What To Do On Day One?

[captJack88]

We are driving down from Mi in april,and have about 15 hrs of driving one first leg of trip and about 5 hrs on the second leg. So if all goes as planned you should arrive at WDW around 10 am on friday morning. What should we do that day? Since we can't check in until 3pm, we need to have something to do on day one. I was planning on DTD until check-in, and then just relax around the pool, but my DW wants to go into a park at least to see the fire-works, and I hate to waste a day of the 5dph just for that night, so any suggestions for things that are not too stressfull for a DH and 3 DC that are road fatigued?
THANK YOU

 

[B'rer Karen]

Are you staying at a Disney resort? If so you can check in when you get there, you just won't necessarily be allowed in your room yet (although sometimes you can get in early if a room is available). You could go and lounge by the pool immediately, if you like, and then check every hour or so to see if your room is ready, and once it is you can get settled. If your wife wants to see fireworks, but you're not planning on being in the parks all day, I agree it is a waste of a day off your park hopper. You could do dinner at Ohana and then go down to the Poly beach to watch the MK fireworks. Or you can plan dinner at the California Grill to coincide with the fireworks and watch from there. Just a couple ideas.

 

[The_Disney_God]

Go somewhere, then come back to the hotel and you get tired, check in and take a nap.

 

[roadtripper]

After all that driving, I'm all for the nap idea, too, but you could also take the resort monorail, get off at the monorail resorts for a bite or some exploring, and time it to coincide with Wishes. We drive straight through from central MA and never go to the parks the first day-- we just crash so we'll be ready for the next day! Have fun!

 

[kevind65]

no matter what time you arrive at disney, you can go ahead and check-in...They may or may not have your room ready yet, but, go ahead and check-in...they will hold your luggage for you if the room's not ready yet( im assuming you're staying on property)....as far as what to do: if you feel like you don't want to "waste" a day on your PHP, there are several things you can do: relax at the resort pool(you can do this immediately), resort hop, check out Ft. Wilderness, play miniture golf, as the earlier poster suggested, you could have dinner at O'hana and watch the fireworks from the restaurant or down on the beach at the poly...you can also view the electric water pageant from the beach....or you could do the character dinner at Chef Mickey's at the contemporary and watch wishes afterward....

 

[mathgeek]

Also consider going over to the Boardwalk - lots of fun things to do and good restaurants as well.