After check out, how do you spend your last day?

[kjbean]

I'm trying to pencil in ideas on how we will spend our days and how we could/would use our dining plan credits. Would we want to have another day at a park? Either repeat a park or do one we didn't earlier in the week? Or plan to do a character brunch at one of the resorts (so we don't need park admission) and take our time leaving? Or since we have friends and family an hour from Orlando, plan that day to spend extra time with them before travelling home the day after? What would you do if you had an entire day after you check out.

Our tentative plan is 6 nights at a POR moderate resort, but only having 3 or 4 park days, and other days relaxing and enjoying the resort and other Disney activities.

ETA: the next day after we check out, we'd have a LONG drive home (13 hours), so I was torn about the idea of another FULL day at a park, or at least until evening.

 

[nepalostparks]

For me, if I had a full last day, I would take advantage of having fun in one of the parks, knowing that was the last of the vacation.

But all our last days have been half days (or less), so we usually end up getting a later start, grabbing breakfast at the resort, checking out, and heading to Downtown Disney with whatever time is left to do some last minute browsing and shopping.

 

[harveyt0206]

For me, if I had a full last day, I would take advantage of having fun in one of the parks, knowing that was the last of the vacation.

But all our last days have been half days (or less), so we usually end up getting a later start, grabbing breakfast at the resort, checking out, and heading to Downtown Disney with whatever time is left to do some last minute browsing and shopping.

Ditto..we usually do the same thing. I like to take the early afternoon flight home because I usually can't wait to see my pup (pet nerd alert!). But if I did have another full day i would absolutely spend it in my favorite park only riding my favorite rides and soaking up as much extra magic as possible.

 

[kjbean]

Let me add that the next day after we check out, we'd have a LONG drive home (13 hours), so I was torn about the idea of another FULL day at a park, or at least until evening.

 

[mrsdanalind]

Ditto..we usually do the same thing. I like to take the early afternoon flight home because I usually can't wait to see my pup (pet nerd alert!). But if I did have another full day i would absolutely spend it in my favorite park only riding my favorite rides and soaking up as much extra magic as possible.

We usually do a park and use up our food plan, we book a late flight back to WI, because we want to enjoy as much Fl sunshine as possible. We usually wind up having to pay for our dinner, which is normally in DTD, and then back to our resort to get ready to leave. Have fun, and remember it's always there to come back to.
:wave:

 

[sbkline]

Let me add that the next day after we check out, we'd have a LONG drive home (13 hours), so I was torn about the idea of another FULL day at a park, or at least until evening.

We have to drive all the way back to Central Illinois, so we check out early in the morning, and hit the road for the long trip back.

But you asked what IF we had a full day after check out. So even though that's not how my wife and I do things, to answer your hypothetical question, IF we chose to check out in the morning and not actually start the long journey home right away, I would probably pick that day to drop by and visit those friends you were talking about. Or maybe do a place like GatorLand, the Holy Land Experience, do some shopping or something else that would not take up the whole day. I don't like the idea of checking out, then spending the whole day in the park and then trying to make good driving time with what's left of the day.

While I would not necessarily completely rule out spending more time at WDW, I tend to be of the mindset that once I check out of the hotel, that's it. My time at WDW is done (except possibly stopping by someplace to get something to eat before we hit the road). So all the WDW activities that I have planned are during our actual hotel stay, and once the hotel stay is over, it's time to leave WDW. So any time I would have before actually starting the road trip home, I would most likely spend outside of WDW.

 

[Minnie1976]

On our last day we didn't have to catch the bus to the airport til 5:15 p.m. We had reservations at Coral Reef for 12:50. The food was delicious. I hadn't been there before, but my husband had years ago. Then we rode the monorail to get to MK, but it had started raining and stayed on and rode it around one more time. We got off and went to the MK to say good-bye. Last stop is always the MK. We were going to watch the parade, but it was later than we thought and had to get back to the hotel for the bus to the airport. Really a slow day after a very fast paced week.

 

[nepalostparks]

Let me add that the next day after we check out, we'd have a LONG drive home (13 hours), so I was torn about the idea of another FULL day at a park, or at least until evening.

With that long of a drive back, then yes, I probably wouldn't do a park either. I'd do a later start, have breakfast at the resort, then head out. But it would still be tough not to stay as long as possible!

 

[SpoonOfSugar]

Let me add that the next day after we check out, we'd have a LONG drive home (13 hours), so I was torn about the idea of another FULL day at a park, or at least until evening.

