Tiny vacation issue - WWYD??

[rszdtrvl]

We leave in 32 days! Yippee!!

We have to drive 2 1/2 - 3 hours to the airport. We plan on leaving the house at 5am. (Here's hoping we get some sleep.....)

The ONLY day that Fantasmic is showing is on the day we arrive (Saturday).


That is going to be one long day. Plus we had planned on doing Magic Morning on the next day (Sunday). Which would make for a possibly incredibly exhausting start to our vacation.

Would you do the Magic Morning on the day planned and hope you have the energy, or save it until the next MM, which in our case would be Tuesday?

I read somewhere that MM days on the weekends are less busier than on a weekday because people like to sleep in on the weekends.

We would love to be able to see Fantasmic, as that is one thing we missed last time we were there. I believe that the 28th is also the last day it will be showing for a while, due to the planned renovations.

What would you do???
5am early wakeup & driving & traveling & Fantasmic on Saturday with Magic Morning on Sunday
-or-
5am early wakeup & driving & traveling & Fantasmic on Saturday with Magic Morning on Tuesday (we leave Wednesday, and will not have any time to visit the parks on this day).

I am hoping we have the energy to see Fantasmic with everything on Saturday (we are an early to bed family, but are hoping to make an exception for vacation - last year we had a hard time staying up to watch the Electrical Parade).

Any advice on what to do? Or what would you do?

 

[Krissy Marissy]

When do you arrive? I would probably check in, take a nice looong nap. Go back into the park for some dinner and F! and then go back and sleep and get up early the next day! If you dont feel like getting up sunday...then get up early tuesday!

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you have little kids? If so, I wouldn't go to drastic measures for Fantasmic...DS fell asleep right before F, and we were SO glad, b/c it is one scary show! I was frightened and really really disturbed by most of the images in it.


If no kids, if brave young kids, if older kids...just take a rest before going over to the parks on the first day.

And for MM, play it by ear. There will likely be at least one adult who will wake up early (in my family that's me...even though at home I'm the laziest of us), and that person can work on rallying the troops...maybe that person will be successful maybe not...

That said, the difference is only an hour, so really, it makes sense to get up early to get the MM done, right?

 

[rszdtrvl]

Our flight arrives around 2pm.

That could work - if we are not giddy and totally awake (we are not much for naps).

We only have 1 child - and he is 12.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Gimme an F Gimme an A Gimme an N Gimme a T Gimme an... ok, you get the idea.

I would definitely go see Fantasmic!!

Fantasmic! will be over at approximately 9:25pm, and it's likely that you will be back at your hotel just shortly after 10:00pm.

It would be great if you can make the MM on Sunday morning, but if you can't then it isn't that big of a deal; you can still get an early start in Fantasyland on Monday morning.

HTH

 

[MickeyNikiNaka]

I went and saw Fantasmic the first day I got there, we arrived later in the day and didn't go to the park until 7. I intentionally did this because I didn't want to have to wait in a crazy long line just to get my tickets, then we had F! done and over with! We didn't end up using our MM the next day but a week ago today there wasn't much lineup at all! Depending on how many days you've allotted for yourself, it might be an idea....

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

I would 100% do Fantasmic!

See you you feel on Sunday...I would go on Sunday and then maybe nap on Sunday!!!

How fun for you!

 

[Canyon girl]

Totally different viewpoint...I would drive to the airport the night before and stay in a hotel. Look for one that does the park-and-fly. Start out the vacation more liesurely. That way you sleep later the morning you leave and don't feel so wiped out the day you arrive. We did this flying from St. Louis one year, and it worked great. The car stayed at the hotel instead of airport parking.

 

[bumbershoot]

Totally different viewpoint...I would drive to the airport the night before and stay in a hotel. Look for one that does the park-and-fly. Start out the vacation more liesurely. That way you sleep later the morning you leave and don't feel so wiped out the day you arrive. We did this flying from St. Louis one year, and it worked great. The car stayed at the hotel instead of airport parking.

Ooh, good point.

OP, if you're going to seatac, the Super8 has had a fly/park package that lets you park at no extra charge (beyond what you paid for the night) for a week.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Flying out of PDX. (Is there any construction in this area that will make my trip longer?? Anybody know??)

