What was I thinking...early flight?

[Horace Horsecollar]

To the poster who said that we'll need to leave at 2:00 a.m. to be at the airport by 4:00...that is not the case for us. It will only take us 20-30 minutes to get to the airport at that time of morning so it is fine for us to leave at 4:00. We're flying out of a smaller airport which is much easier to navigate than the big international airport which requires extra time.

In the post that started this thread, you wrote that you had a "6 a.m. flight out of Chicago to Orlando on SW." I assumed that meant Chicago-Midway Airport. Although it's much smaller than Chicago-O'Hare, it's still a big city airport and can still be a busy place. Midway has a single, large terminal with a single, busy TSA security operation. The time through the TSA checkpoint will depend on the staffing that time of the morning. (In comparison, O'Hare has four large large terminals, some of which have multiple security operations.)

If you use remote parking at Midway, be sure to allow time to get from remote parking to the terminal.

My advice is to plan for the worst case, not for the best case. Then, if everything goes smoothly, you'll have plenty of time for breakfast. But if there long waits or back-ups anywhere in the process, you still won't miss your flight.

 

[geena]

Just curious when you booked your flight. We are hoping to go Chicago to Orlando in mid to late Sept. and cannot get a flight that cheap. Do these low fares pop up periodically or did you book a while ago? Today the lowest was $117 which it not too low in my opinion. lol.

 

[bear_mom]

A 6:00 a.m. flight means getting to the airport at 4:00 a.m., not just getting up at 4:00 a.m.

Depending on the where someone lives in relation to the airport, it could mean getting up at 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m.

Early flights are one of those things that seem like a good idea until you do the math.

My advice to anyone with an early flight and staying at a WDW resort is to use Disney's Magical Express, especially the luggage transfers. The room might not be ready until 4:00 p.m. It's great not having to deal with bags after checking in at one's home airport (or being expected to tip again and again in the process).

I'm all for getting to the airport early and stress about making it there on time, etc. But getting to our airport at 4:00 for a 6:00 am flight is going a bit overboard. There are only 7 gates and parking has never been an issue.

We get there just before 5.

Emily

 

[5boyz]

It sounded like a good idea at the time...I got an awesome fare ($69) on a 6 a.m. flight out of Chicago to Orlando on SW. 6 a.m.!!!! That means we'll leave for the airport at 4 a.m.! I am planning for us to roll out of bed and get right into the car. Once we get to Disney, we're either going to stay at the resort and sit poolside or go to a park right away. Either way, we're planning on going to bed early so we can get a jump on the next day. Any tips from anyone who has flown this early? Thanks!

Kate

I do early flights and mid afternoon on home....I dont mind getting up early to start my vacation but HATE ending it having to get up at 4 or 5am......what a waste of a last day. We are also doing 6am flight from Buffalo, we do a day of shopping and then spend the night at the hotel just hanging out and then start our Disney the next day...that is what has worked for us all these year... We leave at 1:45pm so not too early to the airport or out of bed....

 

[Lucky St. Louis]

We are flying out of MDW which I have done hundreds of times for business and pleasure and know my timing. This time, we'll be leaving our car at my brother-in-law's who lives a few blocks away and will get dropped off. We are also NOT checking bags (we are extremely light packers and the trip is only four days and then we're driving to Sarasota to see mother-in-law so we'll do laundry there) so our only wait will be through the security line. If we are at the airport at 4:30, we'll be fine.

With regard to ticket prices, I bought this ticket in mid-February for an end of May trip. I think the most I've ever paid is $89 for a one-way to Orlando and the lowest $59 (a while ago). I got the fare one night around midnight when I couldn't sleep. When I checked a few days later it had gone up. I think it was a "right place, right time" purchase. I have found that Air Tran has pretty good rates to Orlando (under $100) however, I prefer Southwest.

 

[dudspizza]

I would also like to add that we have stayed at an airport hotel the night before a very early morning flight. Some of those times we used a "park and fly" option, while other times we were dropped off. Either way, we sleep close the airport and take the shuttle to the terminal. It takes the stress out of the drive to the airport.

Duds

 

[keishashadow]

OP call your airport & find out what time TSA lines open, smaller airports not all open 24 hours even if the airport it self is

 

[Diegosmom]

Not sure how big your girls are and if you can still carry them but when we are leaving early for things I let DS4 sleep. I either take him in his PJs or change this clothes while he sleeps. Carry him out to the car sleeping and let him sleep the car ride (although you only have about 30 min but that might help the girls to let them sleep more). Just make sure to have tooth brushes and clothes packed on top. (Not sure how the hair thing would go with girls, it is super easy with boys lol).

Make sure to do your online checking at the 24 hour mark so you can all sit together.

Also I think I would hit AK that day. It closes early so you wont be tempted to stay later even know you know you should get to bed.

