Day of Arrival

[Faythy]

Hi All

We'll be arriving at MCO at 3pm and am wondering how long we would be done and dusted after getting to the hotel (All-Star Sports) on the DME. Taking check-in and getting bags to the room into account, what time would you think we'd be ready to venture out?

I'm thinking of just going to Disney Springs for a meal the first evening as I'm guessing it'll be getting on to teatime, say 7ish, and we'll be too tired to venture to parks. Does this sound about right? TIA x

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by Faythy

Hi All

We'll be arriving at MCO at 3pm and am wondering how long we would be done and dusted after getting to the hotel (All-Star Sports) on the DME. Taking check-in and getting bags to the room into account, what time would you think we'd be ready to venture out?

I'm thinking of just going to Disney Springs for a meal the first evening as I'm guessing it'll be getting on to teatime, say 7ish, and we'll be too tired to venture to parks. Does this sound about right? TIA x

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Think 30 mins after you get off plane to get to immigration (monorail).
Think up to 2 hours to get through immigration and get cases.
Then think 1.5 hours to get to Magical Express, get to resort and get checked in.
This takes you to circa 7pm local time.
This is 12am UK time.
You will have had a very early start.
Do you have youngish kids? They'll be knackered if you do.
I may get some quick service, then to bed about 9-10. I personally wouldn't fancy getting to table service restaurants for reservations or getting buses to parks or DS, but maybe I'm a weakling. Youll have to get to DS then. Factor in at least 30 mins including walking to bus and waiting if you're lucky.
You'd probably a shower and to catch breath first, so you could end up going out 8/9 local time or 1 in the morning.

[Guest]

I think you need to allow a good four hours. I was surprised by how long it took us this summer. It took a couple of hours from plane arrival to room keys in hand, and we were on an internal flight (no immigration, with hand luggage, and we walked onto the bus and it left.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Faythy

I'm thinking of just going to Disney Springs for a meal the first evening as I'm guessing it'll be getting on to teatime, say 7ish, and we'll be too tired to venture to parks. Does this sound about right? TIA x

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Sounds about right.

It took us just over 2 and a half hours to get off the plane at MCO, get through immigration, get our bags, get the Magical Express to CBR, check in and get to our room. So if you land around 3pm I'd expect you to get to your room just before 6pm. Although it might be a bit later if immigration is really busy.

We landed at about 2:30pm, did all the above, and (after a bit of unpacking) got a Disney bus over to Magic Kingdom at around 6:30pm to get some food and do a couple of rides. We left MK at around 9:15pm (local time - felt like 2:15am to us) to get some much needed sleep.

As mentioned above, if you have youngish kids then they will probably be knackered by about 7pm local time, if not before! You may be pretty tired as well. So take that into account.

[nicohna]

Was wondering this myself. We get in at 3pm and I wanted to do an evening at HS. We will have cleared immigration in Dublin and don’t have kids to worry about, so fingers crossed!

[Faythy]

Thanks for the info all. It's just myself and my son who will be 11 by the time we go in May. I was just thinking of going to Springs to get a QS D-Luxe burger or similar, but may not bother then and just have a nosy around the resort instead before bed. Just really want to try that burger place so will move it to another day in my plans then.

Thanks again all x

[bella9]

Originally Posted by Faythy

Thanks for the info all. It's just myself and my son who will be 11 by the time we go in May. I was just thinking of going to Springs to get a QS D-Luxe burger or similar, but may not bother then and just have a nosy around the resort instead before bed. Just really want to try that burger place so will move it to another day in my plans then.

Thanks again all x

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You'll both be very tired, and probably wouldn't enjoy the meal as much as you'd like. Agree with you to move it to another day - a few days in -
when you can really enjoy and savour the experience. Bring or buy a few nibbles to keep you going.

[JLC]

We've always stayed away from the parks on the first night. Get settled in etc. but can have an early start the next day!

The park tickets start on first use... Bear that in mind if you're just using them for a few hours in the evening.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by Faythy

Thanks for the info all. It's just myself and my son who will be 11 by the time we go in May. I was just thinking of going to Springs to get a QS D-Luxe burger or similar, but may not bother then and just have a nosy around the resort instead before bed. Just really want to try that burger place so will move it to another day in my plans then.

Thanks again all x

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Last year my daughter was 12 and my son 9. They didn't want to even go out, neither did my mother in law or wife. Myself and my father in law wondered to the quick serve for a Yeungling and shrimp Cobb salad. Then we went straight back. Fighting your way on buses, through crowds at DS probably won't be what you want.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by JLC

The park tickets start on first use... Bear that in mind if you're just using them for a few hours in the evening.

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Yeah, that's a good point.

Although if the OP is just going to Disney Springs then they won't use their tickets.

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

Fighting your way on buses, through crowds at DS probably won't be what you want.

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Another good point. Based on our experience of DS, I'd avoid going there on the first evening. It gets very busy at night.

Anyhoo, here's a photo of myself and my 13yo daughter (as she was at the time) enjoying the Buzz Lightyear ride at around 8pm local time on our travel day:



And we still got up at 6am the next day and got to EMH at Animal Kingdom.

You can catch up on your sleep when you get home.