what's everyones opinions on first day activities?

[PlutoLover93]

Traveling to CBR Nov 7-17th with my sister and our boyfriends, and am stuck on what to do our first day down. The other times I've traveled down we stayed with family for a couple days or didn't have park tickets the first days so we went shopping out of Disney.

It's a 16 hour drive down and we should be making it in at about 11am! They all want to stay up and drive right through and just take a nap when we arrive but they won't listen to me when I say there's a good chance the room won't be ready yet. I want to stop at a rest stop for about an hour since I'm the one driving the whole way, this way I won't be completely dead when we get there.

At first I was thinking about just resort hopping since none if us have ever been out of Pop or ASSp, but now the FP+ has me thinking. If we run to one of the parks quick and use our three FP+ we'll be ahead of schedule and can get an early start rather than waiting a day.

Maybe hop over to MK use the passes then go on the monorail loop? Has anyone just gone to a park to use their passes then left or would it be pointless? We have passes for water parks maybe hop over there?

Aghhhh I don't know what to do! What do you guys suggest is the best based off of your experiences?

 

[JJMickey88]

We are pretty tired after the long drive... Just relax and enjoy the resort!

 

[Newsies]

We don't go to the parks the day we arrive. We drive down from NJ, so we like to relax after a 20+ hour car ride. We arrive at 11:30-ish, have lunch, and most of the time, take a nap. We used to go to DTD after we woke up. Never again after last year- we had to wait 45 minutes for the bus back to the Grand Floridian that evening. This year, since we're staying at the WL, after we wake up from our typical nap, we're going to head on over to Ft. Wilderness for dinner at Trail's End followed by Chip and Dale's campfire sing-a-long!

 

[starwart]

We don't go to the parks the day we arrive. We drive down from NJ, so we like to relax after a 20+ hour car ride. We arrive at 11:30-ish, have lunch, and most of the time, take a nap. We used to go to DTD after we woke up. Never again after last year- we had to wait 45 minutes for the bus back to the Grand Floridian that evening. This year, since we're staying at the WL, after we wake up from our typical nap, we're going to head on over to Ft. Wilderness for dinner at Trail's End followed by Chip and Dale's campfire sing-a-long!

Sounds like an excellent plan

 

[PlutoLover93]

We don't go to the parks the day we arrive. We drive down from NJ, so we like to relax after a 20+ hour car ride. We arrive at 11:30-ish, have lunch, and most of the time, take a nap. We used to go to DTD after we woke up. Never again after last year- we had to wait 45 minutes for the bus back to the Grand Floridian that evening. This year, since we're staying at the WL, after we wake up from our typical nap, we're going to head on over to Ft. Wilderness for dinner at Trail's End followed by Chip and Dale's campfire sing-a-long!

I've done DTD once but DisneyQuest comes with our tickets and from past experience I know it's something that's better doing early in the am

 

[mom2rtk]

If you are driving the entire 16 hours, straight through the night, I can't even imagine why the others aren't tripping over themselves to do what YOU need to do.

I'm hoping I misread that.

 

[tsme]

When we arrive, we usually unpack & relax around our resort. Ya'll could go to the pool, sight see around the resort, go eat at the resort's restaurant, or just rest in your room. Oh and we love room service!

 

[PlutoLover93]

If you are driving the entire 16 hours, straight through the night, I can't even imagine why the others aren't tripping over themselves to do what YOU need to do.

I'm hoping I misread that.

Nope you read it right lol. I'm partially driving the whole way because I don't trust my sister or her bf driving and it's my car going down. I'd rather take the hit of lack of sleep than have them fall asleep at the wheel or something. They all plan on "staying up with me" but I'll believe it when I see it lol. I figured I'm stopping either way they'll either be sleeping or if they complain I'll tell them to walk lol. My bf will stay up with me he's great at that! I'm taking the morning before we leave off of work so I can sleep all day while they work. I'll have my Disney playlist going I'm going to be too excited to sleep! Lol

 

[PlutoLover93]

When we arrive, we usually unpack & relax around our resort. Ya'll could go to the pool, sight see around the resort, go eat at the resort's restaurant, or just rest in your room. Oh and we love room service!

I'm thinking about touring the hotel and maybe resort hopping somewhere for dinner!

 

[Dawn68PA]

We relax at the resort and go out to dinner. That's it for the first day, just practice relaxing

 

[Networth]

Take the monorail to MK and use our FPs. Than monorail back to the resort to change for dinner somewhere, is our routine. If your going to be that tired though I wouldn't do anything but soak up the atmosphere and food at your resort.

 

[Cando86]

It's totally dependent on what you guys think would be fun and what you're up for! With that being said, we usually take it pretty easy. Unpack, explore the resort and head to DTD for dinner and head back fairly early to get a good night's rest so we're ready for the parks. Starting the trip exhausted is never a good idea! The parks exhaust you enough that you really need to be rested and ready or else, in my opinion, it really affects your experience.

 

[nat8199]

We are going to relax at the resort/pool and then head into Epcot for dinner (staying at YC).

