What is the FIRST thing you do at WDW?

[Wilbur Robinson]

I'm not quite sure if this type of post has been made before, but I thought I'd give it a go! When you first arrive at WDW, what park do you go to, what do you do first?

When we go to WDW, we always go to Epcot first, and eat at either Japan or the Land.
Lots of fun memories!

[SerranoPE]

Great question! Disclaimer - my answers are based on pre-covid trips since we haven't been since the pandemic. We have a arrival day itinerary that is our go-to. We always fly in early and rent a car. We head straight to the resort and try our luck and getting an early check-in. Successful or not, we then head for Disney Springs and to Wolfgang Puck Express [now closed ]. Then after lunch, we stroll around to see what's new/different/changed at Springs and then if our room isn't ready, we go to EPCOT. Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, and France for a mid-afternoon snack!! When our room is ready, we head to the resort, unpack, settle in, and then freshen up to head to Magic Kingdom for the evening and eventual fireworks. Our family has the 1st 4 days always set so we can get to each park and a water park as well. We have fastpasses and plans but they're all flexible so we can just go with the flow and enjoy ourselves. Just writing about this makes me feel good!! Thank you!!!

[Wilbur Robinson]

Great question! Disclaimer - my answers are based on pre-covid trips since we haven't been since the pandemic. We have a arrival day itinerary that is our go-to. We always fly in early and rent a car. We head straight to the resort and try our luck and getting an early check-in. Successful or not, we then head for Disney Springs and to Wolfgang Puck Express [now closed ]. Then after lunch, we stroll around to see what's new/different/changed at Springs and then if our room isn't ready, we go to EPCOT. Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, and France for a mid-afternoon snack!! When our room is ready, we head to the resort, unpack, settle in, and then freshen up to head to Magic Kingdom for the evening and eventual fireworks. Our family has the 1st 4 days always set so we can get to each park and a water park as well. We have fastpasses and plans but they're all flexible so we can just go with the flow and enjoy ourselves. Just writing about this makes me feel good!! Thank you!!!

That sounds like a wonderful first day! We haven't been since the pandemic either sadly, so I can totally see where you're coming from. Hopefully when traveling and visiting the parks becomes safer we can all return to our first-day activities!

[OhanaMana]

Great question! Disclaimer - my answers are based on pre-covid trips since we haven't been since the pandemic. We have a arrival day itinerary that is our go-to. We always fly in early and rent a car. We head straight to the resort and try our luck and getting an early check-in. Successful or not, we then head for Disney Springs and to Wolfgang Puck Express [now closed ]. Then after lunch, we stroll around to see what's new/different/changed at Springs and then if our room isn't ready, we go to EPCOT. Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, and France for a mid-afternoon snack!! When our room is ready, we head to the resort, unpack, settle in, and then freshen up to head to Magic Kingdom for the evening and eventual fireworks. Our family has the 1st 4 days always set so we can get to each park and a water park as well. We have fastpasses and plans but they're all flexible so we can just go with the flow and enjoy ourselves. Just writing about this makes me feel good!! Thank you!!!

That sounds like a wonderful first day! We haven't been since the pandemic either sadly, so I can totally see where you're coming from. Hopefully when traveling and visiting the parks becomes safer we can all return to our first-day activities!

Yeah totally agree - great plans! Like yours, ours is also pre-covid. We also like to arrive as early as we can. The 4 times or so we've done that, we've been lucky to get our rooms between 11 and 12 every time. We definitely like a slow start to our trips, so we'll get settled into our room, hang by the pool for a bit. Get a light lunch and a drink at the pool or a resort bar. We also will have a date night style dinner the first night. The past couple times has been Cali Grill. It's always a pleasure starting the trip up there on top of the World to eat and watch the fireworks.

[Ace]

Our first day we always try to fly in as early as possible and check in. Once were checked in we usually look for someplace to eat a light lunch because we usually plan a nice dinner somewhere on the monorail line (California Grill and Ohana are our favorites). We head over to MK about 3 hours prior to our reservation and we check out the monorail resorts prior to dinner. After dinner we try to hand around until fireworks.

