Arrival night - Would you .

[AdandO]

We (myself, DH, DS7, DD5) are schedule to land from the west coast at 4:00pm on a Saturday in October, are renting a car and are staying at BLT. My parents are arriving around 5:45 and are using ME. Am I insane for wanting to head straight for MK and having my parents meet up with us when they get in? I was able to find our only BOG reservations for that night at 9:20 and it is an EMH night. It is our kid's first time at Disney World, and I would love to start the trip off on a great note.

We are going to MNSSHP the next night, so if we did this, I would have to forfeit our 8:00 breakfast at CP. Being on west coast time is making it tricky! What would you do? Oh, we also have an 'Ohana dinner scheduled on our arrival night at 8:20 if MK doesn't end up making sense. Thanks for any insight!

 

[Saimaeve]

Sleep on the plane and I think it's doable. Just make sure you are prepared to sleep like a rock that night!

 

[Neesy228]

We (myself, DH, DS7, DD5) are schedule to land from the west coast at 4:00pm on a Saturday in October, are renting a car and are staying at BLT. My parents are arriving around 5:45 and are using ME. Am I insane for wanting to head straight for MK and having my parents meet up with us when they get in? I was able to find our only BOG reservations for that night at 9:20 and it is an EMH night. It is our kid's first time at Disney World, and I would love to start the trip off on a great note. We are going to MNSSHP the next night, so if we did this, I would have to forfeit our 8:00 breakfast at CP. Being on west coast time is making it tricky! What would you do? Oh, we also have an 'Ohana dinner scheduled on our arrival night at 8:20 if MK doesn't end up making sense. Thanks for any insight!

I totally understand the appeal of wanting to head right for MK...but even with renting a car, you still need to get your luggage, get the car, drive to BLT, park and check in (you will need your tickets, I assume, but at the very least, you need to park your car somewhere). I would guess you wouldn't get into the park before 6...it would be a hard call for me to use a park day at that point. It's a lot of money to spend for a few hours, especially when you will be eating for a chunk of that time.

I would stick with Ohana. You can take the monorail, which is a fun way to see the MK resorts, and MK. Plus, you may be able to see Wishes from the Poly -- depending on timing and construction. Or maybe even keep an eye out for a Chef Mickeys ADR since you're so close?

Have a super fun trip!

 

[ErinsMommy]

We always go to MK on our arrival day but by 7-8 PM we're going on fumes - have fun!!

 

[pjpoppins]

We have a tradition of going to the parks the day/night we get there (almost always MK). I think coming from the west coast you will be fine. I mean it will be a long day but at midnight EST your body will be telling you it's 9p. I would think the 8a CP (and thus leaving your resort around 7-7:15) would be tougher on you.

When we go we always have at least a 7 or 8 day pass. So for us not to go would save like $10/pp if we got a ticket with one day less. Being able to walk down Main Street USA (oh the smells and sounds) is worth that to us.

 

[Luvchefmic]

We (myself, DH, DS7, DD5) are schedule to land from the west coast at 4:00pm on a Saturday in October, are renting a car and are staying at BLT. My parents are arriving around 5:45 and are using ME. Am I insane for wanting to head straight for MK and having my parents meet up with us when they get in? I was able to find our only BOG reservations for that night at 9:20 and it is an EMH night. It is our kid's first time at Disney World, and I would love to start the trip off on a great note.

We are going to MNSSHP the next night, so if we did this, I would have to forfeit our 8:00 breakfast at CP. Being on west coast time is making it tricky! What would you do? Oh, we also have an 'Ohana dinner scheduled on our arrival night at 8:20 if MK doesn't end up making sense. Thanks for any insight!

I would definitely keep the BOG/MK plan for arrival day. Awesome way to start ! I would release the O'Hana dinner and the Crystal Palace ADRs back into the system for others and so I wouldn't be tempted to second guess the plans .

It's going to be a very exciting and LONG day/night your first day. A travel day, a 3 hr time difference, and late night w/EMH.

The next day ( day of MNSSHP ) everyone is going to be tired and if everyone is tired/cranky it won't be fun. I would take it easy that day. Hang out at the resort and plan to be at MK at 4pm for the party. If you stay the whole time, and should , you'll be leaving MK probably by 12:30 am or so.

