2 hours for MCO - really?

[tstidm1]

Orlando is a bad Security airport line wise. I would rather get there two hours early and get through security in 15 minutes than get there 90 minutes and it takes an hour. It usually takes me 30-40 minutes through line at MCO when it takes me 15-20 minutes at BWI.

 

[bumbershoot]

Have I had to run through the terminal in order to catch a plane? Yes, but the adrenaline rush was awesome when I made it onto the plane. My goal is to be walking onto the airplane during final call.

Ugh. Now try it with a four year old. Or better, try it with my (then) 4 year old. Not fun. He was not happy. He was scared.


I love airports, too. More to do there than stare at my resort walls for another hour or so. And since we did the "let's go power through universal in the hours before our flight" thing last trip and ended up exhausting ourselves and making our now 9 year old deliriously tired when our connecting flight was delayed for hours, we won't be doing that again either! We will gladly take the extra time at the airport.

Though i think there have only been two flights where we have actually had more than half an hour or so to spare at mco.

 

[hsmamato2]

I hate running thru the airport b/c I'm late...MCO is one of the nicest airports to hang out if you have extra time...but likely with 2 hours you won't have much...we never have.... it's nice to be able to grab a bite for the plane,and setle near the gate without stressing out....and since I have to leave and go home anyway....

 

[Kimberle]

Remember, MCO is full of vacationing families. Many families don't fly very often, so it takes them a bit longer to get through security. Add that to all the carryons, strollers, small children, etc. and you see why the lines move slowly.

I have never thought I had an excess of time. When you are through security, you have to take the monorail out to your gate. A couple of times we had plane issues and needed the extra time to get it resolved with the attendants.

The major theme parks have stores past security, too. Handy for picking up last minute items.

 

[LWdisney]

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[LWdisney]

So grateful to you all for sharing your perspectives! I am convinced and chastened: we will make sure we allow the time. Thank you again!

 

[Mousemom234]

MCO is weird WDW can be packed, and the airport lines almost non-existant;
or the parks are (relatively) deserted, and the lines stretch back to the far walls.

We have had to run, by misjudging the line lengths. We heard them calling our names as we ran, and were last to board. We thought we had 2 1/2 hours to check in....
We've also arrived early, and breezed through security, only to find the flight is delayed for several hours.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

However, twice in the last couple of years we've walked in to find that security line almost all the way out to the escalators. We never go at busy times of the year either. Both times we saw those absurd security lines was during early May trips the last two years.

We've been on 4 trips to WDW in the last 3 years and every. single. time the lines have been that long. I never knew they could be shorter than that!

 

[kiford]

MCO has the slowest security lines I've ever encountered.

You've obviously never been to Toronto's Pearson Airport. Check in lines for certain airlines that will remain unnamed and security lines at there make lines for Toy Story Mania during high season seem reasonable. However, the good thing about being used to this is that we aren't in the least bit concerned about long security lines at MCO. But only because we're also totally used to getting to both Pearson and MCO way ahead of time. We've never had to run through MCO but only because we've got that buffer of time. It's possible to see how quickly it could become incredibly backed up.

 

[MillauFr]

I love airports, too. More to do there than stare at my resort walls for another hour or so.

At least SeaTac has free wifi. Maybe I can use my time to post on DisBoards. I might even be able to catch up to your 40,000+ posts. NOT

I need to PM you some time and pick your brain about Disneyworld. We always go to Disneyland and I need some info on Disneyworld from an expert.

Thanks,
MillauFr

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

There have been time recently that I have had to wait in MCO security lines for 40 minutes.

If you miss your flight you could spend days getting home. I watched a family who had a flight leaving at 2:00 p.m arrive at the gate at 1:50 expecting to board their plane, and they were told they missed the flight and the next flight out for them would be in 4 days!!!! The guy was livid. He yell at the gate agent saying that his ticket said his flight was at 2:00 and he is not late! She then point out on this ticket where it said he need to be at the gate 30 minutes before the flight time..


So if you prefer to cut it close and expect nothing to happen that is your choice.

 

[travelcoupons]

2 hours is about right. It's usually 25 minutes to an hour to get through security + allow time to take the tram out to the airside terminals + check-in.

 

[nilseks]

We are used to Milwaukee and O'Hare Airports, both of which I feel have great/quick security. Last time we showed up at Orlando 2 hours ahead of time and we STILL almost got burned. We were at Disney on an off-peak week, got to the airport and I was stunned by the lines. DH waited to check our bags while I got in the security line because I could see it was HUGE. After he waited about 25 minutes to check our bags I still wasn't even halfway through the line. Over an hour later, we were running to our gate. That was on a Sunday afternoon. Lesson learned!!!

 

[MinnieForMe]

At least, two hours at MCO. It is one of the slowest Airports I've ever seen. We were two hours early for a 7 am flight one year and still almost missed it as we were held up at the Southwest Counter. They couldn't get my husband's ticket to print or some such mix up. We literally stood there for over an hour and then it took forever through security. Our checked bags actually missed the flight.

Boston is bad too. It took over two hours to get our unassisted minor through security last July. I now plan over 2 hours for all travel!

 

[lylone]

We were at MCO this past Saturday and got there via DME an hour and 45 minutes before our flight. Security was a mess and it seemed that we kept being directed to the longer lines. They seemed to direct families to the lines with only the metal detectors and we watched as each small child had to be coaxed to leave mommy/daddy to go through the detector. It seemed like forever to get through.
If our flight wouldn't have been delayed another hour we would have be rushed on the plane without a bathroom break.
Oh and we already had boarding passes in hand and didn't check any bags. The lines for the check in counters at American Airlines were NUTS!

 

[CNYDisneyFan]

Last year when my Dad took me and my younger siblings, my brother flew out of Boston. He posted on Facebook that Logan Airport only two security lines going. In Syracuse, the lines aren't usually long.

 

[seashoreCM]

2 hours for MCO - really?

Because they did not put in Fastpass, and Disney actually started helping out for that some 12 years ago.

A recall a poster who said a flyer who never missed a flight is a flyer who has wasted too much time in airports through the years.

If you travel frequently on business, then on some trips you can cut things close since the time spent waiting at the airport adds up for all those trips.

For that once in a lifetime (or once a year) vacation trip you don't want things to go wrong so you can afford to get there super-early.

You need to be at the bus platform 15 minutes ahead of time for the Magical Express bus back to the airport. Good practice for being at the gate 15 (sometimes you need 20) minutes before printed flight departure time.

If your last activity at Disney and environs is a meal, seriously consider doing that at the airport. You can always get a DME bus earlier than the usual 3 hours before your flight; just be sure to make the reservation a coupl'a days in advance of going home.