What is the first thing you do when you arrive in Walt Disney World? Do you go straight into one of the parks? If so, which one? Do you relax by the resort pool? Do you have a favorite restaurant that you always eat at when you arrive?
For me, arriving in Walt Disney World was always a very, very special moment. Almost instantly you’re changed from the person who was stressed for so many different reasons into a fun loving, happy and care free person. Somehow, although you don’t see her, Tink sprinkles pixie dust on you and everything changes for the better. It always amazed me how quickly I forgot about work and other matters. Once I crossed under that beautiful Walt Disney World sign that hangs over the roads I was a different person. So, that first day was always one where I’d just take in as much of the sights, sounds and smells of WDW.
When we traveled down from Massachusetts with our children the first day would include Disney resort pool time for the children. However, the following list is what my wife and I liked to do when we traveled down without children.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Explore the Disney resort that we’re staying at.
2) If visiting during the Christmas holidays we’ll visit some of the hotels to check out the Christmas decorations.
3) Trip to Downtown Disney to do a little shopping.
4) Bus or boat trip over to the Ft. Wilderness stables.
5) Play a round of mini golf at one of the Disney courses.
OK, I’ve told you mine, now it’s your turn to let me know what your favorite arrival day activities are. If you’re like me and do different things depending on the season, then let me know what each one is.
You could win an AllEars® baseball cap. I will take all the names of those who post a comment (see below) with your list within the next couple weeks, and I will put them in a hat and randomly draw the name of the lucky winner. The only rules are that you must reside in the US, be 18 years old or older and you must provide your email address so I can contact you should you win.
All comments must be posted no later than Sunday, October 17, 2010 in order to be eligible to win the baseball cap. The winner of the AllEars® baseball cap will be announced shortly thereafter.
To make things a bit easier for you can just copy and paste the following into the Post A Comment section below and add your information:
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My Favorite First Day Activity
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4)
5)
Your comments:
NOTE: When you comment it is now necessary to enter the word “blog” (without the quotations) in a box that’s located just below the “Comments” box.
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In the coming weeks I will blog on more “favorite” things to do in Walt Disney World. Also, let me know if you have any suggestions as to other things you would like to see “top lists” of. I’m open to any and all suggestions. So far readers have suggested I blog on Magical Moments and Favorite Disney snacks, deserts and characters. Great ideas! What do you think? Based on the number of comments, I think you all agree that these are fun to do.
And the winner is: the winner of the AllEars® baseball cap for commenting on my “Favorite WDW Ice Cream Treat” blog is: Lisa Zanoni from Michigan. Congratulations to Lisa and “thank you” to everyone who took the time to share their “Favorite WDW Ice Cream Treat” and all the loyal AlllEars® readers!
I also want to comment on last weeks blog. Interestingly, the responses were split fairly evenly between those that collected pins and traded and those that collected pin just to keep for themselves. Not surprisingly, many of the pins being collected held a special significance to the collector; i.e., favorite park, ride or character.
Did you know AllEars® has a huge area called Rate and Review where you can share your dining reviews with fellow readers? Check it out!
Finally, be one of the first people to hear when my newest blogs go live on AllEars.net by joining “DisneyMike’s World” Facebook group.
Well, that’s all for now. As my good friend says, “see ya real soon”…DizneyMike
Hey, see this little green button? Well, it allows you to share this blog with your family and friends quite easily. Give it a try; it’s pretty neat!
We are making our 3rd trip to disney this year for a surprise Christmas gift to our 8 and 4 yr. old. We were wondering what weather and crowds are like for the week of Dec. 24-31?
DizneyMike replies: Joe, traditionally Christmas week is the busiest of the year; so expect very big crowds. The average, normal temps are in the low 70’s during the day and cool down the the low 50’s at night. However, it’s unpredictable and we’ve been known to get a cold spell where the temps are much colder. My advice is to bring lightweight clothes that you can layer as the temps drop….Mike
My Favorite WDW Songs
1) When You Wish Upon a Star
2) You Can Fly, You Can Fly, You Can Fly (Peter Pan’s Flight & my current ringtone)
3) We Are Here to Change the World (Captain EO)
4) Impressions de France
5) Grim Grinning Ghosts (Haunted Mansion)
1. Check in – look aroud resort gift shop
2. Lunch at Planet Hollywood
3. Downtown Disney West Side
4. Back to the resort, get a night time snack at the food court
5. Get ready for next day visit to MAGIC KINGDOM!!!!!!!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Head to the Rose & Crown Pub for a pint of Bass Ale and an order of fish & chips.
2) Wander around the WS and see what’s new/changed since our last visit
3) Purchase snacks in the Japan pavilion (they have these great “cheesy poof” snacks)
4) Ride Spaceship Earth
5) Watch Illuminations
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My Favorite First Day Activity
1)MK 1st ride Pirates of Caribbean
2)Pecos Bills for lunch
3)2nd ride Haunted Mansion
4)2rd ride Small World
5)4th ride Buzz Lightyear = highest score buys the drinks that night.
