we will be getting up at 4:00 am

[Suedrews]

the morning we leave for wdw to catch our flight & arriving before 11:00.....we were planning on just hanging out at the pool in the afternoon & making a PS for Chef Mickey's at 6:00....at that point, we will have been up for 14 hours.....has anyone experienced total exhaustion & spending money on something that no one is enjoying because of crabbiness? I am having second thoughts on doing this, and thinking of waiting until the next day to really enjoy ourselves....I know that we could probably take a nap in the afternoon, but that is NOT going to happen (lol).....

 

[mattlm]

We've done something like this several times. For us, a nap is a good idea. Best time for as is right when we get in the room even before we unpack. After all of the effort of getting there and finally being in the room - we all lay down (including the twin 7 year olds) put the TV on one of the resort channels and....zzzzzzzzz. After about an hour, we're ready to go. Makes a great stress barrier.

 

[ktglads]

We did that last year, catching our flight at 6:00 AM and going straight to the parks. Let's just say even the big kids get really really cranky. That's why we are leaving a day early do that, although we have to spend the money on a hotel room for the extra night, we will not be at each other's throats the whole day.

Definitely worth it! I would say that if this is not an option, make your first day a slow and short one so that you can catch up on your sleep (I know, at least for me, it is impossible to sleep the night before going) and not start your vacation off on a bad foot! Maybe go to a park that you will be going to again or spend the day at the pool just relaxing and go to dinner at night. Cranky Disney travelers are not a fun time and you should do everything that you can to avoid them!

 

[princess lovers mom]

I say that you gotta eat somewhere anyway, and if you are going to relax at the pool you should be OK rather than pushing it at the parks all day and then trying an event dinner. What a great way to get in the mood for parks the next day...dinner with Mickey!!! You would still be back at your room fairly early to sleep for the next day...

 

[CamColt]

You didnt mention whether you will be with kids or not. We have 2 different scenarios with this, and both turned out fine.

1)Last summer without kids, DH & I were up by 3:00 am to catch our flight. We were at the Poly by 11:15. We spent the day on the beach, and did doze off for a few minutes here or there. But with the adrenaline of being on vacation, that was all we needed in order to have a very enjoyable night, of dinner at the Kona Cafe and then a few hours partying at the bars on the BW.

2)The past 2 summers, with the kids we have driven down to WDW, 24 hours straight. The kids do get a good amount of sleep, but DH & I end up with probably 4 hours each. Still once we arrived, we are pumped to finally be there and arent really tired at all. We dont get to nap, but we spend the day relaxing by the pool, unpacking, and then go to dinner on the BW(ESPN). We really enjoy doing this, and no one is grumpy.

 

[jdads2]

Suedrews,

Let me guess...SW airlines? That is a great flight!! We are from Angola and have taken the same flight every trip so far and see no reason to stop traveling with this same 1st day itinerary!

We check in and if the room is ready we change and head to MK then Epcot for Illuminations. If the room isn't ready we head to MK then back to the room to change (after calling from guest services to make sure) then off to Epcot.

The first year we went my kids were 4, 7 and 10. We were up from 4:30 and didn't get to sleep until well after midnight. A year later we were staying at AKL and we didn't get to sleep until after 1:00am! We were all running on pure adrenalin. We were up and heading to breakfast the next morning by 9:00.

I would advise keeping all PS's if you feel the crabiness coming on call and cancel the PS that afternoon.

 

[Suedrews]

thanks for all the responses, especially from Angola & Cheektowaga! We are flying out of Buffalo on Airtran into Atlanta & then on to Orlando.....I will take all of your advice & make the PS for Chef Mickey's....we will be running on adrenaline & we will go for it!!!!!

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I just realized, earlier today, that I'm going to have to get up at 3am to be ready to leave for the airport by 4:15am to catch our 7am flight! The only good thing about leaving so early...if there is a good thing about getting up at 3AM, LOL...is we will be in Orlando by 9:30. Unfortunately, our room probably won't be ready when we check in, I think we'll either go shopping or check out the Christmas decorations at the other resorts...maybe go to Epcot?

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I just recently left my house at 3:30am to catch a 6:00am flight out of Logan... granted I have no small children anymore.. but the adrenalin was pumping...and we were psyched to fly into Miami and head out to Key West.. that night at our final destination we went to bed early.. but we did not give it up till almost 9:00pm...

So what I am saying here is I would not cancel any reservations.. I would play it by ear and see how everyone is doing when you get there.. maybe some will sleep on the plane and be fine.. Have a great time.. Enjoy..

 

[goofy4tink]

Your arrival day sounds just like ours!!! We will be eating at Chef Mickey's about the same time. We'll just hang at the resort, maybe do mini-golf, maybe visit the monorail resorts. Possibly do MK that night, but since it is a Sat that's open to change!!! We do try to be in bed by 10:00 on our arrival day.

 

[Matty_Disfan]

My GF and I have a 6:30 am flight to Newark and then on to Orlando by 11:45am.

We have to pick up the rental car, drive to a Grocery store, pick up supplies and then head to Fort Wilderness. How long do you think this will take? We hope to be at our site and set up by 2:30.... this gives us 2 hours and 45 minutes. Is this enough time?

At any rate, we were going to head right to the parks, but after reading this maybe an hour or two of rest might be in order....

If so, we will have 3 hours of MK, or 5 hours of Epcot, or 4.5 hours of MGM.... Animal Kingdom doesn't seem in the cards....

We have enough time through Park Hopper's to definitely hit the parks on the first day.

Thanks for your comments on this itinerary... (In advance)

 

[jdads2]

I have not taken that Airtrans flight. We have been lucky enough to get a good price on the SW flight that leaves BUF at 7:50am and arrives in MCO about 10:00. Direct flight with kids can't be beat!

Let us know how you like the Airtrans flight. Do you have to transfer?

 

[Suedrews]

we do have to transfer in Atlanta, but there is only a 45 minute layover.....I wanted to get a direct flight, but it would have cost $300 more & I would rather spend that on other things....the person handling our travel arrangements LOVES Airtran & says they have great smooth landings....so what the hey.....I will let you know how it goes.....