Overnight flight and extra night?

[Lcarb]

Hello all

I need some help making a decision regarding our flights for our upcoming June 2019 Disney trip. This trip will be DH and our 2 boys, ages 11 and 8.
Most available direct flights are either overnight or are have 1 or 2 stops. Our ideal departing flight would be nonstop around 9am but those flights are three times the cost of the overnights.
My worry is taking the overnight flight and arriving at MCO at 6am with the boys and no place to rest given that our room would likely not be ready that early.
The way I see it we have 2 options:
-(not sure this is even possible) book an extra night. With the savings on the flight I think its worth it. Would disney even allow that late of a check in the morning if we pay for the extra day?
Or
-we keep waiting for a price drop in better timed flights.

How successful have you been with kids on overnight flights?
Thank you!

 

[_19disnA]

You didn't indicate which airline or city, but generally speaking, the lowest cost flights and/or those which are non-stop tend to sell out first. Then the fare jumps to the next higher price. Popular destinations may never have a sale, since airlines typically sell enough regularly priced tickets. Probably too late for this trip, but might try booking the flight further in advance. My guess is your are traveling from a popular location and those non-stop flights sold out weeks/months ago. June is also when most schools are out for the summer, so more people begin traveling.

Do you live near any other airports where flights might be cheaper with another airline? If you live near any airport which is a hub city for an airline, you might be able to find better options and/or a lower price.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Make one single request with your reservation: earliest check-in. If there is an empty room the night before in your category, they should give you that room.

 

[Ellie008]

My kids are about the same ages, and I have to say there is no way I would book an overnight flight. Regardless of cost, it just wouldn't be worth it to me. I would rather drive the 20 hours each way. Seriously. My younger one would be a MESS, and it would take DAYS after that for her to fully recover. It would ruin the trip for us. YMMV certainly, I'm sure you know your kids.

If you call and talk to someone at the hotel they can arrange for you to have a 6am check-in by paying an extra fee. The extra fee could be anywhere from a token amount up to a full night fee (whatever that cost is for the night before your arrival). How much they charge will depend on their expected booking level. If you want it guaranteed available at 6am this far in advance I imagine you will have to pay full rate for the night before. Just make sure they put the check in time on your reservation so they don't give the room away when you don't show until morning.

 

[lorenae]

I HATE overnight flights. I can't sleep on a plane, and I always seem to have a guy next to me who overhangs his armrests. On my last overnight flight, to Rome, a guy sat next to me with his family across the aisle and pretty much slept on top of me. (I also think that he had no concept of "personal space" and he was not a large man, but was usually having his legs spread wide and with his head lolling on my shoulder when he fell asleep). However, even if the flight was perfect and I had no one in my personal space, I just can't sleep.

Kids sometimes can. Unless they can't. Then it's a miserable day or two until everyone adjusts. Between the overnight flight, the time change, the heat in Florida, etc, you may find that it's not something you want to do.

 

[Lcarb]

Thank you all for your input. We are in San Diego which is a pretty busy airport. Ive been pricing out LA as well which has more options but pricing is still considerably cheaper for overnight flights ($800 for 4 of us in comparison to $1700 for some).

I totally agree about overnights and no sleep. I also know that even on the best timed flights my boys take at least a day to get back to normal.

Thanks again. I think we might just have to bite the bullet and secure what works best.

 

[_19disnA]

Southwest airlines also flies between San Diego and Orlando (including some non-stop flights), but their reservation calendar doesn't yet go to June, 2020. I would use one of the online flight search tools to make sure you have priced all of the options from various airlines.

 

[Anthony1971]

If you do online check in the room will be ready anytime you enter...
This year due to flight delays in a huge way... we got to the resort a little after 4AM.... no issues.. knew where my room was as we had the room ready text walked in with our luggage and went to our room.
I will say it was easy but not ideal in anyway.... I would seriously pay the extra for an early flight to get to your room at a decent time as you will lose 2 days- the travel day packing waiting and going to the airport being awake all night the next day will be dragging yourself anywhere. I would go as far to say on day 3 you will still feel it a little bit.

 

[tomasrey88]

Though your room isn't ready, they will let you store your luggage with the bellhop. The overnight flight rocks because you get a full day at the park and you don't have to pay for a night's hotel stay.

Hello all

I need some help making a decision regarding our flights for our upcoming June 2019 Disney trip. This trip will be DH and our 2 boys, ages 11 and 8.
Most available direct flights are either overnight or are have 1 or 2 stops. Our ideal departing flight would be nonstop around 9am but those flights are three times the cost of the overnights.
My worry is taking the overnight flight and arriving at MCO at 6am with the boys and no place to rest given that our room would likely not be ready that early.
The way I see it we have 2 options:
-(not sure this is even possible) book an extra night. With the savings on the flight I think its worth it. Would disney even allow that late of a check in the morning if we pay for the extra day?
Or
-we keep waiting for a price drop in better timed flights.

How successful have you been with kids on overnight flights?
Thank you!

 

[crazycatstacy]

We have done overnight flights twice. The first time we got to Pop Century about 6-6:30 a.m. and our room was ready. The second time we got to Pop Century again at 6-6:30 and our room wasn't ready but was around 10 a.m. We hung out in the food court for a little bit- looking homeless resting on benches LOL, and then we wandered outside and hung out on park benches. It would be so much better if the pool was open and we could have laid on a lounge chair.

We have said no more overnight flights, but we would probably do it again if the price was right.

 

[iivye]

I would do the overnight and purchase an extra night at Disney. Your room will be ready no matter what time you arrive which is a lot easier with everyone being tired. We've had really early flights and it's a pain waiting for the room to be ready especially if it takes until 3 or 4pm.

 

[MamaKate]

I'm also from SoCal and we do overnight flights because from our local airport it's the only non-stop option. My kids (5 and 9) do just fine sleeping on the plane and aren't too grumpy when we arrive. Me on the other hand, I can't sleep on planes so by 2:00 EST, I'm a full on grumpy. The good news is more often then not, our room has been ready by 2pm and mommy can get a nice nap lol. To me the cost plus having a nonstop flight without having to drive to LAX outweighs the cons.

 

[BlueRibbon]

We've done the LAX-MCO redeye and I will admit, it's a tough one. The last time we did it we had kids 12,10, 8 and 6. My wife won't allow me to book the redeye anymore. But coming from anywhere on the west coast, you're going to be lucky to be on property by dinnertime...

If we had to do it again, I'd book the extra night to be able to go straight to the room and crash for a few hours.

 

[KPeterso]

Also west coast. We tried the red eyes twice and decided never again. Completely dragging the next day. So now, we take the day time flight (morning is preferred), but we have also done the 3ish PM one that gets us in around 11 PM and to the resort at midnight or a little later. If I was to do the red eye, I would book the extra night and then do online check in so I could head straight to my room without stopping at the desk.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

OP, what time does your overnight flight arrive at MCO? The Hyatt hotel right inside MCO (look up and all around you as you leave security, it's right there, so convenient) offers something called a "day room" for around $100 IIRC which a lot of DCL cruisers book post-cruise just to have a comfortable place to spread out or nap while waiting for a later flight. I've never done but we have spend many nights there pre cruise or for late arrivals for WDW. I don't know the exact hours it's available or current price but if it gives your family a definite 6-8 hours of quiet privacy when you first get off the plane to go sleep and shower, you will start your trip well-rested with your kids excited to be on the DME bus instead of everyone cranky with a short fuse and crossing your fingers that your room will be ready.