Our routine has taken on a life of its own It is sacrosanct. As day turns into night, the tension and mindless worries leave my bedraggled east coast multi-tasking exhausted body. In the evening, (don’t laugh), I exit Liberty Square walking backwards. At the central hub, I turn for my first view of the castle with its icy winter lights. What that one thing does for me no medication has ever been able to achieve. This December, we have first time visitors joining us and they have agreed to do the “backward walk”. Not one person questioned me when I made the suggestion.
I’d like to share something personal, if it’s okay. My history with WDW goes back to “73 and my visits have numbered in the hundreds. Sounds crazy and self indulgent (trust me, its way less expensive than the hospital, etc.) After suffering through 15 years of depression, two breakdowns and much therapy, joy has returned to my life. I take no meds and cherish every day. I moved to Orlando for a while to recover and visited the parks quite often. Best medicine there is; no side effects. I cherish my family, friends and life. I am truly blessed and honestly feel WDW played a large part in my recovery.
NOTE: When you comment it is now necessary to enter the word “blog” (without the quotations) in a box that’s located just below the “Comments” box.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)HOTEL
2)MK
3)DINNER ADR
4)BACK TO PARK
5)Fireworks
Your comments:
I have been pretty lucky that my room has been ready when I arrive (thank you pre registration fairies)I check out the room, collapse on the bed for about an hour(my flight is usually pretty early),then rally and go to MK. I usually have a dinner ADR somewhere, then back to MK for fireworks. My last time here we met other family members for dinner at Le Chefs in Epcot then we saw Illuminations.
I must see fireworks at either MK or EPCOT my first day because they just say “Your here, enjoy the magic!!!”
My Favorite First Day Activities
1) Check into POR (while waiting to check in stress about getting our connecting rooms, certain views and/or buildings).
2) Go to Riverside Mill for the create your own pasta and buy our refillable mugs. reminisce and laugh about my brother-in-law ordering shrimp in his pasta (which he detests!)- he always insists they made a mistake and switched the chicken for shrimp but we have witnesses who heard the order;)
3) Go to Fulton’s General Store to see all the new merchandise and immediately start making a list of must haves. Kids have usually done this while we are in step 1 but they go again.
4) Room are ready after lunch so we go and check them out – our stress is never founded, we always love our rooms in whatever building we’re in as long as it’s Alligator Bayou.
5) Open our connecting doors, give each other a hug then admire our identical rooms, flop on the bed and watch the Must-Do’s while the unpacking is done.
6) Go to the playground for a quick ride on the “spinny wheel” (for Maddie) then head for the boat to enjoy our first relaxing ride of the trip to DTD.
7) Dinner at DTD – Raglan Road, Wolfgang Puck Express or Earl of Sandwich followed by Ghiradelli’s.
8) Shop!
9) Watch Bob Jackson until we hear American Pie which is our cue to retire to our rooms.
10) Go to bed tired but with silly grins on our faces because we’re in our happy place!
Your comments:
We have had many, many happy trips as a family of eight with so many wonderful memories and we can’t wait to be there again.
Wendy, Rob, Marina, Maddie, Liz, Dave, Alex and Nick
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Take a picture of the arch as we drive thru
2)Catch our breath as we walk into the resort and hear the music and get that first blast of Disney magic
3)Look for Hidden Mickeys while unpacking
4)Watch an evening show (Fantasmic, Illuminations, or Wishes)
5)Check out the pin display for new pins
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) We are also from Massachusetts and like to get early flights down to WDW usually arriving before lunch and then head on over to the Magic Kingdom.
2) Next we get our first picture(and card) from the Photopass Photographer and try to get different views/poses each year.
3)Have lunch or sometimes supper at the CP.
4)See the show at the Castle
5)See the 3pm parade. We find this works out so well for when we come back to the MK for a full day of touring, as everyone else is headed off to see the parade, we can ride the attractions with shorter lines and minimal waits!
My Favorite First Day Activity
These are actually our first night activities, since we usually arrive in the afternoon…
1) Walk directly through the Boardwalk lobby and take in the view of Crescent Lake off the back balcony. That means we are really there! Feel the peace and happiness settle over us…
2) Walk over to Epcot and have some dinner at La Cantina de San Angel
3) Watch Illuminations and get teary-eyed…
4) Soak in the atmosphere of Epcot after Illuminations- the music and the peacefulness makes this our “happy place”
5) Count our blessings at how lucky we are that we get to travel to this amazing place every year with our loved ones (in my case, my two best friends- my husband and my sister), and get a good night’s sleep in our home away from home!
Your comments: You may notice I referenced “peacefulness” twice! I think this may be something some people (who don’t “get it”) would not expect when thinking of a trip to Disney World! But I know many of my fellow All Ears devotees will understand perfectly. Love and pixie dust to all!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Get settled in and explore our resort
2)Relax by the pool at our resort
3)Visit Downtown Disney
4)Swim at Typhoon Lagoon (depending on the time of year!)
