What Does Everyone Do Their First Night?

[WDWLVR]

We usually get a very early flight out of Chicago (7 am) which means we are at the resort by 11. Since the room usually isn't ready yet we go to a park (Epcot or Magic Kingdom - whichever is closest to where we are staying that trip). Once the room is ready we come back, unpack and relax. We'll usually head back to a park in the evening but don't make it too late a night. Since at this point we've been up since about 4 or 4:30 we like to make it an early evening.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

We usually arrive early afternoon. After unpacking, we explore the resort. Then it's always DTD. A little shopping and dinner. I like my kids to look and get ideas on the gifts they want to buy. We always go back towards the end of the trip to buy everything. I don't usually let them buy to much in the parks because I don't want to carry it. DTD is sort of a tradition with our family. We look forward to that starting our magic al stay.

 

[Northern Lights]

Chef Mickeys, ride the monorail loop, swim and then to bed!

 

[klmall]

Most visits we head right out to a park, especially if we get in before noon but this time we're taking our time to relax and enjoy everything.

We fly in on Easter Sunday and should be at our resort by 10:00 AM. My DH has never seen POFQ where we're staying so I think we'll explore a little and if we can get our room we'll settle in. If not, maybe we'll take the boat to Downtown Disney.

I have a PS at California Grill for that night and we'll probably ride the monorail at least once and get into the Disney "mood".

Can't wait!!!!!!!

 

[crazyboutWDW]

We always eat at Chef Mickeys, as another poster said it is sorta a tradition of ours too

 

[stahshee]

We usuually get in at 11am and we are very tierd. The kids usually slept on the plane but mom and dad no. So we unpack in our room get a quick lunch then go swim. Rest for a couple of hours and for dinner we do a chac dinner at a resort. and 4

 

[ashjohnson80]

What we're going to do on the first day is check out the resort, go swimming eat in the POP foodcourt for Dinner and then after getting cleaned up go to Disney Quest.

 

[jlowejd5]

The last time we went we hit the resort about 10:30, checked in, and immediately headed out ot AK. Skipping the Kali River Rapids, we had enough time to do the whole park (it was Sunday) before it closed. Back to the BC, a light dinner, and then to DTD. Spent about 90 minutes at DisneyQuest, and it was almost deserted. Probably not 100 people in the building, total.

Back to the BC about midnight. Long day? Sure. But well worth it.

 

[PrinceJohn]

Chef Mickeys, ride the monorail loop, swim and then to bed!

Are we related? that's our exact first night routine. However, this year we have decided to break tradition and head to MK Sat night. We all have ap's, so we are going to see Spectromagic. Since we're staying at Poly, we figure we'll get plenty of monorail time during the week.
8 more days!!!!!

 

[Texan]

Last trip we went to DTD and ate dinner, then took a bus to the Swan and walked over to the Fantasmic mini golf. It was a blast. Both DS wanted to do it again at the other mini golf but we never found time. We then took the bus back to DTD and had dessert!

 

[imatoad]

I'm fortunate, and am able to arrive early. We check in, then head straight to the MK, this gives us an immediate Disney mood injection. When the room is available, we get settled and then have dinner in Epcot. I love the anticipation of each element, arriving at your resort, your first monorail ride to the parks, your first swim at the pool etc. Even though you've done it many times before, it always seems new.

 

[Bride In The Attic]

In the past we've never had tkts for our first day so we've spent our time doing a loop on the monorail or playing mini golf...this year with MYW since there is only a few $$$ difference b/w a 5 day and 7 day hopper we're going for the 7 day and doing the parks on arrival and departure day...even if we only have an hour or two or just eat dinner it's well worth it...

 

[pepe of ohio]

Been for years, we ride the monorail around, check on the game room at the CR, no kids now but still do it. Take the motor launch over to Fort Wilderness around 8pm, Crockett's Tavern for the best pizza brought to ya and pitchers of beer till the Magic Water Parade makes it to FW beach. We even kept running into the same waitress about 3 years running there, and some years we were going to WDW, 2 and 3 times!! She remembered us and we remembered her. Called us by name and welcomed us back.

 

[Kaiya]

We've decided to go to Disneyquest the first night - if we have any energy after our long day that is
We'll have had a long day of travelling, so depending on how you feel when you get there you may want to just roam around your resort and get to know the ins and outs of it. Resorts are big - so I agree with the others - explore and enjoy being at WDW!!!

 

[Medic193]

We always go to DTD the first night. It is a nice way to get ready for the following days and it is pretty relaxing. Kids get to run around a bit, we stop at the ice cream store for a treat. Just a leisurely stroll around.

 

[ncbyrne]

We will be going to the pool at CS and later that evening going to HDDR.

 

[Jen D]

"First night" discussions always screw me up! I'm always so impressed by how much you guys pack into your first day I over schedule mine.

What I've learned the last few trips is no matter what time I arrive-- and I usually check in before noon- my family is usually so exhausted from travel and staying too late the night before to really enjoy a lot of running around.

My plan for next time is no plan, except for dinner reservations at whatever resort I stay in. Nothing else on the agenda but swimming and relaxing at the resort.

If everyone goes stir crazy and decided we MUST go to DTD or something then so be it but we won't plan.

 

[step4now]

well, I have two young kids, and on the first day I like to get settled in, take a swim, get a nice lunch, try to get 1-2 hr nap in, go to MK around 3-4pm and stay until fireworks. Then, on day #2, you don't feel so bad if you "sleep in" until 9ish and start your day! That first 1/2 day at MK just seems to take the stress out of "doing it all" in one day... we know we'll be back the next day! And, with Magic Your Way passes priced the way they are now, you don't feel like your "wasting" your daily ticket by only using it starting in the afternoon.

Step

 

[AJA55]

Coming for the Northwest we get up early and don’t get to the resort until 5 – 6 PM. We get to our room unpack Then go grocery shopping. Come back to the room, eat some of the snacks that we got for dinner, open the bottle of wine we just bought and sit out on the patio.

 

[swilphil]

In the past, we have just enjoyed the hotel pool, eaten a nice dinner and unpacked. This year with the MYW passes only being a few more dollars to go one more day, I'm considering hitting MK. We will be arriving at CR around noon, and we have a PS for Ohana at 5:30 p.m. If the kids (ages 2 and 4) are chomping at the bit, we may go to MK for a couple of hours in the afternoon and then again to see the fireworks at 8 pm. We're never able to see Wishes because our kids go to bed so early.