Welcome to the Dis AdandO

Ruthie

 

[BudgieMama]

I'd do it, but I know we have more days than we can use on our tickets (14 day tickets were the same price as 7 day tickets)

However, you know your children best. How will they cope with the late night? Travelling always tires me out so, so even without a time difference to worry about, I don't know how late I'd want to stay up generally.

 

[goopysolelady]

We (myself, DH, DS7, DD5) are schedule to land from the west coast at 4:00pm on a Saturday in October, are renting a car and are staying at BLT. My parents are arriving around 5:45 and are using ME. Am I insane for wanting to head straight for MK and having my parents meet up with us when they get in? I was able to find our only BOG reservations for that night at 9:20 and it is an EMH night. It is our kid's first time at Disney World, and I would love to start the trip off on a great note.

We are going to MNSSHP the next night, so if we did this, I would have to forfeit our 8:00 breakfast at CP. Being on west coast time is making it tricky! What would you do? Oh, we also have an 'Ohana dinner scheduled on our arrival night at 8:20 if MK doesn't end up making sense. Thanks for any insight!

You will not get to BLT before 6 PM; add your check in time; getting your luggage to your room and EXPLORING BLT (I LOVE it!). Yes...you can't wait to get to the MK but (as a grandparent) I'd be willing to bet your parents would like to witness the "first view" of the Castle with your kids too. It's one of my most cherished memories. I'd stick with the 'Ohana reservation; watch the water parade at 9ish which is followed by Wishes. Take that magical monorail ride past the MK back to BLT and enjoy a quiet evening. (And don't forget...the kids may want pool time!)

 

[ajh88]

I am a vote for MK and then sleep in the next day. But, you have to think about if your kids will be up for it. It is an exhausting way to start your trip - do you have other down time planned? Are they ok eating late? It sounds like a great way to start your trip. Have fun!

 

[glitterbombx3]

I think you should definitely put it off. It seems like a waste of a ticket just for BoG. Take time to relax and enjoy your resort and maybe take a trip to DtD and get the kids excited for a fun day the next day!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

We never schedule anything for our first night. You never know if there's going to be a flight delay for one thing - and it's happened to us three times: once was around half an hour, but once was 2 hours and the worst was 9 hours turning our day flight into a night flight and we landed after 2am at MCO and didn't get to our villa until 4am on our first full day.

If your parents aren't landing until 5.45pm, allow at least 40 minutes to get through the airport and the ME never sets straight off anyway. I don't know whether your hotel will be the first drop, either. We stayed at CBR and ours was first drop, but there were 3 other families on the bus who were staying at different resorts. We landed approx 5.30pm but didn't get onto the ME until nearly 7pm. We didn't get checked in at CBR until 7.50pm, so that gives you an idea of how much time you lose when you have to wait around.

Obviously it's very different for us because we're in the UK which is 5 hours ahead of Florida, so we're all up at stupid o'clock on our first day, but are also dying on our feet the night we land. So, we can do early mornings for the first few days but can't even think of doing anything the first night.

As you're the other way round your kids will probably be able to manage a late dinner (and my goodness but 9.30pm is way too late for such young children IMO), but after a day of travelling I think they'll probably be over excited and will go into sensory overload. I think you're far better off resting your first evening.

What do you have planned for your first day? With the party at MK starting from 4pm(ish), you won't want to waste a day's ticket at MK as you'll have to pay separately to get in. Are you planning to have an easy day, explore the resort, or go to another park in the morning?

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Well, we always start off every trip with an early morning ADR at CP because we love love love walking into the MK without many people around. So, I would stick with your plan to not go into MK until the next morning. Checking in to BLT and taking the monorail over to O'hana sound like pure magic to me!

 

[starsweeper]

Well, we always start off every trip with an early morning ADR at CP because we love love love walking into the MK without many people around. So, I would stick with your plan to not go into MK until the next morning. Checking in to BLT and taking the monorail over to O'hana sound like pure magic to me!

I agree. We always want our first MK day to start with an early CP ADR to soak in Main Street, takes castle pictures, and be the first into Fantasyland for the popular kid rides (our kids are 7, 7, 3, & 2).