5)Eagerly plan the next few days and finalize our itineraries, pool-side 🙂
Your comments:
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) get a milkshake at the WDW resort (we do not have time for “real” food we have to get to the MK)
2) look around the resort gift shop (to get in Disney groove)
3) head to MK (I am not at WDW til I walk the “red carpet”)
4) have to ride Space Mountain
5) then it is back home to rest for the 1st full day at Disney
Your comments: Mike thanks for these posts. I love reliving the strolls in the parks. Remembering the sights, sounds and smells of Disney keeps me going to the next time we arrive. I can still hear the train whistle blow and the boat captain say watch your step as we cruise the jungle looking for the “head salesman”.
I don’t want to be entered in a contest, but I just thought I’d share my First Day Musts. 🙂
1. Arrive at resort, unpack, take a look around the property, and get a bite to eat.
2. Catch a bus to Animal Kingdom! Although this is our least favorite park, we like to come here on our first day because there isn’t so much to do, and it is less crowded and more relaxed. I’m surprised to see that no one else shares this tradition!!
3. Leave the park around supper time and head to Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner at either Boma or Jiko.
4. Look around at the gift shop for some souvenirs unique to the resort. And don’t forget to explore the lobby!!
5. Take the bus back to our “home” and get some rest, because day 2 can only mean one thing with us: a full day at MAGIC KINGDOM!!!
Our First Day Activities
1) Check-in at resort and get a bit to eat (OKW & Olivia’s).
2) Head to Downtown Disney if needing to renew Tables in Wonderland or to a park/ Guest Relations if it is an Annual Pass renewal trip.
3) AMC Pleasure Island to catch a movie while waiting for our villa to be ready.
4) Receive text with room no. & head to the Publix for some water, snacks & misc. items.
5) Clean and sanitize villa (I know, I’m a germ freak!) and unpack.
6) Grab dinner on or off property.
7) Crash for the night and look forward to our first “real” day at Disney…usually Epcot and always O’hana for dinner.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Spaceship Earth
2)Test Track
3)Imagination
4)Nemo
5)A quick look thru Mouse Gear
Your comments: We always arrive (via car) about 2:00pm, unpack, and head for Epcot. Our first ride is always Spaceship Earth (and also always our last at the end of our vacation!). Then its off to Test Track for a ride if the Fast Passes aren’t gone or the line isn’t too long. We head over to Imagination for a quick ride with Figment and then to Nemo to visit the fish. By now its beginning to get dark so we check out Mouse Gear to see whats new and then head out of the park to our offsite lodging. (We used to always get a milkshake at Fountain View Ice Cream shop and sit and take it all in…being back at the world and all, but they don’t make them anymore, so we just head out and relax for the evening.)
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) The excitement begins when I drive under the arch (I think that’s where Tink sprinkles her magical pixie dust)
2)Ride the Monorail (It’s an attraction ride in itself)
3)See the Castle as I walk onto Main Street (that’s when I know my dream has turned into a reality)
4) Walk through “my” Castle (isn’t it everyone’s Castle?!)
5) Ride “It’s a Small World” (it just isn’t Disney World without riding it!)
Every summer we plan our WDW vacation so that our flight arrives on Friday afternoon. Why? Because in the summer MK has it’s extended hours on Fridays. So our first day at WDW usually starts anywhere from 2:00 pm — 4:00 pm. With a two hour time difference (coming from the Mountain Time zone) and airline connections it usually means our actual day at home started at 5:00 AM.
We check into the resort, drop off carryon bags in the room and head to the nearest bus stop for the Magic Kingdom. At this point I am as excited as my kids (DS 8 and DD 11) about that first glimpse of the castle. The next 8-10 hours are spent riding, eating, laughing, riding, eating, laughing, riding, eating, laughing,……….
We are usually one of the last families leaving the park at closing. It is an exhausting day and we are asleep the moment we hit the bed but it is always the greatest day of the vacation.
1)Get that thrill of we are so close when we step off the plane and onto the mini-monorail at the airport!
2)Get to our hotel and check in
3)Hopefully, get to our room and change quickly into bathing suits and go for a swim!
4)unpack, eat, and settle ourselves into the resort and locate bus stops and/or boat stops and the best way there.
5)go to bed early to hit the ground running at one of the parks! (my preference is Magic Kingdome first because we usually stay in the EPCOT resort area and I just can’t wait to see the CASTLE!)
Your comments:
I usually fly in with my two kids(son 9 and daughter 6) and mother from the midwest. So we leave very early. We like to use the rest of our travel day to charge up our batteries and get ready for some fun.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Check-in (already having done online check-in) and hopefully the room is ready!
2) Either leave bags in the room or with luggage services and head right to the MK!
3) We take the first flight out of Long Island so grab lunch wherever we feel like eating in the MK
4) Leave the park around 2 to swim/relax at the resort
5) Spend the evening at the Poly whether it be for dinner (Luau or ‘Ohana!!) or to just relax on the beach and watch the fireworks at the MK
Your comments: This would be my ideal first day in WDW! Though we have never followed it exactly. We have also spent our first day at DTD which is great if you don’t have a park ticket for your arrival day. When we go in 2011 I think we’re going to check-in and then just hop on the first park bus that comes along and then do our Poly routine at night!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)watching the welcome video on Disney’s Magical Express (butterflies!)
