Cut Off Time for Flight Arrival and Going to Park

Frozen2014

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
Just wondering....what would be your cut off time when you would say "our flight arrives too late to make it worthwhile to go to the park on arrival day"?

Our flight arrives at 12:30pm and we are staying at Pop. We won't have a car and so will take Magical Express from the airport to Pop. Then planning on checking in (or having them store our luggage if our room isn't ready), quick unpack if we can check in, and then uber to Magic Kingdom. From estimates, I think we should be able to be in the gates by 4pm or 4:30pm? (We have Canadian tickets so need to get tickets activated first)

But if our flight arrived at say 4pm, then we probably wouldn't go to the park that day. If 3pm, not sure.

I guess it depends how long your trip is. Ours is only 3 days plus arrival day so we want to make the most of it and get in a few hours. But we will have early start the next morning.
 
What time does the park close? Last time we stayed at Pop we just rode the Skyliner over to HS for a few hours after we checked in. We had an early start the next day and didn't want to be out too late. If you really want to do MK then make a few FPs for the evening and head over. A few hours is better than none, IMO.
 
Just wondering....what would be your cut off time when you would say "our flight arrives too late to make it worthwhile to go to the park on arrival day"?

Our flight arrives at 12:30pm and we are staying at Pop. We won't have a car and so will take Magical Express from the airport to Pop. Then planning on checking in (or having them store our luggage if our room isn't ready), quick unpack if we can check in, and then uber to Magic Kingdom. From estimates, I think we should be able to be in the gates by 4pm or 4:30pm? (We have Canadian tickets so need to get tickets activated first)

But if our flight arrived at say 4pm, then we probably wouldn't go to the park that day. If 3pm, not sure.

I guess it depends how long your trip is. Ours is only 3 days plus arrival day so we want to make the most of it and get in a few hours. But we will have early start the next morning.
How many days of tickets do you have?
 
I've done down to about 30min of park time. I need to be in the park arrival day but I'm weird like that.
 


What time does the park close? Last time we stayed at Pop we just rode the Skyliner over to HS for a few hours after we checked in. We had an early start the next day and didn't want to be out too late. If you really want to do MK then make a few FPs for the evening and head over. A few hours is better than none, IMO.
Our trip isn't until August so it's not confirmed, but Touring Plans estimates MK closes at 10pm. I was thinking of having HS or Epcot as our first night becuase of the Skyliner, but since it's such a short trip, if we are going to repeat a park, we prefer MK.

Also with current plans, we have HS the next morning and will try for a boarding pass if that's still around.

How many days of tickets do you have?
Our trip is 3 full days plus arrival, so we bought the 4 day Canadian (minimum number of days). So we have 4 days anyways....but just wondering when it's no longer worthwhile heading to the park.
 


Our trip isn't until August so it's not confirmed, but Touring Plans estimates MK closes at 10pm. I was thinking of having HS or Epcot as our first night becuase of the Skyliner, but since it's such a short trip, if we are going to repeat a park, we prefer MK.

Also with current plans, we have HS the next morning and will try for a boarding pass if that's still around.


Our trip is 3 full days plus arrival, so we bought the 4 day Canadian (minimum number of days). So we have 4 days anyways....but just wondering when it's no longer worthwhile heading to the park.


I would make some FPs for 4pm on and go enjoy MK. :)
 
If my arrival time would give me 4 hours of park time or a highly desired ADR or FP+ I would likely go, especially on a short trip The cost to add an additional day is usually comparatively low.
 
Our trip is 3 full days plus arrival, so we bought the 4 day Canadian (minimum number of days). So we have 4 days anyways....but just wondering when it's no longer worthwhile heading to the park.
To me, it’s always ticket dependent. It’s always worthwhile to visit, if you’ve got that extra ticket anyways, even if it means just getting there an hour before closing to see fireworks.
 
i agree with previous posters about hitting the parks on arrival. With only 4 days then you will need any extra time that you can squeeze in. See which park is open latest and make fast passes there. It is sometimes easier to get late in the afternoon fast passes.
you can do a lot in 4 hours, but I believe MK is open later than the other parks and it does have the most attractions to fill up the four hours.

