Favorite Way to Spend Arrival Day

[DisneyJen0504]

What is your family's favorite way to spend your arrival day?
We are a family of 4 (daughter 7, son, 5) arriving in Orlando at 11:30am staying at Bay Lake Tower. We will be starting our day around 4am that day to head to airport. In the past, we have taken 5 day trips so we always get to our resort, grab a bite and head to MK until we run out of steam. But this trip we are staying 7 days so I wanted to see if anyone else has a great way to kick off the trip that might be a bit slower pace but still feels like we are in the magic?

 

[MickeyMouseCD524]

When the kids were that age. We used to do it that we got down checked in, would hit Disney Springs for a little, then the pool or vice versa depending when the room was ready. Then we would do a character meal or show at another resort. Like 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, or Hoop Dee Doo. That eased everyone in. We'd have a fairly early night and then the next day we would be recharged and ready to go.

 

[bluezy]

What is your family's favorite way to spend your arrival day?
We are a family of 4 (daughter 7, son, 5) arriving in Orlando at 11:30am staying at Bay Lake Tower. We will be starting our day around 4am that day to head to airport. In the past, we have taken 5 day trips so we always get to our resort, grab a bite and head to MK until we run out of steam. But this trip we are staying 7 days so I wanted to see if anyone else has a great way to kick off the trip that might be a bit slower pace but still feels like we are in the magic?

We stay for seven days and usually get to our resort around noon on arrival day. We used to spend that first day swimming at the resort, taking a bus to Epcot and then riding the monorail loops, and going to DTD/DS for dinner. We'd get back to the resort by 8:00 or so for an early bed time. Then one trip we tried something different and it really works well for our family (YMMV). We spend a little time unpacking and setting in to the resort (and grabbing lunch at the resort if we haven't eaten before we arrive). Then we like to spend a little bit of time in a park later that afternoon but it's in a very casual laid back way. We usually go to Epcot because it allows us to knock out a Tier 1 ride that day. We only go for a few hours -- usually schedule our FPs for 4-5:00, 5-6:00, and 6-7:00. We have dinner at Sunshine seasons during that time as well. Then we head back to the resort an early bed time so we can get up early the next morning and hit the ground running. We find that short day to be a nice way to ease into vacation and well worth the ~$15/person (or whatever it is now) to add that extra day to our tickets.

If you don't want to spend a few hours at a park that day, you could schedule an early fun dinner somewhere -- Hoop Dee Doo, Chef Mickey's, etc.

 

[Daniela Rose]

We had that exact day in sept. Woke up at 4am to get a flight from NY. Landed in Orlando about 1130am, checked in at the contemporary. Our room was ready, quickly changed and refreshed then walked to MK. Caught the 2pm parade, had 3 fast passes set up....

We also stayed for 7 days so we didn’t have any urgency to get stuff done, just did what we could leisurely. For me, as soon as we get there I want to be by that castle!

 

[a742246]

What is your family's favorite way to spend your arrival day?
We are a family of 4 (daughter 7, son, 5) arriving in Orlando at 11:30am staying at Bay Lake Tower. We will be starting our day around 4am that day to head to airport. In the past, we have taken 5 day trips so we always get to our resort, grab a bite and head to MK until we run out of steam. But this trip we are staying 7 days so I wanted to see if anyone else has a great way to kick off the trip that might be a bit slower pace but still feels like we are in the magic?

I would take a boat ride over to WL and explore the area, there are carriage rides there, horse stables, it a nice area to explore.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I do whatever I feel like. I don't normally make plans for arrival day other than maybe going to MK. I have an AP so it doesn't matter if I only got for a couple of hours.

My next trip I am renting a car so I've decided to hit both Disney Character Warehouses and then go to Disney Springs.

