Suggestions for Your First Day at the World

Traveling to WDW can use up most of your first vacation day. If you are a West-Coaster (like me), it can take up a good 8-10 hours. By the time you check-in to your hotel, it could be 5, 6, 7 PM. You're not sure you want to rush right in and ride the rides, and stand in lines. So what can you do? Readers of rec.arts.disney.parks (RADP) have had a few suggestions over the years.

Suggestions that Require Park Admission

If you have an Annual Pass, or Length of Stay pass valid from check-in until check-out, and you're not ready to go from line to line you could do one of the following:

Eat Dinner at one of the Epcot restaurants, and stay for dessert during Illuminations.

Watch Fantasmic at the Disney/MGM Studios

Watch Spectromagic in the Magic Kingdom

Explore the Tree of Life Garden at Animal Kingdom, identify animals on the Tree of Life; eat dinner at the Animal Kingdom Rainforest Cafe

Check to see if the Magic Kingdom has an E-Ride night

Club hop at Pleasure Island, or just stay at the Adventurer's Club

Suggestions that don't require Park Admission

 If you don't want to waste a day on your admission pass, there is still lots to do:

Stay at your hotel, unpack and watch the various Disney Information channels on your tv

Stay at your hotel, explore the resort, swim in the pool, eat dinner at the restaurant

If you have a rental car, stock up for supplies at Goodings, or shop for discounts at the Character Warehouse & Character Premiere shops at the Belz outlet mall

Play mini-golf at Fantasia Gardens at the Swan

Visit Disney Quest at Disney's West Side

Watch a movie at the AMC theaters at Disney's West Side

Cirque Du Soleil at Disney's West Side

Polynesian Luau or the Hoop Dee Do Revue

Eat Dinner at Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club, ride the boat around and explore the other Epcot hotels

Ride the monorail circuits

Eat dinner at California Grill and watch the Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks at the Contemporary

Eat a character dinner at Chef Mickey's or 1900 Park Faire, then watch the Electric Water Pagent from one of the beaches

Visit the petting zoo and go horseback riding at Fort Wilderness

Eat dinner at Downtown Disney and go shopping at the Marketplace. If you use the MKC card you can save 10% of purchases here

Visit Jellyrolls or another club at the Boardwalk

Resort hop to collect pressed pennies

Organize and attend an RADP meet!

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Page updated January 14,1999