Help me figure out which is the best decision??

[scootch713]

Airfare is really cheap on friday night out of pittsburgh, enough that I could pay for a night at pop for the same price as taking flights the next morning. I could go on friday(kids would be in school all day)... arrive at MCO around 830 and stay an extra day. I got a room at Pop for that first night.. then will switch to wilderness lodge as I rented points from a disney vacation club member..... or just wait as southwest is lowering prices and just fly out saturday morning at 930am like i had planned.

First I say, hey take the extra half day.....

then I think, the kids will be tired after being in school all day, we wont' probably get to the pop till 930, then I have to be disturbed when our luggage arrives and then have our luggage transferred the next day.... so the extra half day doesn't sound so good, ya know. ????

or... dont' worry about those extra inconveniences.... just enjoy the extra half day at parks and get there and get my airfare now and forget it?!?!?!?! decisions, decisions.....

ps. I can't get another night at wilderness lodge villas... i am taking a splurge vacation in NYC in October, so can't really afford to splurge much more in Disney this year. We go yearly, so we will still have a great trip.

[Disneyfun]

I would fly out on Friday night for the following reasons:

1. Your children will probably be super excited to get the "extra" day at WDW and would gladly make the extra effort to withstand the flight right after school.
2. Even if they are tired that evening, you all will be able to get a good night's rest at POP and be ready to go gang busters the next day!
3. YOU GET TO WDW EARLIER!!!! :thumbsup:

[tinksmom02]

I don't know too much about the inner workings of DME, but is there anyway you could pack what you needed in your carryon for that first night? I believe that bell services will hold your luggage if you request them to, for late night arrivals. You could just have them hold it and pick it up in the am on your way to WL.

I would still take the extra half day...

[caryrae]

I would choose Friday then you have a full day Saturday to start the vacation instead of just a half day. Otherwise if you left Saturday morning you would be saying man we would be there right now and at a park if we would have just left last night (Friday).

I know I am tired the first day when we leave in the morning getting up early to get ready and get to the airport then flying a few hours, get bags, and get to resort, check in ect/ By then it's the middle of the afternoon. Not to mention can't get much sleep because I know I am going to WDW in the morning.

[#1disneyfan]

We actually are doing just what you are pondering.

We are leaving the night before our trip actually starts. We are taking a 9pm flight out of Philly arriving MCO at 11:45pm, and are spending a night at the MCO Hyatt (in the airport).

Even though the night at the hotel was about $180, I still saved that and more with the price difference between the flights. We had a AAA rate and also a special code for 2 free breakfasts in the morning.

When we arrive we will grab our own luggage, check in, have a good night sleep, have our breakfast, and hop on ME to the Poly and still arrive sooner than our early morning flight would have. And the added major bonus is we won't be exhausted from getting up at 3am for the early flight.

Have a great trip!

[Kerr0173]

So, with you spending the first night at the Airport hotel, you are still able to use the ME the next day to get the WDW?

Kerrie:mickey:

[faline]

You can use Magical expess on the day you are slated to check into a Disney resort even if you've actually arrived the day before.

[Ed]

Another factor to consider....

I don't know a thing about your airport and its passenger loads, but I do know that MCO is EXTREMELY busy on Saturday mornings, while Friday nights are comparatively light.

What this means to you is that you are likely to be facing big airport crowds and a full airplane on Saturday morning, and quite the oppposite on Friday night.

DW and I once took a late Friday night flight to Baltimore out of Tampa that had a grand total of 12 passengers aboard. Some airlines would have cancelled that flight, but it was a "repositioning flight"; that particular plane had to be in Baltimore for one of the first flights out the next morning. We got extra peanuts!! :D

[thumperbug]

We have done both....left late the night before, got to out hotel and got a good night sleep and were all refreshed and raring to go first thing the next morning. We have also done the first flight out the morning our vacation starts, get to our hotel by 11 and have the whole day and night. The downside to that....you don't sleep much the night before knowing you need to get up at 4 or 5 am.

If we can afford it and can get the flight...we go the night before. Otherwise its the crack of dawn flight with adreniline to keep us going thru the day.

[KAT1811]

I would fly out on Friday night for the following reasons:

1. Your children will probably be super excited to get the "extra" day at WDW and would gladly make the extra effort to withstand the flight right after school.
2. Even if they are tired that evening, you all will be able to get a good night's rest at POP and be ready to go gang busters the next day!
3. YOU GET TO WDW EARLIER!!!! :thumbsup:


:ditto:

[Kisobel]

take the extra day. any extra time in disney is worth it.

kate