should i go to HS on my departure day or just relax at POP until DME?

[disney world dreamer]

i got the buy 4 days get the 5th day free discount and now i'm feeling obligated to use it but idk if i should cuz i may feel stressed about the time.

my flight at MCO is at 3:30pm so DME will most likely be at 12:30pm.

HS opens at 9am.

i did make a FP+ for TOT 9:15am-10:15am and RNRC for 10:15am-11:15am although i could probably RD RNRC and then FP+ TOT and be out of there by 10am.

as much as i'd love to get in those last minute thrills idk if it will be worth the stress of having to get back to POP for DME hanging over my head.

i will check in my luggage at RAC but i will still have my large backpack that i will take on the plane with me so i'll either have to ask the hotel to hold it for me and then have to worry about retrieving that before DME or i'll have to take it to HS (its gonna have a laptop, neck pillow, medications.... so going through bag check at HS may be awkward lol)

given this info should i just save myself the trouble and skip HS and instead sleep in and relax?

 

[DisneyFive]

Our first two years were like that, and we went to the parks on our departure day. After doing that twice, we realized that as much as we want to maximize our park time, it's just not a good idea. It's super hectic, and by the time you get to the park, it feels like it's already time to go back since you need to leave enough time at the resort and grab all your bags and stuff.

Now we try to get packed a little the night before we leave, then hit the pools for a bit in the morning and fully pack up and get ready for DME.

Dan

 

[Meriweather]

We go to DHS on departure day. We have a but later flight than you do.

 

[FantasiaMagic]

I think if there is a ride/attraction you really want to experience again, I would go for it! As long as you get there for RD and leave at a decent time in order to get back to your resort for DME, you should be fine! Since you will be all packed and just waiting for DME to pick you up, there is no other stress other then getting back to the resort. Also, if I had an extra park pass, I would want to use it, even if it was only for an hour for a few attractions

 

[Disneylover99]

If you've got that extra ticket anyways, I say go for it. Just leave your big bag at Bell Services and enjoy!

 

[SplashMo]

We usually hit AK from 9-12 on departure day. DS would work just as well

 

[CounselorX]

I don't recommend it but I realize not everyone is like me. I personally like to dedicate the day before departure to just relax at the resort, get everything packed, and have a stress-free departure the next morning. The most we'll do on the day before departure is maybe stroll around Downtown Disney for a couple hours.

 

[Echo queen]

It would depend on how soon I have to get back to real life ie home work. I have 6 days off after my WDW vacation that is 6 nights. So I don't mind running it hard. If I had to return to work right after vacation I would take it easy.

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I always go to a park on my last day. I live in California, and schedule my flight home around 5pm. This usually gets me home by 9pm. I always rent a car, and check out of my resort early to get to my park at opening. I can leave at 3pm, and still have time to return the car, go through security, and hang out waiting to board my flight. This works like a charm every trip.

 

[ConnieB]

I personally would do it, but since your post specifically said you were concerned about being stressed about time, it sounds like it may not be a wise idea for yourself. My philosphy would be I can sleep and/or relax on the plane, lol. Remember that although you have that extra day, you did NOT pay for it, so to not use it is not wasting money. It was a freebie that you simply did not need so there is no obligation to use it.

That said, if you're still wondering if you could do it and enjoy........since you'll be there for several days before the fateful day, you might want to pay attention to how long it takes for you to ride the bus back to your resort.....that might help you determine if you would be time crunching too much. I've NOT done the bus ride from DHS to POP, but I would certainly think that you could do it in less than an hour....and since your last FP starts at 10:15, even assuming a longish FP line, that would give you 45 minutes to ride it and walk out to the busses....even if it took an entire hour to go from DHS to POP you'd be there by noon, giving you 30 minutes to retrieve your backpack and make it to MDE. So, in my mind, lots of padding in the times.

Perhaps make a new post here to ask people how long it takes to ride the bus from DHS to POP.

 

[ConnieB]

I personally would do it, but since your post specifically said you were concerned about being stressed about time, it sounds like it may not be a wise idea for yourself. My philosphy would be I can sleep and/or relax on the plane, lol. Remember that although you have that extra day, you did NOT pay for it, so to not use it is not wasting money. It was a freebie that you simply did not need so there is no obligation to use it.

That said, if you're still wondering if you could do it and enjoy........since you'll be there for several days before the fateful day, you might want to pay attention to how long it takes for you to ride the bus back to your resort.....that might help you determine if you would be time crunching too much. I've NOT done the bus ride from DHS to POP, but I would certainly think that you could do it in less than an hour....and since your last FP starts at 10:15, even assuming a longish FP line, that would give you 45 minutes to ride it and walk out to the busses....even if it took an entire hour to go from DHS to POP you'd be there by noon, giving you 30 minutes to retrieve your backpack and make it to MDE. So, in my mind, lots of padding in the times.

Perhaps make a new post here to ask people how long it takes to ride the bus from DHS to POP.

