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Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is a premier travel destination for all ages. With 4 theme parks (Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT & Hollywood Studios), 2 water parks (Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon), world-class shopping & dining at Disney Springs, golf, etc., there is so much to do at Disney World that families from across the world want a Disney World vacation.
But if you don’t live nearby, you may find yourself taking a long flight to Orlando, Florida. But don’t worry; I’ve got 10 tips that can make the flight better.
- Stay on-site at Walt Disney World: You save so much money if you actually stay on-site at Walt Disney World. You don’t have to worry about driving to the parks because Disney’s has transportation to & from the parks all day long, and you won’t have to bother paying any parking fees either. To save money on your hotel room, consider booking a value hotel like All Star Music or Pop Century, or you can book a Disney Vacation Club Rental.
- Book an overnight flight: One way to save money on your flight is to book a red-eye flight. I have flown the overnight flight from Salt Lake City to Orlando multiple times on JetBlue and it was a great experience. If you use Magical Express and you stay on-site, then Disney will transport your luggage to your hotel and store it until your room is ready, and then you’ll have the whole day to visit the park. You’ll be able to visit the parks early which means there will be less lines. Once your room is ready, you can always go back to your room and take a nap. Then in the evening you can go back to the parks or try Disney Springs (if you’re staying at Port Orleans Riverside, Port Orleans French Quarter, Old Key West or Saratoga Springs, you can take a boat to Disney Springs which is a really neat experience) where you could eat at a great restaurant like T-Rex Restaurant (a great restaurant – and here’s how you can save money at T-Rex). I have found that Cheapoair offers great prices for overnight flights to Orlando.
- Pick a good flight: Now, what exactly do I mean by this? Well, if you are in the plane a long time you are really going to need to like your flight; you will need a seat you find comfortable, you might want live TV options, etc. CheapAir has a great comparison tool that can help you pick the best flight for you.
- Consider a stopover: Now this really only applies if you are flying from really far off, such as from another continent. You can save a lot of money on a flight overseas by booking a stopover, and it gives you a chance to see another place. Here’s more information on taking a stopover.
- Get a portable charger: You’ll want to entertain yourself during your flight, and you’ll want your kids to be entertained, and electronics really help that. Unfortunately, not all planes have outlets where you can charge up your electronics and if it’s a long flight you could use up the battery in your electronics, but luckily you won’t have to worry about that if you get a great portable charge. Here’s my advice on which portable charger to buy, and why it will come in handy at Walt Disney World.
- Get a suitcase from American Tourister: I like to use my American Tourister Disney suitcase for my Disney trips because not only does it get me excited for the trip (and can get your kids excited – they have really fun Disney designs like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Disney princesses like Rapunzel, Belle & Ariel, Star Wars, Frozen, etc.) you can fit so much in an American Tourister suitcase and I can fit mine into the overhead storage. You might even be able to bypass expensive baggage fees by getting everything into your suitcase and another bag if you pack lightly (a great purse that can fit a lot that I recommend is this Star Wars purse).
- Get good headphones: If you want to drown out noise on your plane flight, then consider getting good headphones that not only drown out noise but are comfortable. I highly recommend this headphone that I bought at a great price on Amazon.
- Get Disney reading: So if you want to read on the plane, a book I highly recommend is The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. My family has been reading this book for years, and I have read it on the plane on the way to Disney World and not only does it get you excited for your trip, but it’s a great way to take notes and plan out your days at the parks.
- Get a sleep mask: If you want to take a nap on the plane and you’re worried you won’t be able to sleep, one thing I’ve found that really helps on a plane is a good sleep mask. Here is an affordable sleep mask from a reputable brand.
- Get a travel neck pillow: Another great purchase for your trip is a travel neck pillow. If you’ve ever fallen asleep on a plane only to awaken with your neck hurting, then you understand the need for this item. It really makes sleeping on a plane more comfortable. Here’s the sleep pillow I use that I love, and here’s an added bonus to it – it comes with a sleeping mask!
