What do you like to do on arrival day

[AutieMom]

Hi all. What do you like to do on arrival day if you’re not going to the parks? Anyone have any traditions?
We’ll be arriving on a Sunday late afternoon but we aren’t going to parks until Monday.
Thanks

 

[elvispursley]

We tend to hang by the pool and then head to DS for dinner and some early shopping!

 

[TinkAgainU]

In California, we eat dinner and walk around Downtown Disney. In Florida, I assume Disney Springs would be the same sort of thing. Allows you to "shop" without using Theme Park time, just enjoy the music and ambiance. But don't wear yourself out if you're doing rope drop the next morning. Every step adds to feeling rundown at some point lol. We like to explore the resort the first day too - in Florida we are arriving late, so a glass of wine at the pool or on the patio feels like a nice transition. Last, if we can we grab maps of the theme parks and use a fine magic marker to let everyone mark their "favorites" so we have a vague idea of a walking overview.

 

[scrappinginontario]

This year there is the option for resort guests to enjoy a free water park day. That’s our plan although historically it was Disney Springs yet head to bed early.

 

[DisneyMom93]

We normally arrive late so we just wipe down everything with Clorox wipes and unpack and if it’s not too late just get dinner and look at the resort shop.

We usually arrive on Friday night and don’t go to the parks on the weekend. We do Disney Springs on Saturday and the resort pool / relax on Sunday so we aren’t really looking to fit anything in on our arrival night.

 

[TioAdis78]

Hi all. What do you like to do on arrival day if you’re not going to the parks? Anyone have any traditions?
We’ll be arriving on a Sunday late afternoon but we aren’t going to parks until Monday.
Thanks

We wanted to take advantage of the free water park day but we got to Disney on the very last day of fowl weather about two-ish weeks ago, so it wasn’t even open! It was two cold to swim at the resort pool, which is what we would’ve done on a normal weather day, maybe take a walk around the hotel grounds and maybe hit the food court. This year we stayed in the room and caught up on our sleep, which was actually not that bad!

 

[nherbert]

We arrive very late at night, so sleep after 20 hour flight is priority. We do get up early next day and have a half park day.

 

[stevelle]

We usually drop our bags with bell services and then head to a park for the rest of the time, but our flight is only three hours. We once arrived at akl at 9pm and then went to Epcot for evening hours. It was super hot that summer and to be there for just a few hours with the sun down was fantastic. We don’t worry about using a day of park entry because when you start adding extra days the extra cost isn’t that much, but we also now have annual passes (but we didn’t at that time). We might try the water park in March now.

 

[Rory607]

We typically let the kids swim, get dinner and take it easy so we’re ready to go the next day. Considering the water park on arrival day for our next trip, but I’m not sure yet. If the weather isn’t good for swimming, probably Disney springs.

 

[kwdw]

Hi all. What do you like to do on arrival day if you’re not going to the parks? Anyone have any traditions?
We’ll be arriving on a Sunday late afternoon but we aren’t going to parks until Monday.
Thanks

No traditions when not going to a park on arrival day. Everything from DS, resort pool, monorail resort hopping, a TS dinner at a resort, mini golf, and simply reading a book and early to bed. It really depends on how the whole trip is laid out and length of stay.

 

[AutieMom]

Thanks everyone. Flight gets in at 5:30 and we’ll have a 9 month olds with us. A little dinner and a nice drink around d the resort sounds fine by me. We have a theme park room so maybe the fireworks and early bed time. We dont have that many days but I had thought about the Boardwalk maybe

 

[Cfabar1]

We tend to arrive in the mid-afternoon when doing a long stay... Usually no parks, get the room ready relax, visit the hotel lobby, maybe the pool, and go to a nice dinner the first night. This year the waterpark thingy might change that...

 

[slo]

We always go to Disney Springs on check in day - we never deviate from this. Before we do some shopping though, we stop at POFQ to get our beignets - gotta fuel up for our shopping spree - LOL!

 

[gharter]

Previously, we usually go to Disney Springs for a while, get a drink at Georges. Next year, we are thinking about the free ticket to the water park.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Previously, we usually go to Disney Springs for a while, get a drink at Georges. Next year, we are thinking about the free ticket to the water park.

I believe at this time the free water park day has only been announced for 2025. Have you heard differently?

 

[Ss77]

We always take the earliest flight out from nyc. We love to stay at the Epcot resorts, drop our bags at bell services and head rt to Epcot thst was always our tradition. But now with the water park offer this will probably change My son and husband are so excited to blizzard beach (hopefully it’s open).

 

[gharter]

I believe at this time the free water park day has only been announced for 2025. Have you heard differently?

my mistake, I meant this fall when we return.

 

[kwdw]

Thanks everyone. Flight gets in at 5:30 and we’ll have a 9 month olds with us. A little dinner and a nice drink around d the resort sounds fine by me. We have a theme park room so maybe the fireworks and early bed time. We dont have that many days but I had thought about the Boardwalk maybe

With 9 month olds - DEFINITELY just get the resort, have dinner at the food court, and settle into the room. Yes - adults can pick up a drink. I always judge that I will arrive at the resort no less than an hour to 1.5 hours (depending on luggage/transportation needs) after the plane arrives. So - you could easily really just have time for dinner and getting set up for bed. Make sure the two littles have time play a bit in the room so they are more comfortable with their setting and more likely to sleep!

 

[tguz]

We drive and usually arrive early afternoon. We usually go to Icon Park and ride the Orlando Eye which gives great views of the area, do some shopping at the outlets, then check in to our resort. We usually head to DS Springs to eat and back to the room fairly early.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We drive. Go directly to resort and unpack. Depending on the time, may explore resort a little. Usually go to dinner at DS or a different resort. Either way, end up at DS to walk around and shop for a while.