Top 20 Things We Love To Do Our First Day at Disney World

Planning a Disney World vacation is almost as much fun as the actual vacation! One of the most important decisions you will have to make is deciding what you will be doing your first day at Disney World. It’s the kick off to your vacation, the moment you have been waiting for! And there’s no shortage of things to do. Here are our top 20 things we love to do our first day at Disney World.

20. Explore Your Resort

Let’s face it, you spend a lot of money on Disney hotels, might as well take advantage of all they have to offer! Spend the day exploring your resort, the dining options, and the checking out the activities they have planned.

19. Spend the Day at the Pool

Disney Resort pools are quite astonishing. Besides having a main pool, most of the resorts also have quiet pools. So don’t be afraid to spend the day lounging around the pool. You might even find some pool activities to join in as well.

18. Explore Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a must-do on every Disney traveler’s itinerary. Filled with tons and tons of dining and shopping options, Downtown Disney is the perfect place to spend your first day at Disney.

17. Explore Disney’s Boardwalk

Disney’s Boardwalk is not only free, but it’s a beautiful place to explore. You can explore the resort itself, have a relaxing lunch, take a walk around the Boardwalk; there are so many things to do, especially during the evening.

16. Explore Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Restaurants, animals, restaurants with views of animals, Animal Kingdom Lodge has plenty to do. Even if you aren’t staying there! Boma and Sanaa are always delicious!

15. Go Resort Hopping (Monorail Loop)

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Polynesian Resort, and Contemporary Resort are all the resorts located on the monorail loop. Start at one resort and make your way around, stopping for a drink or a meal along the way. And maybe even a gift shop or two!

14. Go Resort Hopping

Besides the three resorts located on the monorail loop, there are many, many other resorts located on Disney property. Stop by Port Orleans French Quarter for a beignet or a cupcake at the Boardwalk bakery!

13. Make Dinner Reservations

With over a hundred dining options on Disney World property, making reservations should be fun and exciting. If you plan on a relaxing start to your first day, make dinner reservations for later on and spend the first half of the day just chillin’!

12. Go Shopping

Whether this means going shopping for snacks or groceries or shopping for fun souvenirs, shopping is always the answer when deciding what to do! Chances are your resort will have a gift shop or two!

11. Go Out for Ice Cream

There are so many places on Disney property that offer delicious frozen treats! For some of the best ice cream, try Ghirardelli Ice Cream shop in Downtown Disney, or Beaches and Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort!

10. Enjoy a Relaxing Lunch

One of my favorite things to do is grab lunch at the Big River Grille at Disney’s Boardwalk, while sitting outside and just soaking up the atmosphere. Spending the day just relaxing and taking in your surroundings is a great way to spend your first day on vacation.

9. Disney Bar Crawl

If you’re traveling with an adult’s only group, doing a bar crawl through the resorts is a fun way to kick off your trip. You can really find some unique bars and lounges along the way. But be aware, a lot of the bars don’t open until after 4 pm.

8. Make a Game Plan

Although you probably have a pretty good idea about what you will be doing for the remainder of your trip, make a game plan anyway. Decide what you’ll be doing, what you’ll be eating, and so on. Even if the actual day doesn’t go just as planned, it’s still fun to get excited about it!

7. Go Bowling

Disney has this lovely, fairly new bowling alley called Splitsville, located in Downtown Disney. Order some drinks and food and knock down some pins!

6. Do Disney Quest

Sometimes spending a whole day at the park on the very first day isn’t necessarily ideal. But we don’t really want to waste a day either. Disney Quest is a fun alternative to a day at the park!

5. Visit a Waterpark

Same goes for a day at the water park! You can choose to take it easy and relax by the wave pool or hit the ground running on all the exhilarating water slides!

4. Make Your Fastpass+ Selections

This one seems quite obvious. But if you haven’t made all your Fastpass+ selections, now is the perfect time to do so!

3. Take a Spa Day

This is another great option if you’re doing an adult’s only trip, or if the grandparents have the kids for a few hours. There are multiple spas located throughout the resorts on Disney property. The newest one, Senses located in the Grand Floridian Resort, is the dream place for a relaxing spa day.

Bonus Tip!

BONUS TIP: Consider planning and booking your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner you can trust like Mickey Travels. They’ll help you get the best Disney travel deal, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE! It’s genius! Discover More >

2. Visit a Park or Resort for Fireworks

The firework shows at Disney are probably some of the most incredible shows on earth. If you arrive later in the evening, head over to one of the parks or monorail resorts to catch the fireworks. Hint: If you stand on the balcony between Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Bay Lake Resort, you can see the fireworks from there.

1. Hit the Parks Right Away

Sometimes there’s really no other option than to hit the ground running. Pack your bag and head out for a fantastic day at the park!

So whether you’re ready for a busy start to your vacation or a day spent relaxing is more your speed, there is so much to do once you arrive at Disney World. What’s your go-to plan for a fantastic first day at Disney?

Start planning your next Disney trip with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. They’ll help you get the best price for your vacation, share expert advice and their services are totally FREE!