Can you help me fly?

[mjtm610]

This is OT but, how do you guys get through a long trip? I don't LOVE flying, but I HATE being in the small space of a plane. My DH has us booked at Aulani.....how am I going to get there? I live in Chicago.......that's a LONG time to be in a plane! Help!!

 

[bdoyledimou]

MJTM610:

If you don't have to look after small children, pop into your doctor and request a sedative. If he can't help with that.. take a dristan or sudafed about 20 minutes before you board. it not only helps clear your sinuses and ears (helps with ear popping) but it may put you to sleep for the trip.

 

[Cherinva]

I asked my doctor for xanex...it works. I don't have a fear of flying, but a fear of falling. I've gotten better over the years though. I always take something with me to pass the time...puzzle books, MP3 Player (with Disney Music)..books to read. It really helps.

Good Luck to you.

 

[njmom47]

I personally don't mind flying but I agree with distractions, distractions, distractions. And I agree that tending to your little ones will be a good distraction! If I do suffer from anxiety, I take a tiny piece of Xanax, just enough to take the edge off but not make me sleepy. Maybe a low dose or break a piece of a larger dose would work for you. Also being aware of the steps you're taking to get to WDW might help..(yeah, I might be a little OCD.) "Ok self, we're at the airport...next step is to get through the security line..then find a place where the kids can sit, maybe watch the planes, spread out to play a bit, then we will board when they say families with small children, etc." Good luck and enjoy your trip!
PS Don't look at the time too often either.

 

[SDSorority]

This is OT but, how do you guys get through a long trip? I don't LOVE flying, but I HATE being in the small space of a plane. My DH has us booked at Aulani.....how am I going to get there? I live in Chicago.......that's a LONG time to be in a plane! Help!!

This year I'm taking my laptop to watch my favorite tv show (that I have on DVD). The Golden Girls!! I hopefully will be happy as a clam!! I'm going to switch back and forth between things. Here's my plan (type-A over planner- hi. )

Board plane, put carryon under seat in front of me.
Get situated and comfortable.
Text sister to let her know we have boarded.
Turn off electronics, stow in carryon.
Buckle in, pull out magazine.
Watch safety procedures for umteenth million time.
Once take off happens, open magazine and read through it (I have packed 4...)
After magazine is read, we should be at cruising altitude.
Once at cruising altitude, pull out laptop (fully charged the night before!) and pop in The Golden Girls.
Watch 2-3 episodes of The Golden Girls (with snacks!).
Put away laptop- play a few games on iPod- angry birds, caveman bowling.
By this point, we should be making our 'decent' into the Orlando area... and we all know what that means!

It takes us 2.5 hours to get from Columbus to Orlando.

 

[sceavis]

Some simple suggestions book an airline with options of tv and more space like Jet Blue. Each seat has personal TV's with many channels to keep yourself distracted.They have rows with tons of room for about 30 bucks extra per seat.It's amazing how much more relaxed your are when you do not feel cramped into a smaller row with TV in front of you.I just flew across the country alone for the first time and I was real nervous. So I paid the extra for these things and It was money well spent!!!!!!!

 

[sceavis]

This is OT but, how do you guys get through a long trip? I don't LOVE flying, but I HATE being in the small space of a plane. My DH has us booked at Aulani.....how am I going to get there? I live in Chicago.......that's a LONG time to be in a plane! Help!!

Try breaking up the trip I want to go to Aulani someday and I feel the same as you so my plan is fly to the west coast get a hotel room for one night near the airport relax and finish the trip the next day.So for me it would be 5 hours to LA stop for the night another three in the morning.

 

[mjtm610]

Thanks for the suggestions. I plan on using ALL of them!
Dis'ers are the smartest, most generous people on the planet!!

 

[Derby4me]

Thanks for the suggestions. I plan on using ALL of them!
Dis'ers are the smartest, most generous people on the planet!!

I second this. Thank you for all the suggestions! There is some really great advice here!

 

[LMO429]

I'm not a fan of flying myself. We were considering driving down to florida this go around but decided to fly it's just my husband and I so the cost to fly was cheaper than to drive, esp since we go a cheap flight thru jet blue.

I try to get the earliest flight out..going down to florida its 6:07am and coming home it 7:35am. I find my anxiety are less when I am to exhausted to even realize what is going on and I have less time to stress that I am flying that day.

In addition, I go on flightstats.com and look at my flight. It's very comforting to see that every day day in and out that same flight goes and comes with no problems.

 

[Joshua_me]

I don't have a fear of flying, but a fear of falling.

That's an interesting way of looking at it....

Look, the fact is we're encased in a steel tube, flying up, and then flying down.

Not to freak anyone out, but that steal tube has electrical wires running over the top of hundreds gallons of highly flammable jet fuel.

(Aren't I a comfort ? )

But, fear not: This concept is not that much different than the car you get into every day. In fact, a bit better since your car doesn't have countless mechanics checking it out multiple times a day.

Fear not.

You will be fine.

I find that two Bloody Mary's a 1mg. of Xanax works wonders each way.

If you are traveling alone, make a couple of friends, FAST. There's no better 'calmative' than human interaction. (That, and the Xanax and Bloody Mary's )

Things will be just fine.

