What to do at 4pm?

[buzzriders]

We are taking a flight from New York @ 11:46 on June 24(Friday) which means we should arrive at our Hotel(AKL) @ around 4-4:30pm. We will have a car so location wont make a difference. We did not buy tickets yet so no park or park is still a decision. We were thinking of going to see fantasmic but still open to any ideas!! TIA!

 

[marriedmarylander]

How long are you staying for? Are you debating which tickets to buy based on if you go to a park the first day or not?

We arrive at MCO at 12:30 and plan to go to MGM. We're doing the shuttle service so who knows how long it will take us, but hopefully we can be at MGM about 3PM.

 

[weluvpluto]

Unless you're buying an AP, I don't know if I'd use a whole day's admission to go to the parks for a few hours. By the time you get into your room and get to whichever park you'd choose, it may be after 6:00 or 7:00.

 

[ErinInCT]

I would not waste the money to go to the parks that late in the day. There is plenty to do! Take your time unpacking, explore your awesome hotel, go to the pool. Go to HDDR or Chef Mickey's for a fun way to get into the Disney spirit. If you have kids there are a lot of fun things to do in the evening at Fort Wilderness. You can eat at Trails End & then go on a hayride, then do the campfire sing-a-long with Chip & Dale & then watch a movie under the stars! If you go to Chef Mickey's you can ride the monorail (be sure to ask the CM to sit up front with the driver!). Go to bed early so you can get up early the next morning!

 

[Pedler]

It depends on how many days you are planning to get park tickets for. If its 5 or more days without the day you arrive you may want to consider going to the parks if you want to. I know that for our family it is only an extra 4 dollars per day for all four of us to add on extra days after the 5th day. (We got a MYW package). For only 4 dollars it was a pretty simple decision to add the extra days admission to the package and go to MK for just a few hours on the day we arrive.

That is one plus of the new ticket pricing. If you are on the bubble about what to do on arrival or departure day and you are staying for 5 or more days the additional cost for adding a day at the parks is almost nothing.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Unless you have an AP, I wouldn't buy a ticket for the parks for just that evening. Your date is later in June and on a Friday, so you know the parks will be busy. Instead, you might venture over to check out Ft. Wilderness then go to Hoop-dee-doo. Another choice might be to tour the monorail resorts, ending with a meal at either O'Hana (check out the fireworks and water parade) or Chef Mickey's. DTD is yet another option. My dh likes to have a meal and go to the movies. La Nouba is there, also. There are so many alternatives to an evening in the parks!

 

[buzzriders]

We are staying from June 24 to July 1(but not going to the parks). I figured it out not too be much more money. I thought we could see Fantasmic, Wishes or Illumination because we wont be as tired and we could eat in the park we choose!

 

[JDarling]

I LOVE that "arrival 1/2 day"! I leave it open and keep a look out for any nighttime entertainment I want to see. I usually end up having a lesuirely dinner and enjoying whatever parade or show I want to see on this "unplanned" day.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I agree with Pedler. If you have enough days already, adding one more is only a few dollar extra, of course you can always add an extra day on to your ticket if you want to once you get there - you just have to add the extra day before the original 14 are up. You can also add the no exp. option, too. At 4 pm...exploring AKL is a fun thing to do (remember, they have that storyteller at the fire), Downtown Disney is a fun thing to do, Disney Quest is a fun thing to do (Esp. for the guys), you might consider PI if you are all adults, and there is the Boardwalk, too. It also depends on the park hours at the time of your visit - if it is an EMH night for one of the parks, I'd go to that park. If not, going into the World Showcase at Epcot is another great idea, and it feels wonderfully decadent to go in just for a dinner (dinner, the Norway ride, and Illuminations). I'm not a heavy drinker, but treating myself to a single fruity cocktail before dinner the first night is a real pleasure - and a way to signal that hey, I'm on vacation! So if you decide that you aren't up for a park - just having a cocktail (and it doesn't even have to have alcohol) by the pool while the kids swim before a nice relaxed dinner is a nice, relatively inexpensive way to start a vacation. Of course you could also go resort hopping, too - Make a PS for dinner at another hotel, then go early to explore. If you go to the Poly, GF, Contemp. or WL, you could maybe see the electric water pageant that night, too - and it is free.
Also, if you are only going to Disney, and you will have a car, the first night is also a good night to explore Orlando - I-Drive is something to see!

