6 hr layover in ORD--Suggestions for family? UPDATE

[may06orbust]

I booked a May 10, 2007, flight to MCO, but it has a 6 hr layover in ORD. I know it's a long time, but the price was right. Does anyone have any suggestions for us? Our party is me, DH, DD19 & DS12. We are a pretty adventuresome sort and game for public transportation. My DH mentioned that he would like to go to the Museum of Science and Industry, but after checking out the Chicago transportation website, it looks like a 1-way trip there is 1 1/2 hours. That doesn't leave much time for looking and learning. Is the Navy Pier an option? According to the Chicago transportation website, the travel time is 1 hr each way. We arrive in ORD at 1:25pm and leave at 7:30pm. Is this a crazy idea? I welcome all suggestions and ideas and TIA!

2-19-07

I spoke with a very nice AA representative agent about 10 days ago when our returning itinerary was changed slightly. We are now leaving MIA 1 hr later on our return to MSP. She also informed me if AA changed our outgoing itinerary, I should call AA and try to get on a earlier flight out of ORD to MCO.

Our itinerary did change, along with the flight numbers, by about 10 minutes each way. I called this morning and again spoke with a very nice AA agent who was more than happy to change/exchange our outgoing ORD to MSP flight, at no charge. We are now departing ORD @2:45 and landing @ MCO at 6:20pm. MUCH BETTER!

I guess the moral of the story is that I jumped on these discount tickets and was willing to take the risk of a really long layover, but hoping to get to the world sooner! It may not work every time, but we were lucky and it did this time. I'm sure that they will continue to monkey with the itinerary though.

 

[Traveliz]

Well I will leave this to someone who uses ORD more than I do - but I do travel around the Chicago area alot on my own and I can't imagine once you factor in transportation and then a buffer time for getting through security and being back in time for the next flight there being any time to do anything at all ... travel in Chicago is always a gamble and any of the major attractions are going to take some time due to crwods.

Just my opinion though.
Liz

 

[chrisp]

Since your flight leaves at 7:30 pm, my suggestion is do NOT go into the city. You'll be fighting rush hour traffic back to the airport even using public transportation. Rush hour out of the city towards the airport begins by 3 pm.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I've flown into O'Hare and taken the train in to the city many times just for the day. it's about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes or so (to Watertower Pl) and it's not a bad trip. I wouldn't count on being able to do anything other than have a nice meal or spend 2 hours sightseeing. But it's completely do-able. If the Berghof was still in biz I would have sent you there... The Billy Goat Tavern Tavern might appeal to you (Cheebuggah cheebuggah, no coke, PEPSI!) Wherever you decide to go, plan out the train route in advance!

Remember that there are no lockers at O'Hare, so what you carry-on is what you'll schlep with you to town. Go to the www.chicagotransit.com website a month prior and order 1 day fare cards for you and the family, so you can bypass the step of buying them when you get there.


Have a great adventure!

 

[Tumblwd501]

You can also make it to the Art Institute in about an hour.

But I have to admit, I don't think I would be venturing out too far with only a 6 hour window, considering travel times eat up a majority of that time block. But I'm pretty conservative when it comes to things like that! Whatever your family decides enjoy and good luck!!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I don't think 6 hours is enough to time do do anything in the city, as the trip to and from Chicago would just take too long.

 

[mikeysmom]

I live in Chicago and it seems like you really wouldn't have much time to travel into the city. If your flight lands at 1:30 realisticly at best you wouldn't even get out of the airport until 2 and if you have to be back there by 5:30 or 6 that only leaves you only 4 hours at best. How about looking into going to Woodfield Mall which is not too far from ORD. It is HUGE!!!
Lots of cool stores.
The airport also has some good "Chicago" restaurants and some cool stores. Check out flychicago.com

 

[NotUrsula]

Woodfield Mall is a good possibility. Also, depending on your travel date, there could be a good show going on at the Rosemont Convention Center, which is a short cab ride from O'Hare. http://www.rosemont.com/events.shtml#

Another fun thing to do on a long layover (esp. in winter) can be to get a room at an airport hotel that has an indoor pool and just go swim. It almost guarantees that you'll sleep on the second leg of your flight. (I've heard that the airport Hilton has day rates at their spa and health club, including the pool, though I don't know if they have an age limit for children.)

