Arrival Day Traditions?

jldeahl

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
I'm planning our family's first trip to WDW. I'm wondering from those of you who've been before (and maybe been many times) what are your favorite ways to spend an arrival day? Or favorite arrival day traditions?

We'll have a 3 and 5 year old with us. We land at 11AM and hope to rope drop MK the next day. If it helps we're staying at Swan.
 
We don’t really have a tradition. We do different things depending on where we are staying and what time we get in.

How many days of tickets do you have? You could always pop into HS or Epcot since they’re both walking distance from the Swan.
 
We used to begin our trips with dinner at Chef Mickey’s and a round trip tour on the monorail depending on when our flight got in.

Now we just chill at the resort. Go to Disney Springs for a little Disney atmosphere and dinner. Then back to unpack and rest up for our first Park day.

I find travel days soooo exhausting.
 


I'm planning our family's first trip to WDW. I'm wondering from those of you who've been before (and maybe been many times) what are your favorite ways to spend an arrival day? Or favorite arrival day traditions?

We'll have a 3 and 5 year old with us. We land at 11AM and hope to rope drop MK the next day. If it helps we're staying at Swan.

Nowadays, our arrival night tradition is MK/fireworks. But when DS was around the age of your kids, we always had an early first night so we'd be rested to hit the ground running in the morning. We'd explore our resort and maybe DTD (Disney Springs, now) if we got in early.

I haven't stayed at the Swan before, but I think it's close to the Boardwalk?? If so, that opens up another option for exploring/booking an ADR.
 
We're another family that always does Chef Mickey's.

But since you're at the Swan-- and don't already have a MK tradition in place-- you might consider these ideas:
- Do you have park admission for that first day? Consider a walk to Epcot, and a stroll around the World Showcase. Plenty of great places to eat there. If the kids aren't too exhausted, you could stay for Illuminations and walk back afterwards.

- Likewise, you could take the boat to Hollywood Studios.

- Mini golf is somewhere very close. We've never done it at WDW, but I know it's close to the Swan.

- My kids have always loved night swimming. I bet it would be a great treat for your kids-- dinner by the pool, then swimming afterwards.

- And, yes, you're an easy walk to the Boardwalk. The bakery is wonderful!!

- You could make a reservation for dinner at Beaches and Cream, in the Beach Club. It's an old fashioned ice cream shop.
 
For the last many years we've stayed at Board Walk, arriving by 11 am or before so our FastPasses are for Epcot but we always stop at the Rose&Crown on our way, see the pic below.

Bill From PA
 


We have been staying in the Epcot resorts for a few years now, and we usually walk to Epcot on our first day. We go to Club Cool for the kids, and have a FP or two. If there's time, we will walk around World Showcase and look at the shops. Most importantly, we have a nice sit down meal in WS and go to bed early enough to start our trip the next day commando style.
 
Have a wonderful time creating your own tradition! You know your kids, their energy and tolerance level. The Boardwalk area is a destination unto itself. If you opt out of a park on travel day, enjoy your surroundings - swimming at your resort, lunch or dinner at Beaches & Cream etc...
 
We made many visits to the Boardwalk Inn and our arrival tradition was to grab lunch on the boardwalk. Then, if we were in our room, we would run out to Walmart to get supplies for the room. If the room wasn't ready we would wander over to Epcot until we got the room ready text.

Staying in an Epcot resort offers a lot of easy arrival day activities.
 
We like staying at the Yacht Club so usually on arrival day we go to Disney Springs and shop and grab lunch. Come back to the hotel and get our stuff to the room and then enjoy an evening in Epcot. We usually will stroll back around the boardwalk and stop for ice cream at Ample Hills.
 
I think exploring the resort, then a resort area character meal dinner is a great way to start a trip. We are doing Ohana on arrival day since we are staying at the Poly this year; since you are at The Swan, I’d suggest trying Garden Grove. I’ve never been but have heard good things about the menu, character interaction and atmosphere is less chaotic than some others since it’s not on the dining plan so some people won’t venture there.
 
We always do Chef Mickeys on arrival day. Kids get to see the characters and the monorail, both of which are a great way to feel like you’re in WDW. The rest of the day we typically explore the resort and settle in.

That's our tradition this year.. but last year it was Park Fare.. :)

Actually, we have ate at Park Fare a few times on arrival day but we have also eaten at Ohani on arrival and this time we are set for Chef Mickeys.. so i guess our tradition for arrival day is to eat somewhere...
 
Grab late lunch or early dinner at Earl of Sandwich, return to hotel, and dash for the pool as a pre-game relaxation/apology to my feet and legs for what is about to happen to them for the next several days.

I don't plan anything ticketed or reserved just in case there's a flight delay. Especially if I don't have the first flight out.
 

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