What do people usually do on arrival day?

[Experiment626]

I'm in awe of you guys that are able to eat out on travel day, evening.
I'd love to, but just know that it would mean falling asleep in my dish! :/ (Light-weight! )

We usually head straight for our villa, and then order a takeaway (which usually arrives by the time we've unpacked)

[CuteLioness]

Will never forget in 2016 we arrived on the last night of Very Merry and we headed straight (bags in car and all) to MK for it from the airport. We stayed till the it finished at like 1am or something! I remember it not feeling real by the end…! 🎄

[Bondy007]

I think for 6 of our trips we’ve gone to Planet Hollywood. Then a mooch around (Downtown) Disney Springs.
Won’t be doing that this year though as driving up from Miami and will be going straight to bed I reckon!

[fiona88]

I had to look back at photos to remember what we do on our first night. I don't go anywhere on the way to the hotel but like to do our snacks and drinks shopping trip afterwards so it's done ready for day 1 in the parks. There's only once been a plan to go somewhere specific but train cancellations and an all-night drive as our pre-travel day messed that up, so it was just crawling into bed instead. Another trip we had a 2 hour delay at LAX so arrived at our hotel around 11pm and crashed.

For our next trip there's part of me saying 'get to universal to activate the APs while the parking is free' but it'll probably be food shopping and maybe late night food somewhere like Denny's, I don't recommend setting anything in stone or anything you can't move to another day as you don't know what might have knock on effects on times or exhaustion.
As you're staying onsite, it would be hotel exploration as the main part for me, get your bearings, find the transport etc if you need them and then hit somewhere for food.

[CuteLioness]

Originally Posted by fiona88

I had to look back at photos to remember what we do on our first night. I don't go anywhere on the way to the hotel but like to do our snacks and drinks shopping trip afterwards so it's done ready for day 1 in the parks. There's only once been a plan to go somewhere specific but train cancellations and an all-night drive as our pre-travel day messed that up, so it was just crawling into bed instead. Another trip we had a 2 hour delay at LAX so arrived at our hotel around 11pm and crashed.

For our next trip there's part of me saying 'get to universal to activate the APs while the parking is free' but it'll probably be food shopping and maybe late night food somewhere like Denny's, I don't recommend setting anything in stone or anything you can't move to another day as you don't know what might have knock on effects on times or exhaustion.
As you're staying onsite, it would be hotel exploration as the main part for me, get your bearings, find the transport etc if you need them and then hit somewhere for food.

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Sorry to butt in - could you elaborate on the whole “get to Universal to activate the APs” thing? We’re thinking of doing that on our arrival evening, we are maybe going to upgrade one of our tickets to an AP - is it better to do this once the parking is free, and how do we go about if at that time of night please? Many thanks 😊

[dan223]

Originally Posted by CuteLioness

Sorry to butt in - could you elaborate on the whole “get to Universal to activate the APs” thing? We’re thinking of doing that on our arrival evening, we are maybe going to upgrade one of our tickets to an AP - is it better to do this once the parking is free, and how do we go about if at that time of night please? Many thanks 😊

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Parking is generally free in universal after 6pm. If your AP are not activated on your first trip, then you will need to pay for parking for your first visit (before 6pm).

[Plonks]

Originally Posted by dan223

McD's? Surely some better choices Wendys is often a fav of ours for the first night.

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Wendy’s it is then 😉

[CuteLioness]

Originally Posted by dan223

Parking is generally free in universal after 6pm. If your AP are not activated on your first trip, then you will need to pay for parking for your first visit (before 6pm).

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Thank you, I think I knew that, but where would I go to upgrade at that time? Can you do it somewhere on City Walk?

[dan223]

Originally Posted by CuteLioness

Thank you, I think I knew that, but where would I go to upgrade at that time? Can you do it somewhere on City Walk?

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I’m not 100% sure if there is somewhere in citywalk someone else might know, but I believe you can do it at the ticket windows/guest relations at either universal park.

[CuteLioness]

Originally Posted by dan223

I’m not 100% sure if there is somewhere in citywalk someone else might know, but I believe you can do it at the ticket windows/guest relations at either universal park.

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Thank you. Fingers crossed!