like an awesome trip .