Which is better from SEA, late night or early morning.

[tlcdoula]

I have been seeing some good fares if we fly out first thing in the morning. I would love some advice on what you have found better.

It is a approx 5 1/2 hours travel time (including bc ferries, border crossing & driving) for us to get to Sea tac airport. I am trying to decided if I am off my rocker about catching the last ferry off the island (10:45pm, its two hrs) and then if I remember it was about a 3 hr drive not including crossing the border.

The kids could sleep in the car on the way to the airport and we could catch the first flight out in the morning between 6am -730am and be in orlando around dinner time... could have dinner, and head to bed for our first day at the parks...

or drive to the airport and take a late night flight, arriving in orlando before lunch, relaxing, dinner and then head to bed before first day at the park... Im a little worried about showing up early and not being able to get our room till 3pm.... I think I might need to lay down before then lol


I just don't want to spend the money to spend only a couple hrs at the hotel in seattle...

what to do?

 

[TagsMissy]

We usually fly red-eyes so we get in and start our day right then and there but we do get pretty tired the first day.. this year's trip we are taking a morning flight and arriving around 5pm... we are traveling with 3 kids and other adults so we thought it was easier to do this. We are going to do a Sleep and Fly so we don't need to drive overnight.

 

[squirrel]

I haven't done the red-eye yet, but I think it will be better.

If I can (and everyone else) fall asleep on the plane we should get about the same amount of sleep we had at the park n' fly in Seattle. We will get to Orlando a good 7 hrs before we would if we stayed at a park n' fly. We plan on resting by the pool the first day anyway.

Last time we arrived, I set up the stroller and then we went down to the Food Court for dinner. We went to bed shortly after that. We spent the whole day travelling and part of the day before (getting to Seattle).

 

[aristocat65]

We've done the early AM flight from SEA a couple of times and stayed at an airport hotel the night before. It's fine, but I never can sleep for that one night in the hotel knowing I have to get up so early to get to the airport. It also adds to the cost by the time you pay for a hotel (We usually got Hilton thru priceline) and meals the night before. That money could go to another day in Disney! I was thrilled that Alaska now has a 1:30 pm flight that arrives at 9:30 pm so we can drive down to Seattle that morning (still have to leave awfully early to beat border traffic, but at least I'll sleep in my own bed). I don't know how well this flight would work with little ones though. My son is 15 so it's a lot easier. I don't think I could have handled a red eye though, and been able to a day at Disney on arrival. As far as I know only Alaska had a red eye and they've dropped it. If there's another one on another airline, it would have a connection and that wouldn't be fun at night. Good Luck what ever you decide.

 

[Douglas Bray]

Last year just my son and I went down and we took and early morning flight from SEA that had a layover in Dallas. I brought a portable DVD for my 4 year old son so he was very happy to watch all of his Pixar / Disney cartoons while waiting in the airports and on the plane. We arrived at the Pop Century around 9:00pm Florida time (only 6:00pm Vancouver time), we checked in to our room and then had dinner and went to the pool for an hour before we went to bed and then got up early the next day to go to the parks.
This worked very well for us.
I have done the late night flights three times and I find it very hard on me as I can't seem to sleep in the plane even thought everbody else is, and then when we arrive at the park the next morning I am to tired to enjoy the first full day of my holidays. If you are able to sleep on the plane the late night flights seem to work for my wife, son and daughter.

Have a Great Vacation

 

[tlcdoula]

We talked about it last night and I think we will be looking to drive to seattle the night before, do a park,sleep & fly, then take an early morning flight so we can get to Pop around dinner time... I don't want to start the holiday off with cranky kids or dh lol

Which hotels have you all used for park and fly? I have used the Best Western Executel both times we left from seattle but it is about $200... i have seen others out there that are cheaper but Im not sure what the hotels are like any advice?

tlc

 

[squirrel]

We stayed at the Skyway Inn.

I do not recommend it. I booked a suite that was suppose to have 3 (double or queen) bed, a couch, microwave and fridge.

It had the 3 beds but no couch or microwave.

We booked this so that my neighbour could get a good night sleep as she has two boys (one was to sleep on the couch). It was a few dollars cheaper than booking a park n' fly room and just a room, as we had 6 people.

Then when we paid for the parking for the extra week (7 nights were included in the room price) we found out the central reservation person never booked it as a park n' fly, so they wanted parking for the 15 days.

We spent a good 30 min on the phone before going and getting dinner. Then in the morning phoning and trying to get it all straightned out before flying out.

I was eventually told they would refund some of the money to my credit card but still have not seen a penny!


I don't sleep much when I'm at WDW. I will have to wait and see if the overnight flight is better than the early am flight.

 

[nicolem05]

We are in the Shuswap (so about 6-7 hrs to SEA) and our kids are 2 and 8 years. We have done the trip 3 times in the last two years and are going again in Sept.

This is our routine
Leave early day prior to flight and priceline a Seattle airport hotel (usually get Hilton, red lion etc.. ) for about $50.00 when we get there (not before) we ask how much to leave the car in their secure parking (last trip they charged us $20.00 for the two weeks!! the cost we saved each time paid for the hotel) usually they give you a way better deal then a park and fly if not you have lots of time to take it to a parking company or airport parking if your crazy like that Kids aren't stressed they can play and can get a good sleep. Get the earliest flight we can find (usually between 5-6am) shuttle takes you (no car seats, no driving half asleep) kids sleep through first half the flight and wake up happy and ready to do laid back things like watch cartoons. I find kids who have slept easier to deal with then hungry tired kids. We always get there by dinner (EST) and can stay up a bit with the time change and enjoy the excitement.

