You want your Disney World vacation to be full of Disney magic. But bringing kids to the most magical place on earth can be an overwhelming task. Good news, here are some of our best Disney World arrival day tips to make your trip awesome right from the start!
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Disney World arrival day tips – before you arrive
1. Rent a stroller
Rent a stroller before you arrive. There are several stroller rental companies to choose from and you won’t have to worry about an airline damaging yours.
You can have it delivered to your Disney resort hotel or pick it up at the Orlando International Airport. We usually choose a Citi Mini stroller and have recently started opting for the snack tray as well. You’ll want to check the box for a rain cover too!
Most of them come with a parent console included. We’ve had excellent experiences with both Orlando Stroller Rentals and Kingdom Strollers.
*Pro Disney Stroller Tip: ALWAYS pull the sunshade all the way down AND throw the rain cover on the stroller everytime you park it. Trust me. It rains often in Florida. It’s typically quick but intense. A great way to put a damper (haha) on your day is to come out of an attraction to a wet stroller seat.
2. Book Morning arriving flights and Late afternoon departing flights
Maximize your Walt Disney World Resort vacation by booking an early flight in and a late flight out. Even though I don’t advise doing park days on arrival and departure days, you still want to maximize your disney vacation time.
If you’re an East Coast friend, aim for a noon flight arrival time (or before if it’s an option) and schedule a late afternoon or early evening departure.
3. Check in before you leave home
You can check in on My Disney Experience app weeks before your trip. You’ll get a text when your room is ready and can bypass the desk. You can use your magicband+ or phone as your room key. Sweet, right?!
4. Pack a full day of essentials in your carry on
If you’re checking bags with your airline, bring a carry on bag with a change of clothes, pjs, and swimsuits. Add in your basic toiletries and anything you absolutely cannot go without for your baby or toddler.
Do this for a few reasons: 1. you’ll be able to start your vacation even if the airline misplaces your luggage, 2. if you have a late arrival, you can quickly and easily get everyone ready for bed without fully unpacking and 3.you’ll be able to hit the resort pool when you arrive even if your room isn’t ready yet.
You can order anything you forgot (praise hands for all the delivery services), but having the essentials on hand is a lifesaver. See below for tips on ordering snacks etc. via a grocery delivery service.
Here is what I typically pack in one bag that we carry onto the plane:
- A change of clothes for everyone in one packing cube
- A set of pjs for everyone and a night diaper for the baby in one packing cube
- Bathing suit (and coverup or swim hat) for everyone in one packing cube plus kids goggles
- A small toiletry bag with our toothbrushes, toothpaste, medications/vitamins, contacts, deodorant, a razor, hairbrush and sunscreen.
- Our beloved noise machine/diffuser. I sometimes bring a few basic essential oils (something relaxing and something citrusy for smells)
- Chargers
I also use our ‘park bag’ as our diaper bag on the plane and have it almost ready to go for park time.
Here is a quick list of what we bring into the parks:
- Full day of diapers, fresh package of wipes and changing mat
- Diaper cream and poop bags
- Extra change of clothes for the baby in a ziplock bag
- Change of clothes for the kids in a ziplock bag
- Hats for everyone
- Ponchos and a travel golf umbrella
- Park day essentials pouch
- Magicbands (I’ll wear them until they literally stop making them work lol!)
- In hotter months I add stroller fan, cooling towels and misting fans
- Disposable placemats/bibs
- Baby teether/Toy
- Snack Pouch (I will refill this each day)
5. Preorder snacks via grocery delivery app
There is nothing better than the snacks at Disney, but stretch your budget by ordering some groceries.
If you have kitchen where you are staying then grab some fresh produce, yogurt, breakfast stuff, sandwich stuff, favorite beverages, etc.
If you have a mini fridge grab your family’s favorite snacks and fill the mini fridge with drinks.
Kids like routine and often prefer to graze all day rather than eat 3 full meals. Instead of buying chicken nuggets and fries everytime someone says, “I’m hungry”, bring your own snacks and let the kiddos snack on the go. Throw some portable fruits and veggies for munching and buy fun snacks like Mickey pretzels or popcorn in the park.
I typically make my list in Instacart the day before and put it through as soon as the plane lands.
Some of the fruits/veggies we like to bring are:
- carrots
- mini bell peppers (with hummus is yum)
- clementines
- small apples or nectarines
- berries of all kinds
- mini cucumbers or celery with dip
- individual pouches of pickles
Yogurt tubes, cheesesticks, granola bars, and protein bars are also great to bring along.
