I wanted to start a poll to see what people like to do on arrival day at Disney World:
We arrive in the evening usually and with the time difference we don’t do anything much the first night. Last trip our flight got in mid afternoon so I decided we would go to MK, mainly just to be there and do some LLs. But then our suitcases didn’t arrive and we spent the night shopping for clothes and toiletries. But I’ve voted with the plan not the reality!
We usually arrive in the afternoon. We will unpack and then go walk around Disney Springs and have dinner while we are there.
I’m so sorry to hear that! What a bummer. Dang airlines, it’s never fun to have lost or delayed luggage. Especially when you are traveling from so far away!!
I feel like many times, there is always a “but then” on arrival day plans for my family 
So my default has always been to avoid any plans on arrival & departure days! Why I created this poll was that I see on many of the trip reports posted here, people tend to jump right into things as soon as their foot hits Disney property. I find it fascinating and wondered if I’ve been doing it wrong all these years!
It was so awful! We didn’t get one of the cases back for 8 weeks. But it was still a great trip.
I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to do it! Just what works for you and your family.
Historically we have either unpacked and relaxed at the resort and/or gone to Disney Springs
This last trip I headed to the water park right from the airport. Other times when solo I head right to a park but in slow mode
Yes, which is why I generally don’t make firm plans that are mission critical. Too much variability related to air travel
It’s tempting to rush right in, and I have done that, but my next vacation is supposed to be laidback. Plus, my DH has a condition that requires that he rests a lot.
Almost 100% same for us. I honestly can’t remember the last time we didn’t do this, except if we would arrive particularly late, or we were staying off site and it wasn’t worth doing anything.
It always feels like a waste of a park ticket to use a partial day on arrival day…unless we had an AP of course!
I’ve been doing longer trips of 5+ days, where the marginal cost for the additional days drops substantially, so when I can get to a park by mid-afternoon, it’s worth it.
Optimal plan for us is since most flights arrive late afternoon or night, we book our WDW hotel/DVC arriving the next day. So when we get in we stay somewhere cheap (wyndham Garden dis springs works) that arrival night, so that we get full day water park the next day. Get up around 8 fully rested, go drop bags at resort and grab mickey waffles then get a full “free” day at the water park.
That is an awesome way to start a trip! What did you do with your luggage?
I can’t wait to hear back from you on which is better: rush right in or laid back!
GOALS! I’d love an AP. But I live so far away, I’d be paying a ridiculous amount to travel there to make it worth it!
I’m really enjoying seeing people talk about doing a sit down meal at a resort restaurant or Disney Springs on the arrival day (as long as they arrive in the morning or afternoon). I think this may turn into my plan, so long my flight arrives on time and Mears gets me to my resort within reason 
Disney Springs! DH’s tradition is a marg from Dockside Margaritas is the first Disney thing to do!
We usually arrive at WDW late in the afternoon. If we are using an AP and staying near Epcot, we usually book a dinner there, and spend a little time in the park afterward. If we are using park tickets, we do not visit a park on Day 1, but book a dinner at a nice resort restaurant instead.
Mine really depends on the trip.
For August I’m going to see if my room (or a room) is available when I get there and hopefully unpack a bit. Then I’m going to Disney Springs to eat at The Boathouse - gotta get my Duck Duck Razz in!! And I’ve got Studios After Hours - I’m planning to take advantage of the entry at 7pm to maybe get a couple of things in but definitely see Fantasmic before doing some things at the party.
I’ve never even considered this… What a good idea (and probably saves you some $$$ staying off property that first night). It is one way to get the water park perk in. My flight gets in at 3 pm, so there was no way I was going to make it to the water park before the 6 pm closing.
We’ve done it all kinds of ways. We have great flight options so I can arrive as early or as late as I want. We opt for earlier most trips. We used to do parks most of the day. We’ve gotten after 4 or 5 pm convention tix for that day too. Last trip we hung out at the resort and went to dinner that evening at a resort. It was very nice. We were at the Dolphin or we would have done the free water park day I think.
I had a rental. 
I had packed my waterpark bag with what was needed and had it ready to go in my checked luggage. So when I arrived at airport and got my rental I just pulled it out and away I went