If your on a flight from SLC that is landing in the 3:30-4 PM time that flight is leaving SLC between 9:20 and 9:50 in the morning which means if you are catching a connecting flight it is leaving in the 6-7 AM range depending on how far you are having to go (Jacksonhole or Cody WY it's going to be closer to 7 AM, Kalispell, MT or Spokane WA your closer to the 6 time due to further miles to fly) factor in having to be at the airport an average of 3 hours prior to your flight (OK there are some originating airports that you can get by with less time because there is one terminal and 2-3 gates or the airport doesn't open up until 2-2.5 hours prior to your flight time for the day-in which case be there when tne doors open or within the first 10-15 minutes of that time)
This means that your at the airport by 3:30-4 on an average. Now factor in driving time and remember not everyone is in my prediciment of living a 20 minute drive to the airport and having someone to drop them off at the doors so if having to park in long term parking figure 40 minutes to the airport and a few extra minutes in case there is a traffic snarfu (if you don't factor in the snarfu potential there will be one it's a rule of traveling) your leaving an hour before you need to be at the airport for your flight which pushes it to 2:30-3.
Now let's say that your super organized and have everything that can be put in the car the night before and you have a bag ready to put last second things in-contact case, kidos favorite stuffy, the notebook of the list of last minute things you thought about packing as you were falling asleep, those items that you wrote down on that list. Your traveling outfit (hint dress in layers especially if you are leaving the upper rockies in late Nov-mid Mar because you wlll be wanting to shed a few of them even in your originating airport) and your comfortable but easy to remove footwear that will stay on if needed Hint here get the coiled laces for your kids shoes if they are out of the velco sizes and are not completely independent on tying their own shoes.
OK so your getting up 30 minutes to an hour before you need to leave (aren't you glad you took a shower the night before). This means your up between 1:30 and 2:30 based on that leave your residence between 2:30 and 3 time range. Now figure the average adult who works a day shift isn't going to get to bed until 10:30-11 PM and the kidlets in the 8-9:30 range depending on ages due to the get off work at 5 day care pick up dinner at 6 clean up kitchen at 7 then baths, teeth brushed, ect and into bed routines started. Or see below for the simple answer
YOUR GOING TO BE TIRED IF NOT EXHAUSTED
The one thing that you are going to want to do is grab a quick bit to eat and then check out the beds and sleep. Trust me on this experience speaking here. We had planned on going to Disney Springs on arrival day or even toyed with the idea of going over to the Boadwalk and catching some of the entertainment there (stayed at CBR) and were on that same flight from SLC.
By the time the flight landed and we got to the resort via ME checked in and got to our rooms it was put carry on items away and then let's go get something to eat, take the rental vehicle that my sister took a cab over to go get the rental car
(We used Thrifty from their Kissimee location because the manager of our local branch is a good friend and was able to get us a great deal the the days we needed the vehicles a mid size sedan Sat-Sun and again Thurs-Fri along with a mini van for that day plus age appropriate safety seats for all the kids minus one since we traveled with that seat (strap seat to luggage rack strap child in and go through the airport lickity split while the toddler rides in comfort and style) that were not only clean but so brand new they had to take them out of the packaging when the vehicles were picked up because the drivers (my sister and my brother) were early and they hadn't gotten them installed. Cab was faster than they expected as they called well ahead in case they had to wait-this was pre uber/lift days)
a few groceries for the week-one adult per room that involved an verbal arguement with my brother's gps (Tom Tom tried to say that there were no walmarts in the area brother went there has to be one I finally said try publex only having heard the name that they were a grocery chain in the area-very good store comparable to Albertson's or Safeway for those of us in the MT, ID, WA part of the country.
Wood or wood laminate floors, well lighted able to find the items that we needed thanks to the aisle being well signed and helpful employees for the few thing we had a hard time finding which if I remember right were some bottled water and a couple 12 packs of a certain flavor of soda that some people wanted and the individual ones were in one location but the cases were in another all together. They found the individual but not the larger quanity ones.
I found all my items and was checked out and back to the car in the 15 minutes my sister said we had as she parked the car actually mine was in 10, brother was out in 12 (he and I set a stop watch on our phones and were racing the clock and everyone else-he found the water without having to ask we just had reusable water bottles and did fine with them for my family) 20 minutes no mom or sister, 25, 30 finally brother is all ok let's combine our stuff into one cart put the other on in the return right next to where we are parked and then head back in and page them-just as we are starting to do that mom comes out with the keys and her stuff sister was checking out right behind her.
My list of groceries 1 half gallon of milk, 1 box of oatmeal packets, 1 loaf of bread, 1 small jar of peanut butter, 1 small jar of jam, 1 small bag of carrots, 1 bunch of celery, 2 boxes of cereal, a package of donuts not planned but I spotted Krispy Kreams and since our store had shut down 6 year prior while I was expecting too and I had cravings so torture so I had to get a box and a bunch of bananas along with paper cups, bowls, some plasticwear and a small thing of napkins. Replaced on Thursday (thank you brother for stopping-1 box of cereal, milk, and bananas) ended up tossing the last of them the peanut butter and the jelly but only 1-2 sandwich worth.
edit to put in the paragraphs my phone decided I didn't need just because I didn't hit a double return between.
Also adding now that my children are almost 12 and 14.5 years old I would consider a table service location on an arrival day but there are a few rules.
Decision is made once we get on Disney Property and have checked into our resort and gotten to our room.
We go on the app really quick see what is open either at our resort or one close enough that we feel we can get there in a comfortable amount of time
It is going to have to be at a resort or Disney Springs
The menu has to have at least one thing that everyone will eat (rules out places like Jiko since I have one child who thinks adventurous dining is eating all the toppings off a barbecued chicken pizza with pineapple from pizza hut and leaving the crust (and here I thought that one was safe and the kid would have the sausage one-wrong on my part there)