How do kids react to getting to destination late at night?

[marius97]

We are torn on when to leave for our drive down to Florida this June. We have done over night...not to bad, but not our first choice. Don't want to pay for a hotel for a quick sleep. So that leaves leaving at around 4-5 in the morning and not get there until close to midnight. We have DD9, DD7, and DS5. Do kids get too excited arriving at vacation to go to sleep? I'm afraid that we'll get there and the kids will be so wired that they want to party all night. What are other's experiences?

 

[AllesonWonderland]

Our first trip to WDW the kids were 6 and 9. We ended up flying in on Friday night because the rates were better. But, it was the late flight...so add that to the time change, time to get the luggage and rental car and we weren't to our townhouse til after midnight. The kids were falling asleep in the car, and we had no trouble getting them up early the next morning to get there for rope drop. Maybe use the psychology use use for Christmas/Easter/birthday's etc..."The sooner you go to bed, the sooner we can wake up and have fun at Disney!'

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Our first trip to WDW the kids were 6 and 9. We ended up flying in on Friday night because the rates were better. But, it was the late flight...so add that to the time change, time to get the luggage and rental car and we weren't to our townhouse til after midnight. The kids were falling asleep in the car, and we had no trouble getting them up early the next morning to get there for rope drop. Maybe use the psychology use use for Christmas/Easter/birthday's etc..."The sooner you go to bed, the sooner we can wake up and have fun at Disney!'

We have done the Fri night late flight down a few times and we love it but we spend that 1st Friday night at the Hyatt right inside MCO. We usually get it for around $55 on Hotwire. We grab our luggage and walk to our room, crash, and wake up well rested and ready to roll.

We find it much easier than trying to deal with car rentals, directions to where we're staying, etc. so late at night.

 

[ancestry]

Well in your case since you are driving and the kids will have had the opportunity to have slept quite a bit in the car they may just end up being wired. Late night arrivals didn't bother my kids when flying but when driving they do because the kids would sleep all day in the car.

Any chance that you would be able to keep your kids up in the car after 2:00 PM or so?

 

[kamanda]

If I go through Hotwire, how do I specifically choose the airport Hyatt? Or will I get randomly assigned a hotel?

 

[prncess674]

Try controlling the activities they do in the car later in the evening. If you are blaring the radio, singing along and passing out soda and candy then the kids will be wired. Plan quiet car activities for the kiddos to do during the evening. Try stopping at a rest stop around 9pm and have all the kids change into PJs so they are comfy and in sleep mode. Pack each kid a blankie, pillow so they are prepared.

 

[Littlemotherhaywood]

We took a late flight in on our last trip and our kids (9,5,1) were all pretty exhausted by the time we checked in around midnight. I don't remember them being too hard to get to sleep or too hard to wake up the next day either. Of course, I didn't plan any parks the next day either so we could all sleep in a bit.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If I go through Hotwire, how do I specifically choose the airport Hyatt? Or will I get randomly assigned a hotel?

It's the only 4* in the MCO area with a trip advisor rating of 4.5.
The only other 4* in MCO area is the Renaissance by Marriott but their TA rating is 4.0.

Usually you have a better chance of getting Hyatt if you enter 2 adults, 2 kids, even if there are only 2 of you.



Lately they've only been listed Hyatt about 1 month in advance. Used to be able to find it 2-3 mos out.