When do you like to arrive?

[mattfz]

For our past 5 visits, we have flown from PA to WDW in the morning, leaving around 8am and getting there around noon. Settle in, and then hit one of the parks for the rest of the day. Stay 4 nights, and leave in the early evening on the last day to maximize time in the parks on the last day.

When we go in December, we are thinking of leaving at 7pm and arriving in WDW at around 12 midnight--- sleeping, and then hitting the parks fresh the next morning. Of course, we are paying for the extra night, but it allows us to work a full day of work on departure day and not have to take another day off. Also allows us to get a full night's sleep and be fresh in the morning to hit the parks.

When you get there at noon or so after flying all morning, the day can be kinda rough!

What do you guys think is the wiser choice?

 

[tink rules]

I always seem to arrive around lunch time. I thought of flying down the night before and I may try it again some time. If I did I would book at one of the All Star resorts if I'm not already staying there and only pack a small overnighter in my carry on so I don't have to lug everything up to the room. I'd then go to the parks the next day and then check in when my room is ready or when I've taken a break from the parks... I always rent a car so that works out good for me. If you aren't then transfering may be a bit of a bother....

 

[Raven66]

We usually arrive in the afternoon and head right to the parks. Next year we are doing it differently. We are going to fly in the night before and get a room only for that night and start our vacation the next day. I'm tired of losing a half a day.

 

[3IAlienKid]

Leaving from California, if we leave 1st thing in the morning, then we're usually checked in to our hotel by 5:00pm leaving us time for dinner and maybe Downtown Disney. So since we have to take the full day off from work for the travel day anyway, it wouldn't feel like we're maximizing our time to leave any later.

 

[NeedABreak]

We do disney on a budget and sometimes it is hard to get a lot of days on in a row so we leave early and arrive no later than 2:00pm if we can help it. Usualy we will just spend that day resort hopping and going to DTD, free stuff that gets us really pumped for the next day when we start useing our park hoppers.

Since we are going for 8 days this time it was only 4 bucks to get the extra day added to our park passes so we can watch wishes that night and enjoy some park stuff too.

 

[ZapperZ]

We usually fly off from Chicago on a very early flight (usually 6:50 am), and get to Orlando around 10 am. By the time we get our luggage, rental car, and drive to WDW, we typically get to our resort (usually Saratoga Springs) by around Noon. Often we can't check in yet, but we could at least drop off our luggage.

We then do a quick lunch, either at the resort or Downtown Disney, and then hit one of the parks. I usually can't wait to get to one of the parks on the day we arrive, so this works out pretty well.



Zz.

 

[Nansafan]

We like to fly in the morning but not as early as ZapperZ. We tend to arrive at the airport at the 7:00 AM neighborhood so that we're flying (also from Chicago) at 9:00 or so, arriving Orlando in the noon - 1:00 timeframe. After checking in at the resort, we immediately head to a park for lunch and fun. The first day may end early with an evening swim or may end late depending on the energy level of the group. We then return home in the evening leaving Orlando say at 7:00 PM.

 

[Victoria]

I always take the first flight out of Newark NJ for the day and land in Orlando no later than 11am. Then we are usually at the hotel and all checked in and ready to go by 1pm. Then it is off to one of the parks for the night.

One time we did leave NJ around 5pm and get to the resort by 9pm. I hated getting in that late. It seemed so pointless to pay for the extra night in WDW when we couldnt really do anything. Never again.

 

[M:SpilotISTC12]

I live in Jersey so I can get there at 9 am. I feel more excited when I wake at 4 in the morning to catch a plane to Florida. I love getting there early more time there. I leave at like 6 at night and get home at around 8.

 

[4friends4ever]

WE have traveled to Disney both early and late arrivals. I know exactly what you are talking about. The days of traveling seems like a lost day. We have flown in early afternoon and it seems so rushed. We also have arrived at Orlando's airport after 7pm. The days we travel later seem more relaxed. We don't have to get up as early, getting to the airport seemed easier, we miss the morning rush. Even Orlando airport, car rental and Disney Hotel check ins seemed much quitier in the evening. Had a nice dinner, got a good night sleep and woke up fresh the next morning ready to hit the parks. It is a much nicer way to travel, IF you have the time and money for the extra day.

