It can be challenging enough to wrangle everyone in your large travel group, but it’s even more challenging when everyone’s dealing with jet lag. Check out this great article in which seasoned travelers share their tips for jet lag, or take a peek at our favorite ideas below.
Fight the urge to sleep when you land
It’s normal to be tired after a day and / or night of flying, and it’s normal to have the urge to take a nap to recharge. Unless it’s nighttime in Orlando, savvy travelers say this is not a good idea. Instead, immediately get on board with Orlando time. Plan activities and meals for your group right after you land so everyone will stay busy and pumped up until it’s time to sleep for the night.
Have everyone change their watches or phones right away
One traveler who’s planned trips for many large groups has everyone change their watches or phones over not when they land, but as soon as they get to the airport to take off. They encourage you and your group to immediately start thinking in terms of Orlando’s time. If you get on the flight and it’s morning where you’re at, but nighttime in Florida, try to sleep as though it’s nighttime. The sooner you get acclimated, the easier the transition will be.
Drink plenty of water
Even those who’ve only taken short flights know that it’s easy to get dehydrated when flying. When you add a long, international flight, it’s no question that this can be exacerbated. Keep in mind that hunger, fatigue, and crankiness are all made worse by dehydration. The simple solution is to encourage everyone to drink water when they can. Juices and pops have high sugar levels and can actually make dehydration worse once it’s set in, so do your best to get folks to stick to the clear, fresh stuff.
Keep everyone on the same page
You’ll have the most success if everyone in your group sleeps at the same times. If you have half your group napping and the other wide awake, when it comes time to head to dinner, enjoy Disney World attractions, or even lounge by the pool, you’ll have some members ready for anything and some sluggish. Even if you can’t get everyone to stay awake on Orlando time, many frequent travelers say it’s better to have everyone on the same page than half the group on one and the other half on another. Remember that your purpose in going to Orlando is to have a great time! Don’t get so caught up in controlling everyone’s trip that no one can relax.
