Disney Vet taking a friend that has never been to WDW

[Icecoldpenguin]

I am taking a very good friend of mine that has not been to WDW in her life ever! She is 30 years old and the last time she was in any disney park was over a decade ago at DL. I am DVC member and AP and have been so many times that I am a little worried about making sure I introduce her to WDW in the best way. What are some tips or suggestions you guys have that could help me plan our time? We are staying DVC and she will have a park hopper. We are going September 26th-29th, 2019. I know there will be a MNSSHP, F&W and over course SWGE all available to us. I want to make sure that she experiences some fun stuff without overwhelming her too much. So any ideas are welcome feel free to help me with the following:
*what park first or in what order
*what iconic quintessential ADRs should I make
*what parks in daytime and which at night
*what iconic rides should I make sure we ride
*anything else you guys suggest

TIA I just have never had to plan a trip for a newbie before.
~Teresa

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

I’d say MK, Epcot, AK, then HS

Be Our Guest, Epcot of your choice, Tiffins, and I’m not sure for HS.

Lol for a first time if you can stomach it rope drop to night!

 

[bumbershoot]

She is 30 years old and the last time she was in any disney park was over a decade ago at DL. I am DVC member and AP and have been so many times that I am a little worried about making sure I introduce her to WDW in the best way. What are some tips or suggestions you guys have that could help me plan our time?

Talk to her. What does she want to do?

I hadn’t been to Disneyland since I was a kid, and I was perfectly capable of enjoying Disneyland at 35 without anyone’s help.

A few years later I was perfectly capable of enjoying wdw for the very first time without anyone’s help. In fact I had more info than my relatives who live in FL and went alllll the time, because they hadn’t kept up up date with changes. They were just going by their old patterns and weren’t aware of different things.

At Disneyland: space mountain, small world, and pirates are better. Big thunder is the same. With such a short trip I wouldn’t bother with those.

Splash is longer and supposedly better at wdw.

Dinosaur is about the same as Indiana Jones at Disneyland. Toy story is about the same once you’re on the ride.

At AK I looove Everest and Primeval Whirl.


I’d focus on AK and Epcot because they are different.

Food depends on what food you guys like.

 

[Alicefan]

I would actually go into it not expecting too much out of her. There's nothing more disappointing than getting excited for someone else and they don't react the way you hoped they would. I would just go at a slower pace than you might be used to, and have no real game plan. Just go from land to land, riding each thing that sounds fun in the moment. She hasn't been since she was a kid so definitely hit the major attractions because she will want to do those again for sure just for the sake of remembering. I wouldn't skp them because they aren't as good as DL. It's fun to see the differences. I'd also probably do the halloween party. It will give you a chance to do everything with little to no wait time. My bestie is obsessed with Ohana ever since I first took her there, and she doesn't like anything. lol

 

[clutter]

Pick your FPs for each day. Then just let the rest of the day unfold. That is the magic of Disney. That said, I do drag all newcomers to Mickey's Philharmagic. I mean - that's pure Disney! I might even kick the parks off there to set the tone.

Do you need ADRs? We found that stopping at some of the lounges and having a small plate and a beer/glass of wine/cocktail made for wonderful break (hello Nomad Lounge!). On a short trip, it's a lot faster than table service. So maybe pick one or two ADRs, unless you're on the DDP. We managed an entire week with only one CS the entire time! Describe your favorites and see what she would like to try. I do recommend doing an evening of drinks around the world in Epcot. Throw a few snacks in, and it's such a great place.

Remember you know two things: Disney and your friend. You don't have to do everything, just enjoy everything that you do.

 

[Roxas_XIII]

I recommend booking all FPs no earlier than 10:30 or 11:00 am, especially on the first day (which I assume will likely be MK). I know early FPs help you maximize rolling FPs later in the day, but I think having the first hour or two to "take it in" is important - especially when in Main Street in MK. Keep time open to grab a coffee, take a few pictures, let her scope out the lay of the land. Starting the day with a rope drop mad rush to Peter Pan kind of takes a little bit of the first-time magic away, IMO.

