Which Park to do on Arrival Day?

[golden1]

I really like doing either Epcot or MK on our arrival day. I make no touring plans for those days, I just like to walk around and get a feel for the parks and maybe sit at a CS or snack shop and people watch. I have had some memorable first days at WDW. One time, we arrived one June evening at MK on our first night and it started to pour. I think it was the reminents of a tropical storm. Everyone started leaving and we just purchased ponchos and stayed. We went on every major ride at WDW multiple times in about a 4 hour period. It was awesome! The rain started to let up later in the evening and they decided to run the late fireworks show. I remember riding Splash Mountain and seeing the fireworks going off as we rode around the top of the mountain.

Another time we decided to try Epcot. We arrived mid-afternoon and stayed at the BWI. We just checked in and walked right over to Epcot. I think we went to the coffee shop near that big fountain at FW and just sat and ate desserts and watched the fountain. Then we toured WS and watched Illuminations.

This time around we are going with kids so we are going to try to hit MK for an hour or two and then go to the HDDR for dinner.

 

[Catira]

With all of our built up anticipation and excitement, we always go to MK first. If course, this is on our second day of our trip. We first settle into the hotel and take a quick nap then head out to down town disney for the rest of the evening. The second day we do Animal Kingdom and the hop over to MGM for the Fantasmic show. Well, you get an idea right? Hope everyone has a wonderful trip

We will be there August 12-19, can't wait

 

[noseybuddy]

our first park is mgm...its small and we dont feel rushed to get thru and get done what we can...

Me too!

 

[RyMickey]

If your plane arrives at noon, plan for check-in and the like to take until 2-2:30. You've got plenty of day left to explore something. I would tend to agree that you should go to Epcot -- but be aware that at that time, the FastPasses for Soarin' and Test Track may be gone (then again, you're going at an unbusy time, so that might not be the case). Still, even if the FastPasses are gone, you could easily finish Future World by 7ish and then have a nice dinner in WS and watch Illuminations.

Typically, for us, we never arrive until late afternoon (4:30ish) and we're so tired after our long drive that we usually go to DTD for a quick Disney fix and then check into the hotel around 8pm. Then it's a dip in the pool and a somewhat early turn-in so we can be up and ready the next morning.

BTW, the shops at DTD will be open until 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

 

[scrappinmom]

ALways, MK Even if all we do is walk down main street and eat at Casey's we always start there.

 

[jobie61]

Your not at Disney till you go to the Magic Kingdom.........

 

[epfootballcutie04]

my friend and i (both 20) are heading down in october and should arrive by about 1... so we dont want to have to rush to a theme park and get everything taken in right away so we are going to DTD and then back to SSR to do a little homework.... yes, i know... it saddens me too.... (haha) but it must be done sometime!

Then the next 4 days we are planning on doing Epcot, DAK, Magic, and MGM in that order! We would have done magic 1st, but we could only get reservations for cinderellas royal table on a certain day!

Enjoy your trip!