✈️ NYC to Miami Travel Day (Disney Stopover & Road Trip With Kids)
After seven jam-packed days in New York City (read our [7-Day NYC Itinerary here]), we were ready to swap skyscrapers for sunshine. But instead of flying straight to Miami, we decided to make the most of our travel day: a quick stop in Orlando to soak up a little Disney magic before road-tripping down the coast.
It was a huge day, flights, theme parks, a road trip, and two kids under five but it ended up being one of the most memorable parts of our whole trip. Here’s how it all played out, plus what helped us keep it smooth.
🎒 Packing & Prep for a Multi-Step Travel Day
When you’ve got a flight + theme park + road trip all in one day, the secret is packing smart:
Day bags: One carry-on just for the plane (snacks, iPads, travel toys, spare clothes), and another backpack just for Disney (water bottles, hats, sunscreen, extra clothes).
Suitcases: Stayed locked with everything we didn’t need until Miami.
Clothing strategy: Pyjamas on the early-morning plane → changed into “park mode” outfits for Disney → swapped again into comfy clothes for the drive.
Car snacks: Grabbed a stash in Orlando before hitting the road. The kids slept most of the way, so really they became “parent snacks.”
Travel pram: An essential once again, especially for the early start.
💡 Tip: Prep the kids the night before by framing it as a “big adventure day.” Ours were way more excited than cranky once they realised how much was packed in. We also packed all bags the night before, leaving just one suitcase open for morning toiletries, so it was easy to roll straight into the Uber.
✈️ Flight: NYC → Orlando
We were on a 7am flight from New York to Orlando. The early wake-up meant the kids napped once we were in the air, which gave us a little breather.
By 10am we’d landed, by 11am we’d collected our pre-booked rental car, and were loading up for Disney.
🏰 Disney Stopover (Midday Adventure)
We knew a few hours was all we’d have, so we focused on making it simple and fun rather than “doing it all.”
Parking: Paid extra for closer parking, totally worth it with kids.
Lunch: Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café for a quick bite before rides.
Rides: We bought Genie+ (fast pass) three days earlier and pre-booked time slots. This was essential, we managed 5+ rides in 45 minutes with almost no waiting in the sun.
Novelties: Minnie Mouse ears? Yes. Balloon for the 4-year-old? Also yes. And of course, the classic castle photo.
Parade: Found a shady spot for the 3pm parade before making our exit.
💡 Tip: Manage expectations. We told the kids beforehand we’d only be doing “a few rides and some treats,” which made leaving so much easier.
🚗 Road Trip: Orlando → Miami
By mid-afternoon we were back in the car for the 3.5–4 hour drive to Miami. Snacks in hand, kids changed into comfy clothes, toys and iPads at the ready, but they both fell asleep not long into the trip. A win.
We rolled into Miami late, tired but thankful the kids had napped most of the way. Checked into our hotel, ordered Doordash, and collapsed into bed.
💡 Tip: Driving at night or during nap times can make life so much easier with under-5s. Just make sure the driver (FIFO hubby, in our case 😉) is well-rested.
🌟 What We Learned on This Travel Day
Break it into chunks: Treat each leg (flight, park, drive) as its own mini-adventure.
Don’t over-plan Disney: A few hours is enough to feel the magic without draining everyone.
Snacks are currency: For planes, parks, and car rides, you’ll always need more than you think.
Tag-team parenting: One of us handled logistics and bags, the other wrangled kids. FIFO life trained us well for this, and it saved so much stress.
💡 What’s Next?
The next morning we woke up in Miami, ready to slow the pace before boarding our cruise. Stay tuned for Blog Post 3: [48 Hours in Miami With Kids Before Our Cruise].