Time difference.

[Poohbear80]

Anybody struggle with the time difference when the going to Orlando? I’m from the UK so the time difference is 5hours and I am ok during the day but at night it takes me ages to adjust! Anyone got tips or struggle like me with the time difference between Orlando and where they live?

 

[steve_rob]

I don't find the 5 hour difference too bad and indeed for the first few days, I actually embrace it. I know I'm not going to have the stamina to stay up to watch the fireworks or be at park close at the beginning of the holiday, but at the same time I know I will up nice and early, be able to finish any unpacking that I didn't get done on arrival day, have a leisurely breakfast somewhere (probably IHOP as it's open 24 hours) and still make it to park opening to beat the crowds.

But as the holiday goes on and I want to start staying up later, I find the best thing is to keep myself occupied. The worst thing you can do is go back to the hotel and lie on the bed - you'll never want to get back up! If you have to be in the room then only sit on a chair (the more uncomfortable the better!) and force yourself to watch TV or something like that so you don't drift off. If you can, go for a walk around the hotel grounds or go out to get a meal or visit a local supermarket - even if you don't buy much, it burns off time and keeps you awake for longer.

Funnily enough I find the jet lag on the way home to be worse with a 5 hour difference than an 8+ hour difference. I think that's because the Orlando flights typically take off around 6-7pm, then they serve dinner and straight after switch the lights out and expect you to go to sleep. I'm not a person who does sleep on planes but even if I was, I wouldn't be sleepy at 8pm. By the time my body clock is telling me it's time to go to sleep, they're switching the lights back on and serving breakfast cause we're 90 minutes away from landing. So I arrive home with jet lag AND no sleep - a killer combination!

 

[Cornish Lad]

We treat our arrival day as if we just had a late night out in the UK - go to bed at the usual time, say 10:30pm local and get up at the usual time say 7:30ish after a good 8 hours of sleep.

 

[Ruttangel]

First few days I find it easy to wake up early and go to bed early but that’s ok as can rope drop the parks or watch some sunrises.

For me it’s always a lot worse jet lag coming home, especially starting work at 8am it really does feel like 3am

 

[McCrae]

Going out is easy…coming back is harder…overnight flight.

 

[MattH2O]

When we arrive we try to stay up as late as possible, last year my 4 yr old somehow stayed in the pool until it closed at 11pm FL time (That would have been 4am back here!!!). Still find that we end up wandering around the resort trying to find things to do a 5 am on the first morning.

as others have said its great for getting to parks early.

day after arriving home is the worst for us. This year we might try nipping to Walmart or Publix and buying some melatonin to help get to sleep earlier on the flight back. Ive heard others have done this and its helped.

 

[Poohbear80]

When we arrive we try to stay up as late as possible, last year my 4 yr old somehow stayed in the pool until it closed at 11pm FL time (That would have been 4am back here!!!). Still find that we end up wandering around the resort trying to find things to do a 5 am on the first morning.

as others have said its great for getting to parks early.

day after arriving home is the worst for us. This year we might try nipping to Walmart or Publix and buying some melatonin to help get to sleep earlier on the flight back. Ive heard others have done this and its helped.

We always wake up super early on our first morning. It takes us most of the week to adjust and then by that stage we are going home. But going WDW is worth the annoyance.

 

[wilderness-girl]

I'm also in the UK and use the same strategy as everyone else has already mentioned! Try your best to stay awake as late as possible on the first night. We usually aim for at least 10pm if possible. The fact that it's bright outside really helps (and the adrenaline of being at Disney helps too!). In the morning, you may well be awake and ready to go at 4am! This isn't a bad thing -- it helps to make the early morning rope drop easier. We usually take advantage of this and choose the parks with the earliest rope drop on the first couple of days, e.g. I think HS was open at 7:30am when we were there, and we got there on time without any issues. In general, we tend to have early nights at Disney because we prefer the parks first thing in the morning when they're less crowded. You may find this strategy more difficult if you're travelling with people who aren't "morning people!" Agree with everyone else - the way back is more difficult. We always take a day off on the way back to recover as much as possible from jet lag.