 

[wendow]

We always take the first flight out of Denver and typically have gotten up at 3 or 4am to drive an hour to the airport to catch a 6 or 7am flight. Our flight in Sept left at 6:15 and I don't remember what time we got up but it was EARLY. So we don't go to a park on arrival day. We never have. If we are staying in the MK area, we frequently will take a boat over to WL and have dinner at Whispering Canyon. Once when staying at BLT, we monorailed over to the Poly, had dinner and then ate dole whips on the beach. This last trip we stayed at BC to begin the trip so we hit the pool and had a nice, poolside dinner and then got to bed early. We've gone to Disney Springs on arrival day. We just like to begin with something fun but not too energy or time consuming, and then be able to get our room set up and try to get to sleep at a decent time.

 

[Rwethereyet?]

We spend the first day at our resort. Very laid back day swimming and exploring. Then we have dinner at Ohana.

 

[JessicaW1234]

We usually arrive on ME to our resort mid afternoon. We stop in our room, freshen up, and take the boat to DS for dinner, sometimes a Ghiradelli dessert & some shopping at the Lego store & World of Disney. Then earlier to bed for a well rested RD in the morning!

 

[FQLover]

After a plane-train-and automobile long day, we land at Orlando late afternoon and board the DME, usually arriving at French Quarter around 6 pm. We check in, soak up the great energy of being back "home" at FQ, have our large Garden Grocer order sent up to the room, get things put away in the fridge, etc. and then go back down to the Food Court for our dinner. We haven't been there since they removed the large Mardi Gras masks on the wall (which I loved) and I will miss that old environment. It is all part of the special charm of that place.

We then go up and get our suits out of our carry-on and head down to the pool for soaking, floating, relaxing, going back and forth to the hot tub where we always meet neat people to quietly converse with. The lamp post lights have come on, we hear the clip-clopping of the horses' hooves on the brick streets, and the sounds of the summer insects. Heaven! When we are water-logged, we go back up to the room (always stay in Bldg. 2 overlooking the gardens) and our luggage has arrived. Shower, slip on jammies, and tuck into bed feeling so relaxed after a hectic and tiring trek to get there. Ready for the next day.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We used to have to fly (from California) to WDW so that was an all day thing. But we'd still check in, unpack and head to MK. We can now drive to WDW and plan on doing things differently. Depending on what time we get there, check in (if it's time), walk around resort (WL, haven't been there since the re-do), probably go to the pool, dinner at Trails End and if there's time and we're not too tired we'll go to Disney Springs.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Since you're staying at BLT, dinner at Chef Mickey would be a nice way to kick off the trip. We usually don't plan much for arrival day so we can get to bed early and be ready for RD the next day.

 

[loves to dive]

We drive down and get there around 2 or 3, it's a 7 1/2 hour drive. We always go to a park on arrival day but don't plan which one and sometimes it's just for a few hours and to get something to eat. We have always had park hoppers (I've had an AP for the past 4 years) and always get them for the number of days we are going to be there, including arrival and departure day. Way back in the day you could get length of stay, now you have to get x days. We have been going for over 30 years so we aren't in a hurry when we go to the parks and don't feel the need to pack our days from open to close so a lot of days we will go to a park for a couple of hours, go back to the resort and rest and then go to another park at night. If you aren't sure how your kids will do,leave your plans loose. If they seem to be up to it and need to run off some steam, go to a park. If they seem tired and cranky, stay at the resort and just enjoy the pool and relax.

 

[Minnesota!]

We stay for seven days and usually get to our resort around noon on arrival day. We used to spend that first day swimming at the resort, taking a bus to Epcot and then riding the monorail loops, and going to DTD/DS for dinner. We'd get back to the resort by 8:00 or so for an early bed time. Then one trip we tried something different and it really works well for our family (YMMV). We spend a little time unpacking and setting in to the resort (and grabbing lunch at the resort if we haven't eaten before we arrive). Then we like to spend a little bit of time in a park later that afternoon but it's in a very casual laid back way. We usually go to Epcot because it allows us to knock out a Tier 1 ride that day. We only go for a few hours -- usually schedule our FPs for 4-5:00, 5-6:00, and 6-7:00. We have dinner at Sunshine seasons during that time as well. Then we head back to the resort an early bed time so we can get up early the next morning and hit the ground running. We find that short day to be a nice way to ease into vacation and well worth the ~$15/person (or whatever it is now) to add that extra day to our tickets.

