First Day: Full day or do you ease into the magic?

Jessica Meier

Jessica Meier

Well-Known Member
On our last trip we stayed off site and visited DTD but had a pretty full day and they woke up and were out the door by 6:30 to check into the Contemporary by 7 and we were at AK by opening. We were out until almost midnight with The Pirates and Pals Cruise. In retrospect, I wonder if we over did it and maybe that is why Cadence got sick. So for our next trip I am contemplating driving in and arriving late afternoon ADR and then calling it a night with a easy day the next day to ease us into the magic.

How do you prefer to do it?
 
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SMS55

SMS55

Well-Known Member
We usually arrive in the late afternoon or evening. We drive up from Miami, it's about a 3.5 hour drive. If it's early enough we'll head to a park (were passholders so it's not a wasted day) If not we'll head to DTD. The net morning we hit it full speed. We're at MK for rope drop and won't stop for the entire duration of our trip.
 
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jlsHouston

jlsHouston

Well-Known Member
Even if I arrive before noon, first day is never planned with too much. One special meal if possible. The pool if it's hot enough or a quick trip to one of the parks for a couple of rides. But not both. Whether we drive or fly in, travel day is tiring and taxing and I believe lowers your immune system so slip into the magic but don't overdo.
 
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M

MissingDisney

Well-Known Member
We fly in after work/school, get settled, grab a bite, explore the resort and get a good nights sleep to start off rested and rejuvenated the next day. It seems to work well for everyone,especially the kids since they don't have any huge interruption in their schedules this way.
 
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Club34

Club34

Well-Known Member
Usually in the resort by 1-2pm followed by an early bird somewhere in Epcot. Retire early [last trip I fell asleep in SSE which we rode on the way out- don't laugh- it must be that soothing British accent] to get ready for the first "full" day.
 
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tractorm3

tractorm3

Active Member
We try and fly in as early as possible. our carry on bags are packed with things we may need for the parks just incase. Once we check in, (provided our room s ready...always has been) we check out the room, freshen up, grab a bite at the hotel and go to a park depending on EMH that night.

We have always been the first out the door on our trip to watch park opening and try to spend the most time in the parks. But that is how we enjoy our vacation. towards the end we are napping at lunch and slowing down.
 
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Disvillain63

Disvillain63

Well-Known Member
When we had young children, we would arrive mid-afternoon. We'd do a character dinner and then take monorail rides...first a peak at the Magic Kingdom and then a peak at Epcot. We'd return to the resort for a good night's rest. We were out the door and at our first park at opening. However, you didn't burn the midnight oil back then, because MK and Disney-MGM closed at earlier times. If you stayed late in a park, it was Epcot for their nighttime spectacular. We were usually back at the resort by 8 pm.
 
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Jessica Meier

Jessica Meier

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Disvillain63 said:
When we had young children, we would arrive mid-afternoon. We'd do a character dinner and then take monorail rides...first a peak at the Magic Kingdom and then a peak at Epcot. We'd return to the resort for a good night's rest. We were out the door and at our first park at opening. However, you didn't burn the midnight oil back then, because MK and Disney-MGM closed at earlier times. If you stayed late in a park, it was Epcot for their nighttime spectacular. We were usually back at the resort by 8 pm.
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That is so true. There is so much to do and it is so easy to be tempted into over doing it. I keep thinking on my next trip there is this to do and this and we have to eat here and we missed this last time. No wonder we are all so worn down when we get back. :)
 
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foreverbelle

foreverbelle

Well-Known Member
For us, I believe it depends on a couple of things. 1. How we are feeling. At times we are exhausted from the ride/flight to do anything but take it easy and relax. Builds up excitement in a lot of ways. 2. What time we get in. As APers it doesn't really matter, but when we do not do an annual pass and have to buy tickets, we ask ourselves is it worth it to go for a couple of hours. Yes it is, but with a toddler, and when he was a baby. Well at times it was more hassle getting things together for him to go than to not.

Either way its going to be a fabulous trip
 
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M

MissingDisney

Well-Known Member
Jessica Meier said:
We have done DTD on our first day too for almost every trip. Good way to ease into the magic.
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This is how we use to do it before school became a concern. Before, we could fly in at any time, hang out at Downtown Disney, and start the parks the next day. We were also able to take much longer trips. The kids are in school and in grades that they really cannot miss much so we fly in immediately after school so as to allow our trip to be as long as possible. ;)

The first couple of trips the new way were really weird because downtown Disney was our arrival date tradition!
 
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MasterGracey82

MasterGracey82

Active Member
Our last trip in November, we drove in on a Friday from Chicago and arrived at Pop Century about 9:30PM. We were pretty tired from driving since 3:00AM that morning (we drove straight through) so we immediately crashed. We woke up and went to check-in at BLT around 8:30AM and then headed out to the parks for the day. We ended up at AK just about an hour after opening.

Since we arrived so late, our first day was really the following day, but we jumped right in and spent a full day at the parks, had late dinner reservations, caught the fireworks at MK, etc. Would have felt like a waste to take it easy.
 
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