Would you take a first time visitor to ak on day one?

[married2mm]

We will be a Party of 4 adults;
Me, dh, dd1 & her bff aka the newbie.
(Young ladies in their early 30’s.)

Our first day now has emh 7am at ak.
Thus would fit perfectly as we’ll be wide awake (coming from U.K.)
Bff has watched various vlogs and has no preferences- is happy to go where dd directs us!

Should her wdw journey begin with mk though?
Or is ak a good option?

 

[ToyStoryManiaMouse]

Go to AK and start in Pandora! Totally fine. Last trip we didn't even make it to MK!

 

[Krandor]

In their 30s any parks is a good choice. Yeah MK is considered WDW to many but for an adult I think any are fine.

 

[married2mm]

Thanks guys.
If the hours stay more or less the same-AK will be the beginning of her discovery into wdw .

 

[Krandor]

Thanks guys.
If the hours stay more or less the same-AK will be the beginning of her discovery into wdw .

Good luck but in AK.. FoP, Safari, EE, and Nomad Louge are all very good starts.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

In 2008, we deliberated very carefully about the first park to visit, travelling with WDW newbies ages 3, 4, 30, and 89. AK was selected as a good way to ease in to the immersive world of Disney parks.

The theming is fantastic, and entertainment first rate, however this park is quieter overall and far less ”in your face” than the other ones. The meandering paths full of trees and foliage, with plenty of natural shade provide a change to absorb the atmosphere at a more leisurely pace, or at least it feels that way. The AKL park hours were also shorter at that time, ensuring we wouldn’t run anyone into the ground On Day 1!

It worked really well, whetting everyone’s appetite for more fun to come, instead of overwhelming and exhausting them.

Personally, I want MK on Day 1 every time, but that is just me! LOL

 

[nkereina]

I planned a trip for 9 of us a few years back - 7 of them were newbies. Rather than worrying about making MK their first experience, I planned the days based on crowd calendars to make things easier logistically for us. We ended up doing AK first, and since they had no expectations, they were blown away by it. From there, each park got better and better for them. So, I don't think any magic will be lost or anyone will be disappointed with AK coming first. Even though it takes us the least amount of time, there's still a lot of detail and ambiance to enjoy and some awesome rides too!

 

[ilovedisney3000]

For some reason, AK always seems to be the park we start at (usually because of timing/fastpasses). Went with a two friends two years ago, one who had never been before. We started in AK and had an amazing time. For some people, starting in MK gives a real feel of that Disney Magic, but if she has no preferences, I’m sure you will all have a great time starting in AK!

 

[VandVsmama]

If you'll be at WDW between now and year end, there won't be any EMH. I think you should start at MK.

 

[CastAStone]

I don’t like starting at MK with someone new; everything is less than afterwards. I usually like to do AK the Epcot then MK, and right now DHS later in the trip. But that’s me!

 

[hereforthechurros]

Yes. If you do AK first, I’d start with Safari. We’ve taken two larger groups of newbies and everyone was blown away by the sheer size and design of the safari. Really set the tone for the ways in which WDW can be surprising and not what you expect. Obviously FOP wouldn’t hurt either.

 

[gharter]

We love AK. The only concern is it can be a LOT of walking. More than the other parks.
But, it also has some of the most fun rides and attractions.
It has the best show on property, but it sounds like, early on, no shows will happen.