Anyone with experience using companion bathrooms at MCO (Orlando Int'l Airport)?

[VandVsmama]

We are planning a trip to WDW next year with dear friends - a married couple. 1 of them (let's call him Mickey, not his real name of course) is disabled - legally blind (as in, everything's black, he can't see a thing) + he has bad joint problems in 1 ankle from a very bad car accident injury years ago.

Mickey and his wife, Minnie, as DL veterans and are familiar with how the DL companion bathrooms work. Mickey is more comfortable with using a companion bathroom rather than, literally, blindly going into the men's room and feeling around, bumping into things, etc. This will be their first ever WDW trip.

What Mickey & Minnie are a bit anxious about, however, is the airport companion bathroom situation. Have any of you used one of the companion bathrooms at MCO? If so, was it hard to find? Long line to use it? etc., etc.

This will be Mickey & Minnie's first ever "vacation requiring a plane ride" together since they got married. So they've also got some general nervousness going on with regards to plane travel, but that's manageable. Mickey is able to walk on his own just fine unassisted and does not need a wheelchair (can't use an ECV since he can't see, of course), nor will he require additional time to get situated on the plane.

But you know how it is sometimes with travel when you have special circumstances...sometimes it's the little things like this that can be nerve-wracking. And I'd like to help them know what to expect, what the options are, etc., so they can relax, not worry, and have a nice time.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Bjkandma]

We have used the companion bathrooms in MCO. There has never been a line. There have been times when someone was currently using it and we just waited. At the airport they are known as family restrooms, with the handicap sticker. They are not near every men's and women's room, but you can find them right next to most of them. They would be on same wall, right past men's and woman's.

While they don't require it, to ease some of the anxiousness, I would suggest asking for wheelchair assist. An employee can take them through security, restrooms for food, etc. They could use this service at both arriving and departing the airports. Just let their airlines know ahead of time. MCO is a huge airport, especially if they arrive on Side "A" and need to meet Magical Express or Meats Connect (replacement as of January 1st) on Side "B". They can also assist in getting them to baggage claim.