Late night flight, early morning arrival

[Tasmen]

I'm curious if folks here have taken red eyes to Orlando before and how they found it effected their first day at the parks. Right now we are eying a midnight flight out of Seattle that will arrive at MCO around 10am. I hated the idea of wasting a day traveling (morning flights would put us there around 6pm). But now I'm second guessing my decision and wondering if maybe the red eye isn't the best idea.

 

[mrscoobs]

As long as you sleep through the flight you should be ok, as well as trying to get an afternoon nap before you travel may be a good idea as well. I have flown from phoenix to vegas, then a red-eye from vegas to Tampa to catch a cruise the next morning and found everything to be fine, though I certainly wanted a refresher nap before dinner. I'm sure you could see the parks for a bit, then come back to your hotel for late afternoon nap/dinner then head back out to the parks.

 

[phee]

me too! we leave the west cost at 11pm and arrive at MCO at 6am! i was going to hit epcot first, but my girlfriend says i'm nuts. says the studios would be a better choice.

 

[Tasmen]

me too! we leave the west cost at 11pm and arrive at MCO at 6am! i was going to hit epcot first, but my girlfriend says i'm nuts. says the studios would be a better choice.

Our current plan is to hit Epcot first too It seemed a good park to hit midday. I think in order to take the late flight, I'm just going to cash in some miles and upgrade our seats so that we can sleep in style. I always have a hard time getting good sleep in normal seats.

 

[ACDSNY]

We've done this before and it didn't seem too bad. I think it would've been better if our layover wasn't so long (3 hrs). I'm considering it again for our Apr/May trip.

 

[Califgirl]

You guys can head to the parks if you wish. When I take the red eye, I have a light breakfast and head for the spa. After a shower and steam and massage, I am relaxed and ready to go.
I usually go to the parks in the late afternoon for an early dinner (or for me lunch). Then early to bed and I'm on FL time and everything is easy after that.

 

[Tasmen]

You guys can head to the parks if you wish. When I take the red eye, I have a light breakfast and head for the spa. After a shower and steam and massage, I am relaxed and ready to go.
I usually go to the parks in the late afternoon for an early dinner (or for me lunch). Then early to bed and I'm on FL time and everything is easy after that.

We have our spa day for later on in the week when we need the massagey love on our walk weary limbs I fear if I went to the spa on my first day there, I might get TOO relaxed and fall asleep on the table!

Our plan right now is to hit a mid afternoon lunch in Epcot, come back to the room for a nap and then hit Jiko for dinner later in the evening.

 

[chris1gill]

I've done red eyes, but honestly, I avoid them if I can. Can you leave one day earlier from Seattle so you arrive the night prior to when you are currently scheduled to arrive?

I of course have a red eye coming home from Hawaii in a few weeks, and I'm the fool that picked it, so even though I encourage you not to take one, I'm taking one myself LOL

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I've done red eyes, but honestly, I avoid them if I can.

I agree. I don't sleep well on planes and always feel dragged out the whole day after a red eye. I avoid them.

 

[Tasmen]

I've done red eyes, but honestly, I avoid them if I can. Can you leave one day earlier from Seattle so you arrive the night prior to when you are currently scheduled to arrive?

I could but I would have to take an additional day off work (as would the husband) and I'm trying to save those extra days for when I get home rather than spend them up front. I've only flown a red eye flight once before and that was from Seattle to NOLA. I managed to get some sleep, but nearly as much as I probably should have. It's why I was considering just doing the upgrade this time so that I could be more comfortable and actually get some sleep. I'm not worried about the husband. He can sleep anywhere at anytime. He's a freaking narco, I swear!

Then again, it's quite possible I'll be so filled with adrenaline the moment we arrive at MCO, sleep will be the fatherest thing from my mind

 

[cigar95]

I take redeyes regularly from Los Angeles - whenever I visit New York or Orlando. Usually I'm able to pick up about two hours sleep on the plane, but it's in bits & pieces, and not good sleep.

When I get in to WDW, arriving around 7 or 8, more often than not I'm able to get in to my room. (This usually doesn't happen in New York.) If I have access to the room, I take about a two hour nap. After that, I'm ready to hit the parks - usually running on adrenaline that first day.

 

[got2travel]

We always take the red-eye. But our first day is Downtown Disney and then evening entertainment like Hoop De Doo or Chef Mickeys.

 

[paulmc80]

I often take red eye flights. Seems like there is not too much choice in that regard from here if you want to arrive over there at a reasonable time, given the large time difference and all.

Have done afternoon flights from here that connect to very late night flights out of LAX to MCO. Get into to MCO around 6:00 in the morning. Done very well arriving around that time there.