1st Day after Red Eye Flight????

[glewis1123]

After having to cancel our original trip and rescheduling we ended up taking a Redeye flight from California and will arrive at MCO about 545AM

It will be me, DH, DS and 2 newphews - kids ages are 9 11 & 14.

Just wondering how you "red eye fliers" have planned your first day after arriving early in the morning.

Any tips and advice is appreciated.

We're staying at AKL and trying to decide if we should just hang at the hotel for awhile after breakfast at Bomas or maybe at PS at Donalds Breakfasaurus and let the kids have some fun before heading back to the hotel after lunch.

What do you think?

 

[Memaw2Wm]

I've never flown a red-eye, but since your kids are older and I am a glutton for punishment ... I'd probably schedule the Breakfastosaurus character meal. I thoroughly enjoyed it last summer ... but I would allow enough time to get from the airport to AKL to dump my luggage and then to AK ... maybe schedule it for 9-10 AM.

 

[CEDmom]

I would go with a character meal and then some time in one of the parks. Then you could go back to AKL for a swim and some exploring. Whenever I've taken the red eye to Europe I've found that anything that keeps me moving is good. The minute you sit you'll realize how tired you are, so avoid shows. Try to keep yourselves going until the early evening and then turn in for the night. have a great trip.

 

[vicb]

Some of it would depend (to me anyway) if you sleep on the plane. I am pretty conservative about this, we were just in San Diego for winter break and flew late at night (not quite the redeye but very late arrival with time change thrown in), our kids are 7 and 10. We checked into hotel, got about 6 hours sleep then were ready to face our first day.

If I were at WDW I would probably go for a relaxing day at the resort resturants and pool. Maybe a nap or rest time then try to hit a park or DTD or BW in the late afternoon/evening. Depends how long your trip is and what kind of park passes you will have too.


Good Luck.

 

[stacy6552]

stay out of the MK. Itll be a very go go go day. if you want to do a park, head to epcot or maybe mgm. There is less to do and see.

If noone sleeps on the plane, stay at the hotel. Try and get a short nap in. Then see the early hoop dee do revue and get to bed early, but not too early. You dont want jet lag screwing up your whole trip.

 

[cgoofdonmin]

Our post could almost be indentical. I am also from California & we will also take the red eye out in late June and stay for 2 weeks into July. I have 3 kids as well. We always try to schedule a red eye. It's great to sleep on the plane and then start a day fresh at WDW. Last time we took a red eye, we also stayed at the AKL & they had our room ready when we arrived at 7 AM and it was in July as well. We decided to do AK that day [because it's so close & they close earlier than the other parks] & we started w/breakfast at Donald's breakfast. We spent the day there & were starting to feel tired by the end of the afternoon. We went back to our hotel & went to bed & got a good long night sleep and were ready to tackle a fresh new day at DW the next day. I think the way you are doing it will work out wonderful esp. if you are able to sleep on the plane. This June, we will stay at the GF after our red eye flight and we will do the short trip to the MK the day we arrive since it's so close there . Hope this helps. Kim

 

[Gillian]

Bring ear plugs (soft foam disposable ones) and eye shades for the plane! The ear plugs especially can really help you sleep.

I think I'd go for AK and breakfast out. It's more interesting than the hotel and you won't be thinking about sleeping! It would be awful if you stayed at the hotel but couldn't get into your room to sleep when you most wanted to. At a park your mind will be on other things.

Just take it easy and go back whenever you start to get grumpy!

 

[Noelle]

We did the same flight three years ago with our then 7 year old daughter. I made sure that she slept in the day of the flight. Where she would normally get up at 7, I let her sleep til 9:30. Then she didn't rest or take any naps that day. So by the time we got to the airport, she was pretty excited. We ate a quick bite and waited to board the plane. She slept pretty soundly over. So when we got there, we had toothbrushes, wipes to freshen our face, comb, and a quick change of clothes. We freshened up at the Airport since check-in wasn't til 3. We got to the All Star, checked in, & left our bags with the hotel. Then we went to the Magic Kingdom. We ate breakfast and were pretty energetic because of the excitement of being there. At about 4 o'clock, we started to get a little tired. So we just had an early dinner and headed back to the resort for a quick swim and bed. It worked out well because the next day were were able to get up early again (for early entry) well rested.

 

[glewis1123]

Thanks for all the responses everyone

We've decided to do donald's Breakfasaurus and hang out at AK til lunch time then head back to the AKL - the room probably won't be ready but we'll have the kids pack swimshorts in their backpack so they can swim after lunch and hubby and I can relax while we wait for our room - then we have dinner at Boma's and call it a day.

 

[vicb]

Sounds like a good plan.

But don't be surprised if your room is ready early. We have checked in early last two trips and our room was ready both times (11am at Poly and 1pm at BWI)!