What to do on arrival day?

[Tawney]

Somebody can correct me if I am wrong but I do also believe that the mini golf courses are open....

Fantasia is open, but I believe that Winter Summerland is still closed. Mini-golf is a great option!

We typically drive straight through from PA to FL, 14ish hours. We like to arrive at the resort around noon or so, and we have gotten lucky that our rooms have always been ready (that is our only request). We arrive and hit the pool for an hour or so, then shower and head to Disney Springs for dinner and some shopping. We are usually back in the room by 9 or 10 to sleep and get ready for a busy week.

 

[veginaz]

That is our time frame too leaving out of AZ. We are not visiting a park that day. We will mostly hang around the resort but we do have an ADR for Beaches and Cream and I sure hope we can make it for it.

Also leaving out of AZ. Southwest has changed our flight already. Really hoping they dont again.

 

[veginaz]

Since you're staying at POP, you could always wander over to AOA and walk through all the character areas.

This is what I did on my arrival day when I went on a solo trip. I arrived at POP around 3, checked in, unpacked, got changed, put away my groceries, got the room organized etc. Around 4:15 I headed out and wandered around POP to check out the oversized items around the resort and get some dinner at Everything POP. After I finished eating, I wandered around POP some more and then headed over the bridge to AOA. I wandered through the resort over there, checked out the gift shops at both resorts and then found a nice spot to watch the sunset. Since I had been travelling since 5am I was pretty much ready for bed by 9.

There is a lot to do just at the resort. If that isn't interesting to you, you could always hop on the skyline and take a ride over to CBR and walk around or over to Epcot and then check out the YC/BC/Boardwalk area. There is a lot that can be done without entering a park!

Somebody can correct me if I am wrong but I do also believe that the mini golf courses are open....

Whatever you do, just take the opportunity to relax and enjoy the fact that you are at Disney!

We are moving our stay to AOA a couple days in. I didnt really think about taking the skyliner to other hotels just to check them out. I hear everyone saying they get groceries. Not much fits in the fridges right? So mostly dry goods?

 

[MudQueen22]

We either go to DS or we hang out at the resort. Arrival day is an easy day where we get ourselves set up, relax, and dip our toes in Disney.
We ride at dawn the next morning, however.

 

[Raven01]

I have DD4. We arrived around 4pm at AKL. Groceries took a bit of time (we were at Jambo). She was in her swimsuit quickly and we swam, then ordered pizza via Doordash for dinner.

I'd stick to this in the future, even if we arrive earlier. It was far more relaxing, and we were refreshed and ready for the early morning bus to MK the next day.

Doordash was very nice! I had never used it before but loved it. I'm a "in the room I'm not leaving again" kind of person. It takes so long to bus anywhere that if I'm only going for an hour or two, I'd rather relax at the hotel.

 

[Heather07438]

We are moving our stay to AOA a couple days in. I didnt really think about taking the skyliner to other hotels just to check them out. I hear everyone saying they get groceries. Not much fits in the fridges right? So mostly dry goods?

In the past we’ve opted to add that “$50 shorter day” on arrival but that was better with FP because you’d have 3 easy rides. Coming in the afternoon is probably best to get settled instead.

The fridges aren’t big but hold a decent amount. Grocery trips for a studio usually consist of case(s) of water, milk, bread, cold cuts or PB&J, snacks/breakfast (chips, granola or snack bars, cereal, pop tarts, etc). We put some water bottles in the freezer compartment each nite to use as ice packs the next day and drink them later after they melt.

After groceries and unpacking the Skyliner sounds like a great idea! Check out Riviera Fun to take the Gondola over and there’s food choices beyond TS, from QS to French pastries and gelato. Maybe go swimming first if you make good time getting to the resort.

Have a great trip!

 

[veginaz]

In the past we’ve opted to add that “$50 shorter day” on arrival but that was better with FP because you’d have 3 easy rides. Coming in the afternoon is probably best to get settled instead.

The fridges aren’t big but hold a decent amount. Grocery trips for a studio usually consist of case(s) of water, milk, bread, cold cuts or PB&J, snacks/breakfast (chips, granola or snack bars, cereal, pop tarts, etc). We put some water bottles in the freezer compartment each nite to use as ice packs the next day and drink them later after they melt.

After groceries and unpacking the Skyliner sounds like a great idea! Check out Riviera Fun to take the Gondola over and there’s food choices beyond TS, from QS to French pastries and gelato. Maybe go swimming first if you make good time getting to the resort.

Have a great trip!

Amazing advice. Thank you so much!

 

[CarolynFH]

I wouldn't make an ADR in advance, but when I got on the DME bus I'd open up MDE and check for reservations for my size party. Sometimes we've been surprised at what's available at the other resorts, allowing us to visit there. Maybe you'd find an opening on the Skyliner route - which includes CBR, RIV, the Boardwalk, Y&B and Swolphin.

 

[loves to dive]

Sounds like most people are advising you to take it easy the first day, which I did as well. You don't say what the make up of your party is but if there are little's they are probably going to dog tired but in need of running off some steam.