 

[Crystal824]

We generally go to a park on our last day. Our flight is usually a bit later, around 5 or so. With FP+ it makes it a little easier to schedule your attraction times. I would probably go and just hit those attractions and come back leaving plenty of time to make it back for DME. WIth that being said not everyone is like me. If the timing issue is going to stress you out, don't do it. Just hang at the resort.

 

[Robo]

Perhaps make a new post here to ask people how long it takes to ride the bus from DHS to POP.

The actual on-the-road drive will be under 10 minutes, but always allow much extra time to wait
for a bus to arrive and board.

Rule-of-thumb:
If getting back to the resort via bus is crucial, allow 60 minutes.
(It shouldn't actually take that long, but you never know.)

 

[Robo]

i will check in my luggage at RAC but i will still have my large backpack that i will take on the plane with me so i'll either have to ask the hotel to hold it for me and then have to worry about retrieving that before DME or i'll have to take it to HS (its gonna have a laptop, neck pillow, medications.... so going through bag check at HS may be awkward lol)

Take your bag to Bell Services before you leave for the park that morning.
Tell them an approximate time that you'll be back for it.
They will give you a claim check and you can be on your way.
We have done this on our last day for many years.

 

[My3Princez]

I would totally do it. Leaving and retrieving your backpack with bell services is easy peasy. Enjoy your last morning in the parks! While I really like POP, I'm pretty sure you're going on this trip for the parks not for the resort...

 

[sully&mike]

We just stayed at POP, and our flight was later.

However, it was just DD and I....and she was really wanting to just hang out at the resort and chill. That was how she wanted to spend her day.
We really enjoyed it. - Especially the Pool Party.

It was a very relaxing send-off.

That said - I could have enjoyed a few park hours WITH a FP+ just as much!

Knowing that - if it were me, I'd be preparing to leave DHS BY 11:30am to return to POP to board DME in time. I stress about time especially when it is making flights.

 

[goofy4tink]

i got the buy 4 days get the 5th day free discount and now i'm feeling obligated to use it but idk if i should cuz i may feel stressed about the time.

my flight at MCO is at 3:30pm so DME will most likely be at 12:30pm.

HS opens at 9am.

i did make a FP+ for TOT 9:15am-10:15am and RNRC for 10:15am-11:15am although i could probably RD RNRC and then FP+ TOT and be out of there by 10am.

as much as i'd love to get in those last minute thrills idk if it will be worth the stress of having to get back to POP for DME hanging over my head.

i will check in my luggage at RAC but i will still have my large backpack that i will take on the plane with me so i'll either have to ask the hotel to hold it for me and then have to worry about retrieving that before DME or i'll have to take it to HS (its gonna have a laptop, neck pillow, medications.... so going through bag check at HS may be awkward lol)

given this info should i just save myself the trouble and skip HS and instead sleep in and relax?

You can do it...won't be relaxing but it's doable. You need to be back at the resort no later than 30 mins prior to your stated p/u time, and out at the bus stop, ready to go, 10-15 mins prior to that time. So, if your p/u time is (let's say) 12:30, you should be at the bus stop by 12:15, which means back at the resort no later than noon!
So.....check your bags with RAC by 8am, leave your backpack/carryons with Luggage Assistance...nice thing is that they are very close to the DME bus stop. Then, be on the DHS bus by 8:30. You may be able to squeeze in a non-FP+ ride before that first one. I would aim to be at ToT for 10. That enables you to head over to RnRC for 10:20ish. You can use both FP+s that way, with little concern. You can then take your time....amble out of the park by 11:15ish. Yes, that sounds early, but if you just miss the Pop bus, you could be waiting another 20 mins or so! I hate worrying about timing on that last day. So, get there early, do your two FPs, then head out...that will get you back to Pop with plenty of time to spare.

 

[DisneyFive]

You can always "play it by ear" and see how you are feeling. You definitely have time to spend a couple of hours at a park before needing to head back to POP. With a 5 night stay, you might not be exhausted by the end of it. Getting up early may not be an issue to get to the park.

Dan

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

We have done both in the past with no issues. We usually fly out around 4-5pm so we've packed the night before and then headed to a park for a few rides before coming back. As long as you give yourself plenty of time to get back there isn't an issue.

Once we got stranded at DTD and the resort bus didn't show up for over an hour and caused us to miss our MDE time. There was actually another family there at the bus stop with us that missed it too and there wasn't any problem putting us on another shuttle about 30 mins later to the airport. I will admit we were a little more stressed out though on that trip home!

 

[married2mm]

Do you want to be chilled and relaxed?

Would you be up and lively for dhs if you weren't planning to go there?

Do you mind clock watching?

Is there a specific ride/attraction you want to visit one last time?

Are you a go with the flow person or a bit of a control freak?

I am the latter and we once visited mk on our departure day-never again.

If we have a later flight (in my mind-anything after 4pm) we do indeed visit dhs for star tours and toy story midway mania.
Easier access in and out of the park.

We have a car-And I fret.
We would definitely only stay an hour relying on disney transport.