2)passing under the Magic Kingdom sign (holding my breath!)
3)the first glimpse of Cinderella’s Castle (nervous giggles!)
4)the initial walk down Mainstreet USA (ahhh…I’m home!!!!!!)
5)the first ride of the trip (we always let our son choose it)
6)a Lighthouse sandwich from the Harbour House
7) a delicious dinner…this time it will be in the Castle!!!!
8)Mickey Mouse Ice Cream
9)crying while watching Wishes
Your comments: No words can describe that feeling in your stomach when you realize…it’s not a dream…we’re really here! Nowhere else in the world do I feel so free…no stress, no bills, no work, no deadlines…just pure HAPPINESS!!!!!!!!!!
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My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Walk around the hotel (most likely, Wilderness Lodge)
2) If we have park tickets for day of arrival, to Studios and ride Tower of Terror immediately
3) If we don’t have park tickets, play a round of mini golf
4) Walk around some of the other hotels, taking in decorations if holiday time
5) Talk a leisurely walk around Downtown Disney
Your comments:
Take in all of the sites, sounds and delicious smells no matter what we do.
Oh – I think I have just worked it out – is it “Keys to the World”?
I love reading your blog – and looking at them all together they will help me prepare the itinerary for our next visit. I think I have just about managed to work out what almost all the abbreviations are – but would it be possible to have a glossary for all the abbreviations somewhere on the website? I am stuggling with what KTTW means but will probably kick myself whe someone tells me what it is!! I have fun trying to guess what your next blog will be ……………….
DizneyMike replies: Ruth, KTTW stands for Key To The World card or your room key. Guess what? AllEars does have a page with all the abbreviations and acronyms. Here’s the link to that page: http://allears.net/tp/abrev.htm Thanks for the kind words about the blog….Mike
We are lucky enough to spend a week or so at WDW every year. We arrive in the early afternoon and our routine only varies in the evening, when we may go to see fireworks, or eat somewhere besides our resort (Boma one year).
1. Pick up our KTTW and go out to look at:
2. The Guitar pool! Seeing the palms and the Three Caballeros really says vacation to us.
3. Hit the Food Court at AS Music to get our refillable mugs and have some lunch. We always sit near the photo of Steven Tyler.
4. Look through the shop and maybe pick up some new matching tee shirts, or whatever we forgot (one year it was a bathing suit).
5. Go to our room to unload our car and watch the parks channel. We need our Stacey fix!
6. Eat, swim, sleep. G’night!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Boat ride to MK from Wilderness Lodge
2)Main Street Bakery
3)Ride the Train
4)Tomorrowland Transit Authority
5)Watch the live music shows on Main Street
My Favorite First Day Activity
We usually arrive mid-day because of our flight schedule. After we check in at our resort we head to the Grand Floridian for afternoon Tea. My wife and daughter have their finger sandwiches and desserts. I have the cheese, berry and pate plate with a glass of port and relax.
Later we either go to EPCOT or Down Town Disney.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Check-in at Old Key West (WELCOME HOME!).
2)Bus to Magic Kingdom.
3)Watch the Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade and bus back home to unpack.
4)UNO’s for dinner over at Crossroads and then over to Publix to get the necessities.
5)Get home, relax, bed early, Magic Kingdom again in the morning!
Enjoying an early morning cup of coffee? Tomorrow you can enjoy that same cup with a view! uk directory online!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)We head to Downtown Disney and grab Earl of Sandwich and a margarita. (If our room’s not ready)
2)We explore our resort. (Once we’ve checked in)
3)Have a drink pool side.
4)Find dinner.
5)Turn in early to rest up for our first full day at the parks!
Your comments:
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Go to the MK
2)
3)
4)
5)
Your comments:
We live in NJ and always take the first flight out of the day on whichever carrier. So when staying on property we take the ME over to our hotel, check in and usually eat and early lunch at the hotel. Then we take the bus over to the MK. We go to this park first no matter where we stay. We have a 3 and 5 year old so they like going there first. When staying off property we do the same thing going to the MK first and usually eat at Pinochio’s haus.
We always wind up making an early dinner resi at the MK at Crystal Palace, this April we are doing Tony’s. We always say we are going to go back to the room early since we are up at 3:30-4 AM AM to catch are 7 AM flight. But we always wind up staying until the fire works! LOL! This yaer may be different since the fire works are at 10 PM. We may wond up going back after dinner and crashing..we will see.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Go to the room, relax for about 5 min and watch Disney Must Dos.
2)Take a picture of our car at the resort. Just a tradition we started on our first trip :)!
3)Walk around the resort, go to the pool, and take it all in.
4)Have dinner at Wolfgang Puck Express in the Marketplace or Boma at the AKL.
5)Make plans for the next day – which park, what time, etc. Try to get some sleep!
Your comments:
We always plan our first day activities for days ahead of our trip. We try to change it up each time, but we end up following the old traditions. Maybe in December 2010 we’ll do something new. Who knows?!
