When should we arrive?

[Aurora63]

We are going from June 5-9th, and are booked at POR. We want ot use the 5th as a day at a park, but I need some help in decidning when to arrive. It's a four hour drive for us. My options are:

1. Leave the evening of the 4th, staying at a cheap offsite place. This would allow us to check in or preregister at POR early, and get to the park (probably AK) at opening.

2. Leave home very early on the morning of the 5th. Preregister, go to the park. This will save a few bucks, but I'd be quite tired.

3. Just leave at a reasonable hour on the 5th, don't worry about being to the park at opening. Get there when you get there.

4. Same as option 1, except book an extra night (for June 4th) at POR.

Feel free to offer any other ideas as well.

Thanks!

 

[DisneyWisher]

I didn't poll but this is how we typically do it. I work nights, so after work on Saturday night close at 4 am(working nights stink but hey it pays the bills). I get home, wake the kids (ok now only 1 kid the others have flown the coop), take a shower while she is waking up and then we go(car was packed night before). Its about a 3 hour drive. We leave around 5am (this is when I am wide awake) Got off work last night at 3am and here I am still up. Why??? because I'm a Disney addict. LOL A room is usually available (one time it wasn't, 1 out of 25 times) While driving there I say ok I'm going to take a nap first before going to the park (that falls on deaf ears because DD is asleep again, sheesh) But once we are there I can't sleep I AM IN DISNEY WORLD!!! So off to the parks we go. But we usually call it an early day around 5pm and I'm asleep by 8. Arriving a day early doesn't work for me because I'd go after work Friday night (again 4 am) and leave right after. One time I tried to sleep before going (didn't work, got no sleep) 4 hours later all I could think about was how I could have been at Disney World right then. Sorry I'm no help. Lack of sleep I guess.

Ok pushing myself away from computer. LOL

 

[Jalva22]

I voted for option 1. This is probably debatable, but I think you have a better chance of getting your room request by checking in as early in the day as possible. If that's not a big deal, I'd probably switch my vote to option 4.

 

[ktglads]

Several trips ago, we used to fly in the early AM and then go directly to a park. We were always exhausted and generally didn't have much fun that first day. We then took a night flight and LOVED it. We are night people anyways so getting in late doesn't matter (around 1 AM or so). We go with the resort we will stay at the whole time to save time in the AM and to eliminate a pack up and move time. For the extra $, we consider it worth it for eliminating the hassle

 

[Aurora63]

Thanks for all your advice! I think we will go with option 4...event though it will be more cost, I think it will be worth it to feel more rested and avoid the hassel of and extra hotel.