First Trip to WDW! Help?!

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JinxRemoving's picture
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First Trip to WDW! Help?!

Hey everyone! I'm currently planning my first ever trip to WDW mickey . I grew up in CA and have been to Disneyland countless times. Now that I live in GA I'm excited at the chance to finally plan a WDW trip. The trip will be myself and my boyfriend in late August/early Sept for 7 days and 6 nights. My boyfriend has never been to Disney ANYTHING so he really has no idea what to expect. I know he will love it once we get there, but right now he doesn't really 'get it'. He is imagining a giant Six Flags with hotels and Mickey .... eek I guess I should also add that I'm 25 and he is 27.

We are going to be staying at POP and are doing the free dining. I originally booked a preferred room, but now I'm thinking I'd rather save the $100 or whatever it is and just get a standard room.

The main thing I need help with as far as planning is what to do for our first night! We will be arriving on a Saturday night around 4p - 4:30p. I was thinking, check in - relax - pool. Not sure what to do as far as dinner though?? Especially with it being a Saturday, I'm not sure how busy/crowded it will be. We have park hoppers and I can add an additional day for around 10$. We could go to a park for parade/fireworks or a park Table Service meal. Or we could just go to the Boardwalk/DTD areas .... Not really sure what's best! I want the first night to be memorable and special but also don't want to over do it before we've even really started our trip.

We are generally laid back and LOVE to people watch and window shop. He doesn't drink and I'm a vegetarian.

Thoughts?! Thank you!

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Mase's picture
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Got a couple options.... like you said. Boardwalk is an easy option, and Downtown Disney is always a great option.

Also...

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senseicj's picture
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welcome welcome welcome and congrats on your first trip to wdw you will both love it. i agree with mase dtd or boardwalk are both great options for your first night

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Vettelover's picture
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Hi and welcome to WDWFG DTD would be my choice with BW a close second but don't shy away from ADR's at some of the resort rest. as well.

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Jessi5989's picture
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DTD and BW are both my choices. They will get you immersed in it all without being 'too much'. especially with trying to bus-hop and everything else.

Jess's picture
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Like everyone else has said....BW and DTD are both good choices....and welcome to the best Disney board around

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JoAnn C's picture
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Welcome!

I agree with DTD or the Boardwalk since you're getting in late afternoon.

I always get the standard room at Pop. Some nights it felt like the walk to my room was longer than the night before, but I don't feel that it is worth spending more for a preferred room. The rooms themselves are the same.

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Kristen K.'s picture
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BW and DTD are both great choices, but i'm going to be different and suggest that you head over to the Magic Kingdom Resort Area for dinner, some hotel hopping/shopping, a monorail ride, and maybe catch the fireworks.

It's really hard for folks who haven't been to WDW before, or are used to Disneyland to wrap their heads around the scope of Walt Disney World. I like to start my trip with a monorail ride around the lagoon, we do the monorail crawl and get off at each hotel for a drink in their bar, then head to California Grill for dinner. The view from up there is simply amazing, and it really helps cement in your head how massive the WDW resort really is. It's also beautiful and romantic, plus if you're there for the fireworks you have an amazing view.

If I didn't want to spend the extra dining credit or cash for California Grill, I think I would still do the monorail crawl, but end it with a late dinner at Ohana and fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian. If you time your crawl so that you get to the Contemporary at 5:00pm when California Grill first opens, you'll be able to get a seat in the California Grill lounge to have a drink and enjoy that amazing view.

MrHub's picture
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JinxRemoving, first I would like to say welcome to WDWForGrownUps ! Well, all of these are great suggestions & you'll get a ton more, so try not to get overwhelmed. We (scrappy is my wife) always dive right into the Magic Kingdom, because come on, that's what you there for! Immerse yourself, it's Disney World! The MK is open till 10 or 11 pm & maybe later depending on EMH's. You could have dinner in the park or at your resort , there are plenty of options. Enjoy , congrats, & ask away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JinxRemoving's picture
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Thanks for all the replies everyone! I've been lurking this site for a few months now while planning and I've gotten tons of good tips!

Doing a monorail crawl might be exactly the right thing for us.

How does DTD at WDW compare to DTD at DL?

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Jessi5989's picture
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JinxRemoving wrote:
Thanks for all the replies everyone! I've been lurking this site for a few months now while planning and I've gotten tons of good tips!

Doing a monorail crawl might be exactly the right thing for us.

How does DTD at WDW compare to DTD at DL?

I think DTD at WDW is much bigger than DTD at DL. Many more shops that are kinda specialty. We got bored at DTD at DL, but at WDW, we could spend a long time there.

Sammy Bizzle's picture
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Jessi5989 wrote:
JinxRemoving wrote:
Thanks for all the replies everyone! I've been lurking this site for a few months now while planning and I've gotten tons of good tips!

Doing a monorail crawl might be exactly the right thing for us.

How does DTD at WDW compare to DTD at DL?

I think DTD at WDW is much bigger than DTD at DL. Many more shops that are kinda specialty. We got bored at DTD at DL, but at WDW, we could spend a long time there.

Ill second this... DTD at WDW is almost a park itself (without the rides) but you can spend hours there!

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Kristen K.'s picture
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Jessi5989 wrote:

I think DTD at WDW is much bigger than DTD at DL. Many more shops that are kinda specialty. We got bored at DTD at DL, but at WDW, we could spend a long time there.

I would say that DTD in WDW is about 4 times as big as DTD at DLR. The shops are all much larger and the restaurant choices are more extensive. There are more specialty shops that also feature Disney branding on more unique merchandise. I can be happy with about an hour at DTD in DLR, at WDW I really need at least 4 hours to feel like I've seen everything.

There isn't as much entertainment in the form of random music groups though at WDW's DTD. ESPN Zone is at Boardwalk at WDW. WDW's DTD is along a lake, and you can take a lovely 20 minute boat ride down to the Port Orleans Hotel if you want, it's a nice trip.

JinxRemoving's picture
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Okay you guys helped me seal the deal. Thanks! muchlove

I've never really been a fan of DTD at DL so I'm glad I asked.

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