 

[elaine amj]

I took a friend for her first trip a few years back. I was totally surprised how into star Wars she ended up being. She LOVED DHS and said it was her favorite park. She adored all the shows we watched and sang along enthusiastically to Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. She asked for RnRC at the parks but even with the refresh method on a slow park day, I couldn't get it at all

We tried F&W but it was a bust for her. After a couple of samples, she said the food was overpriced and we ended up at QS in Mexico. (I was secretly bummed because there were things I was dying to try lol). She didn't like Epcot all that much surprisingly.

At MK she said she felt she was finally at Disney. I don't care which park I go to first but in future, I would do MK first for newbies.

She adored AK and it turns out she loves looking at animals. I have never spent so much time in the Oasis before lol. She loved the feel of the park and all the twists and turns and nooks to explore. She braved EE (before the trip, she said NO coasters) and was terrified but had a blast.

She also spent a TON of time shopping.

All in all, I was rather surprised what she liked and what she didn't care for. We spent 3 days and she had a great time.

We did split up a few times. She likes to sleep in so I would get up to hit rope drop to ride the things I wanted (Enchanted Tales with Belle, Frozen, Country Bear Jamboree) and she would join up with me about 11am. The final night she wanted to go back to Disney Springs but I wanted more rides so I stayed at MK and we met up back at our room a few hours later.

Have fun - I enjoyed seeing the parks through a newbies eyes.

 

[Do the Impossible]

I just took a similar trip with a friend in October! She hadn't been in 20 years, and wanted me to be her guide as the resident Disney fanatic in her life. I did some loose planning, realizing that because I didn't know what she liked, I'd need enough flexibility to change things on the fly. I learned three really big things on that trip: 1) Let your guest dictate the "schedule" in terms of when to get up and when to go back to the hotel. She was an early riser and loved that I was willing to get up early and come back to the hotel around 6pm for dinner and a movie in the room. 2) Give each other space. We actually ended up with adjoining rooms at Caribbean Beach, and the little bit of privacy really helped. This extended to the parks. She loved ToT, I hate it, so she went on it 3 times while I went and saw the Little Mermaid show and got a milkshake. You don't need to do EVERYTHING together and you don't need to like the same things. 3) Embrace your role as the "expert". If she doesn't have an opinion about a ride or show, choose it based on what YOU like. She's not going to hate you forever if you make her go on a ride she ends up not liking.

In my case, it turned out amazingly. We had one rough day. She's told me a hundred times since then, however, that the thing that ended up really making the trip for her was that I kept hammering it into her head that she can come back. Disney is not a regular occurrence for most people, and so they feel compelled to squeeze everything in, and that can create a hectic feeling as well as a sense that they shouldn't do their favorite thing 3 or 4 or 5 times because they'll miss something else. If it turns out that Disney brings your friend a whole bunch of joy, she can come back (be it in a month, a year, five years, whenever) and do what she missed. My friend ended up with an Annual Pass, lol!

To answer at least one of your actual questions: definitely start with MK, but after that, I'd just go with the crowd calendar to plan the rest. Oh, and my friend said that hopping on the Peoplemover when she was feeling a little overwhelmed was a great relaxing beat! Have tons of fun!

 

[ttintagel]

Back in 2011, I went with a friend who had never been to any Disney parks. I really thought I had prepared him, but he was still dumbstruck at how big the place is, how many things there are to do, the amount of walking, scarcity of benches and seating, and the Florida weather. He had been thinking we'd do all there was to do in like, two days. and he didn't pack a spare pair of comfortable shoes or a backup pair of sunglasses.

Ordinarily, I would suggest beginning the trip at EPCOT, since it tends to be a bit less noisy and chaotic then the Magic Kingdom, but if she's familiar with Disneyland, it might be better to start off in the Magic Kingdom where there are so many similarities.

