Torn between and early and late flight heading home from WDW

[GillianP1301]

I would choose the earlier flight. My preference is a late morning/early afternoon flight and home by dinner time, but given your two choices, I would go with the very early morning one. I just make sure that I book my arrival day to account for however many days I want on my vacation and I just don't consider departure day in the park plans at all. We always go at the same time and return on Labour Day Monday and with school starting the next day, it's a no brainer to be home at a decent time. Plus, I'm with you OP, getting home really late and then waking up 5 hours later for work is no fun.

 

[OutNChiTown]

On my last trip to WDW, Pirates was closed for refurb the duration of my trip. I chose a late flight out on Sunday and Pirates opened on the Sunday I was going to fly out. I had the opportunity to experience it before I had to catch my Magic Express to catch my flight. I will add that I had to get up at 0500 for work the next day as well.

My opinion is this, make your vacation last as long as you can. You might have a rough night of sleep and work will be a little harder on that Monday. But, you'll still be on your high from an amazing vacation. Plus, for most people, the day you get back from vacation everyone wants to see pictures and hear the stories. So, work isn't as difficult anyways.

Plus, if you have an early flight out, are you going to have to call it an early evening the night before, thereby shortening your trip the night before you're supposed to leave?

Lastly, the people I flew home with, sitting at MCO, all agreed that they already missed WDW. Might as well get as much as you can before you have to hop on a flight.

 

[smiths02]

Since you are already there a week, I say early flight. On our last trip, we had an evening flight, which was good because it was a short trip and we had a day to rest before work...however, we kind of ran out of things to do and we're stuck sitting around and waiting with no room.

And as to PP, no, I would not cut the evening before short...I would stay up as late as possible!

 

[PanamaMike]

Be it Epcot closing at 9 pm or the MK staying open until 1100, my WDW vacations always end at night with one last chance to see the fireworks and the park lit up.

It wouldn't feel right to me to leave during the day, so mark me down for the early flight.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

You can always sleep on the plane! Also, if your renting DVC the laundry is free anyway. Just do a load first thing that morning.

I'm in a studio - where is there free laundry?

 

[PeasandCarrots]

My question for you would be what happens if something happens with your flights and you don't get home that night- are you okay missing work in that circumstance? We take that risk as it would not be a big problem for my work and DD has been an A+ student, so I'm not worried about the school.

Good point!

 

[DebbieB]

We're renting DVC so we can't change the hotel now.

I would take the late flight the night before. Still keep the room for that night, you could use it up until you leave.

Taking the late flight on Sunday is risky. I had a SW flight a few years ago that was supposed to land at my home airport at 10:30pm, didn't land until 1:30am.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Taking the late flight on Sunday is risky. I had a SW flight a few years ago that was supposed to land at my home airport at 10:30pm, didn't land until 1:30am.

That's a good point on late flights in general. The later in the day you go the likelihood for delays increases due to weather, mechanical issues, planes delayed to accommodate late connecting passengers. Obviously the vast majority of flights go down without a hitch but there is nothing worse than finding out that your flight that was taking off at 8pm is delayed to 11pm...I always hate to end a vacation that way (especially because you're usually stuck at the airport and I can only browse the "Ear-Port" so many times before I get loopy!

 

[theyoungs07]

On my last trip, I chose the late flight (4pm) instead of a 6/8am flight because I wanted to soak in as much Disney as I could. The problem with this, is that I'm a worrier/preparer/overanalyzer. I knew we had to get on ME at 1, and I had a difficult time enjoying anything that day. We took the boat to DS (staying at SSR) and walked there a bit, but didn't stay long as I wanted to be able to get on the bus on time and not miss our flight. After experiencing several bus trips that took close to an hour during our stay, I didn't dare want to head to AK to use our FP+ that I had booked.

I don't mind the idea of not getting sleep, that's common for me...but I actually spent the day worrying and would have been probably happier to be home earlier with the rest of my family decompressing.

 

[Minnesota!]

I would do my laundry at DVC, on Disney's dime. Then, I would be sure to have my most favorite meal to cap off my trip. Take the late flight, catch some zzz's. Get home, shower quick, and get a few hours in. You can still get about 4 hours of sleep (plus whatever you catch on the plane).

 

[hamilkm]

On my last trip, I chose the late flight (4pm) instead of a 6/8am flight because I wanted to soak in as much Disney as I could. The problem with this, is that I'm a worrier/preparer/overanalyzer. I knew we had to get on ME at 1, and I had a difficult time enjoying anything that day. We took the boat to DS (staying at SSR) and walked there a bit, but didn't stay long as I wanted to be able to get on the bus on time and not miss our flight. After experiencing several bus trips that took close to an hour during our stay, I didn't dare want to head to AK to use our FP+ that I had booked.

I don't mind the idea of not getting sleep, that's common for me...but I actually spent the day worrying and would have been probably happier to be home earlier with the rest of my family decompressing.

To me a 4 pm flight is the worst! You don't seem to have time to actually do anything much because your magical express leaves so early. You do end up spending the day worrying. I have started trying to book flights leaving 6-9 pm. This way I get a true park day. Last trip my flight didn't leave til 9:30 pm and I had a great day at AK without worrying about anything (I also have no children and had the next day off work, so this may not work for everyone).

