Red Eye Flight from West Coast....am I crazy?

[Lizzards]

So I need some advice! I realize no one has the perfect answer or can even predict what my kids will do...but maybe someone out there has done this before. I am looking to draw from experience!!
We are traveling to WDW for the first time with my husband for a conference. Conference runs April 28 through May 3. We are staying at the Grand Floridian. Kids are ages 8 and 5 at time of travel. We won't have many days there (obviously) and can't really extend because kids are in school and already missing school days; husband has to get back to work; etc. so I am contemplating taking a red eye on the 27th and landing early am on the 28th. I was thinking of planning a low key day (pool, resort exploring, ADR at a resort) but at least giving a few more hours and not spending the whole day on the 28th traveling. Since we live in So Cal there is no real quick trip to Fl not to mention the time change.
Ok I have rambled enough. Anyone done a red eye with kids and lived to regret it? Or happy about it?
Thanks for your time!

 

[craigkerstiens]

We've done this a number of times being up in the Bay area. As long as you're not expecting to power through and hit the day running I think it's definitely worth it. If you're doing an easy day at the resort I'd say it's fairly do-able, though if you've not done a red-eye with the kids expect for you to get even less sleep with them. I've done a number with our DD whose 3 now and as she gets older they actually get a little harder instead of easier.

The other thing we'll often do is catch a later flight 4/5pm that's direct to Orlando, then stay the first night in the Hyatt in the Orlando airport. Being able to just get off the plan walk to the hotel and crash at midnight let's us wake up close to 7/8am, catch the magical express, and be at the parks about an hour after opening without feeling like we're going to kill over.

 

[planningjollyholiday]

Do you and your kids normally sleep on a plane? If so then i would go for it. We have done them with our kids on different vacations and they just sleep so it is great. I however can't sleep on planes so I am usually pretty tired the next day.

 

[ebonyeyes]

We have taken the red eye from Vegas a few times. The kids usually sleep for the most part. Our first time we landed at 6am...boarded DME and when we arrived at AKV...drumroll...Our room was ready!!! We had not planned to have a park day, but we couldn't contain ourselves! We ended up calling it an early evening though. Another trip we arrived just after midnight so we just stayed at a Hilton property using our loyalty points and headed to the park bright and early. This was more affordable than using points. Good luck on planning your trip! No matter what you decide, I'm sure it will all work out. The way I see it, you will be at Disney so it has no choice to be anything other than Magical!

 

[LovesTimone]

Go for it..

With that said... Be prepared that the room might not be ready, so have a pool bag ready to go( don't forget the sunscreen in the bag). Also leading up to the trip make sure the kids and yourself are getting as much rest as possible. I would discuss with them the travel plans and talk to them about traveling late at night. If possible I would try to get a nap in before, if not at least a couple of hours of rest before heading to the airport.

 

[Thing 1]

I would suggest a late flight and getting a hotel right at the airport and getting a super early start the next morning. We did something similar and were at our resort by 7:00AM. Our room was also ready but I would never count on that. With limited time, I would plan a park day. You don't have to go commando style or even stay all day but even if they are tired, the kids can see MK from the resort and are going to be wired!!!! If your room is not ready until mid afternoon, think 3:00, you are going to be hunting things to do at the resort and pool time can be just as tiring as the parks.

 

[Lizzards]

Thank you everyone!! I am going to check flight times now and see what is available. The idea about staying at the Hyatt would work too. Gotta see what is flying out of LAX! So excited! Thanks!

 

[azdisneymom]

We are doing our first direct red eye from Arizona in September. We land at 6:50am and plan to hit the ground running and go straight to a park and then check into the hotel around 2pm and crash for several hours. We usually fly in and land around 4pm and I hate loosing a whole day to travel. Our last trip we traveled all day, got to the hotel around 5pm, had a quick dinner and went to Magic Kingdom till they closed at midnight. We were wiped out by the time we got to bed, but such a fun day as the kids never close the parks down. We all usually sleep on the plane since it's a 4 hour flight, so that definitely helps.