Changing flight home to a later time..please help me decide!

[saraheli]

Our flight home is currently scheduled for 3:10pm and I am contemplating switching it to either a 5:20 or 7:45 flight so that we can maybe visit one of the parks during the day. We were just in WDW this past November so I was thinking maybe we could visit one of the parks we didn't see (maybe AK or Typhoon lagoon??) Has anyone else ever done this? Any suggestions? Would I need to rent a car to go to the park and then to the airport? Would love to hear some first hand experiences. Also feel free to tell me if its too hectic and to just stick with my earlier flight! Traveling with my two dcs ages 5 and 8.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Our flight home is currently scheduled for 3:10pm and I am contemplating switching it to either a 5:20 or 7:45 flight so that we can maybe visit one of the parks during the day. We were just in WDW this past November so I was thinking maybe we could visit one of the parks we didn't see (maybe AK or Typhoon lagoon??) Has anyone else ever done this? Any suggestions? Would I need to rent a car to go to the park and then to the airport? Would love to hear some first hand experiences. Also feel free to tell me if its too hectic and to just stick with my earlier flight! Traveling with my two dcs ages 5 and 8.

If you're going to go to a park, yes, you'll need to rent a car. That's what we did. Our flight wasn't until late and we rented and drove over to Animal Kingdom for the day. Then dropped the car at the airport rental.

I'd suggest the 7:45 over the 5:20 flight. For the 5:20 you'd have to allow a couple of hours pre flight, plus time to drive over from WDW and turn in the car (I'd say allow 45 min-1 hour for this). So you'd have to leave WDW (as in be in the car driving out) by 2:30ish. That really only allows you something like 4-5 hours in the park, as long as you debark early and are on one of the early shuttles to the rental car counter.

Personally, for me, traveling with 2 young kids like that, I'd just stick with the earlier flight.

 

[mickeyphile]

I would also agree with the previous poster that if you do opt to change your flight then get the latest one possible. And yes, in that case, renting a car would likely be the most convenient option.

As far as what you should do that day, it really depends on you and your family. We find that after the cruise, debarkation day is sad and also very tiring as you have to wake up extra early. In the past, when we have opted to go to the park, we find ourselves very slowed and the kids have had a better time just hanging out at a resort (when we have stayed for a night) or we have gone to downtown disney to soak up some of the atmosphere without the pressure of paying to go to a park and feeling obligated to make the most of it. However, there are families that go to the park after the cruise and really enjoy themselves. Typhoon Lagoon may also be a good option. Whatever you opt to do, have a great time!

 

[Donna M]

Oops, thought you were at the resort.

 

[Weedy]

My suggestion: Do the extra day before your cruise. You will be exhausted after. The kids tend to stay up way past their normal bed times and still get up early and go go go all day. I know you will have to add a hotel night but it may be more fun.

 

[MUN]

I wouldn't do it. I don't think you have enough time, unless you have annual passes.

 

[Bree]

Do you have AP's or days left on a non-expiring ticket? I wouldn't spend $100 per person to visit a park for a partial day.

 

[Donna3271]

My suggestion: Do the extra day before your cruise. You will be exhausted after. The kids tend to stay up way past their normal bed times and still get up early and go go go all day. I know you will have to add a hotel night but it may be more fun.

I totally agree. My kids are spent after the cruises. We take a 12pm flight home - always. We do the parks before. If the OP decides to... I would recommend at least staying the night at a Disney resort. It is not easy for me to drag my 3 kids around rushed.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

I agree with all the others IF you are doing a week long cruise. If it's a 3 or 4 day cruise I think you could do the extra park day but I would do the late flight. Our kids were a little older than yours when we did our 3 day Dream cruise and had no problem doing MK on debarkation day. Enjoy your cruise.

 

[ldo]

I would rent a car from Pt Canaveral. They will pick you up on a shuttle bus. For a 1/2 day, we like a waterpark or DQ. I agree with others, it it is a week-long, I would not do anything extra--except maybe rent a car and stop off @ DTD for lunch and shopping for an hour or so. For a 3 or 4 day, an extra WP or DQ day would be fun. Definitely switch to the 7:45 if you switch at all.

