What do you do on arrival day?

[KTMEMOMMY]

We will be arriving on a Saturday, flights getting in just before noon, so then shuttling and getting over to POP Century. We will be 6 adults and 5 kids, ages 6 and under.

What would you do with the afternoon/ evening when you first arrive? Use a park ticket and expect to do/ see much that first day? Or plan to just settle in at the resort, unpack, maybe swim and go to bed early to get a fresh start Sunday? Make a dinner ressie, or no?

Any thoughts welcome!

Thanks...Lisa

 

[juliana_sd]

It depends on your schedule for the next day to some extent. We had a late morning, slow-paced day planned (Epcot WS) plus we were on Pacific time, so on our arrival day we went to MK for a few hours in the evening.

I think a character dinner would way to kick off your vacation if you can get a time that works for you

 

[rebecca314]

We got to the hotel around 4 pm. Unloaded a few things in the room and then headed over to the Fantasia (sp?) putt-putt. It was a lot of fun and then we swam at the resort. Nice easy transition into vacation mode!

 

[tinkandpan]

it depends on the kind of ticket we have. If we have passes that it doesn't make a difference if we use up the day then we might head over to Epcot for a later afternoon stroll and something to eat. We also like to use our first night at DTD and just stroll around (lots of strolling )

 

[ERMama]

we are heading to dinner at boma and to stroll around AKL on our first night. (staying offsite)

 

[Princess Roo]

For us it also depends what kind of ticket. If the cost of adding the extra day is small (like difference between 5-day and 6-day), then we go to the parks. If it's high (like if we're using our 10-day no expiration tickets), then we do swimming plus Downtown Disney or dinner somewhere like Boma or Chef Mickey.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

My answer depends on how long you are staying but now the we have done several trips with DD, we definately plan a low key day for day 1. We like to hang out at the resort, swim, have dinner (as AKL they have storyteller that DD loves) and then we try to get to bed early so that we can start day 2 at the parks- refreshed! However, I should add that we are going for 9 days this year and have been several times. If you are only staying for 4 days or if this will be your one and only trip to Disney...I may go to DTD or hit the fireworks or something.

If you arrive in at MCO at noon, you won't actually be at POP til probably 1:30ish. Then budget 1/2 hour to check in. Your room may be ready (ours always was ready early at POP). So say another hour to get to your room, settle in, fresh up, change and head back out to the bus stop. That takes you to probably 3pm. POP to MK (furthest park from POP) is about a 1/2 hour drive. If you have to wait for a bus, you may not be at a park until 4pm. I don't know if I would "waste" a day's ticket to enter after 4pm (again not a huge price difference if you are staying more than 4 days)

 

[moparop]

On our last trip, we let the kids take naps when we first arrived and headed to the park (MK) around 3. We did a character meal (Liberty Tree Tavern) that night and headed home early from the park.

 

[HeatherMo]

We will be arriving on a Saturday, flights getting in just before noon, so then shuttling and getting over to POP Century. We will be 6 adults and 5 kids, ages 6 and under.

What would you do with the afternoon/ evening when you first arrive? Use a park ticket and expect to do/ see much that first day? Or plan to just settle in at the resort, unpack, maybe swim and go to bed early to get a fresh start Sunday? Make a dinner ressie, or no?

Any thoughts welcome!

Thanks...Lisa

I would either go 2 downtown disney or make dinner reservations (maybe get the kids hair done @ bbb)or maybe you could ride the monorail 2 the contemporary and watch the fireworks.you could just go swimming,but you will all be very excited and will be ready 2 do something exciting!

 

[coolbeans]

we are driving from nc so upon arrival we are crashing in the room for a bit, then heading to DTD for dinner at Raglan Road. We are stopping at the outlets on the way to the hotel to do some shopping before anything else!!

 

[Jack&Ryan'smom]

I like to save the first full day to go to a park. Our 1st day we explored the resort, got settled, took showers and headed over to the AKL for dinner at Boma. After dinner we then explored the resort...which is beautiful...I just love going to all the resorts...while there at night we got to use the night vision binoculars to watch the animals!! It was totally cool and the kids had a blast!! When then went to bed semi-early so we could be up early for our opening ADR's at Crystal Palace!!!
Happy Planning!

 

[eeyoregon]

We usually get checked-in and explore the resort if we haven't stayed there before. Sometimes we take a swim. Then we head for DTD and stroll around and eat there. The kids always have to eat at DTD McDonalds .

 

[purvislets]

Last year we arrived at about 3pm on a Friday. We decided to head to Downtown Disney and just window shop and eat.

This year we'll have seasonal passes so we may spend a few hours at the parks because it won't cost any less. If we didn't have that option then we'd probably hang out at Pop or go to DTD.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

When we go in December, we will be landing @ 9.45am (we will have to be up and out of the house by 4.30-5am!!!), so we will have more than half a day there with traveling to the hotel and such. We will probally have no choice but to go to a park since our rooms will probally not be ready yet, but once they are, I plan on going back to them because we will have DDs 2 & 4 with us. I don't want to ruin our frist full day in WDW because we ran them ragged the day before! Just go at the pace you think your family will be comforatble with and you'll be fine!

PS - We HAVE to see Mickey on our first day - it won't be Disney without a Mickey spotting!!

 

[nifferdo]

We are arriving at MCO aroun 10 am and heading to POP. Im hoping that we are checked in by 1230 and that the room is available. If it is, we will settle in and hang around until our 530 reservations at 1900 Park. We will head to dinner and then go the Magic Kingdom to watch the spectromagic parade at 9. Magic Kingdom is open until 1200 am this day, so maybe we will do some EMH, depending on how tired we all are!!!

 

[Magic Mom]

We like to unpack, take a swim, and then head to DTD to shop and eat. Gotta hit Ghiradellis! add in some monorail riding and resort hopping and its the perfect start to a Disney trip.

 

[sardanem]

Our flight should hopefully get in around 2 pm, so I figured we would check in at POP, swim, rest and explore and then head over to Chef Mickey for dinner. I thought having dinner with Mickey our first day there would be a great start to our vacation.


Lisa

 

[averysmom]

We land at 2:15 - so I figure we'll get to the hotel by 4-4:30 to check in.

We always go to DTD, eat at Wolfgang Puck's Express, stop at Goofy's Candy co for the kids, dh and I get a iced mocha frap from Ghiradelli's (OMG AMAZING) we shop a bit, then head back to the hotel for a swim and then straight to bed!

 

[santa's surpriz]

We always do Chef Mickey's @ Contemporary Resort our first night. It is a nice way to kick off the week!