First Day Traditions at Walt Disney World

**Wendy** · 03-06-2012, 03:13 PM

Is there anything or anywhere you usually go on your first day?

For us we arrive in the evening so we tend to go shopping for groceries and then sometimes, go for a walk around DTD depending on how tired we are.

Our first full day is normally a wander around World Showcase, we get there for around 11am and make straight for France to the Boulangerie Patisserie. After that we go back to sit by the pool in the sun

What do you like to do?

**Tink** · 03-06-2012, 03:20 PM

When we are staying, we like to explore the resort after check in. As we all know by now

when it's OKW, we head to Gurgling Suitcase for that first traditional drink.

We then decide day by day what we want to do... sometimes it will depend upon what is being offered as activities at our resort of choice for that stay. It will depend too, upon who is with us (if anyone).

**uscwest** · 03-06-2012, 03:20 PM

Normally we will hit DTD and grab a Margarita and do a little shopping.

**Deafjeff** · 03-06-2012, 03:41 PM

Normally we go to DTD in the evening after landing. To absorb all of the Disney magic!

We visit one of the water parks to absorb the warmth and sunlight while on the lazy river! Bliss!

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**Slowhand** · 03-06-2012, 05:12 PM

As it is late in the afternoon when we normally arrive, by the time we get to our villa [via Publix], and do a bit of unpacking, following dinner at a nearby eatery, we normally just crash out to bed.
The following day, we are normally wide awake at some unearthly hour and we tend to go to DTD for some people watching and grab a bite at the Earl of Sandwich for lunch.

**foreverducky** · 03-06-2012, 05:22 PM

I also tend to go to DTD during the first day I arrive. Perfect time to really realize I'm at Disney and soak up the feel of the place.

**Keith** · 03-06-2012, 05:48 PM

Once we arrive (via publix) it's usually pretty late. Especially this time as we were on the later of the planes from Manchester so didn't end up arriving at the villa until about 9pm.

We USED to have a tradition of the hoop dee doo on the first evening but with the flights getting later and the hoop dee doo getting worse :/ we've not done that on the first night for a while.

If we get the chance, my favourite first night is to arrive late at EPCOT, grab a glass or three of champagne and watch illuminations. I don't know if I mentioned it before but illuminations is how I found Disney in the first place.

( Many years ago I was coming back from a hellish corporate meeting somewhere in Europe. The company driver met me at the airport and told me I looked like hell.. which was better than I felt after having drunk more than was sensible on the plane to try and forget the meeting

and said I should take a holiday.
Well in that place, it was so political, I'd NEVER taken a holiday because it was so political I'd have come back and not had an office. The driver went on and on about how he'd quit a terrible job some years ago because it was ruining his life and how he now concentrated on non-work things. His favourite being this place in Florida where they had the most amazing fireworks around this huge lake. It sounded wonderful.
When I turned my phone back on, in the space of the 3 hour flight, I'd received over 99 voicemails (maximum the service allowed), 40 odd texts and 200 emails (all from people not automated stuff). I listened to the first few and thought the hell with it, life's REALLY too short and phoned the 24 hour bank travel line to book my flights to Orlando

I had no idea it was even Disney, no accommodation or anything. Told the airport taxi "erm EMCOT? ENCOT? some place with a huge lake and great fireworks?" Thankfully the taxi knew where to take me, although I seem to recall a rather large bill

After the fireworks, I asked a cast member if there were any hotels nearby and they laughed and gave me the disney resort line. They fixed me up at all star movies of all places!
So before I knew there were Disney sites, or what Disneyworld was or anything else, there was EPCOT illuminations and some great life advice from a driver)