who finds the 9 hour flight heavy going?

[julieannbabe]

i am not bothered about flying but i find the 9 hour flight over and back a bit heavy going.
I usually try to travel 'direct'.
I always end up just feeling really 'yucky'.

anyone else feel the same?

any tips or suggestions to stop this yuckyness will be greatly appreciated!

(i know if ya wanna go florida ya gotta do it)

 

[Disbabe]

I have to say none of my flights have ever been 9 hours - just over 8 at the most.
I don't find it too bad going - it's the coming back as I just cannot sleep as I have arthritis and I can't sleep sitting up as they don't recline back far enough and I get so much pain in my hips and knees. I wish that the seats could be spaced further apart and that the seats could recline more. When the person in front reclines their chair back you get even less space!!
I've never suffered from jet lag and have never actually physically felt ill from the flight - I just keep thinking of things I'm going to do when I get there and what I'm going to do when I get back - and watch the films!!

 

[pegasusEH]

We were all up at 4am for our flight out this year and felt pretty yucky before we even set off - still we were on our way so we didn't care.

Coming back the flight was just 7 hours 20 mins. It's taken me a full week to return to "normal" and I have nevered suffered like this before (wouldn't put me off going again though).

 

[Celestine]

The best thing I found was to have a short nap on the plane, something to eat wen you get there & going to bed about 9pm local time. You will wake at some unearthly hour, so get up & have a drink. Go back to bed after an hour & you'll find you do go back to sleep & wake at a normal US time. This worked for all 3 of us, including DD who was only just 3.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Your not the only one,i feel yukky also.
I get travel sickness aswell so that doesnt help.
I slept coming home last year but i still felt dreadful,so i havent got any tips but i will read the replies to this post

Its all worth it in the end.

Beth

 

[SidB]

I don't think anybody enjoys the trip, and it's not just the flight. Don't forget the journey to the airport, 3 hours at the airport (yes 3, wife a little tense), getting through immigration, getting the car, getting to the hotel/villa. After all that we need a holiday !

It's not jet lag that gets me. It's the pressure in the plane that does me in for a coupel of days.

 

[Goofyish]

I must admit I do moan a bit on the flight over and at times it does drag a bit, and the food is usually dire.

But once in Orlando it's all forgotten

I do find the flight home the worse though. I cannot seem to sleep and always end up with a headache. I don't think I suffer from 'jetlag'. I feel tired - but who wouldn't after 2 weeks in the parks - but after a good nights sleep I feel fine.

 

[UKDEB]

Yeah, I feel yukky too. We usually get the 11.15am Virgin flight from Gatwick which means getting up at 3.30am, setting off shortly before 5am to check-in at 7am (I'm a nervous flyer and I like to get settled). By the time we've cleared immigration and customs at the other end, collected the hire car, done a shop at Publix en-route and arrived at the villa, it's usually about 6.30pm local time (so 11.30pm as far as our bodies are concerned). I guess it's not really surprising that we feel so tired having been up for 20 hours. After a shower, a dip in the jacuzzi with a glass of wine and a good nights sleep, we're up at the crack of dawn and raring to go.

Coming home is a whole different matter. We're normally up early on the last day to get packed and out of the villa. The last few times we've been on the late flight which leaves MCO at around 8.35pm EST. I don't sleep on the plane (I really wish I could) and by the time we've driven home, we've been awake for about 24 hours. I always feel much worse than I do on the way out. I think it's a combination of the night flight, feeling more nervous because there's nothing to look forward to (not logical, but definitely a factor), and feeling as though you've arrived home a day and a half after you got up because we're 5 hours ahead. We always used to go straight to bed as soon as we got home, but the last few times we haven't felt the need, although I'm not sure why. We managed to stay up until around 9.30pm last time.

Following some threads on these boards, I did buy some Melatonin a few trips back. It's not available here, but it's sold as a food supplement in the States. I do use it occasionally when I can't sleep and it does work (at least the 3mg dose does). However, I'm reluctant to take it on the plane because I already take a cocktail of Diazepam and alcohol and I think it could be one muscle relaxant too many! I'd be a blancmange!

 

[Enright78]

Not always a popular idea, but we found we arrived much more refreshed after doing an indirect flight. Our best experience was via Atlanta, a great airport and we liked the chance to break our trip, have a shower and a chance to get something to eat. We arrived at about 4pm into MCO, the clearance time from MCO was much quicker as we arrived as a domestic flight and we were able to go out in the evening. Never managed that after a direct flight!
We started doing indirect after DH had a stroke and the doctor recommended it and I must admit I now would think hard about going direct. Factor in that I am not too impressed by BA or Virgin and it works for us! (prices are better too!)

