Jet lag?

[Vikiic]

Hi! We have our very first Disney trip coming up soon(58 days Togo!) and we are coming from England. We are planning on 3 days at Disney. Our flight arrives late Monday afternoon(approx 330pm) so I guess we won't be at our hotel until evening. I'm thinking we will be too tired the first evening todo much but wondering how to plan the park days around jet lag?? I'm thinking we might be able to do EM on the first morning as we willbe awake mega early, does this sound sensible? I will be desperate to get into the parks and don't want to miss out on a whole day. Our next EM opportunity wouldn't be until thurs. What does everyone think? Especially fellow Brits?

 

[Hobbes]

We've never gone straight to DL when we have arrived in California (we always tour first and finish up in Anaheim) but from past experience, we are always full of beans at silly o'clock the first morning. Try to make sure you stay up as late as poss the night you arrive-we normally make it to 9.30! and you shuld be fine for EMH the next morning. Not promising you won't be flagging by about 7pm that evening though
Hope you have a great time

 

[Laz]

When I travel west to Hawaii from Indiana, I have a 5 hour time difference to adjust for. I find myself wide awake about 2am the next morning. Assuming you are arriving at LAX, You may not get settled into your room until later in the evening. Remember, you will need to go through Immigration and customs. Also remember that it is a bit of a drive from LAX to the DLR area, and you may hit some rush hour traffic depending on when you finally leave LAX. If you have energy the evening you arrive, take a walk through Downtown Disney and do some shopping at the World of Disney store. If anything, it will help you get a lay of the land.

 

[Gisele]

No thank you, I gave at the office. Lol

 

[finchy3]

Hi! We have our very first Disney trip coming up soon(58 days Togo!) and we are coming from England. We are planning on 3 days at Disney. Our flight arrives late Monday afternoon(approx 330pm) so I guess we won't be at our hotel until evening. I'm thinking we will be too tired the first evening todo much but wondering how to plan the park days around jet lag?? I'm thinking we might be able to do EM on the first morning as we willbe awake mega early, does this sound sensible? I will be desperate to get into the parks and don't want to miss out on a whole day. Our next EM opportunity wouldn't be until thurs. What does everyone think? Especially fellow Brits?

Your plan is spot on!
We always go to DL from the UK, the 1st morning in Anaheim we're wide awake at 3am.
So it's off to breakfast then EM at DL, works great every time. Enjoy

 

[Geemo]

We always try to use our Magic Morning the first time we can.
The times we have waited to use at the end of a trip, my group is too tired to get up.

Geemo

 

[Vikiic]

Thanks everyone! Still undecided as its our first trip and don't want to waste the one EM we have trying to figure it all out! My first thought was to have a character breakfast the first morning then Downtown Disney for the rest of the day, easing us in gently?

 

[planningjollyholiday]

I would for sure do EMH your first morning. you will be up early anyway, so you might as well be in the parks. We always stay up as late as we can the first night we arrive when we travel.I find that although we are exhausted from traveling, adrenaline usually kicks in and we are so excited to finally be in our destination that we can usually stay up pretty late. it's the fastest way to get your body adjusted to local time. The next day have an afternoon nap, and from there on the time change shouldn't be too bad.

 

[4Mickeys]

Still undecided as its our first trip and don't want to waste the one EM we have trying to figure it all out! My first thought was to have a character breakfast the first morning then Downtown Disney for the rest of the day, easing us in gently?

You only have 3 days? Did you get a hopper pass? Then you don't have time to 'waste' on Downtown Disney all day, DTD is really a shopping/restaurant precinct between DL and DCA. EM would be a good way to ease yourself in as in DL, its only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland that is open, head straight for Peter Pan's Flight it is always busy then move onto the other rides from there. To help familiarise yourself with the layout I would study the maps available on the Disneyland site. Also come up with an idea of your 'must dos' and try to plan loosely around those, I say loosely as I don't like it to feel scheduled. Also by doing a 'land' at a time it may reduce walking to and from time wasting then you can go back and hit your favourites.

 

[bellrae]

I once flew from Australia to DL. We got in at about 9am and decided to put an extra day on our tickets as the park might be the best thing to keep everyone awake until it was an appropriate bedtime. It was working a treat (and everyone was too excited to think about how tired they were) until I started getting a little dazed and confused, came out of a restroom, wasn't watching where I was going and accidentally knocked Snow White and Ariel over on their way to a character greet. I was very apologetic, they were very Princessly (is that a word?) and understanding about the whole thing - but man some of those kids waiting outside the restroom shot daggers at me!

That was when i knew it was naptime for me!

 

[4Mickeys]

@bellrae lol that is hilarious! That is a fantastic DL story I hear you on the Aussie jet lag I felt very unwell and dazed after arriving but I had planned not to go to DL till the next day when I was all refreshed.

 

[Vikiic]

You only have 3 days? Did you get a hopper pass? Then you don't have time to 'waste' on Downtown Disney all day, DTD is really a shopping/restaurant precinct between DL and DCA. EM would be a good way to ease yourself in as in DL, its only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland that is open, head straight for Peter Pan's Flight it is always busy then move onto the other rides from there. To help familiarise yourself with the layout I would study the maps available on the Disneyland site. Also come up with an idea of your 'must dos' and try to plan loosely around those, I say loosely as I don't like it to feel scheduled. Also by doing a 'land' at a time it may reduce walking to and from time wasting then you can go back and hit your favourites.

We have the southern cal city pass so have 3 day park hoppers. we are also attending the Star Wars convention the next weekend so it won't be too relaxing! I think we will do the EM the first day and book a character breakfast one of the other days. Thanks for all the good advice x