Do you have any set routines or traditional things you do when you visit Disney?

[mergatroid]

Coming from the UK and staying outside of Disney (nearly always), we usually check into our hotel after flying over and after eating pretty much go straight to bed as to us it's usually the equivalent of midnight or later at that stage.

The next morning however we're always up at the crack of dawn and at The Studios before opening for our first day. Being the smallest park and the car parked closer to the entrance it's feels like the least walking to break us in. Having a 14 day ticket we don't hammer everything that day and are usually done by 12:30pm after seeing the Indie show whereby we head off for lunch outside the park followed by a shop at Walmart to stock the fridge in the hotel.

Our second visit is always to the Magic Kingdom. We're more acclimatised to the heat then and we always get there before opening. Space Mountain is always the first attraction we visit and as my wife doesn't do coasters she always treats herself to a coffee and sits by the side of the speedway near the exit to SM waiting for me. Beyond that we're pretty flexible as to where we go and what we do which is often dictated by wait times and what takes our fancy from those options. Going every year with multiple day visits we've experienced nearly every attraction already so it's not like we're desperate to get on certain things no matter what.

Anyone else have any routines or traditions that they don't deviate from unless closures etc dictate?

 

[Touchdown]

-The last day of a trip I will only go to MK and Epcot. Which park is the morning vs the evening is not set but since most of my trips are during party season and conclude on a Sunday it’s usually MK morning Epcot evening. This is an absolute rule, no going to inferior parks on the last day.

-I specifically make a playlist for my drive back to the airport to say goodbye that consists mainly of night show exit music past and present as well as some borrowed from DL to pad the time and is timed to get me there, it gets updated from time to time but it’s currently:
-I put a Spell on You (Hallowishes Exit Music)/It Feels Like Christmas (Holiday Wishes Exit Music) (seasonal additions)
-MK Goodnight Kiss (how I wish this would come back)
-Spectromagic Piano Medley (25th anniversary CD)
-Remember the Magic (FitS 25 exit music)
-Come Together as One (Luminous Exit Music)
-One Heartbeat (Luminous Exit Music)
-One Little Spark (Luminous Exit Music)
-A Kiss Goodnight (Disneyland Forever Exit Music)
-Remember When (Remember…Dreams Come True Exit Music)
-When You Wish Upon a Star (Pinocchio, ie, the original version)

 

[Br0ckford]

Before we moved here, when we planned our trips, we travel early. First day was land, Uber, or back in the day DME () to the resort. We unpack then Disney Springs to start getting Disney vibes. Eat lunch somewhere....we would always decide once we got to DS. MK was the first park the next day...needed to see the castle.

Last day was always stroll around the resort one last time, lunch then head to the airport.

 

[JIMINYCR]

ALWAYS:
MK is our first and last park of the trip
Book Hoop de Doo
Must dine at Yak & Yeti, La Hacienda, Chefs de France once
When at POFQ... Walk the path to Riverside and watch Yee Haa Bob
Take the boat from POFQ to DS
When at Contemporary... Watch the Electric Water Pageant from the dock
Full days... Arrive at parks early and leave at closing
Splurge and make an expensive purchase at Art of Disney
Eat a Turkey leg, have a Dole Whip, have a Mickey pretzel
One morning have a Gaston Taverns Cinnamon bun
Ride the 2 monorail loops
Ride the Skyway

 

[CAV]

Mexico first. Thats it.

 

[osian]

EPCOT has to be first, either for a couple of hours in the evening on arrival day (also from the UK , so tend to arrive mid afternoon) or the first full day. Or both. However, this can change depending on if I've planned excursions to SeaWorld, Universal or Busch as it depends on what days have been the cheapest for tickets in advance.

EPCOT also forthe last full day..and the morning of departure day. And as many days as possible inbetween!

Generally, the other days sort themselves out really due to opening hours, early closing for party nights, whch parks are likely to be busier on certain days of the week etc.

Always stay on site, and early hours also sort themselves out due to the rides I like to do and I therefore tend to do the same thing. At HS, bounce between RnRC and ToT at esrly entry for an hour and a half or so, then breakfast bowl at Woodys!

At AK, either FoP at early entry if I'm there early enough, otherwise Everest. Breakfast probably at Yak&Yeti.

At MK, Space Mountain at early entry, 4 or 5 times, then Tron if the queue isn't too bad. Then breakfast at FriaRs Nook, then probably Haunted Mansion.

At EPCOT it always used to be Soarin at early entry for about 4 goes, then breakfast at Sunshine Seasons, then over to Test Track and Mission Space. But this has changed somewhat with Cosmic Rewind, since that's gained its standby line I go there first for early entry rope drop.

At some point during the trip, must have something from Les Halles, Karamel Kuche, Kringla, and the pretzel bread pudding from Sommerfest.

 

[mergatroid]

ALWAYS:
MK is our first and last park of the trip
Book Hoop de Doo
Must dine at Yak & Yeti, La Hacienda, Chefs de France once
When at POFQ... Walk the path to Riverside and watch Yee Haa Bob
Take the boat from POFQ to DS
When at Contemporary... Watch the Electric Water Pageant from the dock
Full days... Arrive at parks early and leave at closing
Splurge and make an expensive purchase at Art of Disney
Eat a Turkey leg, have a Dole Whip, have a Mickey pretzel
One morning have a Gaston Taverns Cinnamon bun
Ride the 2 monorail loops
Ride the Skyway

Been going to WDW for over 50 years and never tried it but I've decided that this is the year we try it. Will be able to book it in just under 2 weeks (60 days out) and won't tell my wife so I can surprise her on the day with it.

