Two weeks and counting..getting worried

[MMcCarthy]

DH and I will be going to Disneyland and then aulani with mil and fi. I have only flown twice over 2 hrs. Really am not sure how my body will react to sitting on a plane for hours. I have never been to California. We were unable to get DVD rooms and will be staying in Disneyland hotel rooms. I am excited but also worried. I have built this trip up in my mind for such a long time...what if it isn't as great as I have been dreaming, what if things don't go as planned, what if something happens here at home while we are enjoying ourselves....you get the picture. I have got to figure out a way to stop counting down and worrying. Maybe if we get some sunshine it will help. Thanks for letting me vent

 

[Anal Annie]

Not sure what you're worried about! It will be a wonderful trip (we're doing the same DL/Aulani trip in August). You'll be fine and when you get there you'll be in paradise. At least you're breaking up the trip with a stop in CA. That's not so bad. I always have a hard time trying to sleep on long flights...you could take a sleeping pill or some Benadryl or something if you'd rather sleep (and bring an eye mask & one of those neck pillows). Hopefully you'll be on a plane with some in-flight entertainment if you opt not to sleep. If not be sure to bring your own entertainment (iPod, laptop, Kindle, book etc.). Also, try to get up & walk around a every so often so your blood can circulate in your legs. Stop worrying. There is nothing to worry about.

 

[ludari]

Yes, no need to worry because anytime on Disney property is a great day. I understand your need to want to plan but as long as nothing goes horribly wrong I think everything will be fine. I travel a lot and most of it is on Disney property and I've never been disappointed.

 

[Sir William]

Not sure what you're worried about! It will be a wonderful trip (we're doing the same DL/Aulani trip in August). You'll be fine and when you get there you'll be in paradise. At least you're breaking up the trip with a stop in CA. That's not so bad. I always have a hard time trying to sleep on long flights...you could take a sleeping pill or some Benadryl or something if you'd rather sleep (and bring an eye mask & one of those neck pillows). Hopefully you'll be on a plane with some in-flight entertainment if you opt not to sleep. If not be sure to bring your own entertainment (iPod, laptop, Kindle, book etc.). Also, try to get up & walk around a every so often so your blood can circulate in your legs. Stop worrying. There is nothing to worry about.

Fully agree! Focus on the destination, not the journey.

My underseat carry-on is my flight-survival kit. I have my iPod so I can listed to music I like. I have book or Kindle to read especially if I don't like the movie being shown (and after several malfunctioning overhead lights I also carry a book light). I have my own headphones as those the airlines supply are generally worthless. I have an eye mask, inflatable neck pillow, and ear-plugs to help me sleep, especially on night flights. I get up every couple of hours to either use the restroom, or at least walk to it and back to get the blood circulating (your in-flight magazine will also include some tips on how to exercise in your seat). I also carry a travel guide and map of where I'm going so I can do any last-minute planning (or better yet, answer some question that occurs to me.

 

[michelleiada]

DH and I will be going to Disneyland and then aulani with mil and fi. I have only flown twice over 2 hrs. Really am not sure how my body will react to sitting on a plane for hours. I have never been to California. We were unable to get DVD rooms and will be staying in Disneyland hotel rooms. I am excited but also worried. I have built this trip up in my mind for such a long time...what if it isn't as great as I have been dreaming, what if things don't go as planned, what if something happens here at home while we are enjoying ourselves....you get the picture. I have got to figure out a way to stop counting down and worrying. Maybe if we get some sunshine it will help. Thanks for letting me vent

Stop worrying about things you have absolutely no control over. Most of the times in life the things we worry about never happen. Go and enjoy yourself. Life is too short!

 

[NC State Tigger]

DH and I will be going to Disneyland and then aulani with mil and fi. I have only flown twice over 2 hrs. Really am not sure how my body will react to sitting on a plane for hours. I have never been to California. We were unable to get DVD rooms and will be staying in Disneyland hotel rooms. I am excited but also worried. I have built this trip up in my mind for such a long time...what if it isn't as great as I have been dreaming, what if things don't go as planned, what if something happens here at home while we are enjoying ourselves....you get the picture. I have got to figure out a way to stop counting down and worrying. Maybe if we get some sunshine it will help. Thanks for letting me vent

We are booked for October at Aulani. I understand your concern about the long flight. We will not be stopping in California and I am very concerned about being on a plane for so long. Most of my flying is about two hours to WDW or to visit family in FL. I have not yet booked our flights and can not decide. Flying from NC there are so many options. 1 stop or 2 stops; how we should break up the flights? It is really making planning difficult. I get what my family refers to as the "fidgets" after about 2 hours.