Melatonin works for me too, plus drinking lots of water, the yuckiness and headache is often triggered by dehydration?

JMHO each to their own!!

 

[MalcolmC]

I don't mind going over fo Florida. I always feel fine even though I've been up since 4:00am UK time.

Coming back is a killer though. I can't sleep and DW is tossing and turning trying (unsuccessfully) to get some sleep. When I return I just try to stay up as late as possible and when I wake up the following day, that's it I'm back to normal.

Not that many people would agree I'm normal, nomally. If you see what I mean?

 

[WDWfan uk]

I have often recommended Melatonin and always buy some in USA as it isn't available over here. ( I think it is not recommended for under 16s).

The general advice is to decrease your intake of caffeine about 24/48 hours before the flight and increase your water intake. Drink water on the flight, not alcohol, and remember coke contains caffeine and none of the canned sodas will rehydrate you, so it's water all the way if you can bear it!!)

They also advise you avoid big heavy meals before and during the flight and eat a little and often.

I also prefer to buy travel sickness tablets from USA - Dramamine does not give me the side effects that Stugeron etc gives me, apart from feeling drowsy which I don't mind feeling on the plane!! I have found my sons also feel better with Dramamine too.

It is the return which affects us more than going and we try to stay up until the normal bedtime, I take a Melatonin before going to bed, and that seems to help.

 

[Muppet]

Boredom is the main thing for me. Nic falls asleep on the plane on and off (awake for food and any films he likes, asleep for anything else). Wet wipes for the dirty feeling are a must for me and I get through loads.

Once we get there we have never gone to bed before 1am.

Coming back we usually have a long last day, flight for 8.30pm, and then I sleep the whole way home. Nic wakes me up about 40mins before landing. When we land its me that drives from Gatwick to Gloucester. Thankfully neither of us has a lot of problem with jet lag. Neither of us go to bed until at least 11pm to try and get in to a routine again.

 

[julieannbabe]

yes - i don't drink alcohol - all i do is drink water - i take a big bottle of the plane with me.

i just wish that i didn't feel so yucky. why is it coming home - you always tend to feel worse? maybe as it is a night flight and you are travelling through all different time zones and losing sleep.

it is worth it though

 

[MalcolmC]

Originally posted by WDWfan,uk
I have often recommended Melatonin and always buy some in USA as it isn't available over here. ( I think it is not recommended for under 16s).

I've tried Melatonin several times, to no avail. I took one last week on our return flight. It might as well have been caffeine for all the effect it had.

By the way Melatonin is NOT the white stuff you put on your tennis shoe. Thinking about it though, it might just work

 

[DisneyBB]

I find that if we get the earlier flight home, with Virgin it is about 5:30pm, we are not so tired when we land. It feels like a late night rather than being up all night.

 

[BevS97]

I am usually ok on the way out, and find that it goes quicker than expected, but on the way back I always feel dreadful, I cannot sleep on a plane, and neither it seems can Katie, so we spend a long time with her getting grumpier and grumpier as she is so tired and eventually she will fall asleep when she just can't stay awake anymore. If I didn't have her with me, I would just stick my head in a thick book and not worry about the sleep.

We alway go to bed when we get home, I know it's the wrong thing to do, but generally I just can't keep my eyes open anymore.

Bev

 

[UKDEB]

Originally posted by Muppet
I sleep the whole way home. Nic wakes me up about 40mins before landing

If I could wish for one totally selfish thing, this would be it. Not winning the lottery, or losing 2 stone (OK, 3 ), but being able to sleep all the way home. **sigh**

 

[AlisonB]

Travelling East is always worse - don't know why! At least it's that way round for us - it would be awful if we spent the first few days of our Florida holiday feeling as dreadful as we do when we come home!

 

[marlouwrig]

Now this is just between you and me. Please, please don't tell anyone ( at least not anyone I know) - I would just die of embarrassement.

I would give anything to feel free to fall asleep on the 'plane - or any other public place for that matter. I have the ability to fall asleep on a sixpence. However I just don't dare let myself because I am reliably informed by the rest of my family that the noise generated by my snoring needs to be heard to be believed.

I know it must be true because I remember being in the maternity hospital once, just coming round from that lovely first sleep after giving birth only to overhear the woman occupying the other bed in our room, together with her visitors asking the midwife if she could supply them with a noise meter to measure the decibel level.

Since then I have had a terrible phobia about even closing my eyes in a public place! Having to force yourself to stay awake for 7/8/9 hours is like the worst form of torture ever invented.

I must trust you all - I have never shared this with anyone - not even my closest friend. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

If you are on my flight and I fall asleep I apologise in advance.

 

[peewakio]

If it's any consolation to you, I have the unenviable ability to wake myself up with my own snoring.