May not be that glamorous but its worked out well for us.

[Disneygirl]

I usually go to Epcot first, but last time I visited I went to Magic Kingdom because I felt like walking around Main Street without having to rush around (I arrived at 3pm after checking in at Wilderness Lodge). Since the lines were really long at this point, it was nice to take it easy as I prepared to rope-drop Magic Kingdom the next day.

[ResortTV1]

We used to always ride Mr. Toad first when we got to Magic Kingdom when it was open. Then, when it closed, we would always ride Space Mountain First, and recently, it's been the Peoplemover, and I hope that will be the case again soon.

Also, on big family trips, we used to always stop at Downtown Disney (when it was called that) first because we would always arrive in the afternoon, and we didn't want to use a whole day on our tickets when we didn't arrive until afternoon.

[Courtney Scott]

We've used a lot of different strategies for arrival day. When the girls were younger we'd just hang at the resort around the pool. But the one thing that hasn't changed on arrival day is O'Hana for dinner. More bread pudding please.

[ADantuono]

We'd usually spend the first part of the first day at the hotel, getting settled, having lunch, going in the pool, etc.

We would then go to Magic Kingdom around the mid afternoon, just in time for the parade. (Last time I went, it was still the Share a Dream Come True Parade)

After that, our first ride was usually Splash Mountain. If not, then it was whatever had a short wait time/whatever we could get a FastPass for.

[n7vulcan]

Usually I try to travel down the night before our first park day. If that's not an option, then we usually come down mid-late afternoon the day before our first park, and head to Disney Springs after checking in at the resort. BUT IDEALLY, we get in the first night, late, grab dinner & settle in for the evening. Then our first park day is ALWAYS EPCOT (my fave park, anyhow). 1st ride in is usually either Spaceship Earth, Test Track or Mission Space, and then it varies. We have often gone to breakfast following our first ride at Garden Grill in the Land pavilion. Hoping it will be open for breakfast again when we go in November (but I'm not holding my hopes too high), so I can take my hubby through that experience. We've also hit up Electric Umbrella for breakfast on a number of occasions. On the first day, we ALWAYS hit up Biergarten in the Germany Pavilion for dinner on the first day. We used to hit up Akershus before it became a Princess Character dining experience (though I have done Akershus as the princess dining twice, and still enjoyed it, just not a part of our tradition anymore).

[Brewbud]

We fly in from the West coast so we don't arrive until late afternoon or early evening. The first day for us is usually dinner and relaxing around the resort. If we need to renew the Tables In Wonderland card we will go to guest services at the nearest park to get it taken care of.

[Niknak88]

First thing I do is pick my jaw up from the floor from the amazement. Then, I skip around in pure joy!!

[jm1670]

The very first thing I do every trip is Soarin.

[SerranoPE]

We've used a lot of different strategies for arrival day. When the girls were younger we'd just hang at the resort around the pool. But the one thing that hasn't changed on arrival day is O'Hana for dinner. More bread pudding please.

That plan gets my vote!!!!! That bread pudding though....

[Mr. Bill San Diego]

I am not able to go very much, but will always do the same thing on arrival, and it is not going to a park. Flying from the west I get in a little later. So after checking in no matter what resort, unless I am already there, I take a ride to Port Orleans Riverside. From there take a nice walk along the water and then once at French Quarter take the boat to Disney Springs for a nice dinner. I love Morimoto Asia to begin the trip, but cant wait to try Homecoming next time. After that it is back to the room and just relax so I can be up early the next morning to rope drop whatever park is first on the itinerary. Depending on the weather and time I have also taken the boat back for that same walk at night, REALLY NICE, before calling a ride back to my room.

[randyf79]

Our flight usually arrives between 10 and 11...so we hop on the Disney Express (have to have a new plan in '21) and head to the resort. If room available...unpack and head to Disney Springs for dinner, shopping, and walking-around. If room not available, stow the bags and head to Disney Springs...same plan. One tip, if you are needing the services of "Guest Services", Disney Springs is great because they have a lot of 'desks' and the cast members are very efficient/good. Was just there in mid-January...and the plan worked great...they were pretty late getting our room set. Had a nice dinner at Chef Art Smith's.