 

[mdsd8700]

We do early morning flights 90% of the time, unless for some reason we have to leave later in the day. We love them!! Our plane to Orlando actually leaves at 5:45 am this year, so we have to get up 3 am or so to be at the airport 90 minutes early. I will admit when the kids were younger it was a bit harder, but I would have them sleep in their clothes so all we had to do was lift them out of bed and put them in the car. Now they are 14 and 17 so it is much easier. We always put everything in the car the night before and eat in the airport. DH drops us off at curbside and then parks the car. We check the luggage and meet in our designated spot. Go through through security, grab our breakfast, buy our magazines and goodies, chit chat a bit, do our own thing with our electronic devices and before we know it is time to board. Best thing is we are in Orlando by 9:15 am this year! We get luggage, DH gets rental car and meets us the designated spot and we are at the resort between 10:30-10:45 am depeding on how long the luggage takes. We keep our swim stuff with us, change and head out to the pool. We usually make it a low key day and are in bed by 10 pm. It may not work for everyone but we love it!

 

[Cherinva]

We do this all the time...I always go for the first flight of the day....give me more "Disney" time.

 

[IhavePDD]

I always book the early morning flight as well which is usually around 7:45. I am not a morning person either, but somehow getting up early that day is never a problem! Puts us to DTD by 11ish for a little shopping, atmosphere and lunch. By the time we check in at POR mid afternoon our room has always been ready to unpack and relax a bit, then off to Epcot for the evening and Illuminations.

 

[Ress76]

Another person on a 6am flight to Orlando, here. Yes, it stinks to be rolling out of bed at 3:30, but I remind myself, I'll be having LUNCH in Disney!

 

[mdsd8700]

Just curious when you booked your flight. We are hoping to go Chicago to Orlando in mid to late Sept. and cannot get a flight that cheap. Do these low fares pop up periodically or did you book a while ago? Today the lowest was $117 which it not too low in my opinion. lol.

I agree $117 is a pretty decent rate. For me I constantly check the airline (Southwest) prices. At least once a day, twice if I can find the time. Although airfare has been outrageous this year, there have been some deals. We ended up getting a couple of credits on SW so our RT price was "not so bad" but still more than I wanted to pay. We will use the credit for our November trip. If you have a dollar amount you are comfortable with and find it, I would say book the flights. It is possible that it may come down, but it also may go up and by a hefty amount.

Good luck and enjoy your trip!

 

[kinggoofy]

we are leaving on the 545am flight on friday august 12th. i personally hate the early flight. I would rather have the 10am - 12 noon flight. But, DW always wants to start day 1 EARLY as possible.

on the other hand, as long as the weather is good, the early flight is the 1st out and there is basically no delay.

we live 1 mile from MDW..so its basically a slam dunk for us. we will get there at about 430am or so, get checked in and a tradition of ours has become....having breakfast at Harry Carays.

If our room is ready great...if not we will cross that bridge when the time comes.

 

[NotUrsula]

I like the travel toothbrush idea so that everything can be packed and ready to go in the car.

I take it much further than toothbrushes -- I keep the toiletries bag packed and ready at all times with everything already in it, including toothbrushes, paste, Rx medications, etc. Pack duplicates of EVERYTHING and then you don't have to worry about remembering to grab anything out of the bathroom when you're half-asleep. In the greater scheme of things, buying an extra $50 in toiletries is less stressful than worrying about missing an nonrefundable flight.

For an early flight we have the kids travel in "gym clothes" since they bathe the night before. All they have to do is roll out of bed, use the bathroom, brush their teeth, comb their hair, put their shoes on, and walk out. (In fact, the little one doesn't manage that much. We put her on the toilet pretty much unconscious and then move her right into her carseat; she brushes her teeth after breakfast at the airport.) We have about a 30-minute drive to the airport. One of us takes charge of the bags while the other wrangles the kids. We eat, brush our teeth there, then all get on the plane and go right back to sleep until we hear the landing dings; the extra two hours' sleep on the plane is very helpful.

BTW, we have duplicate carseats, too. No wasting time messing with removing and bagging the one that is installed in the car.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

NotUrsula,
You are the early morning flight guru! I will keep your ideas in mind for my next trip (6:00 AM flight)

 

[M5ward]

We always take the first flight out of ACY..usually about 6:30. Everything is packed and luggage is sitting at the front door. The airport is only about 15 minutes from our home, so we have a car pick us up around 4:15; the airport is small so there isn't a lot to maneuver. We sleep the two hours plus that it takes to get to Orlando (well, I sleep with the aid of a Xanax.)
We are usually checked into our resort and headed for breakfast by 10:00.

 

[wdwrich]

We used to do the same thing (very early flight) years ago when we lived on the east coast. Now that we hail from California, we take red-eye flights that leave at 9 or 10pm, getting us into MCO around 6am. Excitement keeps us awake the night before anyway, so a couple of naps on the overnight flight works for us, and we end up with an extra day in WDW to boot!

 

[PatMcDuck]

I recently did a 5:50 am from PHL out to California (DL trip) via Houston. It seemed like a great idea, but I had to get up at 2:30 am. Sort of nuts. (no kids involved in this at least). I got to my DL hotel early, but I was BEAT tired and starving, lol. i was like a zombie until I took a 2 hour nap. I got lucky and my room was ready at Paradise Pier.

Not sure if I would do this again, I am not sure what I really gained from such an early flight.

 

[Christine9125]

Our Flight leaves at 7 am and lands at 9:05 am. We will be up at 3:30 to leave at 4 and be at the airport at 5. I will have everything packed the night before and hopefully in the van. On the way home our plane doesn't leave MCO until 9 pm. I am so excited to have 2 extra days at DW since we normally drive.