11AM landing at MCO > 2PM Fantasmic Sci Fi Lunch. Doable?

Steffii

Falling in love with Disney again as an adult <3
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Hello all!

Please let me know if this is doable or if we should just skip the lunch all together.

We (3 adults) are arriving at MCO at 11am on a Saturday. We will have check in luggages and will be taking an Uber/Lyft to Grand Floridian to drop off bags. Then Uber/Lyft again to HS to make a 2PM Fantasmic dining package at Sci Fi diner. Are we pushing it? This is assuming no delays or we are SOL and will just skip/have to cancel.

Im estimating:
1 hour in the airport
40 mins to GF
15 mins to drop off bags
15 mins to Uber to HS
45 mins to get in and walk to Sci Fi diner

Thanks for your advice!

Edit: SW flight leaving at 7AM to MCO arriving 11AM.
 
Last edited:
I have had delays on almost all of my flights post-covid. With that said, I think you should have enough to cancel before the two hour time limit, if you're delayed. As far as the rest of your timeline, it's probably doable if you are ok with knowing it is a close call.
 

I have had delays on almost all of my flights post-covid. With that said, I think you should have enough to cancel before the two hour time limit, if you're delayed. As far as the rest of your timeline, it's probably doable if you are ok with knowing it is a close call.
That depends on airline, airport, and time of day. I fly out usually 6 AM or 7 AM and do not have delays at that time, usually arrive early since they build in extra time. Flying home out of MCO in the afternoon is a different story!
 
Depending on airline, you should be fine. My experiences with SW is they tend to be ontime. Not sure about other airlines.
 
Hello all!

Please let me know if this is doable or if we should just skip the lunch all together.

We (3 adults) are arriving at MCO at 11am on a Saturday. We will have check in luggages and will be taking an Uber/Lyft to Grand Floridian to drop off bags. Then Uber/Lyft again to HS to make a 2PM Fantasmic dining package at Sci Fi diner. Are we pushing it? This is assuming no delays or we are SOL and will just skip/have to cancel.

Im estimating:
1 hour in the airport
40 mins to GF
15 mins to drop off bags
15 mins to Uber to HS
45 mins to get in and walk to Sci Fi diner

Thanks for your advice!
It's absolutely pushing it. I think your times are relatively accurate if EVERYTHING goes as planned at each step but that also means you can't hit any snags and there are lots of places in that time schedule where a delay can easily come up. That being said - if it's minor delays and you're there within the hour you can likely call up or show up late and they'll make their best effort to accomodate.

But if landing time is really 11am as opposed to when you think you'll get off the airplane - I think 1 hour at airport is pushing is as taxi to gate, where you're sitting on plane can make a nearly 10 minute difference in deplane time, walking to bags, waiting for bags, getting your uber, line at check in etc. I think the 45 minutes to get in and get to Sci Fi is the one area where you've likely overestimated. Coming in mid-day like that once you're dropped of you can probably be at the restaurant in 15-20 minutes. At around 2pm I expect you'll hit nearly no lies at turnstyle (although I'm assuming you're talking about a trip soon and not at Xmas).
 
Thank you everyone - We are flying southwest on a 7AM flight to MCO. I will update the main post as well.
 
Anecdotally, I have done something similar successfully. Plane landed around 11:00 am on a Friday and was on time. Got checked baggage, which arrived within 5 minutes of our getting to baggage claim. Took Mears Connect to Dolphin ( didn’t wait long for bus to leave and then were second stop); no traffic issues. Checked in (no line), room was ready so we took bags to room and then Headed right away to AK. Had a Lightning Lane booked for 2:00 ish: we stopped to grab quick lunch and got to LL within first hal of our wino. Now, could have been delays ny number of places, but this worked fine for us.
 
cant see it being an issue, Have the restaurant phone # to call if it looks like your running late and they might be able to push and accommodate.
I am hoping that they can accommodate us if we are 15-30 mins behind. Once we get our bags and are in the Uber I should have a good idea and can call the restaurant. :)
 
It's absolutely pushing it. I think your times are relatively accurate if EVERYTHING goes as planned at each step but that also means you can't hit any snags and there are lots of places in that time schedule where a delay can easily come up. That being said - if it's minor delays and you're there within the hour you can likely call up or show up late and they'll make their best effort to accomodate.