 

[buzzriders]

Does any one know when Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic start? What time does the Electric Water Pagent(sp?) start at each hotel?? Once again we will be Going in June!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Look at the Disney web site calendar for the best info. Otherwise, they will give you a better update when you check in, though you may have to ask about the EWP.

 

[weluvpluto]

Does any one know when Wishes, Illuminations, and Fantasmic start? What time does the Electric Water Pagent(sp?) start at each hotel?? Once again we will be Going in June!

Illumunations is usually always at 9:00
Fantasmic was at 9:00, with some 10:30 last June
Wishes was at 9:00 or 10:00 last June.

Electrical Water Pageant:
Polynesian Resort -- 9 p.m.
Grand Floridian -- 9:15 p.m.
Wilderness Lodge -- 9:35 p.m.
Fort Wilderness -- 9:45 p.m.
Contemporary Resort -- 10:05 p.m.
Magic Kingdom -- 10:20 p.m. (only during extended MK park
hours)

Note that when the Magic Kingdom Fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m., the Electrical Water Pageant runs about 7-20 minutes later

 

[MagicalMom]

We bought tickets for our extra day, it was only $3.00 more per person. Not often you can get into Disney World for just $3.00.

 

[TimothyG]

We're going to be arrive at Disney at around that time on a Sunday so we decided to go to the park. Like MagicalMom said, it is just a $3 or $4. In fact, if you get Magic Your Way tickets + park hopper + magic plus pack, you will see there is a $1 difference in 4 of the tickets. 3-4 days for $1 each!!

Anyway, I would personally go to the Magic Kingdom and ride some of the big rides or go to a park with the 3 extra hours that night and do what they have to do. Or if you'd like, go to DTD.

 

[buzzriders]

Thanks!! I think we are going to go to MGM, eat somewhere and then see Fantasmic. Any suggestion where to eat??

 

[TimothyG]

Depending on your budget...

Recommendations:
50's Prime Time Cafe ($10-$45 a person) (Best restaurant at MGM, according to Birnbaum's)
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater ($10-$45 a person)
Toy Story Pizza Planet (<$10-$20 a person)

Finally, I think there is a Fantasmic Dinner area too but I'm not sure about it, so another person may be able to help you.

 

[buzzriders]

Thanks!! We have actually eaten at everyone of thoes places and LOVED them all!!!! We were wondering if there were any other good places to eat. (i should post this question in the other fourm)Any other suggestion to do once we arrive??

 

[sskem96]

The Fantasmic Dinner Package is available at 3 different restaurants, Hollywood and Vine being the cheapest. It is 22.99/adult and 10.99/kid. I just made my PS today for 4/9 and I got to choose any time between 4pm and 6:30pm. It's a buffet, and they give you a voucher to sit in a reserved section for Fantasmic so you don't have to stand in a line for 2 hours waiting to get in. You still have to be there at least 30 min before showtime though. Just make sure when you make your PS you tell them you want the Fantasmic Dinner Package, otherwise you will just get a regular PS and won't get the voucher for seating. The voucher is "free" after you pay for the meal, so if Fantasmic gets cancelled for any reason, there's no reimbursement.

 

[buzzriders]

That a good idea!! Do you know where about the seats are??

 

[DebIreland]

Hiya,

We're also arriving on June 24th from New York!! Spending 3 days there before Orlando (can't wait!).

I just wanted to mention that if you're interested in the Fantasmic dinner package you might need to book it a.s.a.p. I tried to get it today for June 25th or 26th and it was full. Having said that, I was off the phone when I realised that I had only asked for Hollywood & Vine and forgot that it might not have been booked up for the other 2 restaurants. I could kick myself. It could have been a fluke. I'm not sure if it's normal for it to book up this fast. Anyway I'm going to try again tomorrow.

Have a great trip!!