From LAX... straight to DL

[bswift]

Has anyone gone straight to DL after arriving at LAX? With a pitstop to drop off your luggage of course. I'm heading over for about 2 weeks next October, and I'm trying to see if I could fit in 1.5 days at DL at the start of my trip. Assuming I land around 7am, I guess I could be in the parks by lunch time. Just wondering if it's too exhausting to do all on the same day? I usually sleep okay on the way to LAX but I've always flown through to somewhere else and ended up falling asleep on those flights too. I will be doing 4/5 days at WDW so it wouldn't be the end of the world if I don't make it to DL but I've never been before and it will be the 60th anniversary so I think I should make the effort!

 

[Montanabel]

Has anyone gone straight to DL after arriving at LAX? With a pitstop to drop off your luggage of course. I'm heading over for about 2 weeks next October, and I'm trying to see if I could fit in 1.5 days at DL at the start of my trip. Assuming I land around 7am, I guess I could be in the parks by lunch time. Just wondering if it's too exhausting to do all on the same day? I usually sleep okay on the way to LAX but I've always flown through to somewhere else and ended up falling asleep on those flights too. I will be doing 4/5 days at WDW so it wouldn't be the end of the world if I don't make it to DL but I've never been before and it will be the 60th anniversary so I think I should make the effort!

Everytime

Before we arrive in USA, we advise our hotel in Anaheim that we require an early check in, drop off our luggage and hit the parks. We don't last all day, but just being back at Disneyland (and California Adventure) gives us all a lift and helps fight off that jet lag.

With next year being so special, I say go for it, you won't regret it:

 

[jacs1234]

Yes we do every time. By midnight we are kind of tripping over ourselves and each other like we're drunk though because we're so tired but Yes, that can easily be done.

 

[aussie shaz]

Yep. No keeping me away till the next day. It definately keeps the tiredness away.

 

[SnowWhite09]

We haven't, but we will definitely be doing this on our next trip our flight arrives into LAX at 6.30am. Hopefully a great way to ward off jet lag!!

 

[Aust]

Every trip we have gone to DL straight from LAX - drop our bags at the hotel and straight to the parks. It keeps us from having a nap during the day and then not being able to sleep at night. Manage to last until about 7pm, have an early night, then up and over the jetlag the next morning.

 

[minneylovesmicky]

We haven't, but we will definitely be doing this on our next trip our flight arrives into LAX at 6.30am. Hopefully a great way to ward off jet lag!!

we arrive at the same time, we are hoping this works for us too in regards to jet lag

 

[bswift]

Excellent! I'm very excited to visit DL for the first time, even if it will only be for one and a half days! Thanks for you help guys

 

[newkie]

I'd say without kids, it's very do-able. We had our 4 kids with us, and none of them slept more than 3 hours on the way over, we got in at 10.30am, and there's no way we could have gone straight to the parks, we were stuffed, dinner at 5, bed at 6.30 and we were still tired and cranky the next day. But if it were just hubby and me, we could have got enough sleep on the flight to have gone straight to the park from the airport, so I reakon you'll be fine

 

[Rebekkap]

I've done this several times - get the bus (or a town car), dump the luggage at the hotel, and head straight to the park. There by mid morning if you have some luck getting through immigration quickly (easier now they have the biometric passport readers) and definitely helps stave off the tiredness!

I've always been pretty tired by evening but an early night and some melatonin (available over the counter in the US, best ing for jetlag) and I'm raring to go the next morning. Taking melatonin for five nights basically means no jetlag at all.

 

[coco392]

Yep we did it last year.
Had a definite plan about what I wanted to see and nailed it.

 

[jevs]

We didn't but there were three young kids who didn't sleep much on the way over. We were able to check in straight away, had a shower, lunch, a wander through DTD, early dinner, then in bed at 7-730pm.

By myself, probably would go for it.

 

[lffam]

Our first trip over there was no way we could have done it we were all pretty smashed with jetlag, my son in particular who was 7 at the time. But second trip we got off bounding and definitely could have, though we had some much more comfy seats going over second time

We have planned to go direct to DL for our December trip provided I get the flights i need to (reward) otherwise we may have to come in a day or so earlier and maybe stop off in LA or something.

 

[backinoz]

I did it with DD13 & DD15 Dec 2012 - dropped off bags, hit park at opening, then back across the road to hotel for nap between 2-6, back in parks by 6.30pm and stayed until closing at 10pm. Slept right through until 7.30am alarm the next morning, ready to be there for opening time again. We did the after lunch break for the next two days, (it did get shorter each time though) - was the perfect no stress way to get over jet lag. Would be harder to do if you were staying further away from the parks.

 

[bswift]

Would be harder to do if you were staying further away from the parks.

I'm staying at the Super 8 on Katella, which looks to be a 15 - 20 minute walk. I'm a fast walker so I'm saying 15 at the most. My flight lands at 6:45am (hopefully it's on time!!) and then I'll try to get through security as quickly as possible. Unfortunately they generally ask me a lot of questions about my previous visa from when I studied in NC. I'm hoping to be at my hotel by 10am, probably changing there rather than on the plane/at the airport. Then into DCA until the 3pm check in time, head back to the hotel for a shower and maybe a nap and then into DL!

 

[losfp]

We'll be landing at about 7pm at LAX from MCO... so I'm going to guess it'll be straight to bed for the little ones. I might pop down from GCH to pick up tickets (assuming the booths will be open) so that we don't have to bother doing that in the morning.

 

[alicia1506]

We've done it on all of our trips... land around 6/7, out through customs and on the Disneyland Resort Express bus within 30mins, drop off at hotel about an hour later, dump luggage at hotel and walk across to Disneyland just after park open. We usually put in a full day at Disneyland (even if we don't sleep well on the flight, first visit, we got NO sleep), stumble around a little blearily in the mid-afternoon (3pm parade is great to rest/recharge!) and then push on til about 7pm, go back to the hotel, get some sort of takeout/delivery food, and veg in our room until about 10pm, then get a full night's sleep, and wake up refreshed and with no jetlag for a full day in the parks the next morning!

 

[FireflyFi]

Good to hear so many people are able to hit the parks right after the flight. That's my plan for October. Previously, I've only ever flown straight onto the east coast, landed with just enough time for dinner (real food!) and then fall into a deep sleep.

 

[bswift]

Good to hear so many people are able to hit the parks right after the flight. That's my plan for October. Previously, I've only ever flown straight onto the east coast, landed with just enough time for dinner (real food!) and then fall into a deep sleep.

That's how my previous trips have been too which is why I was concerned! I think moving around all day in fresh air instead of being on another flight will help keep us awake. I just saw in another thread that we'll both be there on the 16th

 

[FireflyFi]

That's how my previous trips have been too which is why I was concerned! I think moving around all day in fresh air instead of being on another flight will help keep us awake. I just saw in another thread that we'll both be there on the 16th

Oh yeah? Nice! Hey, you're in Melbourne? You should come to the Dismeet

And agree about the benefit of not being on another flight. I'm always like a zombie, uncontrollably drifting in and out of sleep...!