What's the first thing you do upon check-in?

[kirstenb1]

Mix an adult beverage and bring it to the pool, or buy one down there.

 

[David Brent]

first thing after check in....go to the room.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Honestly if you don't want to waste a park ticket, I'd definitely go to Disney Springs on your arrival day. Great way to start your vacation if you ask me. So much to see and do there.

Me personally, im coming from Toronto so the flight is short...I always book a morning flight so I have plenty of park time on arrival day. I toss my bags in the room quickly and head on over to either epcot or mk right away. I don't waste any time.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Fall asleep. I'll have used online check-in, my bags will be waiting for me in my room, I will have spent most of the day at MK and be ready for sleep by the time I make it back to my room.

 

[rosiebean]

Exactly. For the ~$12 to add an extra day to a multi-day ticket, it's worth it even if we only spend 3 hours in the park that first day. We usually spend about 4 or 5 hours in the park, but I wouldn't even be upset if we were only there 2 hours for that price. Now, if we arrived late in the day (after dinner) or had to deal with a multi-hour time change, I would probably just hang out at the resort and rest. But since we aren't in that situation, we think it's well worth the ~$60 investment for our family to spend a few hours in a park on arrival day. It's a nice way to ease into the vacation.

This is exactly how I feel. When possible (if I buy my flights before my tickets and know when I'm arriving), I go the day I arrive. Even a few hours to get a head start on rides is worth it, IMO. Two years ago, I went solo my first afternoon to MK...and, being that I was a party of one, a few days out, I was able to get the FPs I wanted including the Dwarf Mine Train.

 

[Meshell2002]

Staying off property here, we usually arrive early and drive in with our own car. If we arrive before check in time we go to Disney Springs, sometimes we eat at Earl of Sandwhich, then we hit the grocery store on the way to the condo and swim at the condo until bedtime while one parent unpacks.

 

[A State Of Autumn]

So tell me, depending on where you are in the world, would you go to one of the parks on the same day you arrived? I'm coming from the west coast of Canada, so it takes me about 7.5 hours to get there not to mention being up very early in the morning and at the airport for two hours before my international flight. I don't think I could see myself going to the park on the same day I arrived - I'd be exhausted! Plus, I only typically get a 5-day pass, and it would be a shame to "waste" an entire park admission getting to see only half the park, on a day that I could be catching my bearings. In addition, there is a 3 hour difference from YVR time and MCO time... when I land at MCO, it'll be nearly 04:30 PT!

I'm the same as you, come from Australia but typically fly in from another US city - our check in day is never our first park day. We flew in from DC last time and the guy next to us on the flight was heading to the parks, he was saying his tradition is to go straight to the Magic Kingdom and ride Pirates.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Check for bed bugs then put on Stacey while we unpack! Then find the restaurant, get refillable mugs and tour the resort. We usually don't arrive until the evening and we're exhausted from a long travel day so it's a low key evening.

 

[Jaimie1911]

The first thing we always do is grab lunch at the food court. Depending what time we arrive we'll either head over to the Magic Kingdom or settle in and get some rest for the next day.

 

[Jupiter&Wolfe]

Every single time I've ever arrived at WDW, with the exception of one trip, it's been at night. I absolutely prefer it that way. I never sleep well the night before I leave, and I think airport travel is stressful. I don't even have a horribly long travel day usually, flying from MA I can get there in 3 hours or less(one year I had a long layover which sucked, but still got there within 5 hours). But all the resorts at Disney are so extensive and stimulating, I find that arriving at night and getting to explore the resort all lit up is a wonderful way to start the trip. Plus, you get the ME bus almost all to yourself or with few other people, and the resort feels much more empty with all the little ones in bed already. I Grab a bite to eat and check out the room, find all the hidden nooks and crannies, talk to some of the CMs(I love the first day getting to chat with them, always puts you right back in the mindset of that 5 star service!). I've never stayed at a resort twice and don't intend to anytime soon. Love a new experience every time! And I don't like to overextend myself at the beginning of the trip.