 

[Disneyteachers]

I'd just like to add the hassle of car seats/booster seats. You'll either have to lug those babies with you on the cruise or have them included in the rental. We are big wdw ppl (couple times a year) and did our first off site trip and needed a car seat for DS6 and a booster for DD10 (they are 1st%tile kids) and it was a pain and not something we are dying to do again...

 

[PhillyCruiser]

On debarkation day, we checked back into Hampton Inn - MCO & let the kids enjoy the hotel pool. The following day, we rented a car & spent the day at Gatorland before boarding our 6:30 p.m. flight home. We didn't even tell the kids how close we were to WDW!

 

[Trera]

We always have main seating which means we have to be at breakfast at 6:45. Getting our DD up at 6:15 to be at breakfast by 6:45. We are off the boat by 7:30 and home before 9. If she doesn't fall asleep in the car she is ready to crash when she gets home.

I could never imagine taking her to a park that day................she would either be passed out in the stroller all day or cranky as can be!

 

[saraheli]

Hi everyone thanks for the replies so far. In answer to your questions, no we do not have annual passes and we cannot do wdw before the cruise since my oldest will still be in school. We are actually taking a 5 night cruise, so still not sure if it's worth doing something else on debarkation day. I just feel like it's a waste hanging around the airport until 3 pm and wanted to squeeze something in if I could. We did a day room before at the Hyatt and might just end up doing that again but am still wondering if I should take advantage of being so close to wdw.

 

[jrez]

Go to Downtown Disney...you could keep the 3:10 or move back to 5:20. We did Downtown Disney for about 3 hours after a 7 day cruise on the Fantasy.

We just got off the Dream 8 days ago and went to WDW for 5 days and we were pretty tired on that first day at the parks.

 

[Quellman]

Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzwrd beach could make for a fund day if the weather is cooperative. Cheaper than a 1 day park pass too!

 

[saraheli]

Go to Downtown Disney...you could keep the 3:10 or move back to 5:20. We did Downtown Disney for about 3 hours after a 7 day cruise on the Fantasy.

Maybe this is the answer, like WDW Lite. So did you rent a car after the cruise to go to DTD and then to the airport?

 

[jrez]

Maybe this is the answer, like WDW Lite. So did you rent a car after the cruise to go to DTD and then to the airport?

Yes...we did a one way rental out to Port Canaveral then one way rented back to Orlando once we got off the ship. Wasn't too much trouble.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

Several years ago, we spent a week at WDW, then a four night cruise, and then had a late flight on the last day. We went to the MK for about a half a day to hit some of the rides that were always closed precruise due to lightning. Now we did have an extra day on our passes from before the cruise, so it wasn't an extra cost. We also had a rental car.

 

[bumbershoot]

Would I need to rent a car to go to the park and then to the airport?

Yes, or a towncar/limo.


Twice now we have gone to Universal between cruise and flight. We keep APs to Uni so there's no extra cost. And we usually have a free day with National so it doesn't cost us much extra.

But we have the ONE kid, and he's nearly 11, so it's not anything like having a 5 year old or even an 8 year old. Our flights home are long and one of those times we had a huge delay in Newark very late at night, and at that point is when you start regretting your earlier actions. (but then we did it again!)

Just gotta really think out the day. 7pm flight = walking in the airport at 5pm = returning the car at about 4:45 = getting gas at about 4:35 = leaving the park parking lot at about 4 unless you're thinking about traffic = leaving the park at around whatever time makes sense depending on what park and where you are in the park ..... And you've gotten off the ship, gotten the rental car (hopefully a car with a trunk to hide the luggage), driven the hour on the toll road to WDW, parked...and started having fun...that all depends on when you decided to get off the ship.

In between is the time for fun. You get to decide if those hours are worth it!