We flying over night on a recent vacation to Hawaii and it was a disaster!! We love early flights!!

 

[nicolem05]

P.S.. The Red Lion was the nicest by far. I was pretty surprised but out of the airport hotels it had the best rooms, service etc.. The Holiday Inn gave the smokin' deal on parking and had nicer rooms then the Hilton which was pretty blah.. I always priceline the hotel to get a super cheap deal but if I picked it would be Red Lion

 

[disneyjanet]

I live in Seattle so I don't have to do the whole drive down part but I've found I actually prefer the red eye. When I take an early morning flight by the time you factor in arriving 2 hours early, travel time, plus showering and getting ready time I end up having to be up at 3 or 4am anyway so I don't get much sleep and arrive in flordia pretty much equally exhausted as when I take the red eye. Magic express was so easy with no lines, no waits etc with the 7am arrival. Last time we did this we were unable to get into our room until about 1pm so that is a downside though. Interesting tip I just noticed about getting non-stop flights out of Seattle. I am going down in Aug for free dining and Delta offers the exact same flights as Alaska Air (codeshare) and they are currently approx. $200 per person cheaper. So make sure you check both Alaska Air and Delta if you're looking for a nonstop flight.

 

[tlcdoula]

We are in the Shuswap (so about 6-7 hrs to SEA) and our kids are 2 and 8 years. We have done the trip 3 times in the last two years and are going again in Sept.

This is our routine
Leave early day prior to flight and priceline a Seattle airport hotel (usually get Hilton, red lion etc.. ) for about $50.00 when we get there (not before) we ask how much to leave the car in their secure parking (last trip they charged us $20.00 for the two weeks!! the cost we saved each time paid for the hotel) usually they give you a way better deal then a park and fly if not you have lots of time to take it to a parking company or airport parking if your crazy like that Kids aren't stressed they can play and can get a good sleep. Get the earliest flight we can find (usually between 5-6am) shuttle takes you (no car seats, no driving half asleep) kids sleep through first half the flight and wake up happy and ready to do laid back things like watch cartoons. I find kids who have slept easier to deal with then hungry tired kids. We always get there by dinner (EST) and can stay up a bit with the time change and enjoy the excitement.

We flying over night on a recent vacation to Hawaii and it was a disaster!! We love early flights!!

I have never used priceline, so you when you bid on a hotel you do not get to pick which one is that correct?

You just hope you get one that has a parking area and airport shuttle. and ask when you arrive, have you ever had to go and park somewhere else? I am assuming you go and drop your car off that night so it is parked and you only have to take the shuttle from the hotel to the airport in the morning.

I think im off to book my flight for first thing saturday morning...

 

[aristocat65]

I have never used priceline, so you when you bid on a hotel you do not get to pick which one is that correct?

That's right. You don't know what you're going to get, but go to www.biddingfortravel.com first. They have really helpful information. I always try for a 3 star or higher at the airport. I don't think there are any 4 stars. Usually it would be Hilton or Doubletree. The other thing you can do is keep checking the hilton website (doubletree is a hilton brand also) and see what they are charging for their park and fly. One year we got a night at the hotel and 7 nights parking for $139.00 which I thought was quite good. The valet just takes your car and it's so easy. HTH

 

[nicolem05]

Yes on priceline you don't know the exact hotel but you pick where (at airport for instance and the star level) I have never had a bad experience yet and use it TONS!! Red lion always has a park and fly deal going on as does Holiday Inn and most of the other Hotel Airports I think (could be dead wrong here) that the Hilton was the only one I ran into that didn't offer park and fly. all the half decent airport hotel have shuttles so I wouldn't worry about that. We booked a park and fly the first time we ever flew out of Seattle about $129.00 for a week.. we were delayed on our flight and were maybe 10min late picking it up.. they charged a whole extra day. We have had great luck asking at the desk how much to park when we check in and they always have given us a great deal.. the most we have paid was $50.00 for the hotel and $65.00 for the hotel parking for one week.

 

[c&m]

We usually Priceline our hotel stay at Seatac, and always have gotten the Doubletree Airport for about $50-$60. We love the hotel. The rooms are spacious and super clean. We drop off our car at Master Park. We usually get a rate of $12.95 per night using online coupons. It is secured parking and we don't have to worry about car break-ins that apparently happens quite often in the hotel parking lots.

 

[tlcdoula]

I will check it out... Booked our flights... Im so excited

tlc

 

[karatstravels]

We always use Priceline for Seatac hotel bookings. Our last trip we got the Hilton for $39. If you pick 3 stars or higher you should be fine.

As far as the early morning or red eye, we have done both and each have their pros and cons (especially when travelling with young kids). But like another poster above we are doing the Alaska direct flight at 1:30pm this time and I think this will work out best. We don't have to worry about fighting rush hour traffic, the kids can sleep until their normal times and when we arrive it will only be 7:00 (PST) just enough time for a swim and off to bed (for the kids that is). Yes we give up a whole day, but really it does take a day of travelling time no matter when you go.

Have a great trip!