What would you do?

[HouCuseChickie]

So, we're going to WDW for 6 nts/7days, so I decided to get MYW tickets for 6 days. Obviously, Day 1 and Day 7 are travel days, but I figured we'd at least get in some park time on Day 1 if things at least run semi-close to on time (i.e. we land at MCO around 10:30am). Day 7 on the other hand offers very little time to get to a park, let alone do anything in one, so I didn't plan anything more than TS breakfast that morning.

In any event, DH thinks it's silly that I booked tickets for Day 1...especially since we're going to have to head back to the hotel at some point for nap time (for our girls) before heading out to our 7:30 dinner reservations. Plus he brought up the ugly subject of flight delays and other issues that could cut our day even shorter. But-If the MYA ticket calculator is correct, it's only a matter of $15 - so for that- I think it's a better bet to hope for the best and try to get a little bit of park time day 1.

So, what would you do? Would you keep it at 6 days of tickets or cut it back to 5? :shrug:

 

[Magical Dreamer]

We always make Day 1 a DTD day....this way there's no stress on the need to be somewhere on our arrival day....always have a good time, and are ready to open a park the next morning.

A EMH park may entice me though...:ROFLOL:

 

[bsiev1977]

How old are the kids?

My thought is, if the cost is as low as you calculated, the extra day could be used to get some big rides out of the way, freeing time the rest of the week. I'd stay with the tickets as is.

 

[britlightyear]

I think that you should just keep the extra day. When you are talking about paying for a disney vacation, would $15 really make a difference? :shrug:
And if you did manage to find the time to get to a park that day, you will be very happy you kept the extra day on your ticket.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

yeah- DH is pushing for DTD, especially since none of the parks have EMH that night. Funny- we'd probably spend more $$$ going that route. :lol: I also don't know if DD4 will buy that we're at Disney if she doesn't see the castle - pronto! She's a piece of work.

 

[bsiev1977]

yeah- DH is pushing for DTD, especially since none of the parks have EMH that night. Funny- we'd probably spend more $$$ going that route. :lol: I also don't know if DD4 will buy that we're at Disney if she doesn't see the castle - pronto! She's a piece of work.

You said earlier that you are scheduled to land at 10:30am, I believe? So let's say you get to your hotel at about noontime.

Depending on how your kids did on the trip, maybe rest and nap for an hour or two, then spend a few hours at Magic Kingdom, like 2-3, see the castle and do a couple rides the kids have been really looking forward to. Depending on the bedtimes you have in mind for the kids, this could leave you a good bit of time to finish the day at DTD before settling down for the night.

 

[Monty]

Compromise solution:

Get 5-day tickets. If there are no flight delays or other issues, you can go to a park on day 1 and add the extra day at some convenient point during your stay to cover day 6. That way, if your husband is justified in his worries, you haven't spent the extra cash on a day you won't use. If all works out you get the extra park visit. The cost of adding the day is the same regardless of when you do it.

 

[Susan Savia]

We drive and always arrive around 2:00pm and check in, unpack and like to head to the parks. Doesn't matter to us if its EMH that evening or not, we just like to get a little taste of the parks (always Epcot on check in day) to hold us til the next day!!! We use Downtown Disney as a mid week break from the parks. Perhaps this one time your kids could skip naps so you could either visit Downtown Disney or one of the parks for a few hours.

 

[foreverbelle]

We always get the extra day just in case. My husband says with the price difference being as low, if we don't make it we don't make it but that give you the option. I do however like Monty's idea about if everything looks alright on day one you can always add when you get there. But we would say go for it.

 

[Mukta]

Compromise solution:

Get 5-day tickets. If there are no flight delays or other issues, you can go to a park on day 1 and add the extra day at some convenient point during your stay to cover day 6. That way, if your husband is justified in his worries, you haven't spent the extra cash on a day you won't use. If all works out you get the extra park visit. The cost of adding the day is the same regardless of when you do it.

I think this is the best solution unless you already have your tickets. It is very simple to add a day at the parks.

 

[beanbunny]

Compromise solution:

Get 5-day tickets. If there are no flight delays or other issues, you can go to a park on day 1 and add the extra day at some convenient point during your stay to cover day 6. That way, if your husband is justified in his worries, you haven't spent the extra cash on a day you won't use. If all works out you get the extra park visit. The cost of adding the day is the same regardless of when you do it.

I do think this is a great idea - I just wouldn't like to deal with spending time at guest relations. Besides, if you arrive at the resort about noon, there is a good chance your room wouldn't be ready. I would much prefer to head right out to a park - downtown Disney just wouldn't seem right on day 1.

 

[goshdarnstud]

Doesn't matter to us if its EMH that evening or not, we just like to get a little taste of the parks (always Epcot on check in day) to hold us til the next day!!!

