Worth (or even a real possibility?) going to Disney springs on arrival day?

what do do our first night?

  • Eat at resort and have an early night In our room

    Votes: 35 52.2%
  • Check out Disney springs for a few hours

    Votes: 32 47.8%

  • Total voters
    67

Shelbizzles

Mermaid
Joined
Apr 19, 2015
Hello dis friends!
I'm just kind of looking for some opinions. We are arriving in Orlando on a Thursday night around 6:30 (I figure we should be to our resort by around 8, give or take) and I originally was just planning on eating quick service at our resort (Pop) and going to bed. But I was thinking we may be able to go to Disney Springs, grab a little QS there. Maybe check out a couple shops then head back. It's kind of late but I assume the buses will be running as long as DS is open, correct?
I think online the closing time was midnight, does everything stay open that late?
The other thing is DH and I work third shift and will be working until 7am and won't be sleeping before our 1:30pm flight. So we may be realllllly tired. We'll probably nap a bit on the plane and then get some adrenaline from FINALLY being at Disney but I don't know which one to do!!
Any suggestions are appreciated :thanks:
 
I love "doing something" arrival night... we have done DS like that plenty of times. Good way to get you "into" Disney, without a park or planning, etc. Go, check it out. It's an easy bus ride from Pop, and if you get tired or bored, an easy bus ride back :)
 
With the exception of our last couple of trips, we always go to Disney Springs for dinner. We always ate at Raglan Road.

Our last couple of trips we have had annual passes, so we aren't burning a full day pass with such a short day.
 


Go ahead and hit Disney Springs. The buses will be running and it shouldn't take you that long to get there. The food options are much better than the food court at Pop. You're all going to be so excited anyway, so who needs sleep? :)
 
We make an ADR at DS a lot on our arrival day. We don't have to pay for park admission, we get a decent meal after being on the plane / at the airport all day, and a chance to stretch our legs without necessarily walking a Disney marathon while we look at shops. The last trip we arrived mid afternoon and went to a dine in movie at the AMC theater just for something different.
 
It's turned into our tradition for our trips. Hit DS and shop a little, take in a meal and head back to the resort. We stay at POR and love the fairy boat ride too.
 


I'm the odd man out here. I love DS, but if I was arriving at eight I would explore the resort, eat, swim and head to bed by 1030 to be super well rested for rope drop.

My favorite way to visit DS after a day at floating, snacking and floating some more at the water parks. We leave the water park around three, get ready and have dinner and a great night enjoying DS. Super duper relaxing day.
 
With the exception of our last couple of trips, we always go to Disney Springs for dinner. We always ate at Raglan Road.

Our last couple of trips we have had annual passes, so we aren't burning a full day pass with such a short day.

Even when we don't have APs, if I have a 8-10 day MYW ticket, it only costs about $15 to "burn a full day pass"
by going into a park for just a couple of hours.

That is virtually "free" if you get to experience a couple of attractions and/or see an evening spectacular,
when compared doing just about anything else...
at WDW, or just about anywhere else, for that matter.
 
Hello dis friends!
I'm just kind of looking for some opinions. We are arriving in Orlando on a Thursday night around 6:30 (I figure we should be to our resort by around 8, give or take) and I originally was just planning on eating quick service at our resort (Pop) and going to bed. But I was thinking we may be able to go to Disney Springs, grab a little QS there. Maybe check out a couple shops then head back. It's kind of late but I assume the buses will be running as long as DS is open, correct?
I think online the closing time was midnight, does everything stay open that late?
The other thing is DH and I work third shift and will be working until 7am and won't be sleeping before our 1:30pm flight. So we may be realllllly tired. We'll probably nap a bit on the plane and then get some adrenaline from FINALLY being at Disney but I don't know which one to do!!
Any suggestions are appreciated :thanks:

You would probably enjoy going to DS and getting something to eat and shopping a few stores. We don't like the 'new & improved' Downtown Disney. We do eat at a few CS's (especially) and shop the Marketplace - which is mostly unchanged. We 'don't' shop the high end shops as that is definitely not why we go there - a couple hours is our limit there, and we're done. Your enjoyment may vary!
 
Given that you will not have slept the night before your flight, I would eat at your resort and turn in early. You are going to be running for the rest of your vacation. Why start it sleep deprived. That's just setting yourself up for a bad trip.
 
Stay at resort, rest and be ready for the remaining days because:
1. You work 3rd shift and will be tired.
2. DS is not worth it. It is overcrowded, hard to park, too far to walk between stores...it's just a mall.

IF, you insist on doing something, get the extra park ticket and go to a park.
 
We really enjoyed checking out Disney Springs on our arrival night. It felt like a good transition from the real world to the Disney bubble. I was going to recommend it wholeheartedly until you mentioned you will not have slept - not the best way to start out a trip. With that in mind, I would say your goal should be to get to sleep ASAP so you'll be well-rested to start your first day.
 
My friends and I end up at Disney Springs at least once every other day on our trips. It's a relaxing atmosphere, there are some really good musicians performing in the evenings, and they have some excellent food options. Unless you're really exhausted, it's not a big deal to drop in even for an hour or two just to kick off your vacation.
 
I visit Disney Springs on arrival day EVERY trip .. but then again I drive and arrive mid-day, not 8 at night.

I think taking the bus there and back from Pop Century that late before your first park day may just be too exhausting.
 
I say if you have no park plans the following day, go to Disney Springs. If you are doing a park (and plan on being there for rope drop), then I say stay at the hotel and relax and rest up for the rest of your trip.
 
Having tried just about every possible combo at WDW, I agree with those who say starting a trip tired is not great at WDW.

Play it by ear and see how you feel that night, but maybe getting rest will be best if you plan an early 2nd day.

Oh, you could also maybe try the options at the airport. I don't know how many times you plan to eat dinner at Pop, but when last we ate there for dinner, we liked it.

If you want another option, we also really liked the AoA food court. You wouldn't have to worry about a long bus ride if you went over there.
 
I love to have a great dinner on arrival night. BUT.... with no sleep and getting in that late, I d rather just grab something to eat at the resort, call it an early night and be well rested for Rope DRop!
 
If you were arriving earlier in the evening, I'd say check out DS. Arriving at 8, though...after working the late shift...with a full vacation ahead of you? Eat and rest at the resort.

DS is worth it, especially with easy bus transportation (parking at busy times can be stressful). There are plenty of neat QS options, and it's a more dynamic, fun space than the Pop food court. My family loves it for our non-park days, but not at the expense of our park days.
 
We love to head to Disney Springs on arrival day! We find it to be a great way to get back into the swing of Disney without rushing to a park, and its always fun to do a smidge of shopping too :)
 

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