Do you think a 7:20AM flight to come to orlando is too early?

[marriedmarylander]

Right now we won't get to MCO until 12:30PM and who knows how long it will take to get us to hotel. Then we are planning to go straight and spend a day at MGM that day as well. I called SW and they said the closest available earlier flight was 7:20AM, landing at MCO at 9:30AM. We booked it through the Rapid Rewards so I think maybe the available flights are little different (online it lists there is 8:15 AM flight) That means we'd have to be at the airport 2 hours before right so waking up around 4:45AM (we'd stay at parents who are 10 min from airport). We are flying from Baltimore so we are in the same time zone as FL. But do you think this would be way too early to take a flight there and then immediately spend the day at MGM? DH says he has no problem getting up early, but I do. I know I can sleep on the plane but that's like 2 hours, not to mention the fear I have of taking off which keeps me anxious for that first 30 minutes. Or I suppose once we arrive we can nap quickly and still get to MGM sooner then we would on the flight we have now.

What do you guys think. Do you typically take really early flights and spend the day at the park? The flight is only 2 hours so we won't have the exhaution from being on a long flight as some coming from far away.

 

[mommykds]

My flight leaves NYC at 6:30 am & arrives at 9:04 am. I'd rather take the first flight to WDW possible to get in as much magic as I can.

 

[oogieboogie]

We leave at 5:30am in June, change in Atlanta, getting in at 9:30am, and I fully expect to get to Orlando, check in and go straight to Epcot.

We usually take the earliest possible flight in to MCO and the latest flight out of MCO, that way we can maximize park days.

 

[extraredstuff]

I agree with Mommykds, I always try and get the first flight of the day. For me that's out of Boston, an this time around I will leave at 6:30am, arriving around 9:30am.

I'll be in the parks before noon, and it'll be worth getting up so early.

 

[eeyore45]

We took that early flight last summer! We got in, and we were lucky our rooms were available, you cant plan on checking in when you get in before 3 pm, even then sometimes things happen...

But, dh pulled an all nighter in order to get his vacation time in, and he crashed big time!! DD and I enjoyed the pool while dh napped, than we ate at the MK! It was a magical Day -

 

[Dutchmom23]

I do NOT think so. We depart from our airport at 5:45 a.m. with arrival time at 10:47 a.m. MCO

Needing to be at air port by 4:15 a.m. with a 45 minute drive, places us getting up at 3:00 a.m. We plan on hitting park in p.m.

 

[Bob P]

We always take the flight from LGA that leaves around 6:15 or 6:30. we're at the hotel by 10, and ready for lunch at the hotel or parks. It's like getting a bonus day!

Bob

 

[fran99999]

Remember check-in time is officially 3m. You may be able to go to your room earlier. I try to book our flights for late afternoon early evening and pay for the extra room. This way we go to the room, settle in, and get a good nights sleep starting the parks the next am bright and early after a good nights sleep.

I have tried the early am and we were all so tired by 3-4 it wasn't worth it for us. My DS6 had even napped all the way down on the 3 hr flight. My DD's16 said she prefered to miss the parks the first day to get an early start the next day.


Either way have a great time.

 

[marriedmarylander]

I know checkin is at 3PM. Hopefully a room is open sooner

At least we won't have to wake up TOOOO early being close to the airport, but if no room is available I don't want to fall asleep at the park ... we are staying till 9 or so for fantasmic that night too so it will be long day. And Tuesday we have to be up early for AK since the mornings are the best, so no room for sleeping in.

 

[johnnyr]

This is one of our rituals. We always get the earliest flight out of Philly or AC so we can get there and have full first day. Luggage goes into storage, and we are off to the parks!

 

[4fromNoCal]

We leave Sacramento, CA at 6:30 pm on Friday, stop @ Seattle for a few hours and then fly all night to get to Orlando at 6:30am Saturday. Check our bags into the Wilderness Lodge and spend the first day of 8 at the MK. I know the kids will make it.

 

[Ergens2]

6:30am flight here! We will be in Orlando by 8:30am. That way we are in the parks by 9:30 at the latest! We usually will go back and check in around 1-2pm and rest and unpack until dinner and evening activities. I can't wait!!

 

[MagicKingdom05]

When I flew out in Feb I took the 7:15 am flight that got me to MCO at 11:00 and to CBR by 12:00ish. I tried to check in couldn't, went to MK called at 2:00 from the park was told my room was ready and came back, had my bags brought to my room and unpacked.

 

[mrsR123]

We live five minutes from our small-enough airport that we can probably leave home at 5:00 for our 6:00 AM flight. I'm hoping to be in the MK by lunchtime. In December, it will only be about an hour early for us.

I'd rather plan on a nap than use up a whole day traveling. I can sleep in the next day if I really want to.

 

[DoomBuggyBabe]

We usually catch the first plane out of Philly (usually about 6:30 a.m.) and fly straight down. We grab the bags, pick up the car and hit WL by 11:30. This past year our room wasn't ready, so we just picked up our admission media, dropped the bags with the bellman and caught the first available boat to MK ... I think we were there around noon!
Must ... have ... pixie ... dust ...
Raring to go,
Q

 

[Georgieut]

For me its a direct flight 8am to MCO but 4 hour flight and then loose 2 hours with time change we get there at 2pm go to the hotel check in. Then hubby and I are going to go play golf at the Palms at 4. Only time we got to play is right when we get there because parks all the other days. Can't beat being able to play a PGA course and do Disney! What could be better? Nothin! Maybe good food too. I love this dancin banana.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Have a wonderful trip, OP! Like you, I had concerns about getting up before 5 AM (especially because we were traveling with 2 children), but no matter what time our flight would have been, I wouldn't have slept well (too excited), so I say GO FOR IT EARLY!!

FYI, we took a 7:15 direct from Hartford, Tiffany Towncar was right there waiting at luggage pickup (good service), and we were at the Poly. before 11 AM. We weren't all that tired, but had always planned to enjoy the 1st day exploring the hotel and riding the monorail around -- 1st trip, lots to explore. We had lots of magic on this trip, including our room being ready, so we had even less reason to hit the parks.

Oh, and MK opened EMH at 7 AM all week (Easter/Spring Break time), so felt getting into MK 7:30ish AM after a good night's sleep was better than going in the afternoon during this peak time.

Here's some pixie dust!

 

[sters]

We usually take one of the later flights the night prior to our "vacation" and crash at a Days Inn, get up early, check into the hotel and catch Early Entry. It works well for us.

 

[mom2rb]

Our flight this Saturday leaves at 7:10 A.M. We will land at 10:30. I want to be at a park by 1:00. On the way home we leave at 8:00 and get home at 9:30 P.M.

 

[flyinglizard]

Keep the 10:30 departure... unless you are planning to be in WDW only one day.