Flying Home from Disney World Solo with 3 Kids: The Flight I'll Never Forget

Jennifer | Authorized Disney Vacation Planner| Jennifer@ifyoucandreamittravel.com

If you read [Part One: how I flew to Disney World solo with 3 kids and only carry-ons](LINK HERE), you know the trip to Orlando went smoothly. Everyone was excited, the kids were great, and my system worked exactly the way I'd hoped.

The flight home was a different story.

I'm sharing this one because it's real, and because if you're a parent planning a Disney trip, I'd rather you hear the honest version. Not every travel day goes to plan, and sometimes the best preparation in the world doesn't stop a hard day from happening. Here's what happened, what I learned, and the tips I'd give any family flying out of Orlando.

A Very Different Vibe

Our flight home was in the late afternoon. The kids were sad the trip was over, and you could feel it. Nobody was running through the airport excited. We were tired, a little heavy-hearted, and carrying a few more things than we'd arrived with.

My youngest wasn't feeling well, either. She didn't have a fever when we boarded, and I kept an eye on her. By the time the plane took off, she did.

The Flight

I gave her Motrin, and then everything piled up at once.

A heavy rainstorm rolled in right as we were about to take off. We sat on the runway for an extra hour. My almost-2-year-old, feverish and miserable, woke up from her sleep screaming, and I could not figure out why. My other two were nervous about the storm and the delay. I was the parent with the screaming child, and I know exactly what that looks like from the outside. I had that kid on the plane that nobody wants to sit near.

Here's what I want you to know: the people around us were wonderful. They understood. There was nothing I could do about the storm, the delay, or the fever, and they could see that. Several of them offered to help. In a moment when I felt like everyone was frustrated with us, a lot of kindness came from strangers, and I won't forget it.

Once the Motrin kicked in, her fever broke, and she slept on and off for the rest of the flight. She was okay. But I'll be honest: that was probably the most challenging flight I've ever been on.

What I Did (and What You Can Do)

There wasn't a trick that fixed it. There was just this:

• I stayed calm. Kids can sense panic. If I fell apart, they would have too, so I kept my voice low and steady, even when I didn't feel steady, and even when I wanted to cry with my youngest.

• I sang softly to my girl. It was the only thing that comforted her. I had my middle daughter sing with us too. She loves taking care of her baby sister.

• I gave her medicine and watched carefully. This is why I always pack fever reducer in my just-in-case kit. If you're traveling with little ones, talk to your pediatrician about what you should carry.

• I leaned on what I'd packed. The baby wouldn't eat, but my older two were okay. We had water, we had snacks, and I had my patience.

This is one of those situations we all prepare for but can't control. The flight wasn't delayed until we were already on the plane, so there was no getting off and no changing anything. All I could do was be patient, be present, and get us through it. Instead of living inside a moment of "what if", I pulled out my phone and we all looked at the videos and the photos of our vacation. We talked about what we liked the most, and what we would do differently next time. We talked about the possibility of doing this again next summer, and I congratulated each of them for being so brave during the storm. Trying to focus on the positives, did help make things a little lighter.

My Mistake: Gate Checking Our Bags

Now for the part I'd change.

The flight was very full, and the gate agent offered to gate check bags. I said yes. I gate checked the stroller and all of our luggage except the backpack. It made sense in the moment. I could tell my youngest was going to have a tough flight, and all I could think was that I'd have to fight for my life for a suitcase in the overhead bin. But it broke the one rule that made our trip to Orlando so easy: keep everything with you.

It cost us on the other end. Our luggage took 45 minutes to reach the carousel. I was tired, my kids were tired, and one of them had just been sick. The one bright spot: I was so grateful we were waiting at our home airport, not in Orlando.

Lesson: If you're planning to go carry-on only, think carefully before you agree to a gate check, especially with kids. If you're flying on a full flight, decide ahead of time how you'll handle it.

Packing for the Trip Home

I used my standard packing sheet for the way home, so the concept was the same as the trip there: everything we needed for the flight went in the backpacks, and the backpacks were again the main event.

(You can grab the same printable list I used here)

A few differences on the way home:

• Dirty clothes in one suitcase, clean clothes in another. I stopped worrying about whose suitcase was whose and focused on packing efficiently. It made repacking so much faster.

• Minimal souvenirs. We kept it small, which made a difference when space was tight.

• The backpacks still held the essentials: snacks, water, entertainment, headphones, medications, wipes, and a change of clothes.

Tips for Flying Out of MCO

Orlando International is a big airport, and I learned a few things worth passing along.

Leave your resort at least 3 hours early. MCO is about 30 minutes from Disney property, and security times can vary a lot from day to day. It's better to have extra time than to spend the morning rushing with three kids.

Use the family line. MCO has a family line at security. You don't pay extra, and they take you and your whole family through together. They do a great job keeping it moving, and it took a lot of stress out of the process.

Know that every airport is different. TSA pulled my bag aside and opened it. I had baby wipes inside, and those can sometimes set off their screening. They're also very sensitive about electronics. Everything needs to be visible, including a Kindle. If you pack your electronics where they're easy to reach, security goes much faster. It's another reason the "give every kid a job" trick from Part One still works on the way home.

Book a private car service for the ride to the airport. Just like on arrival, I used a car service that I work with (my husband!) and we coordinated the pickup time together. It meant I didn't have to think about transportation on a day when I had enough on my plate.

What I'm Taking Away From It

Here's the truth: this flight didn't go how I planned, and no packing list could have prevented it. A storm hit, a toddler got a fever, and a plane sat on a runway. What I could control was how I responded.

If you're traveling with little ones, I hope this helps you feel a little less alone on a hard travel day. Prepare well, pack your essentials close, stay as calm as you can, and remember that most of the people around you have been there too.

And she was okay. We made it home, and we'd do it all again.

Planning your own Disney trip with kids? I'd love to help you plan every detail, from flights and resorts to a solid plan for your travel days. My Disney planning services come at no additional cost to you. Jennifer@ifyoucandreamittravel.com