We usually arrive around noon. Check in to hotel (explore a bit if its a new hotel for us) and eat something. Then we always go to a park. We usually hit EPCOT for about 4 hours that night. Ride a few rides and eat some food. For us the extra cost is minimal and we really like being in a park on day 1. We love the resorts and being in the bubble, but walking into that first park of the trip is something we never want to wait for until day 2. To each their own, I can see both sides for sure.
Weāve done one of each in the last 2 years.
In January 2020, there were still fast passes, so that changed the equation a bit. The difference in price of adding a day wasnāt that much, and it gave us 3 additional minimal wait rides. We flew in and arrived at Beach Club noonish, had a late lunch at Epcot (fish shop), strolled through to the monorail, soaked up the castle and Main Street atmosphere in MK and did our 3 fast passes there, then back to Epcot for TS dinner with fireworks (Spice Road, but itās no longer TS). It was a practically perfect magical day.
This summer, we rolled into AKL around 3pm, spent the afternoon at the pool, then dinner at Sanaa. After 2 days of driving, it was nice to stay put, and AKL feels a lot more like being āinā Disney than some others, IMHO. Also magical, but not quite the same as the previous trip where we jumped straight in for a taste.
Whatever the queueing systems are in place for your trip could make a difference, as well as whatever extended hours access might be available.
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When I made my plans for October, our plane was supposed to get into MCO at 4, but flight times have changed twice and now we donāt land until 11 p.m. which stinks because we usually check in around 4-5, rest a bit then walk over to MK for our first night. Not this yearā¦
In the past we have been fortunate enough to get a flight that arrives at 8:30AM, so always go to a park. Never MK, though. Itās my favorite park and I absolutely refuse to arrive after the park has already opened. 
Iām not a pool person and have never had a day hanging out at the resort. I never even go to the pool.
This next trip will be different because after I already put a package together I snagged an additional night ahead of the dates of the package. Im kind of excited about touring the resort, shopping at DS, etc - because Iāve never done it. Also excited about hanging out in the room for one night, cause Iām usually a park open to close gal, with occasional pit stop in the room to change. 
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Me neither. But DH will take the kids there and I get some quiet time in the room all to myself. 
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Iām flying out of Logan next week at 7:30! We like to get to the hotel (WL this time) and relax, no stress if the room is not ready, we ask BS to hold our bags. We have family in Orlando so we normally have them meet us and go to Publix (for subs) and to pick up some stuff for snacks. We sometimes go to Disney Springs late afternoon or early evening depending on how we feel. Then itās off to the parks the next day. We are not rope drop people, we kinda just go with the flow and have few must doās.
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Are you doing OāHana? I am trying to find out if it is worth it. Or is it as bad as I have heard since re-openingā¦
Have never been before, but I can tell you how it was after dinner on 9/30! 
Where are you staying?
Beach Club This year, in the past i have stayed at, Contemporary (6 times), Caribbean, All-Star Sports, Port Orleans French Q, Coronado, and Boardwalkā¦
No right or wrong answer on this one. If I get to the resort before 5:00 pm, then Iām heading to a park on arrival day. The cost of adding an extra day is not all that much after Day 5, and I canāt wait to hit one of the parks.
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9/30 or 8/30? You are leaving next week? i am going 9/3
9/30ā¦ then maybe you can tell me how it is! 
How about taking the Skyliner over to Riviera for Topolinoās for dinner? That would be a super fantastic way to start the trip.
Or, if youāre feeling more fun and casual, B&C.
Youāve got a lot of great options for a first night dinner right at your doorstep at BC!
Already got Ale and Compass for Dinner and B&C after, but that does actually sound cool.
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Sorry LOL I got the impression you were looking for suggestions! 
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We may be 
but we live a few hours from the airport and still try to get the earliest flight out. So leave home at 2:30 am, get to airport at 4:30, 6 or 6:30 flight and arrive at 8:30 am. We then drop our bags at our hotel and head for the parks. We go back to the hotel once we get our room assignment and swim/rest and then head out to dinner in the evening. We have done this with and without our kids (adults only trip) and they are on board. All of us want to get to the parks ASAP and due to DH work schedule, we often only get a 4-5 day trip.
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We had reservations for Oāhana on the 26th but cancelled. We will go over to the Poly for drinks, but the reviews have been so negative we decided not to eat there this year. First time in about 15 years we have not gone (not including 2020). Maybe weāll discover someplace new!
We went to WDW a couple of weeks ago. Our plane landed at 10:30 and our room at Pop was ready by 1ish. We went to DS to eat and activate DHās AP and decided to add a day to DD and mineās tickets for $32 each to go to AK. By the time we got there it was past 5 (park closing at 8), but we got to do all the rides we wanted to, finishing with FoP right at closing, and see Pandora at night. That meant that on our actual AK day we didnāt have to wake up at 5:30 to RD FoP. We got there at 8 and did all the things that were left at a leisurely pace, it was great! That was also our only chance to see the park at night (AK closed at 7 for the rest of our trip). It did help that hanging out at Pop wasnāt exactly super appealingā¦
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We have always taken an early flight and have landed by 9:30/10. On our first trip we went straight to AK after leaving bags with bell services. Now it has become a tradition and it is the park we go to first. This year we went for a swim first but still got to AK by 2. This trip was our longest so we even had 2 AK days. It was our first and last parkā¤ļø