Crazy to leave at 3am for flight??

[erin1715]

Hi all, right now we are booked on a flight that gets to Orlando at 4:30pm, which is okay. However, there is a flight that leaves our airport (Albany) at 7:30am and gets to Orlando at 10:40am! Seems like a no brainer, right?

The only problem is that we have to drive 2 hours to get to the airport, so we'd need to leave our house by 3am to make the 7:30am flight. Am I crazy to even consider doing that? I just want as much of the magic as I can get! It's only my husband and I, so no kids will be traveling.

We don't do parks on the day of arrival so we'd just plan on lounging around our hotel, which is the fabulous Beach Club!

What do you all think?

 

[grimley1968]

I'm in a similar situation (lengthy drive to nearest big airports). It depends on how much of a morning person you are as to whether you could leave at 3 AM. One alternative that comes to my mind is going to Albany the night before and staying in a cheap hotel near the airport. That way you could get up 2 or more hours later and make the same flight.

 

[sam_gordon]

Hi all, right now we are booked on a flight that gets to Orlando at 4:30pm, which is okay. However, there is a flight that leaves our airport (Albany) at 7:30am and gets to Orlando at 10:40am! Seems like a no brainer, right?

The only problem is that we have to drive 2 hours to get to the airport, so we'd need to leave our house by 3am to make the 7:30am flight. Am I crazy to even consider doing that? I just want as much of the magic as I can get! It's only my husband and I, so no kids will be traveling.

We don't do parks on the day of arrival so we'd just plan on lounging around our hotel, which is the fabulous Beach Club!

What do you all think?

I don't think you're crazy. I don't know that I'd do it, but I might. What does your husband think?

Is there a "park and fly" airport nearby? What if you go up the night before?

Added thought... for us to leave (even if it's just DW & I) at 3am, we'd be waking up at 2am.
Added thought2... keep in mind, that gets you to your resort ~Noon. It's possible you won't be able to get into your room until 4pm or later.

 

[niffer5150]

I think it's fine. tomorrow morning I have to get up at 2 am so we can leave at 3 to drive to lax for our 6:30 flight. you're not the only one riding the crazy plane to wdw and since we're west coast, we're doing a park because there's no way we can go to sleep that early.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

We almost always take the earliest flight possible. Like you, I like to get as much vacation time as possible.

Since you're planning on a resort day that day, I say go for it.

But I would definitely look into a park/sleep/fly. You may be able to get a room and parking for not much more than it would cost to park and you wouldn't have to wake up so early!

 

[kamms]

I'm all for getting there as early as possible, so I vote for leaving at 3:30 a.m. Have a great trip!

 

[mikehn]

getting up at 3am is not my idea of going on vacation, but thats me. For me, the magic starts as soon as I get off work the day before my trip.

 

[JennyT2]

I would do it in a heart beat ... in fact, we will be leaving by 4am with 2 kids to be at airport parking by 5am or so for a 7am flight. Even if you aren't in your room by 4pm, you can still hit the pool just put your bathing suit in your carry one.

 

[conniehar90]

I went to NY with my sisters (all adults) and we picked a 7 am flight because we wanted to maximize our time. We had to get up at 3 am. We all agreed afterwards that we would not do that again as we were all exhausted and cranky (no one really slept the night before because we knew we had to get up at 3 am). We did have a lot planned for that day so that may have contributed to it.

So, if you guys are just hanging at the pool it might be ok, but I would be concerned with what the prior poster said about not being able to check-in. I wouldn't want to be hanging around the lobby waiting to check in.

 

[grimley1968]

So, if you guys are just hanging at the pool it might be ok, but I would be concerned with what the prior poster said about not being able to check-in. I wouldn't want to be hanging around the lobby waiting to check in.