1) Check out resort
2) Get lunch and cocktail at pool bar
3) Kids swim in pool
4) Go to Epcot for Illuminations
5) Set up Mickey Wake up Call for next morning
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Check in at the resort – leave our carry ons with the good luggage fairies who will make sure it all gets to our room
2) Have lunch – either in the resort we are staying in or at Casey’s in the Magic Kingdom
3) Go to the Magic Kingdom – nothing starts a Disney vacation until you walk down Main Street and see the castle
4) Get a photopass – make sure that we have a picture taken in front of the castle and with all of the characters
5) Ride the rides starting in Adventureland and working our way around the lands
6) Have a Dole Whip on the way to watch the Parade
7) Eat dinner in MK (either Plaza, Tony’s, or Liberty Tree)
8) Watch the fireworks
9) Explore the resort we are staying at and set a wake up call for the next morning to head out for more Disney excitement
Your comments:
Our 1st things we do when we get to Disney may change now that we are going from just the 2 of us to a family of 3 this year. We have a trip planned for early 2012 and we shall see what changes when we take the newest member of the family to Disney for their 1at time!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Check out our room (what views do we have? how far from the pool are we?). Do my happy dance. 🙂
2)Head to the Magic Kingdom.
3)Explore Main Street and just enjoy that we’re finally on vacation at our happy place.
4)Take monorail to Contemporary.
5)Have dinner at Chef Mickey’s. We have to say hello to our friends!
6) Get to bed early, we have a busy week in front of us!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Check into POR & get settled in the room.
2) Go to food court for the make your own pasta station dinner.
3) Check out the gift shop – buy the girls their Disney gift cards with their own spending money that they’ve worked hard at home to earn.
4) Go to bed early after a long 16 hour drive.
5) Be at Magic Kingdom before rope drop to catch the opening show.
Your comments: I don’t feel like I’m in Disney World until I hear, “It’s magic, wrapped up in pixie dust!”
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)MK to see the castle first. and straight over to Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin.
2)Straight over to Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin.
3)We usually get there around 6PM, so the goal is 20 rides. (Yes, we go commando style and never go when it’s busy.)
4)Dole Whip. (A must)
5)Walk the resort after the kids go to sleep with the camera. (It’s usually late and the best time, I think, for great photos.)
Your comments:
The last time we went, my son said he wanted to do POC first. Tradition was not going to be broken. We decided to put him in the “middle” car of Buzz and the family spent the entire ride “shooting” him. Pre-teens and their nutty ideas!
Mike
I really enjoy these blogs. I get to see how fellow Disney fans enjoy the “magic”. I know I should expand my horizons and visit other parts of the country and world, but when I finally save enough money to travel, it is time to get my Disney fix lol.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Checkin at resort-if room ready go to room if not, to the pool until room is ready.
2) Depending if alone or with niece & nephew. But usually head to DTD for shopping after eating at hotel. But this past visit 12/09 I was alone & had lunch at resort (Swan), then AK and on to Studios for Osborne Lights.
3) 1st full day usually MK following a character breakfast
4) Start with photo by photographer on Main St
5) Ride favorite Splash Mountain-must have the Mickey Ears ice cream too.
Your comments:
In the past my routine was checkin, swim, unpack, Downtown Disney for dinner at Rainforest Cafe & shopping. But now it varies. But I do like that tradition. Again, we’ll see if the kids will go for it. However, if staying at Contemporary, I think we will have a dinner and watch fireworks from balcony with Mickey ice cream. Nice and refreshed. Cannot wait until Sept. 2011. Celebrating 50
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Stop by resort (we usually arrive too early in the day to visit our room)
2) Go to the Magic Kingdom (by monorail)
3) Ride Buzz Lightyear Ride
4) Eat a brownie sundae at Mrs. Potts
5) Ride whatever rides have the shortest lines
Your comments:
I told you about #4 a couple of weeks ago on the ice cream treat survey.
I am amazed at the wide variety of responses! We have an easy, short flight and my travel companion is an eager kid (now age nine), so we have to hit the parks (at least Magic Kingdom) on Day 1. I can see the benefits of having a more relaxing first day, but that is not in the cards for me for a while!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Explore the Disney resort we are staying at
2) Take a stroll around the Boardwalk/Epcot resorts and have a snack
3) Head to the Wonderful World of Disney in DTD
4) Go to the Polynesian beach and watch MK fireworks
5) Have some dessert at my resort or the Poly
I always like to arrive in WDW in the late afternoon before I want to head to the parks so I have a few hours and a night to soak up some Disney magic to get me in the mood for the parks. I usually pick either the Epcot resort area or the MK resort area to explore, and if I have time, I do my shopping at the Wonderful World of Disney store 🙂 After watching Wishes, I head to my resort for a good night’s sleep!
1) Check-in at Resort(POP), if room is ready bring in luggage and relax for a few minutes.
2) Then off to Magic Kingdom-nothing like “coming home” walk down Main Street and seeing the Castle.
3) Having a Photo Pass Photographer take our picture in front of the castle.
