What Does Everyone Do Their First Night?

[JeffnFl]

If I arrive early, I try to make the most of it and start hitting the parks. For my next visit, my SO is flying in and we won't get to the park until the late morning, most likely. We will check into the CR first. I have P.S. set up for lunch at the Kona Cafe (she recently went to Hawaii and is now a Polynesian fan, though Polynesian food is not all that appealing me to, so thank God for the Big Kanuna burger). After that, it is to the GF and the spa for a surprise couples massage and, for her, a facial. After that, back to the CR to dress up for dinner at the Cali Grill in time for the fireworks. If there is sufficient time between first arriving and lunch, we will hit the MK, otherwise we will go exploring; maybe rent a boat and tour the lakes; lurk around the monorail station and try to hitch a front seat ride; ride the boat to the WL to look around, etc. The following day I will probably need crane to hoist her out of bed she will be so tired (she has been working a graveyard shift in California, so her internal clock will be way out of synch), but I am sure the Disney magic will quickly lift her spirits.

Nine more days!

 

[klj27]

We usually arrive on a Saturday afternoon. After checking in and unpacking we go to Goodings to stock the fridge. Next, we go to the 6:00 mass at Mary Queen of the Universe Shrine. That's always a nice way to start a vacation and it teaches the kids a good lesson. After Church we go out to dinner and try to get to sleep early for our first park day.

This year we will be arriving on a Sunday. I think we are going to try Ohana's for dinner on arrival night.

 

[Fourfigg]

I love this topic. We are driving down to WDW which is about a 10 hour drive. We are leaving on a Friday and drive about 6 hours and then the rest of the way on Saturday. Hope to be at AKL by 10ish. I heard it is best to check in early for the better room views. At first I was thinking we would just hang out at the hotel all day and swim and then head to Disney Boardwalk for dinner at Flying Fish Cafe. I have made PS reservations. But now I am thinking we may head off to a park for the evening. Suppose we will take a family vote.

 

[simzac]

We play a round of golf at fantasia fairways and watch both Fantasia and Illuminations fireworks. Helps set the mood for the rest of the week.

 

[Cindybell]

Our first night will be at RPR at Universal. We won't get in until around 9-10 PM so if we even get a swim in we will be lucky. When we check in to POR it will be after a full day at the Universal Park so we will probalbly just relax and have dinner.

 

[ksoehrlein]

Last trip, we unpacked, DD and I took a quick swim, then the whole family went to 1900 Park Fare for dinner. DS was cranky, so DH took him back to the room. DD and I have APs, so we hopped the monorail and got to MK just in time for Wishes.

 

[sherry8253]

It depends on when we arrive - if it is early enough we go to the MK. Someone I feel like I haven't arrived at Disney until I walk down Main Street and see the castle. If it is late afternoon, we head over to Epcot for dinner and if we aren't too tired, stay for Illuminations.

 

[kelscross]

We usually get in around 11am or so and then unpack if the room is ready. If not then we grab some lunch and either go to DTD or to a park, wherever the girls want to go at that time.

This year we are going to HDDR in the evening.

 

[katter24]

I guess it all depends on our arrival time....we usually stay at an Epcot resort and therefore go to Epcot on our first day.....this time, because we are staying at the Dolphin, we are thinking of going to MGM first then going to Epcot for the evening and to watch illuminations.....but who know what the mood will bring......I also feel like I have finally arrived home only when I have walked down mainstreet at MK and see the Castle.....can't wait.....

 

[valleygirl]

The plan for our upcoming April trip is a mid-day check-in at the Poly followed by an afternoon exploring the resort and enjoying the pool. We then have 6:00 pm priority seating for O'Hana's and then we'll watch wishes and the electrical water pageant from the beach. I can't wait!

 

[CharityLynn]

Our first trip was last Oct. we got in pretty late (8pm) so we just explored our hotel (Boardwalk)

But this year we are going to be getting there around 3pm, our plan is to explore the hotel (Yacht Club) then head over to MK for The MNSSHP.

Can't wait!!!

