What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

All four parks, waterparks, and other magic in Central Florida

Moderator: Moderators

TikiTikiRoom
Peter Pan's Flight Pixie Duster
Peter Pan's Flight Pixie Duster
Posts: 568
Joined: Mar Thu 01, 2007 12:36 pm
Location: Manchester, NH

What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by TikiTikiRoom » Mar Thu 01, 2012 11:55 am

Alright alright, I'm not talking about "Oh yeah well obviously I check into my room and put my luggage away"....no no no, I'm talking about once you've done all that. Where's the first place you'll go? What's the first thing you do? I'm only asking because I'm still trying to figure out the first thing I'll do. Probably go check out the resort and the pool area, honestly.
IC-32830 of the 501st Legion

Wizzard419
Pirates of the Caribbean Buccaneer
Pirates of the Caribbean Buccaneer
Posts: 5531
Joined: Sep Sat 04, 2010 1:44 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by Wizzard419 » Mar Thu 01, 2012 12:37 pm

It mostly depends on when you arrive, I would imagine. Since I lose a day in travel, I end up going to dinner and after that I crash and then go to epcot the next day.

cy1229
Country Bear Jamboree Greeter
Country Bear Jamboree Greeter
Posts: 2833
Joined: Jan Fri 21, 2011 8:47 am
Location: Greenwood, IN

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by cy1229 » Mar Thu 01, 2012 12:42 pm

Main Street USA. Nothing like walking through the gate, through the tunnel at the RR, then emerging on Main Street, smelling all the great WDW smells, seeing the castle, and knowing you're really there. After that, we just wander through the MK. It's almost mandatory, though, to start at MK.
Polynesian 1980
All-Star Movies 2001
Pop Century 2008
Saratoga Springs 2010
Bay Lake Tower 2012
Hyatt Place Anaheim Resort/Convention Center 2015
Marriott Anaheim Suites 2016

Amy
Submarine Voyage Captain
Submarine Voyage Captain
Posts: 18543
Joined: Dec Wed 12, 2007 1:41 pm
Location: the flooded, flooded mitten

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by Amy » Mar Thu 01, 2012 1:00 pm

We usually end up arriving late morning, early afternoon. I look at which park is open the longest and we generally head there since F1gment is too whooped from travel to park hop the first day. We seem to end up in EPCOT on the first day a lot...And Spaceship Earth is first on the list there :D

DemonOfMusic
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Usher
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln Usher
Posts: 234
Joined: Jan Wed 11, 2012 7:00 pm
Location: Way Too Far From Disney (New Hampshire)

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by DemonOfMusic » Mar Thu 01, 2012 4:57 pm

I usually arrive around 10 in the morning, so I go to the hotel room, change, and get to Epcot as soon as humanly possible!! My first ride is always Spaceship Earth :mickey:
"They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway..."

The only two places I will ever need to be are Manhattan and Disney World.

karenj2
Fantasyland Theater Projectionist
Fantasyland Theater Projectionist
Posts: 174
Joined: Apr Mon 10, 2006 1:41 pm
Location: too far from wdw!

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by karenj2 » Mar Fri 02, 2012 2:22 pm

I'm with cy1229 - I love walking down Main Street, even if it's just for a few hours... We usually go there, have dinner, watch Wishes, and head home.

I'm in a dilemma at the moment (I just posted about it) in that our friends want to go to the pool the first day because they don't want to "waste" their ticket on half a day... (Of course, they just told me this yesterday!!! And we're leaving tomorrow! And we've got CRT ARDs. :x )
Karenj2

Epcotmaniac
Autopian Mechanic
Autopian Mechanic
Posts: 129
Joined: Feb Thu 23, 2012 10:42 am
Location: Berlin

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by Epcotmaniac » Mar Fri 02, 2012 2:55 pm

Due to the oversea flight from Europe I always arrive between 8 and 10 pm at the Pop Century. After Checkin and all that stuff I go to Everything Pop and grab something to eat like a Burger and always a Cheesecake and have a look at the stuff in the gift shop. Afterwards I just walk around at the Pop. I LOVE the atmosphere during the nights and after a long flight and being awake for more than 24 hours it makes me aware that I finally arrived.