If you don't want to spend a few hours at a park that day, you could schedule an early fun dinner somewhere -- Hoop Dee Doo, Chef Mickey's, etc.

This is us, too. We love kicking off the crazy with some crazy. The time it takes us to unpack and freshen up, is all the time that the kids need to be "ready". They usually chill on a bed and watch Must Do Disney while we unpack and do showers, etc.

My favorite arrival day was - a super early flight - before 6. Arrived around 11. Even after unpacking and refreshing, we were at Epcot, eating Fish and Chips, overlooking the lake, for lunch. It was a beautiful day and it is ingrained in my brain Just a nice way to "rest"...people watching, in the sun, in the atmosphere of Epcot, eating some tasty chow!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

ALWAYS hit the MK. I can't contain myself. Even if it's just to use my 3FP+ I have to step foot into the MK.

When my kids were younger they would beg for the pool on arrival day and I would "drag" them to the MK. Once we would pull up the pool was forgotten and they were jumping for joy to be at MK. We would do dinner at Chef Mickey's. Now they don't even ask about the pool on arrival day. They want to go straight to the MK. We do midday breaks to get our pool time in.

 

[Dakota731]

We went to Disney Springs. My little guy loved TRex and the ferry ride. He also enjoyed some of the shops especially the LEGO store.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

The last couple of trips, we've landed at OIA at around 10-11 a.m. (get up at 3:30-4, take a 6:10 flight) and then head to the resort. Once at the resort, we usually change, put on sunscreen and head to the parks for lunch and a ride. We'll stay there until about 3:30-4, head back to the resort for a bit then go back to the parks around 6 or so. Stay until maybe 9 then head back for the night. Two trips ago, we took a later flight and got into OIA at 5 p.m. By the time we got to our resort, it was about 6:30-7. We found our room, changed clothes and headed to MK to get a bite to eat and ride a ride. Then back to the room.

 

[monorailsilver]

We arrive, eat a quick lunch if didn’t already eat the crackers and pepperoni/salami on DME and then we go to the pool and head to Chef Mickeys for dinner.

This year we are going to WCC for dinner on arrival day as we are skipping chef mickeys much to my kids dismay but the are all Disney adults with the youngest being 12. Gotta save money somehow!

 

[Eureka]

We always drove and had a shorter drive the second day so would get there around lunchtime (last trip was in 2013). We’d check into the resort, eat something at the food court and then do whatever we feel like at the time. We consider it “bonus” because due to traffic we never know exactly when we’ll get there.

 

[HHMcG]

When we have a early arrival we head to Magic Kingdom for a short day. (The pool is not a huge draw for my kids. But if you know yours and they won't be able to pass it up to head somewhere else than just stay at your resort and let them get their fill of the pool.)

We would:
Lunch at our resort (or MK if we were as close as you are going to be), then off to MK. We can stroll down Main Street and hopefully catch the afternoon parade. (The relaxing stroll down Main Street is key. Next time we would be doing MK would be at rope drop and there is no strolling but rushing off to some ride. So it is nice for the kids to get to go at their own pace.) Three FPs and then QS dinner either at the MK or the resort then early to bed. Even at my kids' ages (12-6) they usually go to bed between 8-8:30 so I aim for that on our first night.

People talk about pool->DS->another resort for dinner. But that all takes more time than 5 hours at MK. Transportation for all that would personally make me cringe on arrival day. If we got in later (late afternoon/evening) I would do ONE of those.
Also the extra day on your tickets would be inexpensive to add.