Which park first?

[disney1fan]

Which park do you hit first when traveling with kids and why?
I'm planning on going to MK first, but I'm afraid I may "spoil" them (DD6,DD6 and DD2) on the first day and then they may not find the other parks as much fun. The older two have been to WDW before (but they were too young to remmember much) and this is the first time for the youngest.

 

[100AcreWood]

I subscribe to your theory! I always hit EPCOT on the first day. I figured my little one is so excited to be there she has a great time. Once we visit MK it's all about going back to the castle park.

 

[Marimar]

Once we visit MK it's all about going back to the castle park.

Not what I needed to hear LOL! But know that is too true

I was going to take the same suggestion (actually got it from "Unofficial Guide"), but as luck has it we extended a day to the arrival to visit Buzz since the ride will close on our original arrival date. We are not planning to return to MK until the 7th after that. I am counting on the "anticipation" of visiting Mk "again" (on the 7th) will just make the subsequent visit extra special since they will know what it is all about then. Wish me luck!

 

[susykt4]

Our last trip (DDalmost5, DS2 1/2) we hit MK our first day at park opening. We did leave midday for a nap but went back to MK and stayed too late and then hit horrible bus traffic, etc. Our kids didn't enjoy our 2nd day at MGM at all! They were wiped out from our huge first day at MK. However, they REALLY enjoyed AK and Epcot on the following days. Our last night we let DD choose which park she wanted to visit one last time and she chose Epcot!

We're also going in early January and I plan to spend our first morning at the Magic Kingdom. (Even though we have a 1pm seating at the princess lunch in Norway at Epcot.) My kids loved the Magic Kingdom, but they liked the slower pace at the other parks. I think our biggest mistake was exhausting them our first day of the trip!

We're arriving on the 5th so Buzz isn't an option, but if you can get your 6-yr-olds on Buzz GO FOR IT!!! As long as you have educated yourself on what to visit in the other parks (and the kids aren't dead tired) they'll have a blast wherever you are!

 

[disneyfreak74]

We do just the opposite!!!! We always go to MK the first day at opening. Then we eat lunch at Crystal Palace and then it's off to another park. . Epcot usually. I find that it is easier to get them a "castle fix" than to listen to the 10000000000000000000 questions as to WHEN we are going to the castle!!! But we ALWAYS so a lot of park hopping!!! We try to make sure we are at Epcot about the time DD 2 takes her nap so that we can ride TT and acyually LOOK at things!!!

 

[T-i-double-g-err]

I was going to take the same suggestion (actually got it from "Unofficial Guide"), but as luck has it we extended a day to the arrival to visit Buzz since the ride will close on our original arrival date.

We'll be hitting MK on our first day as well. We'll be there on the 3rd to try to visit with Buzz before he goes into rehab. We're going to have lunch at CP...well okay I don't know that officially as my kids are surprising me with b-day lunch with my favorite character but I made the ADR... I'm already practicing my surprised looks...

In any case, after lunch we'll play it by ear (and ear) - how tired do they sound and how tired do they look. We usually go back to the hotel for a break in the afternoon, and I expect that we'll do so on this trip. After that, we may head back to MK or do a quick run to Epcot. It'll really depend on the kids.

Of course, last trip they REQUESTED an evening at the Neverland Club rather than going back to a park. We had not quite spent enough $$$ on the trip thus far , so we simply had to quickly book an ADR at CG for DW and me to make sure we gave Mickey enough of our $$$. LOL. In all honesty, it was worth it. The kids had a blast (each DD made a fairy wand and wings), and DW and I had a wonderful dinner.

 

[barkley]

we went in november and did magic kingdom the first day (well the second, we arrived late the nite before). my kids associate disney with everything at the magic kingdom so we figured it might as well be the way to start out. they enjoyed all of the other parks, but we had park hoppers and went back to magic kingdom one evening when they were open for extended magic hours.

 

[isla bonita]

depends on day. Some days disney opens early for each one of the parks. You do not want to go to that one it is allready full. go to another. Thats how we plan.

 

[fofinia]

We always go to MK first (5 and 4 year old in our group). It wouldn't be a trip to Disney for me even if I didn't go to Fantasy land first. But we've never had a problem with the kids not enjoying the other parks. We just talk up what there is to do each day as we head there. And like PPs we parkhop a lot. Back to hotel for naps and then on to a different park. So we will see MK more than one time. And I also agree that you don't want to head into an early entry park if you are not going to get there for early entry. Way too crowded.

BTW DisneyFreak- I love your picture and caption. Sleeping shots are my favorite of my kids. Have one of them sleeping in the car. One in a forward facing seat the other rear and the picture is from the side, both mouths open and drooling. Love it!!

 

[kahluacream]

MK for me... Somehow, I don't quite feel like my Disney vacation has begun until I see the castle up close and stroll down Main Street!

 

[GrumpyCAdad]

We did our share of park hopping, but we went to the MK first. My 3 little ones (6,4,2) never really complained wheile we were at Epcot, or MGM. They had fun at all 4 parks, but we did spend a lot of time over our 8 days at MK.