Bring a laptop or a tablet or a portable DVD player with a headphone splitter and the hours will pass by.

 

[Michele]

My problem with flying comes during takeoff and landing. I find that I really need to be distracted and not watch the takeoff. Since I can't have anything electronic turned on to listen to, I make sure that I grab a magazine, find a long article to read, or a crossword to work. I try not to look out the windows on takeoff, but for some reason watching us get closer to the ground while landing soothes me. But I also have that magazine in hand again for distraction.

 

[kaligal]

If you're all that scared, don't do it.

Life is too short to get worked up over stuff.

You know it's irrational and yet you're still worried.

Let it go. Drive.

 

[DVCJones]

Thank you all for your great suggestions and statistics. I will checkout the online class and the facts are very comforting! I think I might even print them off and take them in my carryon just incase I get a little anxious.

My fear is more about the idea of falling from the sky. Years ago, I saw a commercial for a movie about a plane crash. I wish I wouldn't have even seen it! Every time I think of flying I get a visualization of that scene and think of how horrible it would be to die that way. However, I REFUSE to let it stop me. There are to many adventures I want to take with my family.

I think I saw the same one....I also DO NOT FLY!!!! It left a permanent scar in my mind too. We drive from MA to WDW every April because I can't bring myself to get on a plane. The last time I have been on a plane was in 97. I wouldn't even know what to do these days with all the rules and restrictions these days.

 

[Derby4me]

If you're all that scared, don't do it.

Life is too short to get worked up over stuff.

You know it's irrational and yet you're still worried.

Let it go. Drive.

I think this is where we have a difference of opinion. While I don't like to fly, I do. I hate it, but I do it. I slap a smile on my face, suck it up, and deal. I'm 30 years old. I'm to young to say that there's something I won't do because I'm afraid. Also, what example would I be providing for my young children? I want to teach them that it's ok to be affraid yet keep trying.

Also, I think you're oversimplifying the issue. If it were as simple as just letting it go, I would. Instead, I'm putting on my big girls, looking for positive advice/suggestions and working through it. That's the best I can do.

 

[lttlmc3]

Here is a Free Online Course - (you just have to register on the site) ... my husband took the time to go through it and he's a much better flyer now that he knows what all the sounds, etc. are

Flying scares the pooh out of me too! I took this course and it was better. I actually keep taking parts of this course before new flights (I only fly every few years) and it helps with the updates. Plus, I have asked my doc to give me a mild form of xanax for the flight. I find all of this works pretty well. I'm still freaked out on take-off's, but nothing like I used to be the entire flight.

 

[BobbinWeez]

I too hate flying. Mighty inconvenient when I have family in England and family in Florida! I haven't flown since 2000. I cannot say why I hate flying but I do. Believe me none of you would want to be on a plane with me. However I've got a bucket list of places I'd like to go and you just can't get to Italy or Ireland by train....at least not from Massachusetts.

 

[kaligal]

I think this is where we have a difference of opinion. While I don't like to fly, I do. I hate it, but I do it. I slap a smile on my face, suck it up, and deal. I'm 30 years old. I'm to young to say that there's something I won't do because I'm afraid. Also, what example would I be providing for my young children? I want to teach them that it's ok to be affraid yet keep trying.

Also, I think you're oversimplifying the issue. If it were as simple as just letting it go, I would. Instead, I'm putting on my big girls, looking for positive advice/suggestions and working through it. That's the best I can do.

I hope you weren't offended.

I play to my strengths. If something freaks me out, I avoid it. I don't think it taught my kids anything other than, "That freaks her out, so she avoids it." It isn't like they became wigged out. They just laughed at me.

Good for you that you fly even though you're scared.

 

[Derby4me]

I hope you weren't offended.

I play to my strengths. If something freaks me out, I avoid it. I don't think it taught my kids anything other than, "That freaks her out, so she avoids it." It isn't like they became wigged out. They just laughed at me.

Good for you that you fly even though you're scared.

I admit I was a bit put-off I understand what you're saying now. Thanks for clarifying and I really do appreciate your opinion.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Thank you so much for making sure you don't pass this onto your children. The first time I flew (I was 20), my brother and Mom took me to the airport, and my mom cried, cried, and said goodbye. She knew I wouldn't be coming back. Thankfully all went well. As soon as I started getting over the fear of flying, my family had a very turbulent flight from WI to Orlando. We were dropping between 40 to 60 feet on a very turbulent flight, and we dropped several times. The kids on the plane felt it was funny, I felt like we were going to die. This was the first flight my kids were ever on. At the end of the flight, the stewardess' were saying it was the worst flight they had ever been on.

Since that flight, I am back to taking valium before I fly. My kids are old enough and I am not completely out of it. I live in WI, so the only way to get to the Mouse is to fly. My son is now 16, and loves to fly. My daughter is 20, doesn't like to fly, but did fly to Italy a couple of years ago.

Making the choice to keep this from your kids I think is a great thing. I have noticed the more nervous my kids are on the flight, the better I am because I concentrate on them.

I wish you luck getting over your fear of flying. I know it is the safest way to travel. Hundreds of planes are in the air at the same time.