Visiting park on departure day?

[BradyBrenMom]

Just found out that our flights home are now not leaving Orlando until 6 p.m. on our departure day--how do others handle this? Even with getting on the Magical Express 3+ hours before our flight, we would still have much of the day to potentially spend in the parks. But what would we do with luggage, etc? The original plan was for us to visit Downtown Disney that day, but with the extra time we'll have, it might be cheaper to get another day of park tickets than to shop that long!

 

[Doug M]

I was told you can leave carryon stuff with bell services, and checked luggage will go there too until ME takes them. Since tickets are rather cheap from 6 to 7 days we bought with a 330 flight out, so even though we may only get 5 or so hours in a park, it was worth it for us.

 

[craigkerstiens]

We commonly do this, we generally check out, drop our bags with the bell hop or in the case we can do check our bags right away do that then spend the time in the park. If check-in is available right away and you can carry what you need with you it's even better. If that's not available you simply claim your bags from the bellhop as you wait for ME. We generally keep those days at the park a little lighter than others given we won't get back into a room to freshen up, but overall we still get to take plenty advantage of a half day in the park.

 

[lroger01]

It's also a good day to go to a water park. They normally open an hour later giving you more time to pack up and check luggage. You also arrive back refreshed rather than hot and sweaty.

 

[kangamangus]

I really like this idea!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

We ALWAYS take a late flight out when going home! This year, ours isn't until 7:30, so plenty of time for another park day. PPs are right--just check in your checked luggage like you would normally. Leave your carry-on stuff with Bell Services. When you head back to the resort to catch the bus, just pick up your carry-ons and you're all set.

This is actually a GREAT advantage of FP+ as well. No way are we making rope drop when we have to pack up and drop off luggage. But it's wonderful to know when we stroll into the park at 10:00 or so, we've already got 3 FPs waiting for us!

Personally, we don't plan on swimming or water parks, because that means packing up wet clothing to take on the plane with us. Just rather not deal with that! But a park is a definite plan!

 

[grecorj]

We stay at the Poly. We use Resort Airline Check-in early for our checked bags. Carry-on bags we'll leave with bell services (leave 15-30 minutes to claim before waiting for DME).

Then we either eat at Kona and then take Monorail to MK or this year we will just go straight to MK. The incremental cost of 7 vs 8 day tickets makes this a no brainer.

This year out DME bus will be about 2:20pm. We will leave MK by 12:30/1 and have plenty of time to collect carry-on bags, use restrooms, grab a snack and say goodbye to the Poly.

 

[Rosebud123]

We always fly out late, usually 8 or 9 p.m. We typically hit a park for a few hours in the a.m., then spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool. Last year it poured rain on departure day, so we left the MK around noon and ate at Kona, and the toured a few resorts.

If you're staying on site, I think the WDW hotels let you do curbside check in of your bags at the hotel. Then you can leave your carry-ons with the bellhop until you're ready for them.

 

[jerseygal]

We HANG by the pool last day and relax. Also like having early evening flights...like having the feeling of making the most of the "last" day at WDW!

 

[BradyBrenMom]

Thank you so much for all these great ideas! I'm getting excited thinking about part of another day in the parks, now that you all have filled me in on the logistics of making it work!

 

[jmkjr72]

This is my first trip that we aren't flying g out till later leave mco @ 430 but we are planning on doing a few things at mk that morning as we are staying at blt

 

[Fantaluminishes]

I live in Southern California, and always take a late afternoon flight home from WDW. But I rent a car and drive to MCO, which gives me even more time in the parks. This year, I'm at WDW until July 17, which is Disneyland's 60th Anniversary. I'll be celebrating by visiting all of the WDW parks during the first part of the day, and then hitting DL and DCA in the evening (hence my countdown button). It's a bucket list item for me. I've been to Disneyland for the 40th and 50th, and decided this year would be the perfect time to hit all parks in one day.

 

[Nancyg56]

This is our first trip that we do not have a later flight out, and I am already whining about it. We like to use that last day to go back to a park, have a nice lunch, and just enjoy.

 

[dsdeleon]

We had a 10:15 flight out and car service that came at 8:30PM earlier this month. I was at RPR but same thing. Checked most everything at bell services and had big plans to go to a theme park but relaxing and swimming at the pool, playing in the game room took up most of the day. We did that last trip at POR as well.

I notice when I fly out it's a pool day but when we drive out we swing by AK first for a few hours.

 

[cjparker0110]

I've always made a last trip to MK. Usually we would walk around and maybe hit a couple of favorite attractions one last time. We would spend some time in shops that we haven't been in. And then, most importantly, we would go to Casey's Corner for a hot dog. We eat said hot dog while enjoying the piano player! Then somebody in the part goes for Plaza Ice Cream and bring it back for the rest of us. It's a good way to finish the vacation. Then we always leave...the hardest part of the trip!

 

[loves to dive]

We drive down so we can leave whenever we want. Normally we get up and get packed, if we valet parked the car we get the bell hop to come get our luggage and store it, if we self park we just take it down to the car. Then we head off to the parks, usually Epcot and HS since we tend to stay in Epcot resorts. We'll catch one last ride on TOT, do last minute shopping at HS then head over to Epcot for one more turn around WS. We normally leave around 1 or so since its a 7 or 8 hour drive home.

 

[starsweeper]

Just drop your bags at bell services and have fun!

We drive, so I pack everything we don't need in the car the night before we leave. Then, we pack the rest in the morning and hit the parks until 3-4pm and drive to Valdosta to kill 3 hours on the trip.