*Disney Pro Snack Tip: Freeze some water bottles in your room to use as ice packs while you’re in the park. Disney doesn’t allow loose ice into the park. Or bring an empty Ziplock bag and ask for a couple cups of ice at quick service restaurant or Starbucks. (Disclaimer: We have not tried this out as of this writing…if you’ve done it, let me know!)
*Disney Pro Tip: Pack a gallon ziplock bag with a bunch of various sized ziplock bags in your luggage. Use them to pack all your snacks into individual servings so it’s easy to dole them out to kiddos while walking or riding in a stroller. They’re also useful for wet/dirty kid clothes, holding phones on wet rides, storing kid leftovers from meals, used masks, and a million other things (I’d love to hear what else you use baggies for at the parks….shoot us an email and let’s connect!)
At home, we try to be gentle with the Earth and use resuable bags and multiple use items. But, when you’re traveling with kids, especially to a theme park like Disney, simplicity is Queen, convenience is King (and snacks are currency).
6. Keep MagicBands in carryon or use the My Disney Experience app
I know Disney wants us to use the My Disney Experience app but we are MagicBand lovers for life! I keep all of ours on a stroller hook in our carryon bag. You’ll need it pretty soon after arriving so keep them handy. You can also do your checking in and ticket scanning with the app.
7. Be flexible when booking Advanced Dining Reservations
If you’re booking a dining reservation for your first night, give yourself plenty of time. It can actually take several hours from the time your flight lands until you are at your resort. Four hours after your flight arrives is the soonest you should make a dining reservation for. You can also doordash or grubhub food from surrounding restaurants.
If your flight is delayed and you will miss your reservation, remember that unless you modify the reservation to a different day and time you’ll be charged. At the time of this publication it is $25 per person if you do not modify or cancel within two hours of your reservation time. To avoid this, click on the dining reservation that you’ll miss in the My Disney Experience app, click modify and push it out until later in your trip. Dining reservations can be cancelled up to 2 hours in advance without penalty so you’ll still be able to cancel it if you end of changing your mind later on.
Disney World arrival day tips – once you arrive
8. Check with Front Desk even if app says your room isn’t ready
Disney’s online check in service is awesome but if you arrive and haven’t been notified that your room is ready, pop by the front desk and inquire (with a friendly face and kindness please) about it. Sometimes, your room is ready and the app hasn’t caught up yet. Anddddd…every once in a while they may sprinkle you with a little bit of pixie dust and upgrade your room. Whoo hoo!
Disclaimer: Check-in time is usually 4pm. So obviously, don’t go into it expecting early check-in or upgrades, but be excited if they do happen.
There isn’t really a rhyme or reason for when cast members decide to sprinkle the pixie dust but it seems like shorter stays and lower crowd seasons have a greater chance of it happening.
9. Let Bell Services hold your bags or grocery delivery
If you order groceries, bell services will hold them until your room is ready. You’ll need to be there to receive them from your delivery driver but bell services can keep things cold for you until you’re ready to head up. They will deliver your items to your room for a small charge (at the time of this publication it is $7) or you can bring the stuff up yourself.
They will also hold your bags until your room is ready.
10. Take 10 minutes to unpack and set up your room right when you arrive
This one is a game-changer if you’re a mama who gets overwhelmed with visual clutter, like me.
We always do this if we’re staying somewhere more than two nights. It takes maybe 10 minutes and helps everyone feel settled and organized. Enlist the kids to help or send one parent out with the kids to explore while the other does it (my favorite option!).
Put the toothbrushes etc. on the vanity, snacks in the fridge, packing cubes in drawers, noise machine on the nightstand, etc. Stick the empty luggage in the closet or under the bed or leave it open in the corner of the room as a laundry hamper.
11. If you are on a monorail, boat, or skyliner accessible resort take a ride around
Many Disney World resorts are situated along either the monorail line, skyliner or have boat access to parks. Your arrival day is a great time to hop on and take a ride around.
Monorail resorts include: Grand Floridian resort, Polynesian resort, and Contemporary resort/Bay Lake. Contemporary and Grand Floridian have walkways to Magic Kingdom too. These are all considered to be Magic Kingdom area resorts. Staying at a monorail resort gives you easy access to Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Skyliner resorts include: Carribbean Beach, Riviera, Pop Century and Art of Animation. Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk are also a short walk to the Skyliner at the back entrance of Epcot.
