How do you spend your departure day?

[Fastpassminus]

Pack everything besides essentials up the night before. Up bright & early for a pre RD ADR at MK ride rides & last minute shopping.

Last trip we had a 7pm flight so we took it easy in this am did an 10am ADR at Ohana ( we were at Poly) & then still had time to ride BTMRR 3 times & have a late lunch at Captain Cookes

 

[momofboyz3]

Sleep late. Check Out. Grab a QS breakfast. Walk around the Gift Shop. Catch the ME for an early afternoon flight back.

 

[barbaraann]

Normally I don't do a park on departure day from WDW, but this time we are leaving WDW, and following that part of our trip with 3 nights at Universal. So I am thinking we should do another day in the parks. We have a 6 day ticket, and opted for the Halloween Party on one of our days, so now we can use the last day, for the last day on our ticket. On Halloween Party Day, we will take it easy, and lounge around at Pop Century. I'll probably do laundry that morning.

 

[anniemae]

I just can't do a park. It is too depressing. Like a cloud hanging over your head. We do the DME so we don't have a lot of time since they get you to the airport early. We usually sleep in, have breakfast at the resort, walk around and take photos and go through the gift shop then we go back to the room to pack and call bell services.

 

[lustergirl]

I like taking the latest flight home. That gives me a whole day to spend in the parks and then I tearfully make my way back to the airport.

 

[RLGNC]

Since our flight is at 1:00, probably won't be able to do much. Hope to at least head to Disney Springs one last time. When we were planning to drive, we were planning a mid-morning breakfast at Chef Mickey's to end the trip, but ended up moving that to a different day. We will have already used up our 6 park days anyway.

 

[merrick]

our flight left at the crack of dawn. so we watched the floor polishers in the lobby at the contemporary waiting for a bus. .

THIS time, our flight is not till 7:30pm. i am kinda playing it by ear but, pending weather, either a hop back over to epcot or wander over to the boardwalk combining a beaches and cream visit/pool day at SAB.

 

[loves to dive]

We/I drive down, it's about a 7 1/2 to 8 hour drive so as long as we/I leave by at latest 2 we just do what we feel like doing. If it's me and my son (grown) we sleep late (he sleeps late I get up early and walk and then get my coffee and sit outside and enjoy the morning) then have a late breakfast and go to whatever park we feel like. I have an AP and he always gets length of stay PHs. I've been known to get up go my walk and go to rope drop at whatever park I know he doesn't want to go to again and get my coffee and breakfast there. If I have any shopping I still need to do, I'll go to whatever park I need to for that, since we have a car I can just take the package back and go ahead and put it in the car. I've been known to hit 3 parks before heading home, one for rope drop, another to shop and another to ride that ride I must do one more time. Normally I have to hit up HS at least one more time to get in ToT. If it's during F&W or F&G I'll head to Epcot for lunch at the booths before I hit the road.

 

[Xennia]

We usually pack everything the night before. In the morning we just wake up and head to the car. Sometimes we thought of staying for half a day since we have a short drive, but we know we will be back in a month or two.

If I had to fly I would be trying to get a morning flight. But if I had no choice then I will be at a park at rope drop. I mean,,,,,hello. Disney.

 

[DekrRini]

I loathe late flights on departure day. Did it once, never again. Say goodbye the day before. We book a late morning flight and go home! When it's time to go, it's time to go.

The one time I took a late flight it turned into the trip from hell. I had fallen the day before so I looked like I'd been in a brawl, my knees hurt, and my ribs hurt. 5:30pm flight was delayed and delayed and delayed until they finally switched us to another flight that left around 8ish. The gates at O'Hare couldn't have been farther apart. Finally got to St. Louis around 1:30am to find that the luggage they assured me would make the flight didn't. Not that I was surprised by that. By the time I got home it was after 2am and I swore never again would I take a late flight.

 

[Hikergirl]

I couldn't get a late departure so we'll just get up and go to breakfast and then spend a couple hours hanging out by the pool before ME picks us up.

 

[capegirl]

I just can't do a park. It is too depressing. Like a cloud hanging over your head. We do the DME so we don't have a lot of time since they get you to the airport early. We usually sleep in, have breakfast at the resort, walk around and take photos and go through the gift shop then we go back to the room to pack and call bell services.

Agree too depressing for us as well. We found it is much better to detach from the parks on our last day; not so much of a let down when we do leave. This trip, we will have some pool time at our resort in the morning, and we have an ADR for the Afternoon Tea at the GF. We may go to DS afterwards for last minute shopping, and dinner. Leaving the Disney bubble early the following morning is a tough one.

 

[bookgirl]

I am in the camp of departure day is just that.

Ideally I want the resort checkout time to be the time I am going to the airport. LOL

I hate the feeling that I am trying to do things the last day but have to have my eye on the clock 'just in case'. I just want to pack up and leave and get home in the most relaxed way possible.

Arrival day on the other hand...planned to the minute, and I always get the earliest flight out to get me the most time available in the day.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

We always book the last possible flight home, departure between 9pm & 10pm out of MCO. The ME pick up is usually between 5:30 and 6:30 pm.

Last day is usually a try to transition back to reality begrudgingly day, we request a late check out and have luckily always gotten it (so far ) We book either a late breakfast or an early lunch, favourites being 'Ohana or Trails End. Depending on which we decide on we head out then back to vacate our room or vacate then drop bags with bell services & head out.

We have done a Resort pool day or a DS day on departure day - both have worked out well, but bus transport back to the resort from the Springs can eat up a fair bit of time and must be figured in. We have also done a fly by at one of the parks but found it hectic, we are thinking of a TL or BB day next time around.

 

[megster1123]

Hanging at the airport for hours.

No seriously on departure day I made sure it was late enough (530pm) flight. We'll wake up go hang by the ocean till about noon then gradually make way back to Orlando. Prob turn in rental car around 230/300 range. Then be bored for few hours.

I'm seriously considering this for our departure day. We depart on a Saturday in October at 655pm. How was the drive from WDW to the ocean and back to MCO? Worth the trip?
If you done it a few times, any recommendations on a good destination?

 

[dkrauss]

We always plan at least a 1/2 park day. We usually take a 9pm flight home so we can do 1/2 in a park.........then have a late lunch early dinner somewhere on site.

Doug

 

[camper06]

We usually take a 7:30 pm flight on our last day. We stay at the hotel until checkout - 11am. Then take the boat or bus (depending on where we are staying - POP or POFQ) to Disney Springs. Eat at the Earl of Sandwich and do any last minute shopping and just walk around and relax. The DME usually picks us up at 430, so we head back to resort around 330. It is always a relaxing time. I don't feel we would really enjoy rushing through the parks to try to get anything done. But friends have done it, and they enjoy it!

 

[McKelly]

I loathe late flights on departure day. Did it once, never again. Say goodbye the day before. We book a late morning flight and go home! When it's time to go, it's time to go.

Same for us.....we had a 9:30pm flight home last time - ruined the whole day.

 

[capegirl]

I'm seriously considering this for our departure day. We depart on a Saturday in October at 655pm. How was the drive from WDW to the ocean and back to MCO? Worth the trip?
If you done it a few times, any recommendations on a good destination?

The closest would be Cocoa Beach. We have done the drive from Disney, and it takes about an hour. The beach itself is very large, and quite nice. We went in Oct. and the weather was beautiful. DS rented a surf board right on the beach. We also poked around in Ron Jon's surf shop. Enjoyable day.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

packing, moping, sighing loudly in ugly gas station bathrooms on the drive home because they are just not up to Walt's standards, wishing I could pay for that Starbucks in GA with my magic band . . .