How do you spend your departure day?

[Mom of Jack 2009]

On our departure day we have a 7:25 pm flight. I'm trying to figure out what to do on the day that will feel like time we'll spent but won't be stressful and potentially compromise getting to the airport. We are staying at POR if that matters and would have the option of going to any park, including a water park.
In the same vein, has anyone used Uber instead of DME to get to the airport? It seems to take a lot of time to use DME. Thank you!

 

[bsb]

I usually leave that day to whatever we feel like we missed. If we were rushed or whatever during the trip I like having the option to revisit it one last time. We usually end up at MK but last trip we did downtown disney to get a few souvenirs we never got to buy.

 

[disneydeal]

Hanging at the airport for hours.

No seriously on departure day I made sure it was late enough (530pm) flight. We'll wake up go hang by the ocean till about noon then gradually make way back to Orlando. Prob turn in rental car around 230/300 range. Then be bored for few hours.

 

[SplashMo]

We go to AK from 9AM-NOON. You could go to a park and stay later...

 

[SaintsManiac]

I know DME sounds like a long time, but we had an hour long wait getting through security last time. Better safe than sorry.

We slept as late as possible, packed up, had a leisurely lunch and went to DS. Had to catch the ME at 3pm, so it was a nice amount of time to relax before the chaos at MCO. We also stayed at POR. Had some issues with our ME paper work, so I am glad we had the time to sort it out.

You never know what will come up on a travel day!

 

[amg35]

I loathe late flights on departure day. Did it once, never again. Say goodbye the day before. We book a late morning flight and go home! When it's time to go, it's time to go.

 

[Networth]

Call bell service to get a cart for our luggage. Head to the car and leave the World. Don't feel like dragging out the act of leaving because by that last day we have lost that feeling of "vacation".

Rip that band-aid.

 

[EpcotGuy]

I always go to Epcot and have a final lunch before going to the airport

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I would think about trying to do a few last things more likely our family would do Disney Springs unless we did like 3 rides at one the parks so we can make sure to get them (fp+) idk if we have to check out by noon- id say we would want a 3 or 5 pm flight but normally we do get earlier ones.

 

[J and R's mom]

We fly to and from WDW and use Magical Express, so we know we have to be ready to leave 3hrs ahead of our flight. That limits things a bit. We have learned to try not to have a flight prior to 3:00pm if we can help it. It gives us time to sleep in and take it slow that morning that we are leaving. Between last-minute items being packed into bags, getting the luggage downstairs, and then the airline check-in line at the resort, we know we need to not have too many other plans that morning that might cause more stress.

Once we've completed the things above (and have enough time left over), if we're in an EPCOT area resort, we meander over to EPCOT and do some last-minute browsing and maybe some rides.

If we're in a MK resort, we meander over to MK and browse down main street. Sometimes we just hang around the resort and let the girls do activities and games in Community Hall.

The main thing is that we don't plan much on departure day.

 

[anneboleyn]

I go through the five stages of grief on departure day. It is rough lol

 

[MelanieRI]

On our departure day we have a 7:25 pm flight. I'm trying to figure out what to do on the day that will feel like time we'll spent but won't be stressful and potentially compromise getting to the airport. We are staying at POR if that matters and would have the option of going to any park, including a water park.
In the same vein, has anyone used Uber instead of DME to get to the airport? It seems to take a lot of time to use DME. Thank you!

If we have a late departure, I totally go to the parks on that day. You have to give enough time to allow for transportation back to your hotel and for DME to pick you up 3 hrs before your plane. At least with FP+, you know you'd go on at least 3 more rides. In the morning we check in our luggust at the hotel and since check-out is at 11, we stay until around that time and then check our carry-ons with bell services. Then we go to whatever park (usually MK for us), do a few rides and come back.

 

[kimieko]

Curled up in the fetal position trying to figure out how I can stay forever.

We typically leave on a late morning flight so we just head right to the airport.

 

[1971DBday]

Check bags with airline
Leave carry-on with bell service
Head to a park of choice (two if bad weather)
Lunch and relaxation time by pool
Throw a baseball on and not give a crap what I look like for traveling home.

 

[AJA]

We drive so it's simple for us, no time for anything except maybe a last minute stop at the gift shop.

I make it a late night to say goodbye the day before.

 

[Mainemama]

We check our bags then head to MK until 1:00 or 2:00. Then, we have a late relaxed lunch at either our resort or one close by. Last trip, we even squeezed in a couple hours at the pool. When we are leaving the World to drive somewhere else for part 2 of our vacation, we go to Epcot for the morning. Those choices have been dependent on where we are staying and what the rest of our park days have been. You can treat it like a half park day and still have time to check out and relax with that late of a flight.

 

[coolbrook]

When we had an AP we would go to a park for a late (10:30 or 11:00am) character breakfast and a couple rides after packing. When we did not have an AP we would do a resort character breakfast at the same late morning time. We drive about 9 hours, so we start driving around noon. We like to have that last little taste of Disney before w leave.

 

[margot31]

Since we had a late afternoon flight we went to the pool and asked for an hour extension. Than got packed dressed, went and had lunch at the resort.

 

[lennyd]

crying

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We always take a private car or taxi back to MCO. I really dislike DME. As long as you are in the car 2 1/2 hours prior to your flight, you will be fine. We just did this a few weeks ago and were at our gate 1 hour prior to boarding.