 

[luvgoing2disney]

We always have the same routine:
Early flight (well in two weeks it's at 11:00 so not as early)
1.5 hour flight
Board DME
Already used online check-in
Head to MK for our traditional welcome meal at Casey's to look at the castle and folks before hitting the attractions.

 

[PSUGuy]

We time our flight to arrive at MCO before 9:30 am, we do a grocery stop whether we rent a car or do Tiffany, drop our bags at Boardwalk and usually make WS by 11. If we get our room on arrival it actually throws us off our plan. With FP+ we have Soarin' at the very least but we're there for Food&Wine so that occupies our first day, almost always a Thurs. We hit the sack early that first night so we're fresh for the 8 park days still ahead of us.

Bill From PA

 

[jlhill4444]

When we drive, we usually arrive around 8-9 am. We eat breakfast and check in. If the room is ready we take a nap and head to the parks around 4. If the room is not ready we go to a park until 4-5 then get dinner to go somewhere and go to bed around 7. Usually we are so excited to be at a park we forget we are tired. Youngest will sleep in the stroller.

 

[lustergirl]

Straight to the parks after checking in at the resort. I purposely take the earliest SouthWest flight out of Buffalo. I will be arriving in Orlando around 8:15am, check into AS Sports, and then off to the parks.

 

[PlutoLover93]

We relax at the resort and go out to dinner. That's it for the first day, just practice relaxing

I'm not much of a relaxer especially in Disney so what you said is perfect: Practice relaxing lol!! I might have to tie myself down to something lol

Take the monorail to MK and use our FPs. Than monorail back to the resort to change for dinner somewhere, is our routine. If your going to be that tired though I wouldn't do anything but soak up the atmosphere and food at your resort.

Oh I'd love to stay at a monorail resort!! If I did then I would definitely do exactly what you do! CBR sucks with the fact you have to bus everywhere so waiting for a bus is not on my side!

It's totally dependent on what you guys think would be fun and what you're up for! With that being said, we usually take it pretty easy. Unpack, explore the resort and head to DTD for dinner and head back fairly early to get a good night's rest so we're ready for the parks. Starting the trip exhausted is never a good idea! The parks exhaust you enough that you really need to be rested and ready or else, in my opinion, it really affects your experience

No one in my party is any help so they say they don't care what we do but I know if I choose something it'll be wrong lol! I'm normally up for DTD but we're actually turning that into an early morning trip one of the days and doing trex another night. We could always do trex the first night! I would be up for changing that. Last time I went we rarely slept and when I got home I slept for practically 2 days straight. Never doing that again! Lol

We are going to relax at the resort/pool and then head into Epcot for dinner (staying at YC).

That sounds like a perfect plan! YC is beautiful! We normally walk the Boardwalk for the ESPN bar.

We always have the same routine:
Early flight (well in two weeks it's at 11:00 so not as early)
1.5 hour flight
Board DME
Already used online check-in
Head to MK for our traditional welcome meal at Casey's to look at the castle and folks before hitting the attractions.

That sounds that a great plan! I wanna have a traditional welcome meal one day!

We time our flight to arrive at MCO before 9:30 am, we do a grocery stop whether we rent a car or do Tiffany, drop our bags at Boardwalk and usually make WS by 11. If we get our room on arrival it actually throws us off our plan. With FP+ we have Soarin' at the very least but we're there for Food&Wine so that occupies our first day, almost always a Thurs. We hit the sack early that first night so we're fresh for the 8 park days still ahead of us.
Bill From PA

Is it common for your from to be ready on time? That'll also affect nap time and unpacking. I'm thinking about doing FP+ for soarin for the first day too!

When we drive, we usually arrive around 8-9 am. We eat breakfast and check in. If the room is ready we take a nap and head to the parks around 4. If the room is not ready we go to a park until 4-5 then get dinner to go somewhere and go to bed around 7. Usually we are so excited to be at a park we forget we are tired. Youngest will sleep in the stroller.

I'm the same way! I never realize I'm tired until I actually get home and then I sleep for days straight lol. How often is your room ready early? I was saying above that it will affect if we take a nap and adding in time for unpacking. I'd much rather take a nap when we get in then head out for a little after.

Straight to the parks after checking in at the resort. I purposely take the earliest SouthWest flight out of Buffalo. I will be arriving in Orlando around 8:15am, check into AS Sports, and then off to the parks.

That sounds awesome! I loved ASSp!!!! One day I'll get the courage to fly and I won't have to worry about 16+ hour drives and they're after effects lol

 

[tcherjen]

Sometimes we relax, sometimes we resort hop or go to the parks. Granted we are only 2 1/2 hours away. We are hitting the parks on our first day.

 

[PlutoLover93]

Sometimes we relax, sometimes we resort hop or go to the parks. Granted we are only 2 1/2 hours away. We are hitting the parks on our first day.

I've told my bf when we move out and get married I want to move South and be close enough to Disney to have AP!! It's my dream... One day lol!