 

[osian]

Been going to WDW for over 50 years and never tried it but I've decided that this is the year we try it. Will be able to book it in just under 2 weeks (60 days out) and won't tell my wife so I can surprise her on the day with it.

Oh. You might be there same time as me!

 

[mergatroid]

Oh. You might be there same time as me!

Arrive 14th September and there 15 nights. We always plan it around HHN

 

[osian]

Arrive 14th September and there 15 nights. We always plan it around HHN

16th is my last full day. (4 nights at Terra Luna, 7 nights at Coronado Springs)

 

[Baloo124]

Upon arriving at our resort, we make it a tradition to first stop in the lobby doorway prior to checking-in, and perform a ceremonial dance honoring the Greek god, Dionysus. This ensures blessing over our vacation, full of good times, good food, and an overall hassle-free experience.

At least it's supposed to, however security keeps approaching every time, asking what in the living heck is wrong with us.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I used to eat really good food at a really good price…

…but I “gave that up” years ago

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Arrive 14th September and there 15 nights. We always plan it around HHN

Dude…we gotta get you out more

 

[DisneyHead123]

It’s funny because I am very much a creature of habit at home but the exact opposite at Disney. That’s one of the few places I want to try something new each time. I’d say our only given is Chef Mickey’s with my family and Liberty Tree with my husband’s family.

 

[Calmdownnow]

Coming from the UK and staying outside of Disney (nearly always), we usually check into our hotel after flying over and after eating pretty much go straight to bed as to us it's usually the equivalent of midnight or later at that stage.

The next morning however we're always up at the crack of dawn and at The Studios before opening for our first day. Being the smallest park and the car parked closer to the entrance it's feels like the least walking to break us in. Having a 14 day ticket we don't hammer everything that day and are usually done by 12:30pm after seeing the Indie show whereby we head off for lunch outside the park followed by a shop at Walmart to stock the fridge in the hotel.

Our second visit is always to the Magic Kingdom. We're more acclimatised to the heat then and we always get there before opening. Space Mountain is always the first attraction we visit and as my wife doesn't do coasters she always treats herself to a coffee and sits by the side of the speedway near the exit to SM waiting for me. Beyond that we're pretty flexible as to where we go and what we do which is often dictated by wait times and what takes our fancy from those options. Going every year with multiple day visits we've experienced nearly every attraction already so it's not like we're desperate to get on certain things no matter what.

Anyone else have any routines or traditions that they don't deviate from unless closures etc dictate?

Also arriving from the UK. we would always spend the early evening at the resort pool, just stretching those limbs, cooling down and enjoying space after a long transatlantic flight. Hotel QS meal and staying up as long as possible to get up to speed with US time. Plus, we ordered grocery delivery (bread, fruit, cooked meats, cheese, bottled water, mixers, trail mix/snacks) so if we woke up early (e.g. 5 am) we had something.

The first 2 or 3 days would still see us wake up early, so (because we stayed on site) we would get a coffee hit in room and then get the first bus to a park for early access. (You could get an awful lot more done when you got an hour rather than 30 minutes!).

 

[Disstevefan1]

Resort hop…….Oh wait…… Nevermind

 

[experiment624]

Back in the day, whenever my sister and I went to HS, we would have to see both shows of "Lights, Motor, Action! Extreme Stunt Show" Even if we went to another park, we would still park hop to HS to get to at least one of the showings. It was a must at the time. My then boyfriend knew we never missed a show, he arranged to propose from the stage and a whole deal. Once he became my husband, we continued always seeing the show until it was gone. Now we don't really have any routines or musts.

 

[Blinkyrob]

Epcot is always the first park, SSE first ride.

I have the smell of that ride entrance as you enter the building indelibly burned into my olfactory senses.

 

[zurgandfriend]

We always take the earliest flight out of Boston and arrive in Orlando mid-morning. We always stay in a Magic Kingdom area resort, and our room is never ready .

We check our bags and head to the Magic Kingdom. Walk up Main Street and our first visit is to The Carousel of Progress. I saw the Carrousel of Progress for the first time at the 1964 New York World’s Fair so it’s a reminder of a long ago family vacation, especially as I am the only member of my family still alive.

Unfortunately The Carousel of Progress won’t be open on our upcoming trip. So I think we will check out the new and improves Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin.

When our room is ready we unpack, rest, freshen up and head to EPCOT’s World Showcase. Our first meal is always at Germany’s Biergarten.

We don’t have any traditions for the remainder of our visit. We do, of course, make meal reservations and we mix it up. We have some old favorite restaurants and always try some new restaurants as well.

 

[sbkline]

I like to make Epcot our first park and Magic Kingdom our last park. And I like to make Saturday and Sunday non park days, unless we go into the park after supper which we usually dont do. But we like to do offsite things on weekends, like shopping malls, or last time we went to the Peppa Pig theme park, etc. Saturday night is supper at Chef Mickeys, Sunday night is supper at the Grand Floridian, either 1900 Park Fare or Grand Floridian cafe.