Anybody NOT do MK first for first timers?

[Antonia]

We'll be at CSR and AK is a EMH park on our first morning. Normally I would want to take my first-timer nieces to MK first, but it will be June and probably hot. Sort of considering doing EMH at MK on our first morning. After our first 3 morning we'll be at WL and I don't want to criss cross all over WDW to take advantage of EMH.
Then again, MK is the essence of WDW so how can I gip them out of the magic of seeing the castle the first morning just totake advantage of EMH at AK????
What would you do???
I just think that castle is magical and we might miss some magic by going to AK first.

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

You gotta do MK first. There is absolutely nothing like the look on a first timers face when they exit the train station tunnel, see Main St and then come around the corner and see the castle in all it's glory!!!

 

[debkorb1]

But what if your nieces feel that the other parks are a let down? I luv Epcot, but I could imagine it seeming a little unmagical (perhaps even boring?) to someone who has just experienced the MK for the first time, especially youths.

I would leave MK till last, but I know I would be a minority on this board.

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

My DH had been there as a 10 year old, our honeymoon was basically my first trip (going at age 2 doesnt count, it was 1975) and I remembered nothing.

Our first day someone had booked us to go to Sea World to swim with the false killer whales (a wedding gift, and date I could not change) our second day we went to Epcot, I dont think he took me to MK until 4 days into the trip- I felt like my vacation didn't begin until that day. I let him drag me from ride to ride at every park, it wasnt til MK that I finally "got" that there was magic here. You know from the titles, stories, etc what Epcot and MGM will be like, I got to MK and started to smile, I felt like a kid, everything is wonderful there.
People at work told me skip MK- be sure to go to Pleasure Island- I dont drink, so I knew that wasnt me, but folks told me MK was geared towards little kids, I had no idea the treat I was in for.

I wish I could live there, maybe above one of those buildings along Main Street? I would ride Astro Orbiter everyday. Even if you only do MK for part of your first day, be sure to take them by there, at least for a breakfast, dinner, fireworks, something, so they can start things off right!

This year our first half day will be riding Mission Space, our second day(first full day) will start with a character breakfast at the Crystal Palace. Im determined to see characters on this trip!

 

[ironz]

deb...if you're in the minority, at least you're not alone. When we went on the big family vacation in 2000, we went to MK after Epcot...same reasoning...Epcot is fun, but once the kids went to MK, we figured they'd be looking for the fun/fantasy rides all over the place. It worked out just fine. I think we did MK on days 2 and 5??

 

[cheerdaddy]

in 96, when we took dd for her very first time; we arrived around 5pm and the first park we visited was EPCOT....dd(5 at the time) had an absolute blast! we did a few rides and then staked out a spot for illuminations....it has now become a family tradition to start out at EPCOT each trip...we did MK on the 2nd morning and that was awesome too...I don't think it would ruin anything either way for the first-timer...everything is all so new and wonderful that first time I think...

 

[Tiziminchac]

Originally posted by ironz
Epcot is fun, but once the kids went to MK, we figured they'd be looking for the fun/fantasy rides all over the place.

I agree with ironz, I always take first timers to EPCOT first. It is so different than any other theme park and could be a let down to kids after MK. Then again, EPCOT is my favorite, so maybe I'm being selfish! You could tell them you want to save the best for last. Or do AK in the morning, take a break, and do MK in the afternoon and evening. Whatever you decide I'm sure you will have a great time!

 

[memymomonica]

Our very first trip to WDW and DD was 5. We went to AK for our first park. She loved it. She loved them all for their unique qualities. I don't think you HAVE to do MK first. There is a good chance it won't be our first park next trip either.

 

[my3girlstoo]

We never do MK first. I plan on Epot first. That way the kids will enjoy Epot and our kids, now 2,5,9 won't get overwhelmed the first couple of days. Have to remember that for the young ones MK especially is very over stimulating. Plus they need time to adjust to the hotel, different schedules, so on, so we leave MK for a few days into our trip when we feel they will enjoy it the most.

 

[mudnuri]

We're not doing MK until our 4th and 5th day.

