Depature day plans? We have park tickets.

[KMP12]

WWYD? We leave on a Friday. Thursday night we are doing MK and happily ever fireworks. Our departure day EMH are 8am at MK we were going to Rope drop and use our 3 FP's. Now I am debating just doing a waterpark day. Our flight is at 7pm. Thoughts?

 

[YawningDodo]

My question re: a potential waterpark day is what the plan is for packing up wet swimsuits and getting clean and comfortable and dry for the flight home when you won't have a resort room to return to after mid-morning.

I'd just rope drop MK and make the most of those FP+. That's what I'm almost certainly going to do in January when I leave on a Friday on a 4:30 PM flight (hours aren't up yet but an 8:00 EMH at MK is looking likely). Just build yourself a rough schedule with a generous allowance for travel time and give yourself a hard deadline for when you need to leave the park to catch the Magical Express (or whatever transportation you're taking to the airport), and you're good. When I went in 2015 we rope dropped DHS even though it didn't have EMH that morning, but that was because we were staying at the Dolphin and felt better about going to a park we could walk back from, so we knew exactly how long it would take us to get back to catch the shuttle. If you're taking the buses to get back to your resort to meet the ME I'd allow a solid hour and a half from leaving the park to meeting your transportation.

 

[GillianP1301]

I don't like to swim or do water park on departure day. I find the logistics of getting changed, packing we bathing suits and towels just not worth it. We are flying out at 6pm and we are doing EP on our departure day. Our last full day will be in MK day time and AK at night, so doing a different park for a few hours on departure day made the most sense and EP is our 2nd favourite park, after MK.

 

[AngiTN]

We always fly out at night and do park days on departure day but never an early park day, like EMM or EMH. I need/want time to pack up. Departure day is never more than an 11:00 am start.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

We arrive early and leave late-have to squeeze every bit of Disney out of our trip! Since we are staying at YC, we are doing a not too early breakfast at Cape May and then Epcot-staying close to our resort so not depending on busses or boats.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We'll be heading to AK on our departure day and taking advantage of the EMH. I say go for MK!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We book a late flight also. That day we take our time getting up and check out right around 11 am. We go to a park with FP starting around noon. We never make that an early day.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you have theme park tickets, they won't be good for the water parks. You need specific water park tickets. If you don't go to the theme park on the last day, that will leave a day unused and lost.

 

[AngiTN]

If you have theme park tickets, they won't be good for the water parks. You need specific water park tickets. If you don't go to the theme park on the last day, that will leave a day unused and lost.

Unless you get Park Hopper Plus tickets. They are good for WP entries and theme park entries (among other things)

 

[MNDisneyMommy]

Usually we leave in the AM, but on our last trip we had a 6:45 PM flight home. We were staying at BLT, so that might have made this more convenient, but we had the BEST day:

Packed night before.
Checked bags that AM directly to flight via the resort check-in.
Dropped carry-ons off at bell services.
Hit MK, did three FP, had a great time.
Left MK, went back to Contemporary & got bags, changed in the nearby locker rooms, and took a glorious swim under blue skies (note: we were headed back to winter in MN!).
Got changed, wet swimsuits in ziplocs, back into clothes, grabbed some food, and took ME to airport.
Kiddos were pleasantly exhausted for the flight, so they just zoned out on the screens.

Honestly, it was just a little taste of all the things we love best about our vacations crammed into one day, and it really felt like a whole extra day of vacation. Well worth the hassle!

 

[SG131]

I would go for MK, it’s a great way to end the trip. I do have wet bags specifically for wet swimsuits in case they don’t dry in time to pack, but I still would rather not deal with the logistics of swimming the day of departure.

 

[Jarmo]

Slightly related question, anyone ever pay for a hotel just so little ones can take an afternoon nap before a late departure? I'm considering it with a 9pm flight and three small kids. Looks like there are some $40 options in the Disney area... any better option?

 

[YawningDodo]

Slightly related question, anyone ever pay for a hotel just so little ones can take an afternoon nap before a late departure? I'm considering it with a 9pm flight and three small kids. Looks like there are some $40 options in the Disney area... any better option?