 

[jillt2ph]

I took my BFF for her first trip as an adult in 2015 (we were both 51 yrs young ) She could never understand why I enjoyed it so much and went so frequently, and only agreed to go after I said we would rent a car a go to Universal a couple days for the Harry Potter stuff. Stayed at three resorts - Jambo House for first night, then OKW for 4 and Poly for 4. First off, she was really impressed with being able to check the luggage at the airport and then just boarding DME at MCO and not worrying about the bags. Huge convenience for solo female travelers our age! Also, never underestimate the power of a savanna view room! She was up at 7 AM that first morning FaceTiming her sister to show her all the animals. That was Saturday morning... We had flown down early afternoon on Black Friday, and I added one day DlxDP. We did the Fantasmic package at Hollywood and Vine that night, and then used the other 2 credits to do a Candlelight Processional package Saturday for an early dinner.

After moving to OKW on Saturday she was already impressed (because they were taking care of transferring the luggage!) and mentioning how cool it was to experience different styles of resorts. And she was like "maybe I need to speak to someone about DVC...". By Sunday she had scheduled an appointment and on Monday she bought Poly points!!!

When planning the whole trip, I asked her a few questions, mostly about places to eat, but otherwise she was happy to have me make all the decisions. I had her look over park maps so she would at least have an idea of the layout, and we talked about a few of the rides. I tried to not make too many specific plans, and made sure to highlight some of the unique things - like Jambo house, and the seasonal offerings at the parks. I made our first meal a character meal so I could gauge her willingness to interact with them, so I would know whether or not to fit in any character meet and greets. One of the few things I booked to help her really get a feel for the Disney vibe was the Osborne Lights dessert party. Maybe you can find one special thing you would both enjoy and book that. Magic Kingdom was actually the last park we went to, just because of the way some of our special events were scheduled. After your first visit to each park, see if there is something she enjoyed and wants to do again.

The funny thing about the whole experience is that she turned her ticket into an annual pass and went back 2 weeks later with her sister! She now visits as often as I do (if not more!) and still regrets she refused to give Disney a try for so many years.

Whatever you do, it will be fun and magical because you are spending quality time with a great friend. I see your dates put you there right towards the end of Illuminations, so I would probably try to see that one of your first nights, unless it is a weekend night. I already don't like how boozy the crowds get at Epcot during F&W weekends, but it will be even worse with everyone trying to go see that one last time.

Have a great time!

 

[starry_solo]

MK as your first park and then whatever parks you can get FP+ for would be the rest of the trip

 

[VAfamily1998]

I kind of did this with my mom last month. My mom did visit Disney World back in 1984 (when I was a kid), but of course so much has changed since! Also, my mom lives in Southern California so she has been to Disneyland (but I think the last time was 5+ years ago.)

I put a lot of focus on the shows (including the MK parade); mostly because I think that really separates Disney World from Disneyland.

For Illuminations in Epcot, we did the Frozen desert party--this was a splurge but I absolutely think it was worth it! Especially to have a designated place to sit (in a chair, not on the ground!) The no-line ride on Frozen after the party was a great bonus!

We also did the dining package for Fantasmic! We chose the Hollywood Brown Derby, which was excellent!

One thing that I thought was pretty special; we made dinner reservations at Narcoosees one night. Our reservation was at 7:20 so we arrived early and had drinks in the lobby while listening to the jazz band. Then we had dinner. After dinner we went out onto the Veranda that surrounds the restaurant and were able to watch the Happily Ever After fireworks right there. It was truly a perfect and magical night!

My mom is 70, and was getting tired pretty easily, but since you're friend is much younger...If you are looking for "night life" I would recommend going to JellyRolls at the Boardwalk Inn, particularly on a Friday or Saturday night. It is SO much fun. If you want a table, get there before Illuminations is over, the crowd starts to build after that.

 

[kwdw]

I just took a newbie - and it's REALLY, REALLY hard to predict what is best - and with SWGE opening - that may throw off current typical flows.

My suggestion based on this last trip:

1) Plan your arrival day well. Don't let her get exhausted on the first day. You know how much that can impact the next couple of days - but she doesn't. Newbies just don't get the TIME everything takes. I definitely should have pushed a better plan on day one - it impacted the next two days in a negative way.