 

[lroger01]

I vote for the early flight. I'd take a break late afternoon on Saturday and get everything packed up. Then I'd stay at the late-closing park until it closes. If that's 3am, then I'd just get on ME at 5 and sleep on the plane. I love having a final late night to close out a trip. Walking out of a park with all the lights on and few people around is a great way to end a trip.

On the other hand, if the trip is only a few days, then the late flight would win out.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

It sounds like you already know which option would work best for you.

We've done both.

I'm not sure I get the laundry washing concern. For the most part, we don't wear what I'd call 'work attire' while in WDW other than undergarments. It wouldn't be, IMO a big expense to buy extra socks, underwear, and one extra t-shirt for each member of your party. Truly, I would never travel if I could not afford to add that extra $12 to my travel budget.

I further don't understand why you'd need more than one day of clothes. Why not do laundry the evening after you arrive home? That's what we did.

If it isn't possible, then you have your answer.

One option we like when we have an early flight out of MCO is to spend the last night at the MCO Hyatt for about the same cost as a WDW moderate. It is right in the airport, so you just roll out of bed and you are in MCO. Before we leave WDW, we set aside what we'll wear home. About the only thing we unpack at the Hyatt is our toothbrush.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

Plus, for most people, the day you get back from vacation everyone wants to see pictures and hear the stories. So, work isn't as difficult anyways.

I wish I had your workplace - no one at my job is into Disney Thanks for your reply!

 

[PeasandCarrots]

I would do my laundry at DVC, on Disney's dime. Then, I would be sure to have my most favorite meal to cap off my trip. Take the late flight, catch some zzz's. Get home, shower quick, and get a few hours in. You can still get about 4 hours of sleep (plus whatever you catch on the plane).

How do I do my laundry on Disney's dime in a studio? Is there some kind of DVC communal free laundry?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

That's a good point on late flights in general. The later in the day you go the likelihood for delays increases due to weather, mechanical issues, planes delayed to accommodate late connecting passengers. Obviously the vast majority of flights go down without a hitch but there is nothing worse than finding out that your flight that was taking off at 8pm is delayed to 11pm...I always hate to end a vacation that way (especially because you're usually stuck at the airport and I can only browse the "Ear-Port" so many times before I get loopy!

I was told slightly the opposite by an airline employee. If at all possible airlines make sure the last flight of the day departs, because they need it to be where it was supposed to be the next morning. As the day progresses odds of a late departure increase, but they try to have that last flight depart.

Still in this case, it sounds like OP already knows what will work best.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

I further don't understand why you'd need more than one day of clothes. Why not do laundry the evening after you arrive home? That's what we did.

Since I would get home at midnight or later and need to get up at 5am, I won't have time to do laundry, however I could probably get a load done while getting ready for work the next morning. I wear to work what I wear to Disney and after 8-9 days at Disney pretty much everything is dirty. However, since this is early May when we get back I might be able to still wear jeans at home which I would not have a Disney.

It's not that easy for me to decide or I wouldn't have posted. One is less stressful but the other gives me almost another full day at my favorite place.

 

[Minnesota!]

How do I do my laundry on Disney's dime in a studio? Is there some kind of DVC communal free laundry?

Sorry, I misread...thought you were in a bigger room.

I would just pack a roll or two of quarters, then, and take 2 hours to get it done before you leave. We typically throw it in the early AM, go back to room and shower/get ready, go toss in dryer, then go have breakfast, come back and fold.

 

[shm_helene]

I'm torn between an early and late flight to return home after a week at WDW (Saturday - Sunday). The early flight is really early so we'd have to get up probably at 5am or so to leave - the upside is I'd have most of a day at home to rest, do laundry and such before starting the work week the next day (Monday). The late flight would get me home around midnight (that's accounting for waiting on luggage, the drive home, etc, but not accounting for the flight being late). I'd have to get up for work at 5am the next morning. However that gives me another almost full day in the parks.

I'm really torn. I'd love another day at WDW but I don't know if I want to be that tired at work all week and have no clean laundry, etc. I have AP so it's no extra cost to stay that day. However, I'm mid-40s and just don't do well pulling an "all niter" like I could when I was younger. And before someone asks, no I can't take that Monday off work. There are no other flights that day with our airline (Southwest) so it's either early or late. So hard to decide. What would you do?

We had a 930pm flight home the last time we were there. Now, we left the parks at like 530ish, I believe. We had our laundry done the night before and packed everything up before we left in the AM. It was an awesome day and I would totally do it again...but I didn't have to go to work the next day.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was told slightly the opposite by an airline employee. If at all possible airlines make sure the last flight of the day departs, because they need it to be where it was supposed to be the next morning. As the day progresses odds of a late departure increase, but they try to have that last flight depart.

Still in this case, it sounds like OP already knows what will work best.

Yes - I think you mis-read my comment. We're saying the same thing...the later in the day the greater likelihood of delays in departure. I did not say they will cancel the last flight, it just has a greater chance of being delayed due to the reasons I listed (due to weather, mechanical issues, planes delayed to accommodate late connecting passengers). And I would add that if at all possible airlines make sure that ALL flights depart, whether they be first or last or in the middle, lol. They need all planes and crews in the right spot for the next day.