A Newbie's Guide to Orlando International Airport

[KikiFan]

Nope. You can't get to a gate other than those in your side of the airport. You would have to go through security.
So, meeting them in the dme is the easiest idea. You could be there when they get into the main central part of the airport, but there is always a chance of missing them!!

Bummer thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

Please pardon me if this question has already been asked.
Is there a good convenience store at the airport???

 

[goofy4tink]

http://www.orlandoairports.net/concessions/images/shopping_landside.pdf

I'm not sure what you would qualify as a 'convenience store' but the above link should get you to a listing of what's where at MCO.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

http://www.orlandoairports.net/concessions/images/shopping_landside.pdf

I'm not sure what you would qualify as a 'convenience store' but the above link should get you to a listing of what's where at MCO.

Thanks!

 

[ChristmasElf]

Thanks! I'm used to flying American, which comes in on the A side but at the end of the terminal closest to DME, so it was just a short walk across. I don't think I'd even seen the food court until I intentionally went there to grab some lunch last year.

American now is on the B side.

 

[AnaV]

Great info!

 

[goofy4tink]

Great info!

Any questions?

 

[Lfsdromero]

Does anyone know if there is a red box dvd rental in the Orlando airport? We are wanting to rent some movies to watch on the plane but I would need to return them before we leave Orlando airport?

 

[ksromack]

I didn't look through all pages here but I was looking for what side Frontier flies in to at MCO and found this pdf.......http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/images/maps/airline_locations.pdf
Hopefully this link is still active and our Frontier flight will arrive as expected. Since it's on side B we should just need to go down 3 levels for DME, right?

 

[goofy4tink]

I didn't look through all pages here but I was looking for what side Frontier flies in to at MCO and found this pdf.......http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/images/maps/airline_locations.pdf
Hopefully this link is still active and our Frontier flight will arrive as expected. Since it's on side B we should just need to go down 3 levels for DME, right?

Yes, you will arrive on level 3. So just head to the big neon Side B sign overhead, go down two levels, to level 1 and look for DME...it's all the way to the far end.

 

[ksromack]

Yes, you will arrive on level 3. So just head to the big neon Side B sign overhead, go down two levels, to level 1 and look for DME...it's all the way to the far end.

Thank you! Enjoy your grand tour trip......we went to DL/DCA a couple years ago during the holiday season and fell in love! If you haven't been to Carsland, you're going to love it!

 

[goofy4tink]

Thank you! Enjoy your grand tour trip......we went to DL/DCA a couple years ago during the holiday season and fell in love! If you haven't been to Carsland, you're going to love it!

I was lucky enough to head up to DL/DCA last Dec for two days!!!!! Added it to our stay in San Diego. However.....it rained for all but 2 hrs of our park time!!!!! I can't wait to get back and hopefully there will be sunshine...stay away El Nino!!!

 

[Andrea]

Sorry guys I know this questions has been asked 1000000 times but its my turn now. Can I use Uber to get from the airport to Universal hotels ?

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't believe Uber is allowed to pick up at MCO. There is a thread on the main board here that was started by an Uber driver...has a lot of great info. You might want to double check there.

 

[MommyinHonduras]

Planning to meet people at the airport when we are flying international is proving to be hard. We can arrive at 8am or 10:50 pm. We are choosing to arrive at 8am but the rest of our party is to arrive at 1:30 pm. We are sharing one rental car and staying off site. Is there a good place to hang out for several hours at the airport after arrival? We have 4 kids who travel amazingly well. Can you get to the airport lounges after arrival? Since check in is not until 4pm we can go get to the resort early. I saw someone mention a partial stay at the Hyatt but did not see the answer. Is that an option? Thanks all

 

[PetePanMan]

getting through security at MCO is an unorganized gong show - one of the worst airports I have ever been to from this standpoint.

 

[rjmaple]

After looking at the airport website and going through all the pages here I am confused. I last went to
Orlando in 2009. Has it been redesigned since then? My situation: Arriving at A terminal and then waiting 2 hours for son's plane. I figured we could wait in main food court for him and then take the monorail to get baggage and then go to level 1 to get DME. I know that we need to return to level 3 to get to 1 b side. What I am unsure of is do we have to wait in the A gates for him rather than eating lunch in the main terminal, where they have Chick-fil-A, Dunking Donuts etc? I remember the monorail going to the baggage area but it appears from this board that you need to take the monorail to get to the main restsurant and shopping area, Or are there 2 monorails now? What are the logistics here? I definitely will not go back thru security!

 

[goofy4tink]

After looking at the airport website and going through all the pages here I am confused. I last went to
Orlando in 2009. Has it been redesigned since then? My situation: Arriving at A terminal and then waiting 2 hours for son's plane. I figured we could wait in main food court for him and then take the monorail to get baggage and then go to level 1 to get DME. I know that we need to return to level 3 to get to 1 b side. What I am unsure of is do we have to wait in the A gates for him rather than eating lunch in the main terminal, where they have Chick-fil-A, Dunking Donuts etc? I remember the monorail going to the baggage area but it appears from this board that you need to take the monorail to get to the main restsurant and shopping area, Or are there 2 monorails now? What are the logistics here? I definitely will not go back thru security!

There is a team servicing each 'corner' of the main terminal. If you think of MCO as a big X, the center of the X is the main terminal. The top and bottom right corners would be Side A, those on the left Side B. You take the tram from your gate area. Security is located in the main terminal, before the tram. You can either remain on the A side, close to the gate, or take the tram to the main terminal, where the majority of restaurants are. Your son could meet you there, in the main terminal. You arrive, via the tram from the gate, on level 3. Baggage claim is on level 2. If you, or your son, have to go get your bags, you will take the tram from the gate. Then follow the signage down to level 2, on Side A, and get the bags. Then return to level 3, cross the main terminal to Side B, and take the elevator with your bags, down to level 1, ground transportation, where you will find DME.
Once you get off the tram, and get to the main terminal (past the security area), you won't be able to get back to the gate area. So you need to decide where you want to eat/wait for your son....at the gate or in the main terminal.
Hope that helps.

 

[rjmaple]

I think I have it now. Just to clarify, we can take the tram from the gate to the main terminal and eat there. Our son can do the same when he arrives. We then proceed downstairs by escalator to baggage. Then back up to level 3 and walk to crossover to B side and down to level 1 to DME. Is that right? I remember walking from baggage down to DME but I presume we landed on B side that time. We only take the tram once, right? Thank you very much. We will have 2 small kids with us so I want to minimize the walking and backtracking.

 

[goofy4tink]

I think I have it now. Just to clarify, we can take the tram from the gate to the main terminal and eat there. Our son can do the same when he arrives. We then proceed downstairs by escalator to baggage. Then back up to level 3 and walk to crossover to B side and down to level 1 to DME. Is that right? I remember walking from baggage down to DME but I presume we landed on B side that time. We only take the tram once, right? Thank you very much. We will have 2 small kids with us so I want to minimize the walking and backtracking.

Yep. You've got it.
Is there a reason you're not tagging your bags and allowing DME to take care of them?