Our perfect flight

[Gracie09]

has been cancelled and we were rebooked on to a 7:30am flight that would involve getting to the airport at 5:30am. (leaving for Disney not returning). There is another option but its not until 12:30 and we don't land until around 3:30. By the time we get to the hotel its around 5.

Would you go with the earlier on knowing you have 2 8 year olds that are not morning people or would you go with the later one, and give up the half day.

The only thing we have scheduled for arrival day is a dinner at Boma (our hotel). I can cancel or push that later I am sure.

 

[Shanti]

has been cancelled and we were rebooked on to a 7:30am flight that would involve getting to the airport at 5:30am. (leaving for Disney not returning). There is another option but its not until 12:30 and we don't land until around 3:30. By the time we get to the hotel its around 5.

Would you go with the earlier on knowing you have 2 8 year olds that are not morning people or would you go with the later one, and give up the half day.

How long are you staying? If it's a short trip, I'd do the early flight. If it's a longer trip, I'd do the later flight. Also, have you tried checking another airline? Since they cancelled your flight, you should be able to get a full refund.

 

[Gracie09]

How long are you staying? If it's a short trip, I'd do the early flight. If it's a longer trip, I'd do the later flight. Also, have you tried checking another airline? Since they cancelled your flight, you should be able to get a full refund.

We paid with points that can't be transferred to other airlines.

 

[sam_gordon]

Easy... early flight. Heading TO vacation it's easier to get up earlier. Of course, you don't say what time you need to leave the house to be at the airport at 5:30.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

I think you will be fine with the flight that gets in around 3. When we go to Disney, we have a choice of a very early morning flight or the 10-something that gets us in around 3-4 PM. We always take the later one. We are early birds, usually awake at around 5 AM, and needing to be at the airport by 5:30 feels early even to us. I don't know how long your flight is, but we find that after 2 hours at the airport plus a 3 and 1/2 hour flight (and travel to Disney), we're pretty tired. A walk around our resort and dinner feels just right to us. We save the parks for the following day when we're rested.

 

[Shanti]

We paid with points that can't be transferred to other airlines.

Then as I said, I'd base it on the length of the trip. If it's short enough that every day really counts, I'd do the early flight. 8 year olds are old enough to handle an early morning. They do on Christmas, right? That's probably how excited they'll be, so it shouldn't be hard to get them up.

 

[Gracie09]

Easy... early flight. Heading TO vacation it's easier to get up earlier. Of course, you don't say what time you need to leave the house to be at the airport at 5:30.

probably about 4:45 - 5 to get to the airport. Its about 20 minutes away and we park off-site.
Hmmmm - maybe we can get a hotel near the airport and start vacation a night earlier

 

[Gracie09]

Then as I said, I'd base it on the length of the trip. If it's short enough that every day really counts, I'd do the early flight. 8 year olds are old enough to handle an early morning. They do on Christmas, right? That's probably how excited they'll be, so it shouldn't be hard to get them up.

Ten day trip. It's (hopefully) our daughters adoption finalization celebration

 

[sam_gordon]

probably about 4:45 - 5 to get to the airport. Its about 20 minutes away and we park off-site.
Hmmmm - maybe we can get a hotel near the airport and start vacation a night earlier

I don't know that I'd get a hotel to save 30 minutes. HOWEVER, does any hotel near the airport offer a "stay and fly" package where you can stay the night before and leave your car at the hotel? That might save some $$.

 

[Gracie09]

I don't know that I'd get a hotel to save 30 minutes. HOWEVER, does any hotel near the airport offer a "stay and fly" package where you can stay the night before and leave your car at the hotel? That might save some $$.

That's what I'm thinking. We are paying for parking anyway. Its Newark airport. I am sure there are stay and park options. However, are they nice enough hotels....

 

[JimMIA]

Early. With early morning flights, the aircraft is often sitting at the gate when you get there and you are its first flight of the day.

If you wait until later, you're depending on your aircraft coming in from somewhere else on time. That is much more likely to cause a delay or even cancellation of the flight. How that plays out depends greatly on which airline you are using and what airport you are departing from. Losing a half day of your vacation might be the least of your problems.

 

[Gracie09]

Early. With early morning flights, the aircraft is often sitting at the gate when you get there and you are its first flight of the day.

If you wait until later, you're depending on your aircraft coming in from somewhere else on time. That is much more likely to cause a delay or even cancellation of the flight. How that plays out depends greatly on which airline you are using and what airport you are departing from. Losing a half day of your vacation might be the least of your problems.

Its Jetblue. DH is going to call and see what our options are. We are open to changing airports if they will let us. But it has to be the same airport out and back.

 

[Allison]

I would always take an earlier flight to start a vacation.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I don't know that I'd get a hotel to save 30 minutes. HOWEVER, does any hotel near the airport offer a "stay and fly" package where you can stay the night before and leave your car at the hotel? That might save some $$.

I don't remember what time my flight was but it was very early even staying at a hotel we had to get up early but not as early had we left from home

Point of reference we are 45 min from the airport

 

[LadyBeBop]

probably about 4:45 - 5 to get to the airport. Its about 20 minutes away and we park off-site.
Hmmmm - maybe we can get a hotel near the airport and start vacation a night earlier

Especially one with a pool. 8-year olds girls love to go swimming.

Just ask my 8-year old granddaughter.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

I hate early morning flights b/c I am SO not a morning person. I try to avoid early flights, but sometimes you just can't help it.

For the first day of the trip, I'd go for the early morning flight. What we like to do in that case is find a restaurant and have a bite of breakfast once we're through security and have located our gate. It's a splurge we normally wouldn't do, but it makes those early morning flights a little more fun.

 

[OKW Lover]

Go with the early flight to maximize your Disney time.

 

[Gracie09]

Well that was cool. We were able to switch to a new airport and now have our nice mid-morning flight back. We even got some of our miles back because they were cheaper.
A bit of a further drive but it works and we don't have to get up at 0 dark 30