So not too long ago these friends of ours who we’ve traveled to WDW with before revealed they’ve added WDW to a family visit they’re doing. My family has already booked flights, hotel, ADR etc weeks ago. They only have 2 park days, June 14 and 15 and we arrive on June 15. They want to try and meet up that day on the 15th and im not sure it can or would make sense for us. Our day 6/15;
Leave Milwaukee 0640 MCO 1020
Gather luggage get to Mears bus
Get to ASMusic by 1200-1230 maybe?
Pick up MiLs ECV from Bell service and whatever else from the store.
Check in get settled in unpacked.
Then bus to MK (most likely) by 3-4pm if all goes well. Things almost never go as planned with travel and we have a group ages 2-72 who will all have been awake since like 3AM.
Is this just way too much and unnecessary burning of a park day?
Not sure about meeting up with them (depends on if I actually like them or not 
), but I would probably burn the park day!
If it works this way, I might make the park reservation, and, if travel and life interferes, cancel and move it. You’re right, travel woes make things tough to plan!
For me, it would be a waste of money. Is there an after hours event that day?
If so, you could have a rest and a swim at the resort then meet up with them in the park for that overlap time.
Maybe they can change their plans for your group, if it’s that important.
I just flew back from MCO. Was scheduled to arrive home at around 10 pm. It ended up being 4 am. You just never know.
Another option is to have have your entire group meet them at MK but just a couple of you.
If you’re landing at MCO @ 10:20, you may be to ASMu before 12, so there may be a time savings there. The wildcard will be the ECV pickup. They may be on time, or not. You’ll probably want to add in something to eat when you get to the resort also. I know that with my crew when we do the early flight, 10am is practically lunch time and everyone is hangry.
All that said, we usually do a park day on arrival day, especially when arriving early. We’ll head out to the park right after eating while energy is high and stay as long as feels good. We rarely make it to park close/fireworks.
That does feel like a lot of hustle and bustle to me, and that’s without a 2yo and 72yo with scooter. That 3am wakeup will give you all the afternoon nap feels for sure.
Perhaps something to consider, though, is that your room may not be ready when you arrive at 1230. I think things have been overall better, but check-in isn’t officially until 3pm so you might find that you arrive, get the scooter, and have nowhere to land – in which case a quick bip over to MK might be okay? But then what are the implications to your tickets? Were you already planning to go to a park at some point on arrival day?
Are these friends you can see outside of WDW or do they live far away from you and so this would be a unique opportunity to say hello IRL? If the former, I would 100% be noncommittal and if it works it works. If the latter, maybe more of an agreement to commit to a meetup but with flexible plans to do so.
This.
Funny enough we live in the same town and they’re our fellow Disney planning fans. This time I guess the planning never happened or they decided late to make it to WDW at all in June. So we will see them soon enough but this would be the only chance to be at WDW together. I have no idea how difficult it would be to switch a park res to the next day if we have massive flight delays etc
I would 100% skip this then.
I would have encouraged you to make it work for out of town rarely seen friends
But just too see one another in MK? It’s going to be a lot of push for your group for that.
Can you plan a meal together?
At a resort quick service?
Everyone’s gotta eat. No reservation needed.
If we’re driving I’ll plan differently for arrival day and even that probably has no ADRs.
Flying - with that age group. I’m more tired after sitting in an airplane for 2 hours than if I’ve driven for 2 days. It’s more likely the airport, people, baggage claim. 
I’ll generally save a park day for first wake up.
We did a 6 am flight, flight was delayed, landed at 2 and hit three parks by 11 pm day with just a middle schooler and high schooler and it was fine. I would not do it with a 2 year old.
I’m usually pumped up on adrenaline and excitement on arrival day so I’m up for anything. I’m also an excellent plane sleeper. Your mileage may vary.
On our day that never ended, our biggest problem was eating. I get airsick and don’t eat much when flying. I hit the wall hard around 7 pm. A rest and food revived me, but the kids didn’t stop and so they were dead a few hours later.
I honestly see absolutely zero way of this happening with a group of 2-72 and I think noon is a little generous! The plane might land at 10:20 but you can’t expect to be getting off of it until 10:30-10:40. You need to hit the bathroom, probably some food of some kind in the airport and get bags. You are maybe walking to Mears by 11:15? With a lot of luck you might be the first stop at ASMusic at noon.
That will depend if the room is ready. I wouldn’t necessarily make plans to do that unless you’re prepared to hang around the resort all afternoon until your room is ready.
So you could be at MK by more like 2pm.
I know that there’s only one company now that can leave an ECV at Bell Services, just in case you weren’t aware of that.
Yes ScooterBug as of now thats the one we’re going to get
I’m leaning this way more now and DW likely is too. My current plan is pretty solid if I should say so myself which is mostly to just arrive at ASMusic, get the ECV then hang out relax maybe take a nap after our room is ready. Then spend the afternoon/evening at the pool eating pizza and drinking beer before an early bedtime to be ready for rope drop the next day
And Ill invite them to join for a midday break if they want. Otherwise, see ya at 4th of July lol 
This is a much nicer way to begin your vacation.
I wouldn’t l. Could you meet them for a meal outside the park? Could be a monorail resort for them if I’m MK or go to DS?