I loved it in January this year, when we arrived at MK to find Christmas decorations were still up and Christmas music was still playing. What more could I ask for! (Except for some snow flurries of course!)
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Swimming at the resort
2)Shopping at Downtown Disney
3)Dinner at Whispering Canyon (A must for our family, such a fun first place to eat to start our trip!)
Your comments: We just retured from a 10 day trip in September and for the first time we flew in at night and loved it, we got in around 9, kids had a snack and we put them off to bed. This allowed us to begin our first real day of our trip very rested. We had a leisurely breakfast, kids swam for a while, did a bit of shopping at Downtown Disney, ice cream at Ghiardelli’s, and the Dinner at our resort, Whispering Canyon, one of our most favorite places to eat, such a fun restaurant that we begin every trip with it. With as busy as a Disney trip can be, this relaxing day was great.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Go check in and see if room is availableIf room is available go to room unpack and take huge sigh of relaxation all is well if not go to step 2.
2)Explore resort briefly unless its new.
3)head to a park usually magic kingdom as it has longest hours and depending on check in time it works the best.
4)Watch fireworks over Cinderella’s castle
5)Have a late night swim at one of the resort quiet pools.
Your comments:
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Check-in at resort, leave bags with bell services (our room has never been ready except for this most recent trip)
2)to MK!!!
3)get a Dole Whip
4)ride Pirates of the Caribbean
5)see afternoon parade and Wishes
Your comments: Visiting MK on our first day is a must! As is a Dole Whip!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Check in to the hotel
2) Get into our room if available
3) Explore the hotel
4) Visit the hotel gift shop
5) Grab something to eat at the hotel and hit a park later on
Your comments:
First thing we do is check in to the hotel. If our room is ready, we like to check in and figure out where it’s at. There’s nothing like walking in after the flight and Magical Express ride and kicking your shoes off for a few minutes and relaxing. This usually involves laying on the bed. At check-in we always grab some park maps. This gives us something to look at and something for the girls to look at in the room. After some time in the room, we’ll explore the resort, hit the gift shop, and then grab something to eat. Depending on time, then we’ll go to a park or Downtown Disney.
Since we leave MN early and are at our hotel by noon, we check in, eat lunch at food court (POP last time), my husband takes a nap, I take the kids swimming and then we pick a park to head to for afternoon and evening. We try to keep the first day pretty low key as kids have been up since 4am or so, but we usually close down a park! Last time we went (in 08 BTW – thanks to lousy economy 🙁 we ended up at AK with about 3 hours to closing and we could just walk on Everest, Safaris, Tough to Be A Bug – it was great. Knowing we can’t do everything we want we always find a few ‘must dos’ and then it was Everest so we were able to get it done within a few hours of getting there! It was great. I always love the first day there, so much anticipation of what’s to come! Hope to go back in the next year or two!
1. check into the resort
2. head to DTD for lunch and shopping
3. relax by the pool
4. go to bed early so we are up early to visit Epcot on our first official park day
1) Record the kids on video screaming “We’re in Disney” when we pass under the sign.
2) Check into the Wilderness Lodge and go to room and unpack, if it is ready.
3) Explore the resort and take pictures.
4) Depending on the weather and time we arrive let the kids swim in the pool.
5) Eat supper at a Disney restuarant.
We’ve only been with our children once before but are headed back in December. This will be our second Christmas spent at DW and we can’t wait. We drive in from South Carolina so it will probably be late afternoon before we arrive. If it is early enough this year we will take the ferry boat over to Magic Kingdom. I have to see the Wilderness Lodge and then the Castle to know I am home. Magic Kingdom is our must do first park.
My Favorite First Day Activity
We usually arrive in the afternoon so we go to our hotel check in and then head to the pool for an hour and then we wash up and head to Downtown Disney for dinner at T-Rex or the Rain Forest Cafe. After dinner we stroll through all the stores and then head back to our room unpack and go to bed.
We always get up early the following morning and head to breakfast at the Crystal Palace and enjoy the day at the Magic Kingdom until it closes.
My Favorite First Day Activity:
1) Almost every trip begins with Hoop-de-Doo the night of arrival. I love it! It is a great way to start the trip.
2)My first day in the parks starts with a character breakfast, usually at Ohana, followed by a fun filled day in MK.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Drop bags in the room, chill some wine!
2)Head to EPCOT to snack and shop.
3)Visit DTD and bring back Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck take out for dinner in the room (OKW). Grab some caramel apples at Goofy’s, too!
4)Take a “night swim” at our resort pool.
5)View fireworks from the balcony…we have a favorite two bedroom at OKW with fabulous views of Illuminations!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Go to DTD and wait for Wolfgang Puck Express to open for breakfast; then eat!
2)Spend a couple hours walking around DTD
3)Check into our hotel
4)Back to DTD for lunch at Earl of Sandwich
5)Go back to the hotel and watch the Disney Channel
6) Eat dinner at DTD.
