Aussies in Orlando and dreaded jet lag?

Hi all

My 60 days is coming up in a month and I really need to get moving on my TP so I can set out our time at WDW.

I’ve got a question for any fellow Aussies who may have been, and how jetlag impacts you. While I know its hard to “plan” for, I’m wondering if it impacts more in terms of awake super early, or at the other end of the day? Trying to work out for our first few days if a later morning start would be better, or plan for the afternoon to be our down time and hit the parks at RD.
While DD can cope quite well with broken and disturbed sleep, DS is almost intolerable without a good nights sleep so I’m trying to make plans to allow for us all to cope as best we can!

Any advice appreciated

Thanks
Marika

Hi @marikathomson

We are from Adelaide and recently made the trek over to WDW with DW and DD4.

We went over in one whole 32-34 hour trip (ADL->MEL->LAX-MCO). We were up really really late the night before and only got about 3-4 hours max before we were up for the 1st flight out in the morning.

We traveled over the main leg on a Dreamliner (highly recommended) which drastically reduced Jet Lag due to the pressurization and humidity differences (https://apex.aero/2015/12/10/turning-down-the-cabin-pressure). We slept quite a bit in the plane as the way over had the lights off almost the entire duration.

I’m guessing this combined with the fact we were at Disneyworld really really helped out with the Jetlag as we didn’t get a whole bunch at all.

The night we arrived, I did find it hard to sleep and found myself awake in the middle of the morning needing a snack and a walk around the resort. The next day however all 3 of us were up early and ready for Rope Drop and were there until the park closed (we did this every day for 2 weeks straight).

I personally think getting up early to go was a good thing as your body naturally wants to be up and moving after so much sleep on the plane etc.

I was expecting a much greater effect in regards to the jet lag, but it was just general tiredness as we hit the 3rd plane from LAX → MCO that really got me.

Ryan

HI @cYn_s15 Ryan

Thanks for this sounds great.

We are flying a Dreamliner as well and I do agree you get out the other side feeling considerably more human than other aircraft! We are doing MEL->LAX->MCO in the one hit as well, so just missing the smaller Adelaide leg.

Appreciate your reply and advice, fingers crossed we are all happy travellers too :slight_smile:

Cheers
Marika

I wish we got to have the dream liner! We’re doing cns-mel-lax-mco. The return trip goes to bne instead of mel though…for no reason other than its what the travel agent did.

We’re attacking the jet lag issue by switching time zones a few days before we leave-but we’re on Christmas holiday and can do that. Dh will be working so will have to adapt on the plane. Our flight also requires us to be at the airport before 3am our local time, so switching over a few days before will help with that too!

Argh cairns to Melbourne is enough of a flight on its own!! Before the rest of it all.
We all finish work/school on Friday evening and fly out Saturday morning so will just have to suck it up I think!! Haha

I forgot how old your kiddos are… Is it possible to keep them up as late as possible on Friday night and then work on the US fine zone from the airport? Might help them to sleep at the right time on the plane.

Or (and as a teacher I shouldn’t really say this) have the last day off? It’s mostly watching movies and cleaning in the schools I’ve worked at :roll_eyes:

are you all going first flights out in the AM?

Yes we are on the morning flight

@ladythomas they are missing the last week of school anyway and I have to work right up so I think we will just keep them up late and hit USA time on the plane etc. It has always worked for me to start on the destination time as soon as I get on the plane.
Either way it will be what it will be :laughing:

Now to get onto sorting these plans out - 31 days till me FP opens, I better get moving!!!