I would either go to O'hana as suggested, or go to Epcot for dinner and Illuminations. On our first trip with two 2yos, we arrived in Epcot about 5pm, rode a couple things in Future World, walked leisurely over to Tutto Italia for dinner around 7:30pm and watched Illuminations. Since you're at BLT, it would be a short trip to the hotel to get plenty of sleep.

 

[AdandO]

Thank you all for your very thoughtful responses !! Thank you for making me remember that my parent's are there for the kids, and don't want to miss a minute. We without question will wait for them before we enter the park, and that just might make it too late for MK the first night. I am not so much worried about the cost of the tickets since it would not be much more in the end, just that the kids would be too tired from traveling to make it worth it. We will be three hours behind, which is great for that night, not so much the next day …. I am still undecided, but you have all given me much insight and I am very grateful! Either way, as long as our flights are on time, we will have a great night!!!

 

[goopysolelady]

Thank you all for your very thoughtful responses !! Thank you for making me remember that my parent's are there for the kids, and don't want to miss a minute. We without question will wait for them before we enter the park, and that just might make it too late for MK the first night. I am not so much worried about the cost of the tickets since it would not be much more in the end, just that the kids would be too tired from traveling to make it worth it. We will be three hours behind, which is great for that night, not so much the next day …. I am still undecided, but you have all given me much insight and I am very grateful! Either way, as long as our flights are on time, we will have a great night!!!

As a grandparent, I say thank you ; that meant SO much to DH and I...being able to witness that "first" in the lives of our granddaughters!

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Thank you all for your very thoughtful responses !! Thank you for making me remember that my parent's are there for the kids, and don't want to miss a minute. We without question will wait for them before we enter the park, and that just might make it too late for MK the first night. I am not so much worried about the cost of the tickets since it would not be much more in the end, just that the kids would be too tired from traveling to make it worth it. We will be three hours behind, which is great for that night, not so much the next day …. I am still undecided, but you have all given me much insight and I am very grateful! Either way, as long as our flights are on time, we will have a great night!!!

Welcome!

Obviously you know your kids the best, but I would think with the time difference they would be able to stay up later on arrival day vs getting up early the next day. I mean leaving even at 7:15 the next morning is 4:15 to their bodies.

Really though either BOG or Ohana, you will have a.wonderful time.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We fly in from the west coast and are usually exhausted afterward. We never plan anything for the first night beyond unpacking, getting some food, and going to sleep.

 

[maarowak]

If you want to do something fun, grab something tasty on the quick service on your resort and go for the Movies Under the Stars and the campfire if available on your stay? :

edit: if you think going to MK will be super tiring and no one's very up to doing it. you can keep trying to find reservations for BOG in another day, and if you find one, you can decide if you'd like to change or not!

 

[cattywampus]

We are flying from West Coast with a similar schedule as OP with a six year old, staying at GF in Nov, and plan to go to parks that Sat night we arrive. It is EMH and the only night we will be able to see MSEP. We plan to have FPP for Parade and maybe a couple of attractions, and the head back for the night.

If we get to the hotel and are too tired, we will cancel our FPP (so hopefully someone can grab them) and just get dinner and forget about going to the park until the next day. No harm no foul. We will be adding days to our tickets after we use them, but adding days after a certain point is a crazy small amount like $10 per day, so I'm not concerned with whether or not we "use a day"

We have no intention of making rope drop the next morning (or any morning, really). We will be there seven nights and I don't see us pushing the time change too hard. We have two MVMCP nights booked (for the attractions mainly) and will be using EMHs to stay late. Way easier to be at a park until midnight (9:00 pm our time) than try to be get everyone up at 4:00 am (our time) to make Ropedrop.

We are DLR vets and want to see WDW but plan to be on vacation. Getting up at 3:00 or 4:00 am (our time) sounds like a guarantee that we will be at each others throats!! Plus the 6 yo has to go back to school 36 hours after we return home, so i don't mind staying on CA time, even though the adjustment back to PST is easier coming from the east.

You never know -- we may try to do a RD later in the trip, but I doubt it.