Allow time to get through MCO airport security

[bavaria]

United/Ted marks our luggage priority because my husband is a 1K/million mile flyer. Usually but not always the bags come off quickly. However, this doesn't happen on the return trip if you use the resort checkin.

Does the preferential treatment bother anyone else? At ORD, my husband (and the rest of us if we're flying with him) can use a seperate entrance with virtually no lone for security. As I posted earlier, at MCO you can pay for the clear service. But what family of four or five who vacations at WDW once a year would shell out that kind of money? Even though my family benefits from these perks, it really doesn't seem fair to me.

But I will walk through that short line at ORD as long as it is there.

While my bags are marked 'priority' every week, they rarely come off any quicker. That's on United and Star Alliance partners.

I don't see it as preferential treatment. It's simply a loyalty perk. We pay for it in the amount of revenue we give to an airline (or hotel company, or rental car company)

National and other rental agencies offer a similar service, and it is very popular. People make a choice to pay for the service by joining the program.

Imagine if WDW implemented a 'frequent guest' program with upgrades and perks - people would enjoy that too.

I value my Star Alliance elite status as it is a small reward for travelling 100,000 miles a year and being away from home. That travel is not as glamourous as some make think. It's a choice we make, but it does have it's drawbacks. And the airlines reward us by offering us very small perks. (Believe me, we don't get upgraded on every flight)

As to 'clear' being a scam to make money - I can't comment on the US program, but the border program requires very indepth application and screening. I have seen people who were turned down for what they considered very minor reasons. There are very strict guidelines (ie I can't carry ANY food, not even mints for the plane, when I use the program)

I consider that similar to when I use my EU passport to travel through Europe. I am not 'cutting' a line, I am simply preauthorized to use a service which asks fewer questions etc because of my precleared status.

 

[VAgal76]

For those that have travelled recently, we're flying out 11:30 on Monday morning in Feb - almost mid-Feb but before all the President's Day travelers come out and play. We've only had to wait 15-20 mins. max during what seemed like a madhouse. Otherwise, we've sailed through security at MCO in the past. Should I be there 1 hr and 1/2 before my flight this time or will an hour before still be sufficient? We've not driven before and always relied on transportation service. Is traffic going to be a bear on the way into the airport? I thought since it's in the middle of the morning we would miss the rush hour traffic.

Thanks for your help!

 

[bavaria]

For those that have travelled recently, we're flying out 11:30 on Monday morning in Feb - almost mid-Feb but before all the President's Day travelers come out and play. We've only had to wait 15-20 mins. max during what seemed like a madhouse. Otherwise, we've sailed through security at MCO in the past. Should I be there 1 hr and 1/2 before my flight this time or will an hour before still be sufficient? We've not driven before and always relied on transportation service. Is traffic going to be a bear on the way into the airport? I thought since it's in the middle of the morning we would miss the rush hour traffic.

Thanks for your help!

As Safetymom mentioned, it seems to have no rhyme or reason at MCO. Most of the times I flew out of MCO in 2005, there was a 'family line' at security, and little wait overall. Then I flew out twice on a weekday, not around a holiday, and the waits were 40 minutes plus. There was no family line, and even those in wheelchairs etc had to use the regular lines.

Airport traffic usually isn't bad (but I also usually take the 417). It's the security line that can do it.

Also check in online or at a kiosk - MCO has express check in kiosks in a central location for most airlines.

 

[BCV23]

bavaria, I didn't say the clear service was a scam although of course it IS a money making proposition for the company that offers it. It just doesn't seem fair to me to offer expedited service that really is cost effective to a small porportion of the traveling population. TSA is operated and paid for by all of us.

I do think the expedited security lines offered by individual airlines at some airports are both a perk and preferential. My DH travels all the time too and I'm grateful for any time he can save. But I still don't think it is fair for a service that is paid for by all.

We have had better luck with priority luggage than you have. On the other hand my DH very, very rarely checks while on business trips so you may have more experience there. Perhaps it depends on the airport? And that is a perk that I do find fair just like system wide upgrades, etc.. They are specific to the airline not TSA.

And you bet I would love to see frequent guests get rewarded at WDW. The AP discounts are a nice little perk though.

Here's hoping you have better luck with your luggage.

VAgal, we flew out this Wednesday midafternoon and the wait was an hour. Our daughter was in a wheelchair so we were able to use a shorter line. Not a big travel day. I would allow more time if I were you.

 

[VAgal76]

Bavaria - Thanks! I'll schedule accordingly. I'm flying Delta and we're aren't checking any luggage so we can get in and out quickly. I do kiosk check-in every chance I get. I really appreciate the heads up.

 

[bavaria]

bavaria, I didn't say the clear service was a scam although of course it IS a money making proposition for the company that offers it. It just doesn't seem fair to me to offer expedited service that really is cost effective to a small porportion of the traveling population. TSA is operated and paid for by all of us.

No, you didn't, and I wasn't referring to your post.

I can't comment on 'clear' as I don't know all of the details; I am familiar with the customs programs in North America and Europe, hence my comments regarding those. They are different from 'clear' in that they are focussed on customs/duty issues rather than security.

 

[DemoBri1]

I'll give you a very good reason why the lines are backing up. Whoever thought of the configuration for the security lines at MCO should give up their engineering job. At least on the "A" side, I don't know what "B" was like, they had 4-5 separate lines setup to have IDs checked. Then, those 4-5 lines merged down into ONE!!! This is where a majority of the backup occurred. Once you were able to squeeze your way through the single lane it opened back up fairly quickly and it didn't take long to get through the metal detectors.

What they need to do is find someway to take out the requirement that everyone merge down into the single lane before hitting the metal detectors. If they did that I think it might go a bit faster.

That being said, I always try to judge my departure time from the resort to make certain that I'm at least dropping my rental car or arriving in the terminal 2 hours before my scheduled departure time. This would usually necessitate leaving your WDW resort about 2.5 hours before departure.

 

[antmaril]

I'll give you a very good reason why the lines are backing up. Whoever thought of the configuration for the security lines at MCO should give up their engineering job. At least on the "A" side, I don't know what "B" was like, they had 4-5 separate lines setup to have IDs checked. Then, those 4-5 lines merged down into ONE!!! This is where a majority of the backup occurred. Once you were able to squeeze your way through the single lane it opened back up fairly quickly and it didn't take long to get through the metal detectors.

What they need to do is find someway to take out the requirement that everyone merge down into the single lane before hitting the metal detectors. If they did that I think it might go a bit faster.

That being said, I always try to judge my departure time from the resort to make certain that I'm at least dropping my rental car or arriving in the terminal 2 hours before my scheduled departure time. This would usually necessitate leaving your WDW resort about 2.5 hours before departure.

We flew home from MCO this morning. The security line was the longest line I've ever seen. We were on the B side and we, too, had four lines squeezing into one. Obviously, this is causing a backup. I don't know why they don't do something about it. I have to say, however, we got through the line in about 25 minutes. We arrived at the airport three hours early, so we were not nervous when we saw the line. We had plenty of time. I'd rather wait at the airport than worry about it.