Close connection time in ATL

[KATIESMOMMY]

We finally got our paperwork from our WDW/ McDonalds trip win. We have awesome flight down, SBN-CVG-55 minute connection and then on to MCO.

Problem is I am worried about the return, we leave MCO at 2:25pm, arrive Atlanta 3:56 with our connect to SBN at 4:31. That is just a little over 30 minutes to make our connection and we will have an infant and a toddler. We are flying through Delta....should I be worried? We have never flown, and everyone said to avoid ATL if we could, but that is what they booked. SHould I worry? Thanks!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Call Delta - every airport has a minimum layover time. I think Atlanta is either 35 or 45 minutes. I would not want that little time with an infant and toddler. Atlanta has an underground tram that runs between the terminals. It's efficient, but can take a while if your gates are at the ends of the terminal (stairs going down to the tram are in the middle).

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I would see if that can be changed. Personally, I think 35 minutes is a tight connection no matter what airport, and doesn't allow any leeway for flight delays, etc., that can creep up at the last minute.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Definitely call Delta and explain your situation. Even if you land and get to the gate by 3:56, it takes time to unload the plane. This connection -- even with ATL's great underground train system that speeds you between terminals in minutes -- is way too close.

I just called Delta to make some changes to our April flights through ATL and had no problems at all.

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

thanks everyone, as soon as I get my confirmation numbers from Disney I will call them, hopefully even though they made the ressies I can make changes and hopefully they wont charge me for them.....whats weird on the Delta website they even group these flights together and I doubt the gates are even close together as the flight from ATL to SBN are thru deltas codeshare partner,Canadair.

 

[PlutoPony]

Just for the heck of it, check which gates the flights arrive and depart from in Atlanta (there should be a "flight status" on-line where you can see that). There's no guarantee that that's where they'll be in when you go, but if they're WAY far apart you can give that info to Disney or Delta to help justify a flight change...
Also is this the last flight to SBN on your return? If so I'd insist on a flight change - don't want to spend the nite in Atlanta if the inbound is late!

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

Just for the heck of it, check which gates the flights arrive and depart from in Atlanta (there should be a "flight status" on-line where you can see that). There's no guarantee that that's where they'll be in when you go, but if they're WAY far apart you can give that info to Disney or Delta to help justify a flight change...
Also is this the last flight to SBN on your return? If so I'd insist on a flight change - don't want to spend the nite in Atlanta if the inbound is late!

Well that made life more interesting. The flight numbers I have are off compared to the ones they gave me for the leg from ATL-SBN. They gave me Delta 1253 and the only thing I can find leaving MCO at the same time is Delta 533.If the planes stay the same..there is no way we can make it. We will have 30 minutes to get from gate A18 where the MCO leg comes in to gate D33 where they SBN leg departs (flight delta4534).

Like me and DH were disussing, I am the one that basically shot us in the foot, WDW travel called this morning to check that the flights were ok, and in my excitement (and lack of experience, none of us have ever flown) I said yes, I never thought about the connection time until this afternoon......
Its not the last flight to SBN, but if we miss it there is like 4 hrs (I think) till the next plane.....man.

Guess I call WDW travel in am and see if they can do anything about it, I just dont see how we can get 2 babies and wait for our gate checked stroller and get to our plane in time...not to mention them getting our luggage from one plane to the other!

 

[seashoreCM]

Well that) I said yes, I never thought about the connection time until this afternoon......
Its not the last flight to SBN, but if we miss it there is like 4 hrs (I think) till the next plane.....man.

Guess I call WDW travel in am and see if they can do anything about it, I just dont see how we can get 2 babies and wait for our gate checked stroller and get to our plane in timeher!

Are there any other flights on that airline that would suit you better?

I would not pay for a change, but might simply show up early and try to stand by for an earlier flight out of Orlando. Or maybe not becaus that would cut into the end of my vacation.

If you miss the connection for any reason not your fault, they will eventually but reasonably honor the ticket as-is even if you booked through Hotwire or Priceline. In a few instances they will put you up in a hotel if they can't get you out of Atlanta the same day.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

Just to update everyone, I called WDW travel and they agreeed it was an awful close connection time and switched our flight, now we are leaving later in the day (yeah ) and wont even be going thru ATL, going thru CVG. Thanks for all your help!!

 

[Songluver77]

I would change the flights. However one time comming from MCO-ATL my flight was delyed about 60 min with a 45 min connection time. When we got in we ran to gate and found they had held all the flights the orlando people were on. However, this was also the very last flight out and so were many of the others. And even if you do check the gates prior to leaving MCO gates at ATL never ever stop changing. Hope this helps.

Brett