The box DOES say to put them in 1 hour before, but since my daugters ears only hurt during landing ( and she too, cries the whole time were are descending) we just put them in on the plane. We have a 2 hour flight so once we take off, and get in the air, we stick them in. We used them once, and she said it still hurt a little, but she didnt cry or whine at all. Usually shes making a scene crying ..lol.. and shes 9!!
Aimee
PS.. where do you get the disney countdown things at???