Here here! Epcot relaxation in World Showcase on day one is the way to go. We take it easy and eat dinner at the Cantina and have perfect spots staked out for Illuminations. (In fact we bring cards and play canasta at the Cantina!)

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! :wave: I'm torn between just keeping things as they are and Monty Mon's idea. I will say this- if we do make it to a park on day 1...it will be MK, but I see us doing more costume shopping and stopping to check out the little things- i.e. a nice sort of park appreciation day. We'll focus on MK rides on day 2 when we're there at park opening.

 

[Mikester71]

We always make Day 1 a DTD day....this way there's no stress on the need to be somewhere on our arrival day....always have a good time, and are ready to open a park the next morning.

A EMH park may entice me though...:ROFLOL:

We have done this our first three trips to WDW and plan on doing it again in March when we head back down. We spend a day and a half driving down and usually pull in to Pop Century around 2pm, so we usually go check in at the desk, unload our stuff if our room is ready (which it luckily has been the first 3 times) and then head out to DTD for a bite to eat and a quick Disney fix before heading back to Pop for a good night's sleep so that we can hit the ground running at MK on our first full day there the next morning! :sohappy:

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! :wave: I'm torn between just keeping things as they are and Monty Mon's idea. I will say this- if we do make it to a park on day 1...it will be MK, but I see us doing more costume shopping and stopping to check out the little things- i.e. a nice sort of park appreciation day. We'll focus on MK rides on day 2 when we're there at park opening.

What Disney resort are you staying at? If you are in the MK-resort area even a short trip on the day of arrival makes sense because the trip to the park is soo short, just for breathing some Disney-air in the MK. That's what we planned to do after arrival (after all what does ONE additional day on the MYT cost if you have a long stay anyway) but our plane had a 2 hour delay so we decided to stay at the hotel.

 

[cegrant]

I always get the extra day on our tickets too. Our flight usually lands about 11:00am.

Like you said, the cost difference is negligible. Last year, we actually visited Animal Kingdom the first day. In general that park tends to thin out in the late afternoon because people can tour the park in less than a day. In the off-season, it closes at 5 or 6pm. So you could tour for a few hours and then leave for your dinning reservation.

That being said, I understand what you mean about daughters and the castle. I think this year, mine will insist on seeing MK pronto. So we are staying at BLT and I made dinner ADRs at CRT for the first day. I made them at 4:30pm so we can eat early and get her back to the hotel before she gets overtired and goes nuclear.:fork:

 

[PhilharMagician]

So, we're going to WDW for 6 nts/7days, so I decided to get MYW tickets for 6 days. Obviously, Day 1 and Day 7 are travel days, but I figured we'd at least get in some park time on Day 1 if things at least run semi-close to on time (i.e. we land at MCO around 10:30am). Day 7 on the other hand offers very little time to get to a park, let alone do anything in one, so I didn't plan anything more than TS breakfast that morning.

In any event, DH thinks it's silly that I booked tickets for Day 1...especially since we're going to have to head back to the hotel at some point for nap time (for our girls) before heading out to our 7:30 dinner reservations. Plus he brought up the ugly subject of flight delays and other issues that could cut our day even shorter. But-If the MYA ticket calculator is correct, it's only a matter of $15 - so for that- I think it's a better bet to hope for the best and try to get a little bit of park time day 1.

So, what would you do? Would you keep it at 6 days of tickets or cut it back to 5? :shrug:

Where are you having dinner?

Monty's suggestion works for either way you work it!

I personally would go to the parks even if it was just for an hour. To me a 10:30 arrival is early and leaves plenty of park time.


BTW are the kids really going to want to sleep on the first day??

 

[Leebenton]

Pay the $15 and go to the parks. We did the same thing last year and it worked perfect, We were at our resort at 1:30 pm and went straight to the parks and only spent 4 hours there before dinner. With the crowds being light this time of year you can do several things in that short amount of time. It worked great for us and we also had two little girls with us (6&3). Good Luck

 

[slappy magoo]

I'll back what MontyMon wrote. You can always add that extra day. I could be wrong, but I believe you could even add that extra day at your resort, if the front desk isn't too busy (or less busy than agents at the parks).

Though we've done both in prior trips, we generally prefer taking it easy and exploring the resort the first day. Last trip, however, we made dinner reservations for Liberty Tree, as it was the ONLY day I could get them, and they were just about to stop making it a character meal. Had that not been a factor, we probably would've just chilled at the resort, which was Saratoga, or spent some time at DTD.

 

[ThinkTink721]

We usually book park tickets for our arrival date & our departure date. The cost to add them is not that much. We figure that it will give us the option to visit a park for a little time on the arrival date & on the departure date if we decide to.
Also, we have learned not to schedule TS meals on our arrival or departure dates.
:wave: