Hi Kathy,
Welcome back to the Disney Parks Moms Panel and thank you for asking us another question!
My family and I usually rent a car when we visit Walt Disney World Resort, so we often want to head straight to the Theme Parks when we arrive in Central Florida after an early morning flight. Based on my experience, if your Walt Disney World Resort hotel reservation is properly linked to your MagicBand, you should be good to go and experience
Extra Magic Hours at
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park during your first day of your vacation.
That being said, if it’s at all possible, I still recommend that you make time to go to your Walt Disney World Resort hotel before heading to the Parks.. That way, you can iron out any potential glitches associated with your reservation, including your resort charging privileges and other “linking” issues that may arise. Sometimes, losing a few minutes of fun is worth it to prevent losing much more time later.
I hope my answer helps you plan your upcoming vacation. Please don't hesitate to come back and see us if you have any other questions.
Have a Magical Day,
Lynne