What are/were your arrival day plans with little ones?

[PlanningForTheFamily]

We'll be flying into MCO after a 2.5 hour flight - not a particularly tough travel day, but am not sure how the little ones will handle it. I'm curious what your arrival day plans are or what has worked in the past for you?

Did you keep it low key and just check out the resort? Were the kids so excited that you just hit a park (which one?)?

 

[glassslippergirl]

We generally arrive close to rope drop after a 3+ hour drive, so we head straight to the parks. If you arrive in the morning, I think it's worthwhile to plan some park time because the kids will be excited. Especially if you already have 4+ day tickets, adding an extra day hardly costs anything. Maybe plan later FPs in case the flight is delayed.

If the you arrive in the afternoon or evening, my inclination is to forego the parks. It's a lot of work for a little time, when you'll probably be tired out from the day leading up to the flight and the flight itself. Maybe pool time, dinner (even CS) at a resort where you can see a fireworks show, HDDR, or some character meal to get into the spirit.

 

[loves to dive]

We live about 7 1/2 hours away by car (at least with me driving, according to mapquest and the GPS is it 8 hours) and have been going since my son was a little over 2. We have always checked in then headed to a park. When we first started going the only resorts that existed were MK resorts so would be the park we went to. Even after that long drive he was always ready to go to a park, truthfully he would sleep most of the way down so he was well rested.

 

[buzznina]

The way TSA has been, your travel day may be a bit rougher then you think. Cannot help you on your question as we drive (7 hrs) and arrive late at night, this way we are all set to hit the parks the next day.

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

We went when our daughter was 14 months and arrived on property around 4:30 I think after a 3 hour direct flight. We went to our room and got ready for our dinner reservation at Jiko. We made a 6 pm reservation so we could get our daughter to bed at a reasonable time. We enjoyed our meal, but we were all exhausted from our long day. Our daughter started getting upset near the end of the meal, and my husband and I had to take turns taking her out. Next time I would just plan on swimming at the hotel pool and getting dinner at the food court on the first day.

 

[DisMomof2Princesses]

We'll be flying into MCO after a 2.5 hour flight - not a particularly tough travel day, but am not sure how the little ones will handle it. I'm curious what your arrival day plans are or what has worked in the past for you?

Did you keep it low key and just check out the resort? Were the kids so excited that you just hit a park (which one?)?

Hi! When our kids were little, we kind of played it by ear - depending on what time we arrived (in case of delays, etc.). Now, after the long drive, they like the time to relax and we usually go hang at the pool for a while and then grab something to eat either downtown (Earl of Sandwich) or in our room. Our girls are 6 and 12. I would say, see how you all feel once you arrive!

 

[ejgonz2]

We fly from NJ and usually arrive at the hotel early/mid afternoon. We settle into our hotel, explore the grounds, use the pool, have dinner and get to bed at a decent time to prep for MK the next day.

 

[Ladcassidy]

From the time DD was little, we have always spent our first afternoon and evening at Magic Kingdom after flying into MCO and settling into our resort. We are usually only there for a few hours, but it's enough to put us in the Disney mood!

 

[lelder]

Our plane will get in at 4:30 after a 7 1/2 hour trip from Oregon. Our plan is dinner at Beaches and Cream and maybe a trip over to Boardwalk if we're not too tired.

 

[MinMou]

We are planning to fly in midafternoon, take the Magic Express to our hotel, and go to Chef Mickey's for dinner. If we have time between arrival and dinner, we might ride the whole monorail circuit a few times, or check out the stores in our hotel. We did something similar when we went to Disneyland, and it worked well. Our little guy was 2, and I wasn't sure if he would want to meet the characters, but I figured he'd like seeing them. When he saw Goofy (Disneyland's character dinner is Goofy's Kitchen), he almost jumped out of his skin! It finally dawned on him that we were going to meet all the characters I had been talking about!!

After dinner, back to our room, and I will explain that we need to get up early to see where Mickey lives. Hoping he cooperates this time!

 

[DisneyArie]

We also have a 2.5 hour flight that lands in Orlando at noon. We have to get our bags and the rental car then possibly a grocery store run (depends on what Amazon Prime Now has in stock around that time). Then we're going to check in and get settled. We aren't going to the park on arrival day. Instead, we will explore Disney Springs and have dinner at one of the resorts. We didn't want to use a ticket when we weren't getting a full day. Plus, we really want to do rope drop.