Have Fun!
 
I would make some FPs for 4pm on and go enjoy MK. :)
Thanks. Yeah, was thinking of aiming for 4pm or 4:30pm for the first one, depending on the time. We won't get a 4th one, but at least we should get our 3 favorites.

To me, it’s always ticket dependent. It’s always worthwhile to visit, if you’ve got that extra ticket anyways, even if it means just getting there an hour before closing to see fireworks.
True...fireworks alone are worth it.

i agree with previous posters about hitting the parks on arrival. With only 4 days then you will need any extra time that you can squeeze in. See which park is open latest and make fast passes there. It is sometimes easier to get late in the afternoon fast passes.
you can do a lot in 4 hours, but I believe MK is open later than the other parks and it does have the most attractions to fill up the four hours.

Have Fun!
Perfect. Thanks. Too bad Skyliner doesn't go right to MK, but hoping it will be efficient catching a taxi or uber from Pop.
 
and then uber to Magic Kingdom.
Why rideshare when Disney transportation will get you as close as possible to the MK tapstiles?
So we have 4 days anyways....but just wondering when it's no longer worthwhile heading to the park.
With four days and four day tickets, if the tickets expire you would be wasting money by not visiting a park every day.
 
IMO, there are a lot of variables...

1) Arrival time (obviously)
2) Park closing time
3) Estimated start time the next day (my family are NOT early risers)
4) Estimated time of getting back to the resort
5) Cost of the ticket for the day

So "it depends".
Would I pay an extra $100 pp for three hours in a park, to get back to the resort at midnight and need to be up at 6 the next morning? No.
Would I pay an extra $10 pp for three hours in a park, to get back to the resort at 11 and need to be up at 8 the next morning? Probably
 
Thanks. Yeah, was thinking of aiming for 4pm or 4:30pm for the first one, depending on the time. We won't get a 4th one, but at least we should get our 3 favorites.


True...fireworks alone are worth it.


Perfect. Thanks. Too bad Skyliner doesn't go right to MK, but hoping it will be efficient catching a taxi or uber from Pop.


Take the bus. Uber cannot drop you at the MK gate.
 
IMO, there are a lot of variables...

1) Arrival time (obviously)
2) Park closing time
3) Estimated start time the next day (my family are NOT early risers)
4) Estimated time of getting back to the resort
5) Cost of the ticket for the day

So "it depends".
Would I pay an extra $100 pp for three hours in a park, to get back to the resort at midnight and need to be up at 6 the next morning? No.
Would I pay an extra $10 pp for three hours in a park, to get back to the resort at 11 and need to be up at 8 the next morning? Probably
Makes sense...and not a black and white answer. For us...

1) Arrival time (obviously) ...flight arrives 12:30pm
2) Park closing time ...looks like 10pm
3) Estimated start time the next day (my family are NOT early risers) ...looks like HS opens at 9am so get there for around 8am
4) Estimated time of getting back to the resort 10pm? Need to be careful as can't have early start and late end all 3.5 days
5) Cost of the ticket for the day ...no additional cost as included in CAD tickets
 
Take the bus. Uber cannot drop you at the MK gate.
I've heard a good option is to get dropped off at Contemporary and then walk? Or would bus be quicker. Bus would save us money but trying to be as efficient as can be since we already a lot of the day.
 
Our trip isn't until August so it's not confirmed, but Touring Plans estimates MK closes at 10pm. I was thinking of having HS or Epcot as our first night becuase of the Skyliner, but since it's such a short trip, if we are going to repeat a park, we prefer MK.

Also with current plans, we have HS the next morning and will try for a boarding pass if that's still around.


Our trip is 3 full days plus arrival, so we bought the 4 day Canadian (minimum number of days). So we have 4 days anyways....but just wondering when it's no longer worthwhile heading to the park.
you said about uber to MK but that will not get you to gate. drop off is at TTC so you would still need to either monorail or ferry or drop off at Contemp and walk to MK. not sure it will save you time
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top