The one time we did arrive during the day was after a 4 day Dream cruise. We got to POR midday, and it just felt less magical. There were people EVERYWHERE, checking in, checking out, the pool was packed. We got some food at the food court and relaxed at the room until we hit MNSSHP that night. We had a blast and felt rested enough for that evening, but I never felt like I got to explore the resort in its entirety over the next couple days. We walked around some but I never got to dedicate a good few hours to seeing all the little details. A little off topic, but not only will I try never to arrive at my resort during the day again, but I do NOT recommend cruising BEFORE the land portion of your trip. We were in such a boozy, cruisey, laid back state of mind, that we felt tired during the last leg trying to cram in a lot of WDW in 3 days. Loved the cruise, overall was a magical vacation, but I would definitely do it different next time.

 

[Shughart]

I plan to arrive between 2-4. I like to get to the room, unpack and then head to Disney Springs!

 

[happymommy]

We almost always arrive in the morning, so typically will drop our carry on bag off a the bell services at the resort (if the room isn't ready) and head to Epcot.

My next trip, for the first time we're landing at 3pm. At first DD said she still wants to go to Epcot, but since our room will be ready by the time we get to All Star Sports, I want to deal with our luggage myself so I can unpack, settle in, get my grocery delivery received, so by then we'll likely be hungry. I may let her go swim while I unpack, but she usually will lay on the bed and read or rest (she needs a lot of rest, so vacations are where she can get her 12 hours in without waking for school). This trip I think we'll just get something to eat at the food court, then if she wants to swim, I will make a mixed drink (bringing vodka and rum in my suitcase, protected by wine diapers I got from Amazon), and relax and watch her swim.

I wouldn't want to get back to the resort after Epcot at 9 or 10pm and still have to unpack! I like to settle in.

 

[monorailsilver]

If we go right to our room my DH does this:

First thing we do is go to the room, get out the travel flashlight and check the bed for bedbugs. Then we'll head out to the parks and start takin it in.

If our room isn't ready, put on our bathing suits, get our mugs and head to the pool!

 

[Farro]

We have to change clothes! Coming from Chicago in late October, we usually arrive wearing jeans and jackets. If room is ready, we go there. Otherwise we keep summer options in carry on bag and do a quick change in the bathroom (this year I'll probably wear a summer dress with tights, then only have to take off the tights in the bathroom), leave everything with bell services until room is ready and go to whatever park is closest until the room is ready. Used to be Epcot because we stayed at Beach Club every time, but this year will be Magic Kingdom because we are staying at Polynesian!

 

[michellelovesthemous]

We come in from Seattle either on a red eye and land at 6am eastern (3am) or like this year we won't land until 4:30pm and we have an extra park ticket day so we are going to try closing out the Magic Kingdom that night. Sleep in the next day and spend it at DS w/dinner at HDDR. That will be our new twist on our holiday this year, going straight to a park! Trying to make the late afternoon flight not be a bad thing

 

[Parker Clan]

POOL! It's August and it's hot hot hot! And we're just coming off a two day drive and three full days at Universal & our traditional morning breakfast at Whispering Canyon!
Relaxing is key!

 

[Sparkyco]

We usually get our mugs, grab a bite to eat and then head out to MK for a couple hours

Exactly! We catch the earliest flight possible, but since we are flying in from Colorado, by the time we get to the resort, it is early afternoon. We go to room, if ready, then grab a QS meal. I think the kids would be perfectly happy staying at the resort and hitting up the pool for the rest of the day, but DH insists on hitting up a park, even if just for a few hours. We love going to MK on arrival day, feels so magical!

 

[rosiebean]

protected by wine diapers I got from Amazon

I'm 'running over' to Amazon right now to check these out! I'd LOVE to bring rum and vodka with me next time (and I'm usually too paranoid to pack bottles in my suitcase).

 

[Ensusieasm]

Instead of staying at an airport hotel the night before my trip in order to fly at 5am and arrive at Disney World early in the afternoon, I now fly out mid day the day before and spend the same money for a Disney resort hotel that night. Yes, I arrive late, but I wake up already there and rope drop either Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom.

 

[DantePD]

Figure out where the smoking areas are in relation to my room, get a shower, make arrangements for some groceries to be delivered (We don't get rooms with kitchens, but it's a LOT easier to have a bag or two of chips and a case of sodas delivered than hike back and forth to the food courts when one is worn out from the parks). We tend to just sit back and chill the first night, aside from getting a good dinner. We save the parks for our first full day on property