On our first trip to Walt Disney World, we wanted to do everything! So my wife and I booked 15 nights at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort and we commenced visiting every attraction and show the Parks had to offer. We didn’t care what we did first because we were going to do it all!
But now that we are seasoned Guests, we tend to take things a little slower. A lot slower actually. We tend to look for the singular moments, the moments that we love to experience over and over again on each and every trip.
So let me share with you the first thing we do upon arrival and upon entering each and every Park:
ARRIVALS
Drive slowly. Yes, there’s nothing like seeing that big Walt Disney World sign as you approach in your vehicle! And being as you’re not supposed to stop to take pictures, driving slowly allows you to take a mental picture instead. The same thing applies when pulling into your Resort. Don’t rush things, just relax and soak it all in!
THE MAGIC KINGDOM
This is a no-brainer! We always board the Walt Disney World Railroad for a trip around the Magic Kingdom. This helps us to get in the Disney mood and see everything all at once. We always do the complete circuit, boarding and disembarking at the Main Street Station. No matter what you choose to do from there, you’re covered in Pixie Dust and flying high!
EPCOT
Well, it’s right there in front of you, so you can’t really miss it. And you shouldn’t! Spaceship Earth is one of Disney’s most magical icons and should be a part of any day at EPCOT. We ride it first for many reasons. It’s an awesome experience. It’s a long attraction, so gives the most bang for your waiting time. And the interactive elements, during and after the ride, are not to be missed. I think it gives a good all around preview of what you can expect from the rest of the attractions in EPCOT.
DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
We don’t run to an attraction in this Park. But instead we take a leisurely walk through the streets and shops of vintage Hollywood.
Almost always we run into some Streetmosphere characters and have a lot of fun. Some complain that DHS is short on thrill rides and attractions in comparison with the other Parks, but I think that was the point in its design. You are supposed to soak up the atmosphere, and that’s just what we do first!
DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
Again we head to the icon of the Park. We walk straight to the Tree Of Life and dally in the queue area. It’s not for nothing that this is one of the longest queue lines in the Parks. You walk past and under the roots of this magnificent piece of art and architecture, and if you’re like me, you take hundreds of photographs! Have you spotted each and every creature yet? Probably not, so we go there first and try to find another one. And the It’s Tough To Be A Bug show at the end is a magical bonus!
Now, what do we do next? That varies each and every trip! But what do YOU do first?
Related articles
- Walt Disney World Character Greeting Primer (chipandco.com)
- Top 5 Underrated Disney World Attractions (chipandco.com)
Let our friends at Destinations to Travel help you book your next Disney Vacation. They are the preferred Travel Agency of Chip and Company and Disney Addicts, and who we use ourselves.
Get started below for your FREE No Obligation Quote.
Book With our friends at Destinations to Travel
For the BEST in Disney, Universal, Dollywood, and SeaWorld Theme Park News, Entertainment, Merchandise & More follow us on, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. Don't forget to check out the Chip and Company Radio Network too!
Thanks for the great suggestions. We haven’t been in years and appreciate the input from the veterans!
Thanks for this list! We will be taking our three kids next summer and I would have never thought of some of these things, like the train ride the whole way around!
Its only fast the first hour of the first day of each park. Once we get our favorites out of the way, the rest of our trip is pretty slow. We’ve been fortunate enough to have gone to Disney several times, so we know if we don’t get to see/ride something, we know we’ll be back.
In MK, we always go ride Pirates first. In Epcot, we do try to gt the FP for Soarin first, but we also like to just soak up the atmosphere and listen to the music when you first enter. In HS, we get a FP for Toy Story, and then head to the first tour of the Backlot. In AK, we go straight to the safari. The animals are always awesome first thing in the morning.
In MK, we always go ride Pirates first. In Epcot, we do try to gt the FP for Soarin first, but we also like to just soak up the atmosphere and listen to the music when you first enter. In HS, we get a FP for Toy Story, and then head to the first tour of the Backlot. In AK, we go straight to the safari. The animals are always awesome first thing in the morning.
We do completely different. Kinda like @ Shelly.
Hmm, interesting article and question. Our firsts are a little different from yours. For the MK, we have to walk down main street and catch a glimpse of the castle while smelling the aroma of freshly baked cookies! (Ok, I realize Disney just pipes that smell in but still, my psyche doesn’t need to know that!) For Epcot, we head straight to The Land and grab a fast-pass for Soarin. We like to ride Spaceship Earth on our way out since its a great respite for our weary bones and its a walk-on! For Animal Kingdom, we head straight to Kilimanjaro Safari, get a fast past, then take a ride. For Hollywood Studios, we make a B-line for Toy Story Mania since the fast-passes run out very early!
Hmm, interesting article and question. Our firsts are a little different from yours. For the MK, we have to walk down main street and catch a glimpse of the castle while smelling the aroma of freshly baked cookies! (Ok, I realize Disney just pipes that smell in but still, my psyche doesn’t need to know that!) For Epcot, we head straight to The Land and grab a fast-pass for Soarin. We like to ride Spaceship Earth on our way out since its a great respite for our weary bones and its a walk-on! For Animal Kingdom, we head straight to Kilimanjaro Safari, get a fast past, then take a ride. For Hollywood Studios, we make a B-line for Toy Story Mania since the fast-passes run out very early!
Great ideas here! Ilove the idea of circling MK first. I’m taking 3 kids for their first trip and that’s the best way forthem to see what the park is all about. One other “first” I plan on is taking the ferry when we arrive to heighten the anticipation as the park comes into view! Plenty of time for the monorail later