I will say even though I advised you not to get a ticket for that day, we always do but we drive down. We live in Georgia and it's a 7 to 8 hour drive, depending on if I drive or my son drives. We try to leave the house by 5am and only stop twice, once for potty and once for gas. We have travel foods with us in the car we snack on but don't eat a real meal so by the time we arrive between 1-3 we are hungry. I also always get a ticket for departure day, we don't always use it but for us, it's nice to know if we want just a little more park time the option is there. We also never go to DS, we actually went once or twice when it was DD Disney but have never been since it changed. We do all our shopping and eating in the parks.

 

[angryduck71]

My 14 year old requested that we go later in the day than we usually do (we usually get up really early, fly in in the morning and do something that day -- Disney Springs or something). He asked for later so we can "just do dinner at the resort and sit around a relax" the first night. If a teenager is asking for that... makes you think maybe we try to pack too much in! We are early risers and always rope-drop. I'm thinking this trip there will be a lot of afternoons just goofing off.

 

[veginaz]

Sounds like most people are advising you to take it easy the first day, which I did as well. You don't say what the make up of your party is but if there are little's they are probably going to dog tired but in need of running off some steam.

I will say even though I advised you not to get a ticket for that day, we always do but we drive down. We live in Georgia and it's a 7 to 8 hour drive, depending on if I drive or my son drives. We try to leave the house by 5am and only stop twice, once for potty and once for gas. We have travel foods with us in the car we snack on but don't eat a real meal so by the time we arrive between 1-3 we are hungry. I also always get a ticket for departure day, we don't always use it but for us, it's nice to know if we want just a little more park time the option is there. We also never go to DS, we actually went once or twice when it was DD Disney but have never been since it changed. We do all our shopping and eating in the parks.

He is 5 but a huge night owl. He will likely sleep on the plane ride. I think for now Im going to not book the park day.

 

[veginaz]

Fantasia is open, but I believe that Winter Summerland is still closed. Mini-golf is a great option!

We typically drive straight through from PA to FL, 14ish hours. We like to arrive at the resort around noon or so, and we have gotten lucky that our rooms have always been ready (that is our only request). We arrive and hit the pool for an hour or so, then shower and head to Disney Springs for dinner and some shopping. We are usually back in the room by 9 or 10 to sleep and get ready for a busy week.

I had no idea this was a thing. I know nothing about WDW. Thank you so much. Disney themed mini golf could be perfect!

 

[jsbowl16]

We leave at 4am from PA and drive 16 hours then we go to whatever park is open the latest. It makes it a much easier decision with APs.

 

[wdw&sonny]

I agree with others saying to take it easy. Settle in , explore POP, swim. Take the Skyliner...any where. Just relax and enjoy the ride. Check out Riviera, walk around the Boardwalk (instead of DS). Eat somewhere on the Boardwalk/Beachclub area.

 

[mkb3]

We landed at 3, and were at Pop by 4. On the ME bus we placed an Instacart order. Once we got settled in the room we went and met our IC driver. After that we took the Skyliner over to Epcot and got dinner at Big River Grille followed by desert at Beaches and Cream. We hopped on the Skyliner back to Pop and got settled in for the night.

This gives me so much hope. Normally we wouldn't go to a park on arrival day, but it was only a $55 difference to add a day. We land at 12:30 and hope to be at AK by 3 PM, hoping we can knock out the Pandora rides before closing (currently scheduled for 5 PM). This way we wouldn't have to use a park reservation on AK and can park hop over later in the week if we decide there are other attractions we want to do.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I am still going back n forth on what to for arrival day. We land at 2:05pm on Saturday 04/17. We are taking the magical express and have no interest in taking an UBER. I was originally planning on Disney Springs and a hotel dining reservation on arrival day. I heard that now Disney Springs is crazy busy on the weekends, so Im wondering is it worth $50 total for the 3 of us to just add a park day to our tickets.

Does anyone think it would take longer than 3 hours to deplane, board ME and arrive at POP?

Seems like Epcot will be the park staying open the latest correct?

Id love to just play it by ear but with park pass filling up, doesn't seem like an option.

Im open to any other arrival day suggestions. This is our 1st WDW trip. So far w/o adding an extra day we are going to AK once, Epcot once, HS twice, MK twice.

Thanks!

We will be driving down in June probably arriving sometime near 3 o'clock. It was under $100 to add a day to our park tickets so I did just in case. If WDW extends hours we will go, if not we won't. I made a park reservation for MK but you just pointed out that Epcot would be a better choice so I may just go change that park reservation

 

[Disneyfan754321]

You never know with flying what can happen. On our last few trips we left an hour or 2 late due to a mechanical issue. I would just go to Disney Springs.

I agree !! Disney springs is not any busier than the parks have been. Not sure where you wanted to eat but at trex and rainforest I called in reservations and almost sat right down.

 

[aboveH20]

My experience is similar to yours, but not exactly the same. Maybe you'd consider a variation of what I have planned if mini-golf doesn't work out.

Take the bus to Magic Kingdom (don't enter the park, but get your first Disney sigh taken care of), then take the boat to Polynesian Village Resort. Have a snack if you want, then walk to Grand Floridian, have dinner or a snack at their quick serve, eventually walking back to Magic Kingdom. I'm looking forward to the "stroll" between GF and MK. I expect there will be a few more sighs. I've wanted to do the walk and I figure arrival day will be best because my legs will appreciate the stretch after the plane ride. From MK take a bus back to your resort.