early morning SW flight with kids??

[jennyjinx3]

Hi

We are looking at possibly booking the early morning SW departure out of Buffalo at 6 am. Has anyone ever done this early of a departure with kids and if so how did it work out? Any tips? DH thinks it would be a nightmare but I like it because it gives us a very full first day with the mouse!

 

[autismgoesdisney]

My kids are the same age as your kids

With that said, I wouldn't do it. While it gives you a very fully day, your kids will have to be up and at 'em at like 3 am! If they are anything like my kids, they would be too excite dto sleep on the plane and will be a nightmare by 3 pm! LOL Just my two cents!

 

[jennyjinx3]

That is a big concern. DH said they wouldn't make it until dinner, and we don't want to overdo it the first day. I get it, but I am just frustrated that so far SW only has that one nonstop flight down, and Air Tran has one but it doesn't arrive until 6 pm to MCO.
There has to be something in the middle

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

Hi

We are looking at possibly booking the early morning SW departure out of Buffalo at 6 am. Has anyone ever done this early of a departure with kids and if so how did it work out? Any tips? DH thinks it would be a nightmare but I like it because it gives us a very full first day with the mouse!

We love flying early. My 3 year old usually falls back asleep on the plane since we wake them up so early, and like you I love the fact that we don't lose a day at Disney!

 

[jennyjinx3]

We love flying early. My 3 year old usually falls back asleep on the plane since we wake them up so early, and like you I love the fact that we don't lose a day at Disney!

Did your DD's make it through the whole first day... how was dinnertime? I know this is just a small thing but I need arguments to convince my DH!!

 

[bear_mom]

We have done early am flights, leaving at 7 and us getting up at 4. The girls did great, I don't think they ever feel back asleep. We typically get to the resort, check in, head to a park and have an early dinner (5 pm reservation) and then back to the resort, unpack and head to bed - usually by 8.

We had conversations with dds before we left regarding behavior expectations. If they were tired and got grouchy/cranky then we would leave the park and head back to the resort and rest (even if the rooms weren't ready, there are places to relax).

Emily

 

[dancin Disney style]

I would take that early flight and then just plan that first day as a pool day or DTD. Just make it casual. You could book and early dinner ADR and then get everyone to bed early so that you have a full day to start with a good nights sleep.

We like to have no plans at all on arrival day. It allows us to unpack and get settled but still leaves room to do a little something fun if we feel like it.

 

[jennyjinx3]

good tips, he's wavering

 

[formill]

Our youngest two are 9 (twins) and we took that flight Dec 23.....it was great to be in Florida so early- we stayed offsite. I was so amazed- they were still swimming in the villa pool at 8 pm......I was done... I was tired but they were still going and they were not crabby or miserable once. Too excited I guess. We did try to get to bed early at the hotel the night before but they still only got maybe 5 hours sleep. The only thing- hotel did not have much out for breakfast at 3:30 am-they had the cold stuff- muffins,yogurt and they did have coffee.......somehow the routine makes you want to eat when you get up no matter what time.

 

[bookwormde]

Early morning is the best, No crowds, no traffic, no stuck on the taxi ways waitng for a takeoff slot. The kids are fresh and when you get to MCO it is not crowded either. If you are staying on site you are at the resort by 10am and can check in and sometimes the room is even ready. A quick lunch an off to the parks

 

[jdb in AZ]

One advantage to an early flight -- they tend to be on time more often, since they're starting fresh and not the 3rd leg of a six-flight schedule. I think your flight would be more of a nightmare scenario if the plane were delayed getting into Buffalo (due to a mechanical issue or the weather) and your kids had to twiddle their thumbs for an extra hour or two.

 

[Iheoma]

One advantage to an early flight -- they tend to be on time more often, since they're starting fresh and not the 3rd leg of a six-flight schedule. I think your flight would be more of a nightmare scenario if the plane were delayed getting into Buffalo (due to a mechanical issue or the weather) and your kids had to twiddle their thumbs for an extra hour or two.

