going to the park after a red eye flight (yes, I am crazy)

[bigbabyblues]

We leave home after school in the afternoon, drive through the night, and arrive at Disney sometime around 7:00 a.m. We always hit a park on arrival day at least for a few hours, usually AK. When we've had enough, and our room is ready, we go back and rest for a few hours then go back out for dinner.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Nope, not crazy, we would totally do this and are considering it. We've done it traveling from Phx to Boston/Cape Cod and I have done it solo from Phx to hometown in Michigan. Have a GREAT trip!!!

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I've done this before and will be doing it again next month. I love the overnight flights back East when all I'm doing is going on vacation. I refuse to take one if I'm supposed to show up at a work meeting and perform.

I just don't plan anything like ADRs for late that night so I can crash whenever I feel like it. I usually get a full day in that arrival day though.

Oh, and no, I don't sleep on planes. I just get pleasantly cocktailed and go with it when I land.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

We're doing the red-eye this year for the first time. We have to be at the airport by around 4 a.m. for our flight to MCO. We have plans to do the MK all day and then dinner on the Boardwalk. We have taken the train before and went without sleep because we were in Coach and it was just impossible and did a full day at the MK. Of course, we're a lot older now and it may be more difficult but we're looking forward to it all the same.

 

[parkluvr]

Years ago I took a redeye from SLC to MCO. I only got about 6 hours of sleep the night before and dozed on and off on the airplane. We went to the Magic Kingdom that day and had a great time. I nodded off a couple of times in the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress, but overall I felt pretty good.

 

[MelanieRI]

not exactly the same thing, but in July I worked an overnight 12 hour shift (I'm an RN at a hospital) then went home to catch a 3 hr plane ride to Disney. We went to MK that day, as MK is always our first stop, and I believe we stayed until Wishes.

 

[Hunterr]

Maybe a half day at a park or something like Downtown Disney for that first day? Probably not the best idea to nap and screw your sleep off the whole week, but maybe a catnap later? Or make it an early night.
I dunno. I'd wanna freshen up/shower/bathroom when landing and getting to hotel (but that sounds too early to check in).

 

[dizzyr]

We leave Vancouver at 11:30pm and arrive at MCO around 8:30 am (planning to take ME to AoA).

Is this the new WestJet flight? We are doing the exact same times in January. I had originally booked the resort to arrive on the Friday and I haven't changed the reservation yet. If free dining is offered for our dates I'll leave the check in date as the Friday so that I know we will have a room as soon as we arrive (and the extra day of meal credits will offset the cost of the wasted night). Our plan is to grab a 2-3 hour nap and shower then head to HS for the afternoon and evening. It's also our youngest dd's birthday so we want to make sure we're at a park so she can wear her button and after flying all night we'll want a shower to freshen up and don't want to wait around for that.

 

[BudgieMama]

I wouldn't be able to do a full day.

I think I'd need a proper lying down nap after a flight before I headed out in the afternoon/early evening, but with a morning arrival, chances are you might not have your room ready. Last time I had a red eye, I was so struggling to keep my eyes open for that first day!

 

[BlueberryPi]

Is this the new WestJet flight? We are doing the exact same times in January. I had originally booked the resort to arrive on the Friday and I haven't changed the reservation yet. If free dining is offered for our dates I'll leave the check in date as the Friday so that I know we will have a room as soon as we arrive (and the extra day of meal credits will offset the cost of the wasted night). Our plan is to grab a 2-3 hour nap and shower then head to HS for the afternoon and evening. It's also our youngest dd's birthday so we want to make sure we're at a park so she can wear her button and after flying all night we'll want a shower to freshen up and don't want to wait around for that.

Yes this is the new westjet flight.

 

[BlueberryPi]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and helping me feel that this is not crazy. We're all pretty good with sleep deprivation, but we've only taken one red-eye as a family and none of us got more than 2 hours of sleep (I closed my eyes, but never actually slept), but we were heading home and all just got home and slept for a few hours, so I'm relying a bit on the adrenaline to pick us up a bit and keep us going. Particularly because we may not be able to check in for a while, even if we wanted to (I hadn't thought to book for a night earlier, so I'm going to give that a little more thought).

 

[Scott2tune]

Great idea I've been doing for years! We live in Newport Beach, CA and travel to Orlando (or NYC) and IF exclusively on vacation then I personally LOVE the red eye. Why? Arriving particularly to travel to WDW or US is still exciting and re-energizes you when you arrive. Can't say the same itinerary would work for my wife and adult kids- but I truly love it. I hit the parks early and know catch up on sleep that evening (or on the plane for a bit). I would not however do a red eye if I had a business presentation the next day! But Disney? Oh yea!

 

[Accident]

For myself, if I didn't sleep this wouldn't be more than a couple hours in a park. I've never slept on a plane ride no matter how long it was, I just can't do it. I would be prepared with fp+ choices and make the final choice once we landed. There is an Adrenalin kick you get once you finally make it.

Basically, good luck, enjoy and have a plan b ready in case you don't make it to everything you want.

 

[BlueberryPi]

The plan b is the question. Spending money for a hotel for an extra night to get a few extra hours of a hotel room we won't use seems a little expensive. But perhaps spending a little more time to make a plan b may be an option.

 

[dizzyr]

For myself, if I didn't sleep this wouldn't be more than a couple hours in a park. I've never slept on a plane ride no matter how long it was, I just can't do it. I would be prepared with fp+ choices and make the final choice once we landed. There is an Adrenalin kick you get once you finally make it.

Basically, good luck, enjoy and have a plan b ready in case you don't make it to everything you want.

The plan b is the question. Spending money for a hotel for an extra night to get a few extra hours of a hotel room we won't use seems a little expensive. But perhaps spending a little more time to make a plan b may be an option.

If we don't get free dining or a stay play dine promotion I will probably cancel the extra nights room. Since we usually eat three times a day most days I know we would be paying out of pocket for a few meals and the extra night would get us extra meal credits that would offset the cost of the room. Without it I'd probably not pay for the extra night. Well on this trip I would because it's my daughters birthday but otherwise probably not. I'd still plan on going to the parks that day but would plan an early night.