2) Personally - I start touring with a full day at MK.

3) Plan a couple of TS meals that are in the parks. I would not worry about iconic - but about her food tastes. My crowd was a bit more foodie than I expected - and I wish I had aimed for a bit more variety. That said - I would still consider ONE character meal. I played it too safe......

4) Push harder than you expect for what you know is best at points. BUT - make sure she understands choices. Again - I didn't do this as much as I should have - and it lead to exhausted, grumpy people. Yes -we modified as we went to minimize that as much as a I could - but they still missed key things about being at WDW.

5) It's tough to get it right!

 

[Auntrosie]

How fun! My favorite - a trip with someone new. You’re lucky. I’m a commando when I’m touring the parks. On a girl’s trip with my sister (11 years younger that I) she asked while we waited in line for Navi River as the park was closing (we’d arrived for rope drop) “you could just keep going couldn’t you?” “Yes!” I responded immediately “Do you want to stop at the Poly for a drink before we go back to the room?

I do try to be sensitive to my companions though. This trip it is me and my BFF - Our third trip together in two years. My fault, I introduced her. We’re also in our 50s. My DH is fine with staying behind at home with our dogs.

We’re fortunate and can afford to do some extra’s - This trip it will be Highway in Sky Dine Around and Signature Celebration Cinderella’s Royal Table - Which includes dinner, Fireworks viewing and Dessert Party. We’re currently shopping for just the right tiaras.

I’m also sensitive to how much we are spending - I want everyday of our vacation to count. 5 nights at Wyndham Bonnet Creek and 2 nights at GF.

Happy to stay moderate or value if the situation calls for it - it’s just not how I like to visit. Me personally, I prefer a two bedroom suite with a full kitchen to a room on property for the reasons below (We’re not DVC)

Expense - $724 for 5 nights - We make a nice breakfast and bring lunch each day. Restaurant prepared food gets to me after awhile. There are so many nice spots to relax and eat at the parks. This way, when it’s convenient for lunch and you’ve found the perfect spot - we already know what we’re having we just get our lunch from the locker and everyone is happy and stays healthy.

Comfort - our own bedrooms with space to eat and sit together at the start and finish of the day.

Convenience - two full bathrooms - Groceries delivered

...but who doesn’t love the deluxe resorts. With the opening of Galaxy’s Edge I think we’ll need to be staying on property to visit that part of HS. To treat ourselves we’re staying two nights at GF with the meal plan. Even with Galaxy’s Edge I’m still hoping for an AP discount. Wish us luck?

We’ll leave home with our backpacks and lunch packed for the 1st Park. From MCO we’ll collect our luggage and Uber to the resort leave our bags with Bell Services at Bonnet Creek and jump back in the Uber to the first park, HS.

I’ve always done HS first. I didn’t feel like I needed to be there at rope drop, the pace is leisurely. I’ve always had plenty of time to window shop and trade pins there. A good start for newbies and ramps up the excitement for Magic Kingdom. That is of course before Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge. I may have to change that in the future.

As the week goes by If i suspect my companion is getting tired or if I’m getting tired myself, I’ll suggest breaking up the day by touring a nearby resort for a cold drink, a snack and, a rest in a comfortable chair.

It’s going to be great! Have a wonderful time.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

Do things like hitting the 3 mountains, but also talk to her. I've taken newbies multiple times and they all react differently. Some LOVED commando and went sun up to sun down. One was complaining about her feet hurting by 6pm on the first day and dragged the entire trip. I usually make the same fastpasses for each park (mountains for MK, FOP/Safari/Everest for AK, TOT/RNRC/TSM for DHS, and Soarin/Mission Space/Spaceship Earth in Epcot), but those are *my* favorites. I have a friend whose favorite movie in the world is Lion King. We were leaving AK when we passed the Lion King show (which I usually don't bother with) and I asked if she wanted to see it. She lost her dang mind and loooooooved it. So, definitely find out what sort of rides or movies she loves and see what you can do to match that!