Your comments:
We love spending our first day at DTD! We always drive down at night. We live in South Alabama and if we leave around midnight we get there just before DTD opens. I am beyond appreciative of my husband for driving so I can sleep and be well rested for a full day of shopping and enjoying DTD.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)When we first visited WDW with our kids in 2000, they were 5 and 8. We drove from Illinois and arrived late in the day. We planned on visiting MK the next day, but the kids were excited and we wanted to get to know the transortation system so we decided to go ahead and take the bus from the All-Star Movies resort and maybe watch the fireworks from outside. I will NEVER forget my kids reacion from seeing the castle from the road on the bus. They were literally shaking with anticipation. So…on every trip since (at least times, our first trip after checking in and dropping off the luggage is to visit MK…always. It is simply a tradition. MK FIRST.
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My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Take a deep breath of Disney air and announce “I’m home!” with a tear in my eye
2)Check in at Fort Wilderness /set up
3)Shopping at Downtown Disney
4)Swimming at the meadow swimming pool
5)Go to the beach and watch the electric water parade
6)TRY to get some sleep despite the excitement that bubbles inside at the prospect of what is yet to come!
ideas for top things: favorite songs to sing along with at WDW (from attractions, shows, etc)
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)check in, check out the room, unpack and lay down ont he bed and just enjoy being there
2)explore the resort
3)go to the pool and relax after a long drive
4)find the palyground for the kids to wear themselves out
5)early dinner at the resort for an ealry bedtime to get the vacation rolling the next day
Your comments:
Favourite first day activities :-
1. Drive under arch, go “oooooh!”, then get lost trying to follow purple signs to hotel. Cry a bit at prospect of spending next (very small) part of life in WDW.
2. Check in, explore room if ready, explore resort.
3. Drive to Fort Wilderness Campground, leave car at entrance, get bus to Trails End.
4. Explore area, check out Trading Post and pin stands for new goodies since we were last here!
5. Check in with Trails End, get pager, sit on rocking chairs and sigh deeply a lot. Smile.
6. Enjoy fabulous meal, then walk to beach for quick nap on loungers in the dark, followed by Electrical Pageant thingy, followed by watching and listening to whichever fireworks display is on at the Magic Kingdom.
7. Head back to resort for much needed sleep (as by UK time it will probably be around 4.00 a.m. by now!).
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Head to DTD for Earl of Sandwich
2)Nap! (I get them so rarely at home)
3)Get a massage at the spa, really feels like a vacation!
On our next trip our flight gets in very late at night–so we won’t be able to do anything except head to bed! Our real first day will be the following morning and after our grocery delivery we’re headed to Epcot for a wine seminar!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Go to Epcot
2)Have a drink at Rose & Crown
3)Watch Illumnations
4)go back to resort
5)have a drink at bar or balcony
Your comments:
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Arrive, Check in and unpack.
2)Go to Downtown Disney
3)Attempt to go up in Characters in Flight Balloon (weather permitting)
4)Eat at T-Rex or other Downtown Disney eatery but usually T-Rex
5)Head back to Bay Lake Tower (If we are staying there which we usually are) and watch fireworks from the Top of the World cafe.
We drive in from Tennessee, it’s usually in the afternoon when we arrive so we don’t want to burn a park hopper that day.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Go right to the Magic Kingdom (right after check-in)
2) Ride the Carousel of Progress.
3) Go back to the room to shower and check out if anything has changed at the resort since our last visit (POFQ).
4) Have dinner at EPCOT.
5) Enjoy a Boston Lager and watch Illuminations.
Comments:
DizneyMike, I have the same change to the happiest kid on Earth (but that starts the second we land in Orlando–cannot wait to get out of LGA). But the Magic Kingdom just solidifies the feeling. Although we love all the attractions, CoP just gets us right into the Disney mood. And POFQ just keeps the good time coming (we can’t get enough of it)-but we wait until right after lunch to take a stroll (and sometimes after getting back from EPCOT, depending on how tired we are). And ending the night at EPCOT with my wife in my arms and Sam Adams in my hand is the perfect start to a perfect time at the World.
As we ride under the Walt Disney World sign. We call someone who is at home and yell “we are in Disney World”. I know kind of mean but….
Check in and admire our rooms view. Usually the river at Riverside!
Take the 1st bus that arrives at the bus stop and we are off!!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Check in resort, see if room is ready. If it is, we put bags in room, if not we put them with baggage hold(we always take earliest flight from Philly to get the most out of our first day)
2)Get something to eat at a place we’ve never tried before – in a park or out, as long as it’s new to us
3)Head to Studios – ride Tower of Terror
4)Ride Toy Story Mania
5)Get a drink in the Rose and Crown Pub
Your comments:
Having the luxury of being Disney veterans, we do not feel the need to rush to the “next thing.” Flying in early means we have to be up early, so the first thing we always do is get lunch when we arrive. We always try a place we’ve never been to before so eventually we might get to all the restaurants Disney has to offer! Then, it’s usually off to the Studios; however, on our last trip we actually took a break from a park on our first day. Instead, we wandered around the Beach Club, where we were staying, ate at the ESPN Zone, and called it an early evening. It was relaxing; just don’t say we’re getting old!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Explore the Resort
2) Dinner at a Disney Restaurant
3) Head over to Epcot if staying at the Boardwalk
4) Hit the pool with the kid(s)
Your comments: Dinner out the first night is always so relaxing because the hectic home life is behind you and the hectic park hopping is still in front of you. It’s the first, and sometimes last, time to really relax.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) Check in at hotel and leave our stuff with the luggage fairies who make it magically appear in our room later
2) Head to the TTC and take the monorail to MK all while giggling with my kiddos and getting our ears on
3) After our first “offical” WDW photo in front of the castle we head straight to “Its a a Small World” We love it!