 

[wannab@dis]

It depends on whether we're flying or driving as to our arrival times. If we fly, we catch the first flight out and we'll be at the resort by noon and in a park by 1pm.

If we're driving, we'll leave mid-afternoon so we don't miss another day of work and drive to Daytona or even Deltona if we can that night. We'll grab a room and then get up early the next morning and be at the resort by 8 and at a park by opening.

 

[Frosty466]

We always drive down to Florida because of my wife's fear of planes (some type of conspiracy to drop one from 30,000 feet...). One thing to keep in mind is that such a late arrival is going to limit the type of room you get. We have been in December (and are going agian this year) and arrived at about 6pm. None of our special requests were going to be honored and we were told that we were lucky to have a room at the Wilderness Lodge at all (new CM desk person-manager was advised). If you arrive at around noonish you have a better chance of getting room requests filled-view, near pool, quite area, etc. Or at least a better pool of rooms to push for with the desk CM.
Being aware of the limit of rooms during our summer trip we actually drove in and stayed at the Marriott Village for a night so we could check in first thing the next day. This 'maneuver' was suggested by WDW Reservations so our view requests could be best accomodated. :sohappy:

 

[Trishnh]

We generally fly down in the morning & arrive at the hotel about 1-2pm. On that first day we like to hang around the hotel, swim, go to Downtown Disney and hit the sack early so we will be fresh for the next day to hit the parks. We have arrived late at night a few times and it is OK, but I like to be able to enjoy our surroundings a little when we arrive and arriving late at night doesnt let us do it.:wave: Either way works, of course, as long as I am there!!!

 

[pinjim]

I like arriving noon'ish or early afternoon. This way we don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to depart for the airport and then we arrive in time to be able to get into a room without issues (at least so far), with enough time remaining in the day to hit DTD, and then swim.

 

[jeffb]

For my last three trips I have taken an 8:45 Continental flight from EWR that arrives at MCO around 11:30. Usually checked in and on my way to a park around 1:00. I find any flight that is earlier a little tough to get every up and at the airport at such an early time. Since we are chekced in around 12:45 - 1:00, I still feel like we have a pretty full day once we are there.

 

[brisem]

Like Frosty, my wife hates to flight. We usually leave around 6p and arrive around 2 the next afternoon. We just go swimming and relax to get ready for the Parks the next day.

 

[kennygman]

We leave DFW at 7 am and arrive MCO at 10:30. It is ususally noonish when we get checked in. We catch a bus to one of the parks and ride some rides with little waiting, eat lunch and dinner and turn in for the night. We get the latests flight out of MCO that is possible.

 

[poohbear6103]

We usually take Spirit Airlines or American flights that leave at 8:00 and get you in at 11:30 or so. We pick up the rental car and by the time we get to Disney it's around 12:30. We check-in and then we unpack our suitcases. We always do a full trip on the resort monorail as a tradition to see how everything looks since last time. I must say I am always tempted to get off at the Magic Kingdom during that ride but we never go to the parks until our first full day there. We then get back off where we started at the Poly and have lunch at Kona Cafe (also a tradition). The rest of the day we spend exploring the Poly, going on the speedboats, taking a nap or going to the pool. Then we start the touring of the parks full force for the next few days. I usually try to get a flight home around noon so that we can have our traditional last breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. This is nice because you still have time to do something "Disney" while still not get home too late since we usually leave on a Sunday and we work the next day.

 

[goofyfamily]

We like to leave early get to Disney around noon. Check in and head right to a park , it doesn't feal like Disney if we don't go right to a park and catch a fireworks display. But we then sleep in the next day and have no time pressure. We also leave on the latest flight coming home.

 

[sdwsq2005]

We're going in September, for 6 days, and are scheduled to check-in on a Tuesday. Instead of killing ourselves in the rush to drive down from Atlanta, DH suggested we leave on Monday, take a leisurely drive down and spend the night somewhere close by in Orlando. This way we can check into the Contemporary on Tuesday morning, stow our luggage and enjoy ourselves at the parks a whole extra day. WOOHOO!!!! Yes, I know it's trivial, but when you get as excited as I do about going...well....you all know how it is, don't you?
Can't hardly wait!
Sheila