I figured it this way

We're staying on site for a reason- that being EMH....we'll follow that schedule. MK is a park that Dd's will NOT do everything in 1 day....no question about that. We planned it for our last 2 days...that way- they can hit it back to back....

Our plan anyway- each of us do things differently.

I didnt ever enter the thought that they might think epcot is a letdown. they are 2 totally different parks, and if your expecting them to be the same well you'll be let down

Brandy

 

[kaylajr]

We always do AK then Epcot then MK them MGM then day 5 we go back to whatever we may have missed

this year we are taking MIL and MK will be either 3rd or 4th day

it works best for us in this order.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Our problem is I don't WANT to do MK our first day. I really wanted to do TL. My husband will really only have time that first afternoon and I don't want to take my DD's 6 and 4 solo. The problem is we have PAP vouchers and I need to get them activated and since we're staying at the GF we need to get them activated at MK.

How am I going to drag those girls out of the park and to TL? That isn't going to be easy!!

 

[my3princes]

MaryKatesMom
I think that you can validate your PAPs at downtown Disney too. That may be easier.

We always do MK as our first and last park as it is our favorite park. The other parks we do in any random order and the kids love them all. Each park has many attractions that my kids look forward too so they are never disappointed with our choices, but the MK is definately our starting and finishing point.

 

[Luv2Travel]

I agree with the others to wait on going to MK until later in the trip. The Unofficial Guide recommends this and I lived by that guide on our first couple of trips to WDW. My kids were just as excited to be at EPCOT and the other parks because they didn't know it only got better! Now that we've been several times and they are older, we do MK first. But they also enjoy the other parks also because they know of the fun things to do in each of them.

 

[puffkin]

I have to start and finish with MK. I don't know why, but it just feels right to me. I would try to work the MK into your first day, even if it is just for a character meal or the fireworks or something like that. Save the rides for later in the trip. But for me, until I see the castle, I am not happy.

 

[Kapp]

we said we would start off with a park other than the MK due to the day of the week, EE days, etc. but everytime....we end up going to MK first and are glad we did! There is just something about starting off there to get everyone in the spirit. When we go again, we'll probably do it again!

Enjoy!

 

[marmar]

In 92 we stayed at the yacht club and the first thing we did was walk to Epcot. The International Gate is GREAT. No Crowds!!!

At the time my dd was 10. And she has the genes of her nerdy parents. COnsequently EPCOT will always be her favorite park. We visited EPCOT everyday on that first 7 day visit.

On subsequent trips, we do visit MK first if we are staying at the Poly or GF. Let's face it the point is to get to the parks as fast as you can on aprrival, so you go the the closest park.

 

[KimberAnn]

We went for the first time in Feb. I had looked at the guide books first to get a general idea of what parks were busiest on what days and then tried to schedule a different park on those days.

also, when I looked at the calendar on the disney site - Tuesday was the latest closing for MK and the only day for Spectro. Sooo I made a reservation for Chrystal Palace early on Tuesday and we spent the day there on Tuesday.

We did AK on Sunday Epcot on Moday MK on Tues. Wed was SeaWorld for the big kids with dad and pool for the little ones with mom (by Wed they were verrrrry tired) Then Thurs we did MGM and on Friday we went back to the MK. Since we'd already been there we spent a lot of time wandering around Tom Sawyer, got fast passes for the pooh ride which we missed on Tues and then hung out at Toontown.

My kids still were shocked and awed by the sight of the castle on Tuesday, and by then they had kind of gotten into the swing of things and did alot less whining then they did on the first day.

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

We never do MK first as it's such a long day. We usually do BB or TL or one of the parks with shorter opening hours first i.e. AK The whole thing is still magical to me and I'm 26.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We're going to do MGM arrival day, EPCOT 2nd day, then MK, then AK, then back to MK, then EPCOT again, then finish MGM if we didn't the first time.

Don't know if it makes sense to do it that way, but that's the way I have it planned right now. Of course, I have a year to go, so who knows........

Steph--determined to plan this trip without DH help, just his wallet