 

[pixie08]

We have a similar flight as you from NY and an almost 19 month old. In Dec (he was 13 mos) last Dec we took a 6 am flight and even though lo wakes early it was just too early. This time we are taking a 9:30 flight so we will arrive around noon.

We usually rent a car and then head to pick up water, diapers and groceries. We check into the hotel and usually leave the afternoon/evening open. I figured i would gauge his crankiness. Some pool and nap time. No dinner reservations in case he is exhausted. If all is good we will head to Disney Springs but if not we will just do CS at our hotel and have an early night so we are all rested up for the next day. The one thing I found traveling with a toddler is that rest is best. As long as he naps we are good. If we try and push it too much he gets cranky. I am sure it's the same regardless of age. I like to start the vacation off on a good foot and kind of just consider the arrival day a rest/pool day.

 

[jennygirlmt]

We had a 2.5 HR flight with our 2 and 4 year olds. We just missed the ME and had to wait for another, then the ride was at least an hour with all the drop offs. We were hungry, cranky and exhausted by the time we got to the hotel mid afternoon. We had plans for a rest, explore POR and hit dinner in Disney Springs. There's no way we could have handled more.

 

[MinMou]

We had a 2.5 HR flight with our 2 and 4 year olds. We just missed the ME and had to wait for another, then the ride was at least an hour with all the drop offs. We were hungry, cranky and exhausted by the time we got to the hotel mid afternoon. We had plans for a rest, explore POR and hit dinner in Disney Springs. There's no way we could have handled more.

I think this is a good plan even when you get an earlier bus from the airport. Unless your flight arrives in the morning, there is enough stimulation just from the bus, your hotel and eating dinner out, that I wouldn't buy an extra day on park passes. You won't have the whole day, and the chance of a meltdown is much higher.

 

[tami82]

We'll be flying into MCO after a 2.5 hour flight - not a particularly tough travel day, but am not sure how the little ones will handle it. I'm curious what your arrival day plans are or what has worked in the past for you?

Did you keep it low key and just check out the resort? Were the kids so excited that you just hit a park (which one?)?

We didn't really have anything planned ahead of time and just went with the flow. We were able to check in early so when we got to the room my husband and kids took a monorail ride over to MK just for a little bit while I organized stuff in the room. After that we went into pool and we all went back to MK for a bit, then dinner. It was very convenient with monorail. Our next trip we have early am arrival, going straight to resort from airport and plan on sleeping until late morning. I have no expectations for this day and and not planning anything. It works out better that way sometimes.

 

[monorailsilver]

We hang out at the pool, go to an early dinner (5pm) at chef mickeys and then go back to the pool and swim, watch the water parade, wishes and then Go to bed.

 

[Mousemommy1]

So, we are back into the swing of traveling with an infant/toddler, and I will say that next year's trip, we will just be booking dinner at our resort the night of the arrival. We will eat and swim and go to bed at a reasonable hour in order to get started in parks the next day. Our youngest has been 3 months and 15 months on our last two trips and travel days are just a lot more exhausting with tiny ones.

 

[k8Davies]

Don't think it'll be much for us on the day we arrive.

As flying in from the UK, arriving around 5pm but then with passport control and immigration, getting our bags and picking up the car, I don't think we'll be getting to the Hotel till about 8pm (past Midnight UK time) so think it'll be straight to the room.

I'll send the DH out to pick up a pizza from the Boardwalk pizza window and you never know we might get a room with a view of Epcot or HS and see a couple of Fireworks before sleep.

Then at least with the Jet Lag we'll be up nice an early for the EMH at Epcot the following day...

 

[Jasmine81]

We went to Magic Kingdom after we arrived with my 18 month old. It doesn't cost that much more to add one more day to your ticket so we figured might as well. It was only about 3 hours plane ride (early morning, got to MK around lunch time). She did fine!

 

[mcjaco]

We lay low. Usually head to Disney Springs, wander around. Hit the pool at the time share, while the other parent goes to the grocery store. So much excitement in the airports and planes, they're usually worn out by the end of the day.