return home :(..flight times? what works best?

[ReneeA]

We took later flights both trips when our kids were toddlers.

We just rested and played in the pool in the morning, went to the MK for one last goodbye, and then were back at the resort for the bus to the airport by late afternoon. The kids were tired, but the good thing about it was that they slept on the flight home.

 

[ireland_nicole]

I'm going against the flow here, but I vote for the early flight. By the last day, My kids are exhausted, and it's nice to just pack up and leave (My little ones are early risers, so the 8am wouldn't be a problem.) Then, when you get home, you can relax before going back to work/school/etc. Otherwise, it can take a lot longer to get back into your routine and I know I don't like dealing w/ cranky toddlers more than is absolutely necessary. I just tell the kids that our "last day"is the day before we actually fly out. The next day is just "travel day"
HIH
Nicole

 

[jarrdisney]

I'm going against the flow here, but I vote for the early flight. By the last day, My kids are exhausted, and it's nice to just pack up and leave (My little ones are early risers, so the 8am wouldn't be a problem.) Then, when you get home, you can relax before going back to work/school/etc. Otherwise, it can take a lot longer to get back into your routine and I know I don't like dealing w/ cranky toddlers more than is absolutely necessary. I just tell the kids that our "last day"is the day before we actually fly out. The next day is just "travel day"
HIH
Nicole

I think it's a small price to pay! We've even gone to the parks, swam at AKL, and showered in their super nice locker rooms.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

With only those 2 choices, I'd vote for the 11:00am flight.

When I've taken the later flights home, I've found that I'm always watching the clock, worrying that I might not get back at the resort on time.

Plus, and maybe I've just had back luck, but it's been my experience that later flights tend to be delayed. It seems that the delays just seem to keep piling up during the day.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Thanks everyone! Well...I booked the flights today (I was getting nervous that prices might go up so I took the 5 RT tickets for $1,000)..and went with the 7:30 departure. I'm hoping I made the right decision....how bad can it be to spend one more day at WDW?

 

[jadedbeauty14304]

I think you did the right thing. I am flying out at 7:20 my last day, and have a breakfast ADR at Kona at 10:00 am, and then a stop at Epcot (it is our favorite) for a "please mom one last ride!!!" day, where we each pick one last attraction and then head back to the resort to retrieve our luggage before the ME bus comes. I hate the last day... so I try to make it long!!

 

[suzimar57]

sorry to differ here, but we always get the first non-stop of the day (usually 630am or around that time...)

that way, less likely to be delay problems (due to weather, etc)

but this is just us....

(we also get the first non-stop of the day day arriving, too!)

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

I just figured it was almost silly not to get the last nonstop flight of the day...we are getting almost another full day at WDW for almost free.....and we get another day at the parks! I extended our 6 day MYW to a 7 day for only $1.80 per person! ...so we're going to leave day 7 as a "no plans day" and pick our favorite park to hit up one more time..either MK or Epcot! Can't wait!

 

[Aliceacc]

Just out of curiosity: why not just get another day at the parks? Once you get past 4 or 5 days, it adds something ridiculously low (like $4 per person per day.)

Then you could get the latest flight and another morning in the park. We were lucky enough to get an 8 pm flight home, so I figure we'll be in the MK till at least noon

 

[KorieDWnut]

I vote for LATE
My flight is leaving this time at 9pm...so a 6pm ME pick up? I am very very excited. We got an extra day of tickets.It was a whopping 6 dollars total to add that extra day for all of us.

 

[danalee]

We are doing later flights this time as well, if your kiddos can last and no work for you the following day then stay and prolong your vacation even if its just for hours!

 

[mhingher]

I'm back and forth on this... we usually end up taking the later flight and spend the day in DTD. I usually end up spending more money that I didn't need to! I love the idea of maximizing my time in WDW too though. Next month our flights leaves at 4:15, but then in November we don't leave until 8pm.

And it also depends on work - I'm planning on going to work the day after I return from our trip next month, (maybe a little late though!) but in November we're returning on a Saturday so I have Sunday to relax.

 

[EnnEss]

Just a point of curiosity mildly OT here, how come the departing flights seem to end so early at MCO? My airport here, much smaller, has many flights available to most anywhere in the world around 10 pm to midnight fairly regularly.

 

[GazerBeam]

I've had early, midday and late flights out of MCO and they all have their advantages. But I've never done WDW with kids.

If you go early, that last day is just get-away day. The 'fun' ends the night before. I'm up early, shower, go to the airport. I'm home in the early afternoon. Best when you have to work the next day.

If you go super late (I've had 8pm departures, getting me to boston at 11), you have a lot of time in the parks, but you may be homeless for the afternoon. You might get a late check-out, I've had better luck with this at the swan/dolphin or the DTD hotels than on property.

The mid day (say 2pm) departure is really my favorite. You can get up late, have a relaxed breakfast somewhere like kona or spoodles, just savor the last hours there without going into a park.

GB

 

[phisigprincess]

We took the 7 p.m. versus 7 a.m. for our upcoming August trip. We plan to catch breakfast at Kona, explore some resorts, and do DTD during the day. I think it will be nice to have one last relaxed day in Disney.

 

[mygirl]

i am all about extending the vay-cay as long as possible. kids are resilient and can sleep on the plane - go for the late stay!

 

[KorieDWnut]

Just a point of curiosity mildly OT here, how come the departing flights seem to end so early at MCO? My airport here, much smaller, has many flights available to most anywhere in the world around 10 pm to midnight fairly regularly.

Mine is leaving at 9pm..it is the latest flight I have ever seen out of MCO with Southwest

 

[christa112]

We also do a later non stop flight. The later the better for us, so we can get that last day in. I don't care if my kids are tired, they can sleep on the plane LOL!!!!

 

[cindyfan]

I wish there was still a late night flight back home for me for this August.
The lastest is 3:30, which means ME pick up at 12:30..... not much I can do that morning and still be back to the resort for pick up.

But in previous years we've had flights as late as 7:30. It was great that day..... we headed to EMH hours at MK for like 4 hours and then hopped the monorail to Epcot, had lunch and some last minute shopping till 3:45 ish.......... and caught the ME at 4:30.
Another time we had a 6:00 flight and we were staying at Contemporary. No EMH that day..... but we were at MK for rope drop. And it was great not to worry about "catching the bus" back to the resort because we could walk back to Contemporary.

And..... if you fly with an airline that you can check your luggage and get boarding passes.... make sure you do. Then your carry on... have Bell Services hold it till you return from the park.

 

[cindyfan]

Just a point of curiosity mildly OT here, how come the departing flights seem to end so early at MCO? My airport here, much smaller, has many flights available to most anywhere in the world around 10 pm to midnight fairly regularly.

I think it depends more on the airline, not the airport.
If the airport is a hub for a bigger airline, you have better chances of more flights.
Not sure how the smaller airlines work though.

Cleveland is a hub for Continental.... so they have lots of flights out..... very late..... not neccessarily to Florida...... MCO is not a hub... so the flights are more limited there.