But if landing time is really 11am as opposed to when you think you'll get off the airplane - I think 1 hour at airport is pushing is as taxi to gate, where you're sitting on plane can make a nearly 10 minute difference in deplane time, walking to bags, waiting for bags, getting your uber, line at check in etc. I think the 45 minutes to get in and get to Sci Fi is the one area where you've likely overestimated. Coming in mid-day like that once you're dropped of you can probably be at the restaurant in 15-20 minutes. At around 2pm I expect you'll hit nearly no lies at turnstyle (although I'm assuming you're talking about a trip soon and not at Xmas).

This is a trip at the end of October.

I think if the flight is delayed, I'll know early and give the restaurant a call. If they can accommodate that would be awesome. If not, I'm okay eating the cancellation fee (runs to see how much it is lol)
 
Anecdotally, I have done something similar successfully. Plane landed around 11:00 am on a Friday and was on time. Got checked baggage, which arrived within 5 minutes of our getting to baggage claim. Took Mears Connect to Dolphin ( didn’t wait long for bus to leave and then were second stop); no traffic issues. Checked in (no line), room was ready so we took bags to room and then Headed right away to AK. Had a Lightning Lane booked for 2:00 ish: we stopped to grab quick lunch and got to LL within first hal of our wino. Now, could have been delays ny number of places, but this worked fine for us.
Nice this gives me hope that you had some time to spare to get lunch before your LL. Thanks!
 
This is a trip at the end of October.

I think if the flight is delayed, I'll know early and give the restaurant a call. If they can accommodate that would be awesome. If not, I'm okay eating the cancellation fee (runs to see how much it is lol)
You can modify or cancel ADRs up to 2hrs out now. By 11:55am, hopefully you’ll have landed & know that things are going well enough or not. If for some reason you’re still in the air at 11:55, use some in-flight wifi and move that res!

No reason to pay $10 per person if you can free it up for someone else.
 
You can modify or cancel ADRs up to 2hrs out now. By 11:55am, hopefully you’ll have landed & know that things are going well enough or not. If for some reason you’re still in the air at 11:55, use some in-flight wifi and move that res!

No reason to pay $10 per person if you can free it up for someone else.
Can you cancel online? I guess you just need to hope the wifi is working on the flight.

Yes, I think it is "doable". Provided:
Your plane arrives on time (arrival time should be to parked at the gate, so taxi time included)
No delays with getting your luggage
No traffic tie ups.

Those are the "big three" IMO. Personally, I wouldn't chance it. HOWEVER, what about instead of a late lunch, do an early dinner? If I'm reading it right, the food costs are the same. This gives you more "cushion" as it were.
 
Can you cancel online? I guess you just need to hope the wifi is working on the flight.
We use the My Disney Experience app (or whatever they’re calling it these days). You can even try to modify for later times if it’s the sort of place that has other time slots available (Sci-Fi probably not but you never know).

If it’s within two hours the modify option goes away and it gives you a number to call, but it’s centralized and the wait times are insane.
 
You can modify or cancel ADRs up to 2hrs out now. By 11:55am, hopefully you’ll have landed & know that things are going well enough or not. If for some reason you’re still in the air at 11:55, use some in-flight wifi and move that res!

No reason to pay $10 per person if you can free it up for someone else.
We use the My Disney Experience app (or whatever they’re calling it these days). You can even try to modify for later times if it’s the sort of place that has other time slots available (Sci-Fi probably not but you never know).

If it’s within two hours the modify option goes away and it gives you a number to call, but it’s centralized and the wait times are insane.

I will cancel if my flight is delayed by 30 mins or more and it will be early (8-9AM EST) so that someone can take my spot and I wont be charged a cancellation fee.

We have dinner at Flying Fish that night heh. :)
 
I will cancel if my flight is delayed by 30 mins or more and it will be early (8-9AM EST) so that someone can take my spot and I wont be charged a cancellation fee.

We have dinner at Flying Fish that night heh. :)
How late is your FF reservation? Asking because a 2pm spot may not get you seated until 2:30 or so and you won’t be done eating until 3:30. Will you be hungry for FF?
 
I will cancel if my flight is delayed by 30 mins or more and it will be early (8-9AM EST) so that someone can take my spot and I wont be charged a cancellation fee.

We have dinner at Flying Fish that night heh. :)
Be sure to check your reservation confirmation for cancellation policy. Hopefully the cancellation policy for a Fantasmic Dining reservation is the same as for a regular ADR, but I’d want to be sure.
 












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