Over on the DCL board I learned that the Hyatt inside the Orlando airport does day rooms, but I think it's closer to $100 and I don't know how late they'll let you keep the room--if you need it for later in the afternoon you might be just as well off booking a regular reservation if you go that route. But on the cruise boards it seems like quite a few people have gotten a room in which to rest between early morning debarkation and a late afternoon/evening flight; there may be some threads with more detailed mentions/ideas about it over there if you don't get a lot of response here.

 

[KMP12]

Slightly related question, anyone ever pay for a hotel just so little ones can take an afternoon nap before a late departure? I'm considering it with a 9pm flight and three small kids. Looks like there are some $40 options in the Disney area... any better option?

A hotel let us keep our room

 

[cart-mom]

Just throwing my own experience out there - we did a wp dod and almost missed our MDE to airport because the bus was stuck in the parking lot jammed with cars exiting because it started to rain and everyone just left at the same time. It was horrible. Will never do that again. Maybe you could do it and just plan on being back earlier, but it's risky with the weather in Florida. We are staying WL this trip an DH wants to just stay with MK to be close. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Rossie3]

I always do late flights home on departure day so I can squeeze almost a full day out of that last day. Coming up for my Food and Wine trip I could only get one as late as 515 leaving so I guess I will not be doing too much that day. But I am staying at POP for the sole purpose of having the Skyliner to ride between HS and Epcot. I am looking forward to that almost as much SWGE. I think this will make getting back to certain hotels, or park hopping between HS and Epcot really efficient. My Christmas week trip I scored a flight back home leaving at 845pm. That will be a fun full day, and hopefully I can catch a few fireworks through the windows as we ascend.

 

[SaintsManiac]

This thread made me go change our flight to later. lol.

 

[chris44]

Over on the DCL board I learned that the Hyatt inside the Orlando airport does day rooms, but I think it's closer to $100 and I don't know how late they'll let you keep the room--if you need it for later in the afternoon you might be just as well off booking a regular reservation if you go that route. But on the cruise boards it seems like quite a few people have gotten a room in which to rest between early morning debarkation and a late afternoon/evening flight; there may be some threads with more detailed mentions/ideas about it over there if you don't get a lot of response here.

We did this one time when we had a late flight at MCO. When we got to the airport, I called the Hyatt and asked if they had any day rooms available, and they did. I don't remember how much it cost, but it was sooo worth it, as we were exhausted (I think it was after a cruise, not sure??). And I don't even have little kids, haha!

 

[YawningDodo]

This thread made me go change our flight to later. lol.

It's making me wish I could leave even later than I am! Having done the 4:00 departure I know I'll only get two or three hours in the park that morning...still worth it, though, since on a longer stay it's only about $10 to add that day to the ticket.

 

[Figment Mom]

I'm sitting at MCO waiting on my departure flight.

Woke up around 7 am.
Packed.
Checked in at airline desk and checked bag.
Checked carry on also at resort to be held.
Took bus to MK.
Missed rope drop by about 10 minutes due to VERY SLOW MK bus boarding but it all worked out great.

Did all the rides I wanted: BTMRx2
PP
Space
Peoplemover

Rode the Liberty Belle.
Went to Tom Sawyer's Island
Basically enjoyed a very leisurely day. Drank tons of slushy things to deal with the heat. (Discovered LeFou's Brew is amazing.) Had the lobster roll and hush puppies at Columbia Harbor House. Watched the parade.

Watched the flag retreat then left around 5:30 only because a storm seemed to be rolling in.

Went back to Pop and retrieved my bag. Changed out of sweaty park clothes into fresh clothes. Had dinner. Wandered around.

If my son was with me he would have wanted to swim and we've done that in the past. It's simple to put wet suits in a plastic bag.

Had to board DME at 8:05, even though my flight had been delayed. I was the only passenger. There were supposed to be 2 more but they were late (or made alternative plans) and after waiting for a bit the driver left.

There were no other stops and I was at MCO in about 30-35 minutes.

Of course that has left me with almost 4 hours of airport time due to my flight delay - which is why I'm sitting here typing this unnecessarily long response.

I always love to fly in early and out late and do MK on both of those days.