That's not the way it works. You can check in in a few minutes no matter when you get there. It's just that your room may not be ready until mid or late afternoon. Until your room is ready, you can go hang out at the pool, go to a park, or whatever you like. When your room is ready, you will be notified by text if you choose that (or you can call the front desk), and can go straight to your room whenever you wish, without need of stopping at the front desk again.

 

[a742246]

I live 2 hours from the Albany airport also. I always get the 7:30 flight.
My reasoning.
Since all of my Disney vacations are either in November and March the weather
plays a big factor. I would rather be in 70+ temperatures then 30"s. By having 6 extra hours of sunshine for no extra costs I would gladly wake up 3-4 hours early.
Other factors: no traffic problems, the 7:00 am flights are nonstop, check-in is a breeze, you have a full day ahead of you, flights tend to be ontime more in the mornings.

Good luck.

 

[ccgirl]

Hi all, right now we are booked on a flight that gets to Orlando at 4:30pm, which is okay. However, there is a flight that leaves our airport (Albany) at 7:30am and gets to Orlando at 10:40am! Seems like a no brainer, right?

The only problem is that we have to drive 2 hours to get to the airport, so we'd need to leave our house by 3am to make the 7:30am flight. Am I crazy to even consider doing that? I just want as much of the magic as I can get! It's only my husband and I, so no kids will be traveling.

We don't do parks on the day of arrival so we'd just plan on lounging around our hotel, which is the fabulous Beach Club!

What do you all think?

Without my children; I would do it (and have). We stay at a hotel by the airport the night before and leave our car at the hotel and take the hotel shuttle to the airport. With kids, I would not because they would be cranky and I would be paying for it for two days.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

DH & I have done that many times (before kids). We would usually get to the resort, check in (have them hold our bags if the room isn't ready) and go check out a park or DTD for awhile before going back to the room for an afternoon nap and unpacking then back out for the evening

 

[Ed J]

Our last trip we left PHL at 620 AM, that had us getting picked up by the car service at our house at 345 AM. This was the first time in many trips we did an early departure as we usually leave after work for the trip down.

Getting up early to leave on vacation wasn't an issue (we meet 2 other families at the AP) for anyone and we were in the MK for lunch. So it was like a bonus day for us. I'll do this again if its an option on future trips.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We have done it a few times when the flights out of the airport in Akron where cheaper than Cleveland which meant leave at 3am. The traffic is great barely a soul on the road. If the weather is predicted to be bad I would get a room at a hotel close to the airport though.

it does make for a long day but hey you are at Disney so you have no bed time schedule to follow so I say go for it.

 

[Minnesota!]

We try and get the 6am out of here each time. With kids. We get to the airport at 4am. Get the kids up around 3 am.

We love it! Can't sleep the night before the vacation, anyway.

 

[erin1715]

You've all helped convince me to do it! I know it will be early but since we're just going to lounge around the pool (hoping its warm enough) I think we'll be totally fine. I dont' mind if we won't be able to get into our room that early.

It's going to be freezing cold in NY and the sooner I get to the florida sunshine the better! And by the end of February I will be entirely sick and tired of winter. I'm already sick of winter and its only January!

I think my husband will be fine with it if thats what I want to do. I'm excited!

 

[Rpsemont]

Keep in mind too, that the earlier flights are less likely to have scheduling or delaying issues (but you better knock on wood as you read this!)

 

[Luv2Diz]

We usually take the early a.m. flights and live less than 2 hours from the airport. We usually just drive up the night before and stay in a motel near the airport. They usually include free parking, so it doesn't cost much more to do that than to pay for parking at the airport. That seems to work best for us!

 

[PatMcDuck]

Without my children; I would do it (and have). We stay at a hotel by the airport the night before and leave our car at the hotel and take the hotel shuttle to the airport. With kids, I would not because they would be cranky and I would be paying for it for two days.

Bingo! I take those early flights when flying alone, to meet friends, or with other adults. I have taken flights as early as 6 am, and had to leave my house before 3 am. I admit, I am tired, but it's exciting.