 

[Truxi]

I did this with my best friend in January. He'd never been, and we had an absolute blast. He thanked me multiple times for all the work I put into making the trip happen, and I had a great time planning things I knew he would love.

It does help that my buddy and I have a LOT of similar interests and that we've been living out of each other's pocket for about a decade now, so I know what he likes and what he REALLY likes. And we're both the type to feed off of each other's excitement, so even if it's something that one of us doesn't care much about, if the other person is Super Into It, then that will get the other one excited too. (I think retrofuturism is fun. He ADORES it. We had a freaking blast in TomorrowLand and Future World.)

First park for a first timer really should be Magic Kingdom. It just sets the stage.
We wanted to do Peter Pan for a first ride, but it was closed, so he picked Haunted Mansion instead, and that's a pretty great introduction into the magic of Disney World too--a classic, iconic ride that still holds up amazingly.

For the rest...it's really hard to say without knowing anything about your friend. My buddy is a cartoon-loving nerd who loves Duck Tales and Alice in Wonderland, so meeting Launchpad and Alice were *must dos.* But that's probably not the case for most people.

Are they a roller coaster person? Then you've got to try and hit them all (you can ride Everest a few times in a row around park close, and it's kind of amazing). Do they prefer wandering around? Animal Kingdom and Epcot are great for just absorbing atmosphere. Do they have any favorite Disney characters? See if there's a meet-and-greet or a character meal. Do they like collecting things? Introduce them to the world of Pin Trading!

Like Auntrosie said--you've got to be sensitive to the pace they want to set. My buddy kept up with me (and I'm a go-til-I-stop kinda person), but I'm planning a trip with my mom next year, and we're taking it at a much slower pace.

You know your friend, so you've probably already got an idea of what sort of things they like outside of disney parks. It's just a matter of seeing what in Disney lines up with that.


And do not miss Happily Ever After.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

My first time to WDW I went to Epcot first... because I knew that I would compare MK to DL and would find it lacking, and that would basically set (ruin) the mood for the whole trip. (I still find MK lacking... all that extra space and all they use it for is bigger walkways so you can walk farther? Taking out old attractions to put in newer one instead of using more of that vaunted "space?" What a waste.)

I still avoid MK as the first park when visiting.

 

[Bete]

I think you should equip her with a Disney World vacation video. Also, get her connected to a few Disney World websites. Maybe, have a discussion about it.

Find out what she may or may not like to do. Some people hate roller coasters. Others don't like simulator rides. She may like live entertainment better than the rides. She may want to do table service meals rather than quick service meals. She may or may not like fireworks or parades. She may have a time tolerance on how long she wants to wait for a ride.

She may enjoy taking a special tour. She may like to do an Imagineer luncheon. With F/W there be a party you could do. She may want to shop.

She may enjoy short days, rather than long ones at the park. Maybe, she'll want an afternoon break.

 

[bryanb]

I do enjoy introducing new people to theme parks, since I'm a fan myself. Even if it's an attraction that I've seen a hundred+ times, it's fun to experience it again for the first time through their eyes.

For me, it's easy to feel a lot of pressure when it's something as big as a WDW vacation to plan. I would probably not try to overplan it. Maybe have a few ADRs for restaurants I think they'd like, and ask if they have any restrictions on what kinds of attractions they'd ride before making a few FastPasses. (For example, do they hate rollercoasters? Are they fans of shows?) I like @Bete's idea of watching a vacation video as a good start.

Aside from that, I'd just be prepared for some flexibility. They might have no real idea either until they actually experience it. And people who are not used to touring theme parks (in Orlando weather, no less), might not know whether they'll feel energized or exhausted. If you get there and need to adjust, it's better not to force a plan. More important than checking off a list of must-dos is just appreciating good company in an atmosphere of fun. I have one of my best theme park memories with a friend on a day when multiple rides were shut down, and our plans were completely uprooted. We ended up spending a good chunk of time just walking the park, trying different foods, and watching street performers.