I'm going to try and take the advise some of the others have given you and try to think about where I am headed rather then how I will get there, but would love to hear how you felt about the long flights after you return.

Have a wonderful vacation!!

 

[bumbershoot]

DH travels for work, and I was finally able to get him to try those compression socks on our recent vacation and then for a trip almost immediately after (from Seattle to Russia). He loved them! His legs felt SO much better, so much "fresher", after the flight with those socks on; sure he felt like a dweeb with them on, but no one else knew he was wearing them so that didn't bother him.

So that could help one aspect of your flight, to buy some good compression "hose" like that.

Just give yourself lots to do. Music, reading. Knitting if you do that. Bring your checkbook and balance it. Write a novel. Keep yourself busy.


Disneyland Hotel is really great and I bet you'll love it. I rarely notice usernames; have you been on the Disneyland forum to ask any questions you might have, or to read read and read some more?

 

[bumbershoot]

Flying from NC there are so many options. 1 stop or 2 stops; how we should break up the flights? It is really making planning difficult. I get what my family refers to as the "fidgets" after about 2 hours.

Making 2 stops will make the trip even longer; that might help with moving around, but will it help overall? I would probably try to stop halfway with a somewhat long layover; maybe 2 hours or even a bit more. That way you could get to your next gate and then have time to pace around, get some snacks, pace some more, do jumping jacks, etc. Work off the energy. Then settle in for the part that gets you to Hawaii.

 

[Jimsig]

Also, try to get up & walk around a every so often so your blood can circulate in your legs. Stop worrying. There is nothing to worry about.

Get up every 2 hours and walk the plane, just make sure the drink/food cart is out of the way If it's a 2 aisle plane you can do a lap or two

My now wife and I flew from Newark to Honolulu non-stop, over 10 hours. We made sure to get up and walk every couple hours. Also keep hydrated on the flight by drinking water and or juice, especially if it's a long flight. On longer flights the flight attendents will some times leave out a picture of water and cups near the galley, but don't be affraid to ask if you don't see it. Bring some reading material and a couple movies if you have a laptop/dvd player and the flight will be over before you know it.

 

[Anal Annie]

We are booked for October at Aulani. I understand your concern about the long flight. We will not be stopping in California and I am very concerned about being on a plane for so long. Most of my flying is about two hours to WDW or to visit family in FL. I have not yet booked our flights and can not decide. Flying from NC there are so many options. 1 stop or 2 stops; how we should break up the flights? It is really making planning difficult. I get what my family refers to as the "fidgets" after about 2 hours.

I'm going to try and take the advise some of the others have given you and try to think about where I am headed rather then how I will get there, but would love to hear how you felt about the long flights after you return.

Have a wonderful vacation!!

Oh no more than 1 stop for sure!! Stops just open you up more to the chances of lost / delayed luggage AND they drag the trip out from taking roughly 12 hours to more like 15-17 hours. You don't want to take that long!! Trust me!! This summer will be my 5th trip to Hawaii. The first time I went from Pittsburgh and we transferred in LAX going. Coming home on that trip we had 2 stops - San Fran and Chicago. That was a nightmare. Our plane from San Fran to Chicago had a mechanical problem and we spent the entire night in the SF airport. Thankfully we were scheduled to have a 4 or 5 hour layover in Chicago so we didn't miss our connection BUT we only had a 30 min. window to switch hubs in Chicago - we were literally RUNNING thru O'hare. This was back in 1990 (before cell phones were so common) and my Dad was to pick us up in Pittsburgh - but he had a 2 hour drive to get there and we had no way to reach him to let him know we may miss our connecting flight. It was so stressful. In the end it worked out but we were really tired and really frazzled.

On my 2nd trip we had 2 stops going. Left from DC and transferred thru Chicago and LAX. We were soooo wiped out when we got there. I forget how we got home on that one. The next time we went thru Dallas FW I think both ways. Then the next time we went thru Salt Lake City going and thru Atlanta coming home. Those were actually pretty good transfer points. The flight from Hawaii to Atlanta was something like 10 hours and I was a little worried about that but it was actually just fine and I would do that again. Then we just had a short flight home to DC from ATL.

This summer we ARE stopping in CA for 4 nights on the way so that end will be broken up nicely and the jet lag won't be so bad. Coming home we're flying on Alaska Air from Maui thru Seattle so just 1 stop (I search for 1 stop flights and look at the total trip duration time when I shop for flights). 12 hours is my max. for this trip. No way I want to drag it out any longer than that. If you haven't already booked your flights yet then consider the idea of stopping in CA for a night or 2 on your way out. It will really help adjusting to the jet lag. And no matter which way you end up booking it you need to get on THEIR time as soon as possible which means you need to stay up and go to bed on their time when you get there.