It was mentioned a while ago about staying at an airport hotel the night before, but that is not a possibility because my mother is going to be watching our dogs, and she won't get here until the evening. (I have a dog with spinal disc issues)

According to Mapquest, our trip *should* take around 2 1/2 hours. Our flight leaves at 11:25. We were going to leave the house at 5am: get us to the airport at approx 7:30, park the car, get inside the actual airport around 8.

I should be able to check in to our flight before we leave online, so that will help. We already have our seats (I LOVE this part of Alaska Airlines)

We are supposed to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to departure. This will put us in 1 1/2 hours before that - just in case there is construction or accidents on the freeway.

We will get to the airport, check our bags, go through security, and have breakfast. And sit and watch the planes land and leave. And watch for our "I'm Going to Disneyland" plane with Disney characters on it!!

 

[DisnLuvr]

I'm really exicted by seeing your letters its really nice that i have decided to visit the diseny very soon.I'm starting to enquire with my travel agent for the plan. I have not told my kids regarding the trip i will be telling them once i confirm dates otherways if i tell them and change the date they will be upset for sure.I myself really exicted

 

[Misskitty3]

I am in a similar situation as you are. We are flying out of Seatac on a Saturday at 7:40 so will need to leave our house around 5am. That will be our first day at the park and we really, really want to see the firworks. My kids are 3 & 6 so staying up for the fireworks is going to be super late for them. We have a MM to use and will need to use it on that Sunday (for us that will be Mother's day) or the following Tuesday. Right now, we are plannning to skip the park altogether on Sunday and save our MM for Tuesday when the park doesn't open until 10am (9am for MM).

 

[nottellin']

I am in the same situation as you and we have decided to go to Fantasmic! I think you should go see it and if nobody feels like waking up the next morning save your MM for the one on Tuesday. Now, if everyone feels up to getting up early ,go on Sunday.

We arrive the same day as you maybe we'll see you there

 

[prncssmel]

I think Fantasmic is a must see, and with your child being older, staying up shouldn't be too bad. I wouldn't go straight to the park when you get there. I would hang around the hotel, try to rest, hit the pool. Then go over to DL at 6, get some CS food, then go stake out your spots. On a Saturday night (especially if it is the last for awhile), you want to be in your spot 1 1/2-2 hours early.

I would plan for your MM on Sunday, but depending on how you are feeling on Saturday night, change to Tuesday if needed.

 

[nunzia]

When do you arrive? I would probably check in, take a nice looong nap. Go back into the park for some dinner and F! and then go back and sleep and get up early the next day! If you dont feel like getting up sunday...then get up early tuesday!

That's my advice too. Fantasmic is the best show ever and you don't want to miss it!

 

[Pir8girl]

Oops I double posted. Don't mind me.

 

[Pir8girl]

I agree with the OP's that you don't want to miss Fantasmic. Is there anyway you can take the dog to "grandma's" the night before? There are several hotels near PDX that offer park & fly. And it should only take you 3 hours or so from Aberdeen. The longest part I think is getting to I-5 from where you are.

If you can't go the night before, then I would hang out at the pool, rest up & do Fantasmic. If you feel like getting up Sunday then do, if not wait until Monday or Tuesday or MM. These days are often less crowded.

Having said that... what day are you leaving? Oregon's spring break is the week of March 23rd... You'll know all the Northwesterners from their pasty white legs!

 

[wannagoback]

Are your dogs the only reason you don't want to stay in an airport hotel the night before? Maybe you could have a neighbor kid watch your dogs for a bit until your mom gets there. Heck, I could even do it! I'm the other person from Aberdeen. Maybe we're neighbors!

We took an early flight on our last trip and I will never do it again. We stayed in SeaTac the night before, bur flight was at 7am and my travel agent suggested that I get there three hours early. Poor DD was exhausted the whole trip. I had planned to take a nap once we got to Anaheim, but with DL right across the street, we just had to get to the park.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Yep, the dogs are the main, and probably only reason why.

My mom won't get here until later on - my youngest brother (15) has school. I am guessing she will be her around 6-7pm-ish. If not a bit earlier.

I am a super protective pet parent - our pets are lucky we are so neurotic, LOL.

I think everything will work out, provided we pack and have everything ready in the morning (clothes ready for the day, suitcases in the car, etc.), rest at the airport, and rest for a bit at the hotel.

You are so sweet wannagoback.

-----------------OOOOOHHHHHH----------- I will update in a bit.

 

[Pir8girl]

Are you flying Alaska? Because if you are, you can buy a one day club pass for $30 go in, rest, eat their goodies before you get on the plane.