The next morning the first park to see is Epcot and the first ride is Spaceship Earth.
Image

cy1229
Country Bear Jamboree Greeter
Country Bear Jamboree Greeter
Posts: 2833
Joined: Jan Fri 21, 2011 8:47 am
Location: Greenwood, IN

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by cy1229 » Mar Fri 02, 2012 3:02 pm

karenj2 wrote:I'm with cy1229 - I love walking down Main Street, even if it's just for a few hours... We usually go there, have dinner, watch Wishes, and head home.

I'm in a dilemma at the moment (I just posted about it) in that our friends want to go to the pool the first day because they don't want to "waste" their ticket on half a day... (Of course, they just told me this yesterday!!! And we're leaving tomorrow! And we've got CRT ARDs. :x )
I gave you my perspective on the thing. :)
Polynesian 1980
All-Star Movies 2001
Pop Century 2008
Saratoga Springs 2010
Bay Lake Tower 2012
Hyatt Place Anaheim Resort/Convention Center 2015
Marriott Anaheim Suites 2016

brerfunk
Fire Engine Driver
Fire Engine Driver
Posts: 4
Joined: Mar Sat 03, 2012 12:04 pm

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by brerfunk » Mar Sat 03, 2012 3:13 pm

Nothing like a ride around the resort monorail to get you in the Disney mindset.

secondstar
Peter Pan's Flight Pixie Duster
Peter Pan's Flight Pixie Duster
Posts: 481
Joined: Mar Sat 17, 2007 5:08 pm

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by secondstar » Mar Sun 04, 2012 7:11 pm

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!
[i]"Herbie, I just want it to look like nothing else in the world. And it should be surrounded by a train"[/i]

-- Walt Disney

Amy
Submarine Voyage Captain
Submarine Voyage Captain
Posts: 18543
Joined: Dec Wed 12, 2007 1:41 pm
Location: the flooded, flooded mitten

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by Amy » Mar Sun 04, 2012 7:34 pm

secondstar wrote: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 :D

Wizzard419
Pirates of the Caribbean Buccaneer
Pirates of the Caribbean Buccaneer
Posts: 5531
Joined: Sep Sat 04, 2010 1:44 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by Wizzard419 » Mar Sun 04, 2012 9:03 pm

I've always been curious about that. Since, as noted before, I spend the day traveling (red eyes just make me really psychotic due to not getting any sleep), so when I get to the hotel (usually after 5 or so) I'm the only one in the lobby checking in. Is there a crunch time for hotels or is it generally just a low flow throughout the day?

BuDz211
Mad Tea Party Host
Mad Tea Party Host
Posts: 272
Joined: Mar Tue 20, 2007 6:10 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by BuDz211 » Mar Sun 04, 2012 9:41 pm

I never stayed at a resort at WDW, but if I go this year, the first thing I'll probably do is watch resort TV. lol
Image Image

Amy
Submarine Voyage Captain
Submarine Voyage Captain
Posts: 18543
Joined: Dec Wed 12, 2007 1:41 pm
Location: the flooded, flooded mitten

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by Amy » Mar Sun 04, 2012 9:42 pm

Wizzard419 wrote:I've always been curious about that. Since, as noted before, I spend the day traveling (red eyes just make me really psychotic due to not getting any sleep), so when I get to the hotel (usually after 5 or so) I'm the only one in the lobby checking in. Is there a crunch time for hotels or is it generally just a low flow throughout the day?
There does seem to be an ebb and flow to the check-in. Mid-morning, early afternoon and early evening seem to be busy when passing through the value hotel lobbies. If you check in online it helps speed up the process as there is a separate line for that...

rphillips14
Mr. Toad's Wild Rider
Mr. Toad's Wild Rider
Posts: 385
Joined: Nov Fri 13, 2009 7:05 am
Location: Kentucky

Re: What's the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

Post by rphillips14 » Mar Sun 04, 2012 10:10 pm

Like Cy, historically we've followed that same model (main street etc. etc). However, I often am so tired and get some weird jetlag (I do not fly well) :( from the flight and such our first day is never as good as I imagine. However the second day forward is great as imagined as I get acclimated. :D So, our next trip we are toying with taking a rest day on landing day to skip the jetlag stuff. Still undecided at this point.
Image

Post Reply