We drive from MA and on check out day we hang out at the resort and do a pool day. check out some of the other resorts, take pictures, etc.

 

[captainkidd]

Now, I just book my flight for early in the morning. It makes leaving easier, plus gets us home earlier so we can relax before returning to work.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

On our last day we usually spend the last few hours in DTD shopping for souvenirs and gifts for friends, then we get a bite to eat before heading to the airport.

 

[BrittanyRose428]

Ideally-- at the Magic Kingdom (after a very early character breakfast)

 

[patricia27]

On our last day--we do Downtown Checkin with Virgin Atlantic around 8am.
We then go to Epcot and do some of our favourite rides. We have lunch there then go to OKW where we stay and have a relaxing swim and sit by the pool. Then it is off to the airport around 1700 hours for a 1935 flight home!!

 

[a2grafix]

If I have parkhopper passes still active, I usually go full-go and try to visit as many Disney parks as possible before I have to take a Mears shuttle to the airport for my usual late afternoon, early evening flight out.

If the starts align and there are extra magic morning hours, I try and line up which park to visit first. I'm usually up by the top of the early hour (6-7am?), packed, checked out and have my bags with the bell hop in storage, and on some kind of transportation by 15-20 minutes before park opening.

I remember one of my last visits I hit three parks before noon - walking around World Showcase from the International Gateway just after 11am, and walked into the Magic Kingdom with time to spare.

Next visit on my last day, I might not visit all four parks, but do something different, like hang out at the Shades of Green resort pool or Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon for most of the day. But it's a cool challenge to hit some of my favorite rides / attractions at all 4 parks before I have to boogie to the airport. It's a cool final rush to my vacation.

 

[real mad hatter]

Downtown Disney

Well this year won't be any difference due to flights back to Scotland,we always spend last night at M/K,and that uses up our 14 ult ticket.So we head downtown for that last pin or souvineer,then lunch at E.O.S. Then it's the boat back to P.O.R.S. Our suitcases are in the hold section,onto the bus for Sanford,and farewell for another year.Unless I win the lottery,most unlikely,we end up staying for an extra week

 

[wsmith1978]

For us, if the flight is late enough, we spend it at the MK, our favorite park of all. We've developed a tradition, as we leave the park for the final time, of climbing the stairs to the train station and look out over Town Square and Main St to the castle, to say goodbye. It's really kind of sad, but it's the best way we can think of to take it all in. It's hard leaving all that action behind... usually the stage show is going on, the fireworks are going off, and it's tough knowing some of the people walking down Main St are just on the first day of their vacation! But yeah, that's how we spend it. It's a day of reflecting, reminiscing, and saying our goodbye's. Leaving WDW is a big deal for us, it's a wonderful day until that Magical Express Bus pulls up at the resort! We never want to leave!

 

[coltow]

Before we had kids we would always spend our last few hours roaming around DTD. Since we had the kids we have left last day open so that we can do something they would like to do. On our last trip DS was 5 We asked him of ALL the things what would he like to do againbe fore heading home, he wanted more Kim Possible missions (btw he still doesn't know who she is, he just liked the missions). So we spent the last few hours of our trip at EPCOT

 

[fivetexans]

We are slow to leave the resort in the morning... not wanting to really leave, and enjoy the final moments there.

After that, we typically head to Downtown Disney and wander around there for a bit, grabbing some lunch at Wolfgang Pucks or somewhere, doing some final shopping, sitting around and soaking it in...

...and then we finally load up and leave, whether to the airport or hitting the road.

This last year we also threw in some resort hopping. We visited a few of the other places to check them out, and then went back to our home resort to catch the bus to the airport.

 

[durangojim]

Depends on when our Magical Express pickup time is and where we're staying. Usually it's around noon, so we just hang out at the resort, pack, and take it easy. For our most recent trip it was at 2pm and we were staying at the Poly, so we went over to the MK at about 9:00am and stayed there until 11:30am and then checked in our luggage. It was a nice time.

 

[plaz10]

Our magical express is usually around noon or 1 pm. So we just sleep in a little. Head down to the food court for one last Mickey waffle. Do some shopping in the resort and just hang around.

If we had more time - we'd probably hit Downtown Disney or just explore other resorts. On my next trip I believe I will schedule an ADR at either Kona Cafe or Grand Floridian Cafe for breakfast and then just explore the resort grounds before heading home - this also will give me one last look at Magic Kingdom before departing.