[ChrisC]

I like resort hopping the first day/night we arrive. I’m just about a 6-hour drive from doorstep to doorstep, so usually arrive mid afternoon. I used to enjoy going to downtown Disney, but I’m not as keen on it now since it’s changed to Disney Springs...doesn’t have the same Disney-like atmosphere to me. We would always have dinner at Rainforest Cafe or T-Rex. Food was fine, but I liked the theming most of all.

Now, with resort hopping, I really like having a late dinner at Ohana and catching the MK fireworks from the Poly. Second choice if Ohana isn’t available would be Hoop-dee-Doo or Trails End...lots of memories from Fort Wilderness, so those are always a hit with me. Plus the night time boat rides around the MK resorts are great.

[AnimalKingdomFan79]

Arrival day is usually resting and exploring the resort and settling in with some dinner
The first park day is usually Epcot or MK and the first stop is a park map! Lol I really have a problem with collecting them especially when they have a different cover + if there's a passport for a food festival I need one of those too. The other ride order depends on wait times usually.

[Poppy]

usually spend the first day at Epcot, first ride is always Spaceship Earth, it always sets a nostalgic tone to the rest of our visit, then it's off to explore World Showcase

[nittanylions]

Prior to COVID, we visited WDW twice a year for short stays. We used Touring Plans to schedule our visits. On arrival day, we went to Pop Century and had something to eat. Then we went to the Character Warehouses for souvenirs and Target for supplies. We had a theme park day, a water park day during the summer and a day to visit Disney Springs and resort hop. Our favorite theme parks are MK and AK. On our theme park day, we ate breakfast in our room, arrived at rope drop and hit our favorite rides first. Our favorites are Space Mountain, Mine Train, Big Thunder, Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest. Then we followed the Touring Plans schedule. In the middle of the day, we had Fast Passes for our favorite rides so we could experience them at least twice. We had lunch, snacks and water in our backpacks which we ate on the go. We stopped at dinner time to eat at a quick service restaurant. Our favorites are Columbia Harbor House and Yak & Yeti. We stayed until close. On the water park day, we generally arrived at rope drop to get a good spot to set up camp. We hit Summit Plummet or Humunga Kowabunga first. We stayed until we ran out of energy, which was usually around the time the water park closed. After our stay at WDW, we went up to The Villages to relax for a few days before heading home.

[Toria]

I'm not quite sure if this type of post has been made before, but I thought I'd give it a go! When you first arrive at WDW, what park do you go to, what do you do first?

When we go to WDW, we always go to Epcot first, and eat at either Japan or the Land.
Lots of fun memories!

We head straight to the parks

[jbletheby]

my goal is always to hit MK first! I want to get to that park at rope drop. to see it, at its most calm! Hearing the music, sounds of Disney when you walk under the train, is amazing. Then walking down the center of mainstreet seeing the castle cant be beat

[jubal1265]

Hollywood Studios and attempt, and usually fail, to get a boarding group for Rise. Then off to Tower of Terror.

[KungalooshRadio]

We either start our trip in MK or Epcot. If we’re starting in Epcot, Spaceship Earth is a must-do. In Magic Kingdom, a ride on the PeopleMover and a Dole Whip.

[summerinthecity]

I'm not quite sure if this type of post has been made before, but I thought I'd give it a go! When you first arrive at WDW, what park do you go to, what do you do first?

When we go to WDW, we always go to Epcot first, and eat at either Japan or the Land.
Lots of fun memories!

Traditionally, the first day would never involve parks because we were worried about flights getting delayed and other nonsense. We would always go to The Village (now Disney Springs) and do some shopping and eat a sit down meal. It would be the best meal we would eat until probably the final night we were there. The restaurant we went to served butter in shape of Mickey which, to this day, signals to me your restaurant is classy. (A bit bummed I don't see a lot of molded butter in fine dining places.) I ALWAYS thought this day in the Village/Disney Springs was kind of dull because I wanted to get to the parks, but as an adult, I think it's good to have a buffer day and just ease into vacation mode.