Science & Industry is a GREAT museum, but pricey, and just about completely on the other side of Chicago from O'Hare. You wouldn't have time to see much of it (the line for tickets can be VERY long, too), and that would be a waste of money. I recommend that you try a weekend in Chicago sometime to do a serious museum crawl -- the city's wonderful museums are worth it.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I disagree with most of the posters who say you should not go into the city. By Mikeysmom's calculation factoring in transportation and getting through security, you'd have about 4 hours downtown. That's a LOT of time, IMO. You'd take the Blue Line CTA train from O'Hare right down to the Loop and then either go visit the John Hancock Center or Sears Tower observatorys if it's a clear day. Or if you want museums, take a cab over to the Field Museum of Natural History or the adjacent Shedd Aquarium once you're downtown. (These are both downtown whereas The Museum of Science and Industry is well-south of downtown and I agree, too far to be practical.)

Did you buy separate tickets in order to get that long of a layover? Domestic fare rules on a through ticket have a maximum connecting time of 4 hours.

One other idea....if you're traveling on the same airline for both legs of your trip AND you're on a through ticket (not separate tickets) AND if that airline has an earlier flight from Chicago to Orlando: when you first check-in at your origin tell the check-in agent that you just noticed that have a really long layover in Chicago and is there anyway they could improve that connection. Depending on availability and the mood of your check-in agent, he/she could connect you with a much shorter layover.

Be careful with luggage. With such a long layover some airlines have been known to make you collect your luggage and recheck it again at your connecting city. Hopefully that won't happen.

BobK/Orlando

 

[dopeyfanatic]

I disagree with most of the posters who say you should not go into the city. By Mikeysmom's calculation factoring in transportation and getting through security, you'd have about 4 hours downtown. That's a LOT of time, IMO. You'd take the Blue Line CTA train from O'Hare right down to the Loop and then either go visit the John Hancock Center or Sears Tower observatorys if it's a clear day. Or if you want museums, take a cab over to the Field Museum of Natural History or the adjacent Shedd Aquarium once you're downtown. (These are both downtown whereas The Museum of Science and Industry is well-south of downtown and I agree, too far to be practical.)

Did you buy separate tickets in order to get that long of a layover? Domestic fare rules on a through ticket have a maximum connecting time of 4 hours.

One other idea....if you're traveling on the same airline for both legs of your trip AND you're on a through ticket (not separate tickets) AND if that airline has an earlier flight from Chicago to Orlando: when you first check-in at your origin tell the check-in agent that you just noticed that have a really long layover in Chicago and is there anyway they could improve that connection. Depending on availability and the mood of your check-in agent, he/she could connect you with a much shorter layover.

Be careful with luggage. With such a long layover some airlines have been known to make you collect your luggage and recheck it again at your connecting city. Hopefully that won't happen.

BobK/Orlando

I'm not sure where you figure they'd have 4 hours to do something! The flight leaves at 7:30, so they'd need to be back by 6 at the LATEST because they'd have to go into security. If it takes an hour to get back, they'd have to leave downtown by 5. If they're not leaving the airport until 2, they would get there until 3. So they'd have from 3-5. That's two hours. I spoke with my cousin who doesn't drive, lived there for years doing only public transport, and she said she wouldn't do it. You wouldn't have enough time to do anything to make it worth the trip...

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree (again) with the above poster. You just would not have enough time to make such an excursion worthwhile and if there was any traffic delay coming back or long security lines, you could miss your return flight flight. Also, if your flight is delayed getting into O'Hare in the first place (a distinct possibility), you won't have 6 hours time to play with.

Personally, I would not book a flight with a 6 hour layover anywhere, unless it was the only flight available and I had no other choices, even more expensive ones.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

What may or may not be worth doing timewise varies from one person to the next. This family is faced with 6 hours in an iarport, or using those 6 hours to have a small adventure.