 

[ms.ojo]

Take the towncar svc and do a grocery store enroute to the hotel. Once at the hotel we usually head to the pool. Dinner options have varied. First trip we did dinner at Chef Mickey so ds would be familiar w/ the chars. Subsequent trips we usually eat at the resort then head over to DTD for a little shopping at Lego & World of Disney. Top it off w/ a Ghiradelli sundae and back to bed around 9.

 

[bdcp]

Downtown Disney. Lego Store and just walk around. Go to bed early and get up ready to hit the parks. We don't grocery shop cause I'm on vacation and we eat every meal out. So, we have dinner somewhere before DTD and just relax. It's our vacation.

 

[yusinskas]

The first thing I have to do when I get to Disney is ride the monorail. If we're not going to the parks that day, then I visit the GF, Poly and CR and have dinner in one of these hotels.

 

[mhingher]

In the past, we would relax by the pool or spend some time in DTD... This time we're taking the advice of another DISer, and we'll be eating dinner at Chef Mickey's... nothing too crazy after dinner, b/c I want to be at the MK first thing next am!! (We're arriving next Saturday, 3/5)

 

[slk537]

We almost always fly out of St Paul/Minneapolis around 7:00 am so we are leaving the airport with luggage and rental car by noon at the latest. We check in, grab lunch somewhere and hit the grocery store to stock up for the week - a trip to Publix and now SuperTarget is a tradition. The evening is spent getting our refillable mugs and exploring the resort. Recently, we have tried to make PS for whatever restaurant is at the resort - this coming trip is Cape May Cafe, as we're staying at the Beach Club Villas.

Mainly getting into the spirit of being at WDW is our main agenda.

 

[GrannyEv]

If you get there early enough you could go to one of the resorts. On one of our trips we got to our resort at 9:30 am and headed to Wild Animal Kingdom. The next trip didn't get us in until 2:30 in the afternoon. We got settled into our room, looked around the resort (ASM), had some supper at the food court, took the bus to one of the theme parks to connect with another bus to Port Orleans Riverside, where we jumped on the boat to Downtown Disney. Was a nice relaxing way to spend our first evening there.

 

[teammom]

We have walked across the street and played miniture golf. That is great fun!!

 

[Twende]

Last year we flew in about 1 PM and we got settled in our Resort. We went to Coronado Springs and had a great dinner at Pepper Market. We walked around that simply lovely resort and then hopped a bus to AKL.

We were told that we would need to go to AK first but the bus was empty so the driver took us right to AKL. We explored that resort and looked at the anmials and took some great photos! From there we went to AK and got a bus to WL. It was another beautiful resort and we enjoyed our time there. We walked to the boat docks and from there we could see part of the fireworks from AK. We boarded a boat and took a lovely ride over to CR and explored again.

At the CR we boarded the monorail and did a few loops on it and we got off at MK and took a bus back to PC. We made a mistake in this move because MK was closing and the lines for the buses to the resorts were horrid! But we made the best of it and met lots of neat people and had fun cheering with the crowd when buses finally started coming really fast! We headed to bed and got a great nights sleep!

This year we arive a bit later but we will have a car at our resort(CR), provided by the other couple in our party. We are driving to AKL and walking around a bit, checking things out for a future stay! From there we will go to AK and just take a brief look into Rain Forest Cafe and make sure that the noise level there will not bother one of our group. We have a PS there( on another night) and I just want them to understand how crazy and animated and of course fun that place is!

From there we will head to Coronado Springs and have dinner at Pepper Market. We will most likely walk around there and then head back to CR and get a good nights rest!

 

[corrinna]

I have been to Disney 3 times and never planned the first day. As a matter of fact my ds and I just go with the flow for the whole week. That is really what vacation is all about!!!! One year we went to DTD and another time did the resort thing for the evening. The last time we went we went to Winter Summerland minigolf, then stopped McD's for ice cream.

I am sad on one hand that we do not have spring break this year, so we have to wait until June for another first night at WDW. But at the same time, we do have the Friday and Monday off Easter weekend. SSSSSOOOOOO I surprised my son with a VERY quick trip to DISNEYLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only 26 days until we get out of Ohio!!!!!