Boat access resorts include: Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, Grand Floridian and Polynesian have boat access to Magic Kingdom. Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin have boat access (and walkways) to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. During normal (non-pandemic) times Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Saratoga Springs and Old Key West resorts have boat access to Disney Springs.
The monorail loop is always a classic “first” Disney ride of the trip. Right after the tram at Orlando International Airport (if you know, you know).
*Disney Pro Tip: Staying at a resort on the monorail or that has a view of a park? Watch the fireworks from the resort on your first night. It can help you stay up until bedtime and you’ll get a great show! The beach at Grand Floridian is a great place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks.
12. Resort today, Park tomorrow
The thing about Disney resorts is that they are filled with so many awesome things to do. And the thing about the parks is that they are filled with so many awesome things to do. Conundrum.
If you plan to make your Disney World arrival day a pool day, you’ll get a chance to enjoy the pool before you inevitably spend full days in the parks. We’ve been to Disney World many, many times and to be honest we end up spending more time in the parks than the resort. We love the parks but we also love the resorts.
Day one is the perfect time to soak in all of the amazing theming that your resort has to offer. So, hunker down and enjoy the pool on your arrival day and what better way to start a Disney vacation than with some time relaxing at the resort pool?!
13. Can’t stay in? Consider Disney Springs or mini golf
Disney Springs is a good place to head if you’ve arrived, unpacked, explored your resort, and are still itching to go somewhere. There are a ton of shops and restaurants of all kinds to keep you occupied.
Unless you’re an annual pass holder or you have a five day or longer park ticket, going to a park on your arrival day is not the best bang for your buck. Park tickets are expensive so spending just an evening in the park when you’ve paid for the whole day isn’t cost effective.
You can also play mini golf at one of Disney World Resort’s two themed miniature golf courses. There are two full 18-hole mini golf courses at each of them. Fantasia Gardens located near Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin hotels and Disney’s Boardwalk area resorts. It is based on the Disney’s classic animated flim “Fantasia” and gives all kinds of 1990’s Disney nostalgia. Winter Summerland is a “Christmas in July” theme with both of its courses themed after all things Christmas and Florida winter. Winter Summerland is literally right next to Blizzard Beach.
These are both accessible by car and also by Disney bus by taking it to either Swan and Dolphin or Blizzard Beach, respectively, and then walking over to the course. These courses are an extra cost and as of publication, it is $14 for adults and $12 for children.
14. Hopping time zones? Get on Florida time ASAP!
This is one of my best travel tips for changing time zones. I know that your Disney World arrival day is hectic but, if you can power through and go to bed at your normal bedtime or as close to it as possible, you’ll be well-rested and ready to rock the next day.
Obviously, we know that with little kids sleep begets sleep and overtired is no bueno so just do your best if you’re traveling with really young children.
Typically, if I can keep the baby awake until 7pm on travel day we’re in good shape. My only other advice is not to skimp on their naps. If they fall asleep in the late afternoon, let them fall asleep.
We are fortunate to live on the east coast so no time change for us but travel day is still tiring. Even when we have a 2.5 hour direct flight. There is packing the car, driving to the airport, parking the car, checking into the flight, boarding the flight, getting the kids set up with activities, passing out snacks, picking up everyone before we land, deplaning, changing diapers, bathroom runs, picking up our rental stroller (See above but I highly recommend this), transportation to the resort, getting settled in the room.
It’s a lot of activities in one day, lol. It’s totally worth it but unless you are traveling exclusively with adults or teens, I probably wouldn’t try to rush to the park on travel day.
15. No merch shopping on your first day
If you want to shop, wait until you’re in the parks or shop on your last day so you don’t blow your merch budget all at once. I like to snap photos on my phone of the things I see that I love/want/need and let the kids do the same. It helps us all to make decisions about what we want to bring home with us at the end of the trip. This will keep you stay within your budget and will prevent meltdowns. Another reason to book a late flight back home is to go to Disney Springs the morning of your departure to hit up the massive World of Disney gift shop and enjoy one last vacation meal in a “Disney Lite” environment. ‘
In Conclusion
You can have the truly magical Disney World vacation you’re hoping forwith a little bit of prep and a flexible plan. Knowing how to start things off on the right foot is key to to a magical Walt Disney World arrival day.
