Do you get jet lag flying to Disney World from the UK; how to use it to your advantage?

Jet lag happens when you fly to Florida, but rather than keeping you awake, it tends to result in you waking up really early, and finding eating times a bit tricky to adjust to. It doesn’t last long, usually a few days while your body adjusts to the time differences. It is during these first few days that you can use jet lag to your planning advantage.

How the time difference between the UK and Florida impacts your first days?

For the first few days of your trip to Disney World from the UK the time difference between Florida and the UK impacts:

• sleep timing

• hunger

• energy

The impact is not going to negatively affect the trip, and is short-lived while you adjust to a new time zone.

How bad is jet lag flying from the UK to Florida?

Jet lag from the UK to Florida is usually mild because the journey is westbound, which most people find easier to handle. The biggest impact most people notice is waking earlier than usual, especially in the first few days, because your body is being pushed to stay awake later rather than fall asleep earlier.

Typcial jet lag symptoms during those first 48 hours include:

• feeling sleepy in the late afternoon or early evening

• struggling to stay awake through dinner on the first night

• waking early in the morning

• appetite feeling out of sync with local mealtimes

Planning your first few days to work with these changes helps you adjust better and make the most out of your holiday time.

When you head home from Florida to the UK, the jet lag is worse; which you can read about in Jet lag strategy: tips to beat jet lag when flying from Florida to the UK.

How long does jet lag last after flying to Florida?

Most UK travellers have adjusted within 2 to 3 days of arriving in Florida. Because the journey is westbound, recovery is usually quicker and easier than the standard one-day-per-hour rule that you need to apply when flying home to the UK.

The plus of this 3 day adjustment period is the early waking, which you can use to your advantage to enjoy Rope Dropping if you’re off-site or Early Entry if you are staying on-site.

Using jet lag to your advantage: your first mornings in Florida

To make the most of the first few days, plan for your body adjusting to the different time zone and make the most of Early Entry and Rope Drop. Using your body’s early waking to head to the earliest opening parks is smart planning, and makes the most of your time.

Planning to make the most of early mornings to get a head start on that ride bucket list is one of the best ways to manage jet lag when flying to Florida.

Head to Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is a great first park choice for your first day, not because of the magic of that first view of Cinderella Castle, but because of the journey time to reach the entrance and earlier park opening time.

Magic Kingdom is one of the hardest parks to get to for Rope Drop or Early Entry, you find you have more energy to do it that first day in comparison to mornings later in the holiday. As your body is adjusting to the time line, you effectively hack the early morning waking. It always feels easier heading into Magic Kingdom early in those first few days.

Head to Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is a great second option or choice for day two, as you’ll likely still be waking early. This park is easier to get into but opens around an hour earlier than Hollywood Studios or EPCOT, making it another great choice for UK visitors to head to in their first two mornings while the body adjusts to the Floridian time zone.

What can you do before a flight to Florida to reduce jet lag?

The best way to reduce the impact of the time zone change and reduce jet lag on your flight to Florida is to make small adjustments to your schedule for a couple of days before you travel. This includes:

• Going to bed a little later for a couple of days

• Protecting sleep the day before departure, as being tired makes jet lag worse.

• Slightly later meal times, as your digestive system follows your body clock.

Many people heading to Florida only think about jet lag prevention once they are on the plane, but in the 2 to 3 days before departure you can help your body to get ready and acclimatise faster.

How to reduce jet lag on the plane to Florida?

The flight itself is part of a successful jet lag strategy, but also part of landing ready to dive straight in and make the most of your holiday. As a direct UK to Florida flight lasts around 9 to 10 hours, what you do in the air can make a real difference.

To help reduce that drained feeling you can get when you step of the plane, and also help your body to settle into the local time as fast as possible you can:

• Set your watch and phone to Florida time immediately after take-off

• Stay hydrated by drinking water; it is easy to get dehydrated on the plane.

• Avoid too much alcohol or caffeine on the flight

• Moving regularly

• Sleep if you feel tired.

How we adjust to time zone differences on day one and two

The best ways we have found that help you adjust to the time zone differences and any jet lag when arriving in Florida from the UK during the first few days are simple and easy to do.

Getting out in the Florida sunshine makes a huge difference, as well as drinking plenty, and eating at Florida meal times rather than when you feel hungry. Avoiding booking big character meals on day one helps your tummy settle before you overload it at a character buffet. Trying not to go too hard on day one is another way we adjust, getting blisters and feeling worn out after a 20,000 step marathon leaves you feeling drained.

Does the UK airport you fly from affect jet lag?

The UK airport you choose to fly to Florida from will not impact jet lag. What will impact how you feel is whether you choose to take an indirect or a direct flight to Florida. Direct flights are definitely better for reducing travel day fatigue and recovery time when you land. A 9 hour direct flight is often better than a 17 hour indirect option, when it comes to how you feel the morning after. But the time you fly also impacts how you feel.

What’s the best time to fly to Florida to reduce jet lag?

Morning departures from the UK are often the best for reducing jet lag because they get you into Florida in the afternoon. This gives you time to do other things, eat at teatime, and have a normal Florida bedtime.

Afternoon departures tend to leave you arriving in the evening after a long waking day, which increases the temptation to just flop into bed and you end up sleeping too early. This means you wake even earlier and it can take longer to adjust.

Late departures are least helpful for jet lag management because they can create awkward arrival times, however there are not any late scheduled direct departures from the UK. So this would not happen unless you got an indirect flight or faced a delay.

We always pick the earliest flight possible for this reason. Although you end up doing a very long day, you adjust to Florida time better.

Does Florida heat make jet lag feel worse?

Florida heat and humidity can make jet lag feel worse, as the heat makes tiredness feel worse and you dehydrate faster. Adjusting to high Florida spring and summer temperatures as well as the time difference is hard on the body, and you do feel it. The hot weather sometimes has a greater impact than any jet lag, although jet lag gets the blame. Take a look at tips For Beating Spring and Summer Heat At Disney World and remember to pack items that are moisture wicking to help you stay cool. The heat saps energy in those first few days.

Is Jet Lag from the UK to Florida really that bad?

For most UK travellers, jet lag to Florida is more about adjusting to a different time zone than managing the after effects of a flight with jet lag. The experience is:

• manageable

• shorter-lived than many expect

• far easier than the return journey

It’s when you head home that the jet lag experience really kicks in. Read our companion guide Beating jet lag when Flying From Florida to the UK.

Frequently asked questions