I totally agree about early flights. They are *typically* less likely to be delayed and many times less crowded. Our family has been doing the early morning flight thing my dd's whole life (she's 10 now) and it's just the norm for her. Her first trip to WDW was when she was 2 1/2 (almost 3) and I remember waking her up at 4am to get to the airport. She said, "Is it time to go to Disney?" I said "Yep" and she hopped right up. There were times that she was a bit tired, but we just planned to take it slow that day, have an early dinner and be patient with each other because we all know how challenging travel can be for adults and children. The key is to take it slow and to have realistic expectations.

 

[Hockeyfan17]

We are taking the 6:15am flight out of Buffalo as well (in August). We have travelled early with our children on more than one occasion, and they are totally fine with it. We are also doing this March Break to Clearwater. We get a hotel room in Buffalo which includes parking and a shuttle to the airport. This way, we get the kids up just before we have to go down to get the shuttle. They may sleep on the plane, but if not, they do have down time to just watch a movie or listen to music. We will likely make it an earlier night, but that will be fine with both of them. I also like the idea of getting the better part of a day at the parks. Cheers.

 

[Hockeyfan17]

Forgot to mention that our DD's are 6 and 3. Cheers.

 

[aubriee]

We're taking a 6:15am flight out on American Airlines Feb 4th with my 3 y/o GS. (Yay, just one more week!) We always take the first flight out of DFW. It's the first time we've taken my GS, but I've flown on the 6:00am flights out with his elder sister several times. She's always been fine and still going strong late that night. She was 6y/o, 7y/o, 8y/o and 9y/o.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I say go for it. Whats the worst that could happen.. you end up with a couple of cranky kids. That means a well deserved break is in order. There are plenty of places to relax with the girls. If your room is not ready when the girls get fatigued you could relax in a lounge chair by a pool and maybe the girls will take a nap.
Having to take a break at WDW is way better than sitting around all day at home waiting to take a later non stop flight.

I would do it.

 

[maxiesmom]

We have done the crack of dawn flight before, and it went fairly well. The youngest (9 at the time) was a little unhappy being hauled out of bed that early. But once she woke up all the way(and we fed her!) she was fine.

For us, if we do an early morning flight, the next day has to be a bit slower. Everyone is fine the first day when they are excited to be at WDW. But that night, we crash. The next day has to be low key, no early morning breakfast ADRs, and no plans that are set in stone. That gives everyone a chance to recuperate from the excitement and stress of the day before.

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd, now 18, has been flying on those crack of dawn flights since she was 3. She never had an issue. It got harder as she got into her teen years though...man, they like to sleep. But when heading to WDW, there was no flight that left too early for her!! She would have woken up at 2am in order to get to the Mouse early!!!

Have the kids head to bed early the night before. Have everything ready to go. They could even sleep in the tee shirts they are going to wear and can just pull on a pair of pants and slip on their shoes..makes it kind of fun that way. Don't try to feed them at home. Bring bagels with you, or individual cereal boxes. Then buy milk and/or juice at the airport. They'll be awake then and more likely to eat better. Have them pack their flight carryon bags the night before as well and leave them in the car. Then, in the morning, get up, slip on clothes, wash the face, brush the teeth and hair (using two different brushes!!!) and into the car. It's really easy. They can take a nap in the car.
You won't get a full day in WDW. You will have to cut your evening short. The kids will start to melt about 5pm-ish. They will need a good meal. So, either eat in the park, or back at your resort. Then, a quick swim (which I found relaxed my dd), and into bed, early.

 

[autismgoesdisney]

Did your DD's make it through the whole first day... how was dinnertime? I know this is just a small thing but I need arguments to convince my DH!!

You know your kids best. I KNOW my oldest two wouldn't fall back asleep, thus the 3 year old would stay awake because her brother and sister are awake! If you think yours will fall asleep or even take a short nap at Disney, then go for it! Trial and error!

I would fly out the night before personally! It may be a little more money for a hotel that night, but I'd rather my kids be up early and ready to go than cranky! Just my two cents again

 

[apress]

We are doing the same thing. Our flight is leaving at 6:15 and I'm a little worried how my kids will do (9,6,2) but the only other option was getting in Orlando at 1:50 pm. Although not a huge deal it is the latest we have ever gotten into disney and the final straw was that flight already went up in price and that is for September. I figure we are just taking it easy that day. The only thing I plan for that day is a ADR for early dinner. My hope is that our room will be ready early and the kids could take a nap if they want. (Don't get me wrong, I am not banking on the room being ready early, but if it great)