4) We hit the rest of Fantasy Land before heading to frontier land for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!
5) This is when we are usually worn out, so we head to Downtown Disney to Wolfgang Puck Express (our favorite counter service of all times!) and then back to the hotel for a dip in the pool before bed!
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Check in, go to room, do happy dance
2)Take as many different forms of Disney transport as possible and arrive at the Magic Kingdom
3)Go up to the MK Railroad and look over Main Street, sigh and smile 🙂 Take a trip all the way around the park on the rails.
4)Walk up Main Street taking care to stop in all the shops.
5)Get a hot dog at Casey’s and an ice cream cone or cookie at either the Bakery or Ice Cream Parlor.
Your comments:
On my first trip as a little girl we took the ferry to the Magic Kingdom. Since then I have always taken the ferry over, but I have added lots of steps! We like to stay at Port Orleans French Quarter. My daughter and I start there, take the boat to Downtown Disney, walk around and board a bus to the Polynesian, walk around there and take the Monorail to the TTC and then finally, board the ferry for the Magic Kingdom.
Thanks for doing all these!! It is so nice to be able to go to our collective happy place 🙂
1. “Welcome Home”
2. Epcot to ride Living with the Land.
3. Eat at the Rose and Crown.
4. Catch Soarin’ during Illuminations.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Go to the Haunted Mansion (favorite attraction)
2)explore the hotel
3)get a snack from Epcot
4)Go to downtown disney
5)Watch the fireworks (wherever i may be)
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Relax at the resort (I always fly in at night)
2)Go to Hollywood Studios, get a FastPass for Toy Story Midway Mania, then ride right away
3)Star Tours, Star Tours, and more Star Tours
4)Eat lunch at 50’s Prime Time
5)Shop!!!!
1. First we check out the hotel grounds while my husband unpacks.
2. Then it’s Magic Kingdom’s Mainstreet
What’s a trip to Disney without the view of the castle!
3. Fantasyland Rides and sites
4. A snack from Main Street
5. Magic Kingdom Fireworks to end a perfect night with the kids
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Wake up very early (we have a -5 hour time difference.
2)Jump on a bus to Magic Kingdom for the opening ceremony, and after all this time, when we pass the MK entrance, I still hold my breath in anticipation until I can see ‘The Castle’…
3)Go into the candy store on the corner of Main Street and Town Square, then munch our way up Main Street and decide which ‘land’ we will visit first.
4) Then the rest of our day is spent having fun, crying happy tears and just become a child again.
5)Watch the Kiss Goodnight and it’s just nice to be one of the first in the park and the one of the last to leave. Even the long queues and the crammed busses can’t spoil my magic.
My Favorite First Day Activity
1) The first park we ALWAYS visit is Studios
2) Our first ride is alwaysTOT followed by Rock n Roller Coaster
3) Followed by a meal at Mama’s.
4) Chris gets his first (of many) “Mickey Heads” Ice cream bar
5) Then it’s back to the whatever DVC resort we are staying in to unpack
1. Check into the hotel, if room is ready we’ll head there and explore the resort a bit & get familiar with the surroundings.
2. Lunch at Hollywood Studios either Brown Derby or 50’s Prime Time
3. Stay at the park until closing, having had dinner there too, Sci-Fi Theater.
4. Head back to Resort, unpack, explore some more, if it’s warm we head to the pool and bar for a sip and dip. Relax!!
5. Bed early for Magic Kingdom breakfast the next day
My Favorite First Day Activity
(We always fly in at night)
1)Walk over to ESPN Club for dinner, love the nachos and wings.
2)Walk into Epcot and stroll around WS.
3)Just sit on my balcony and let it sink in.
1.Check in at the hotel, put bags in the room and probably turn on the disney info channel for the first of several times
2. Go to Earl of Sandwich
3. Trade some pins downtown
4. Mini-golf at fantasia gardens
5. Go to Epcot the next morning
My Favorite First Day Activity
1)Visit the MK( It’s not DW until I see the castle!)
2)Visit the resorts especially the GF and the WL
3)Have dinner at an Epcot restaurant
4)Visit DTD
5)View Illuminations
Well, when we first get to WDW we register with the hotel.
If our room is ready, we put our carry on bags in our room (if not we leave it with the luggage people).
Afterwards we get lunch usually at the Food Court (Pop)and check out the souvenier shop. :). For the past years or so, I keep forgetting my lanyard so we always had to buy a lanyard. lol.
Then after lunch we head over to a park that has the shortest line in front since it is only a half day at the parks.