What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

[Amy]

....Next day is whatever park we think is green.

Green???

Our own word for the park we think will be the least crowded that day. Green means go!

Oh ~ cool! When I hear green I think environment. The media has me well trained!

[rphillips14]

I feel bad by being weird on our first day...in my defense, we have always gotten there late in the afternoon. We would love to get there in the morning and see if our first day is different.

[cy1229]

I feel bad by being weird on our first day...in my defense, we have always gotten there late in the afternoon. We would love to get there in the morning and see if our first day is different.

No... to each his own. If and when we decide to drive down instead of fly, I imagine we'll do more of what you do because we'll have been on the road all day when we arrive. That's what makes a Disney vacation so great - there is literally something for everybody, and the resorts are enough of a destination to keep you entertained and engaged for your first day. I think you should be proud that you manage your vacation to suit your family's needs rather than conforming to the crowd.

[Sharonofwindham]

I'll be arriving tomorrow and after we are checked in we are heading over to the Fort Wilderness Campground for dinner at the Trails End restaurant. They have a great buffet that my wife and I both enjoy!

That sounds like a very relaxing way to start your visit . Such a great atmosphere, too...rustic, and peaceful, even when it's busy

[Sharonofwindham]

I'll be arriving tomorrow and after we are checked in we are heading over to the Fort Wilderness Campground for dinner at the Trails End restaurant. They have a great buffet that my wife and I both enjoy!

That sounds like a very relaxing way to start your visit . Such a great atmosphere, too...rustic, and peaceful, even when it's busy

Have a wonderful trip

[secondstar]

TikiTikiRoom, things have changed since we've had children. But now that they're getting a little older,we're returning to our old schedule.

Generally, we take the bus straight over to Animal Kingdom and I try to time my ADR for the Rainforest Cafe as close to when I think we'll arrive. (It's a fun game I play. "Let's see: flight lands at 8:50 a.m. 90-minute bus ride to property. 30-minute check-in. 10-minute walk/wait for bus to AK. 15-minute ride. 10-minute walk. Allow 40 minutes for mishaps. ADR around noon.) Since that park closes early, we'll hop on over to Epcot, shop at MouseGear, nosh around the World Showcase, and see Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. That's a great way to start the vacation!

How often does that fun game of yours work out? I swear our last two trips have been nightmares for checking in That must be satisfying when everything slides right into place though

Amy, usually we arrive with about 30-40 minutes to early and have to waste time. Only once did we arrive about 10 minutes prior to our ADRs. We got off the bus, walked right up to the Cast Member and checked in. It was Magical! (Nice word.)

Note: In four days, I'll start making ADRs and I will try to guage our arrival time. Wish me luck!

[Amy]

Sounds like you've got it down to a science secondstar ~ that's great!
Good luck on gauging those times for your upcoming trip. Sounds like you won't need the luck though ~ you've got it down...almost as if it's magic

[Anthony36]

Straight to the Magic Kingdom, to walk up Main Street and feel that rush of excitement! and knowing you've arrived!

[rphillips14]

Thank you Cy...that's very kind.

[TTA Traveler]

If I'm staying on site for several days then the first thing I always do is explore the resorts. I love taking my hotel bus to the monorails and visiting all of the Disney hotels! They're surprisingly a lot of fun as most of the lobbies are quite immersive.. and if you're a window shopper like me then the themed gift shops are a real treat. Plus the journey themselves can be fun with the access to monorails and boats. That's what I've always done and what I'll continue to do!

But for the parks themselves we try to go to Magic Kingdom first. If that's the case then our routine is going clockwise through Adventureland with Pirates of the Caribbean being our first stop (Jungle Cruise is put off until night). That's the route my family has always done since long before I can remember.. works out great! Though if a different park has early access that morning then it's usually whatever ride we want to experience first (which Expedition Everest, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Mission: Space seem to always be the case).