As long as they know their time will be limited to 2 hours or so, why wouldn't it be worth it? It fills those 6 hours!

Personally, I have flown to Chicago more than a dozen times JUST to take the train into town and shop for a few hours and fly home. It is entirely doable and worthwhile to me because I can shop the stores I really like.

A note on your luggage:

If you check-in at your airport of origin, and your bags are tagged through to your final destination, they will not unload at baggage claim, regardless of the layover time. They may end up at your final destination early (if there's an earlier flight, sometimes happens) but they will not appear on the baggage carousel at your layover airport.

 

[bavaria]

I'm with the adventurous crowd. I've gone to Disneyland for an hour on a long layover at LAX. I've seen many places on long layovers in North America and Europe.

OP, good for you for having a sense of adventure and sharing it with your kids.

 

[alexb]

Although the train between O'Hare and downtown are not directly effected, the CTA announced that they are going to begin major renovations on three lines in April. If you decide to go downtown, you might want to check the CTA's website ahead of time to see if the travel times on the trains are running on normal schedules. Also, you should be able to check the routes to determine where it will take you once you decide where you want to go.

It might also be worth looking at www.metromix.com to see if there are any events going on downtown or in the Loop that day that could impact a trip downtown. I live in the Chicago metro area and I'd be a little hesitant about going downtown from O'Hare given the amount of time you have available.

Depending on the airline and the terminal, going through security at O'Hare can take anywhere from 5-45 minutes so keep that in mind during your planning.

Good luck and have a fun trip.

 

[Armadillo4]

If I had a long layover in Chicago, I'd make a quest for local culinary delights...like authentic Chicago-style pizza. It really is different in Chicago than anywhere else I've tried. With that much time, I might try trekking downtown to some of the main locations, like Gino's East or the original Pizzeria Uno. I've never had Lou Malnati's, so that's next on my list whenever I visit Chicago next. I'm all about the food.

 

[Skroops]

I agree with the previous poster and get a hotel! Shuttle service to hotels is continuous, and you'd have time to take a swim and order some famous Chicago pizza delivery.Genos' East, or Giavannis' to name a couple of yummy ones.

First though, I'd try to get listed on the next MCO flight as stand by. Depending on your ticket, it is possible that even another airline may honour your ticket if they have seats. It has never happend to me, but I have heard of it...worth a smile and a try...

Good luck! Enjoy the journey!

 

[may06orbust]

I want to thank all of you for all of your suggestions and opinions. We are going to try to get on standby on an earlier flight out of ORD, but if that fails we want to be prepared. Keep the great ideas coming!

 

[bavaria]

Just realize that getting 4 seats on standby may be tough; flights are more and more full these days. And if you don't have status with the airline, you'll be bottom of the standby list.

But it sounds like you are prepared and are making plans.

 

[Terry's Angels]

Hi everyone,

I live within short walking distance of the Museum of Science and Industry and while it is a GREAT museum, I don't think that you have enough time to actually travel to MSI, ENJOY the museum, and get back to O'Hare in time for your flight. I also kinda disagree with the Woodfield too because of the public transportation out to the mall is a suburban transit bus which may nor may not run as often as you need to get back to the O'hare as quickly as you need.

I agree with other posters -- maybe a quick jump on the train downtown to check out some architecture and a nice meal. BUT really I don't recommend doing any type of trip involving public (or private) transportation during the morning or afternoon rush hours - which for Chicago is 6am-9am and 4pm-7pm which will be a slow crowded ride on a bus or a train. In a lot of ways it really sucks being in the airport for 6hrs but it would REALLY suck to be stuck in Chicago city traffic or stranded at Woodfield when your plane is leaving.

JMHO as city of Chicago resident,frustrated driver and public transport user.

 

[NotUrsula]

Just to toss this out: when I seconded Woodfield, it was with the expectation that the OP's family would cab there. I agree that it would be hard to time if depending on a bus. (Woodfield is 7 miles from O'Hare.)