DME - arrival at MCO for international travellers

[DJBass]

Hi there - i'm sure this has been posted somewhere but i can't find it and need to get to bed as we are leaving in the morning for the airport.

What are the steps upon arrival at MCO if you are flying in from another country and need to clear customs?

My luggage tag info fromDME just says proceed to DME welcome Centre upon arrival but should we not be picking up our luggage and going through customs? We only have 1 checked bag for our family.

If we go to baggage claim where is that in relation to the arrival gate and main terminal? Do we go to the main terminal level 3 first or after getting bags?

A map of MCO airport would probably be helpful. Very confused.

 

[seashoreCM]

Order of locations at Orlando Int'l Airport: Get off plane into gate area, then most international passengers go to customs, then take a tram to the main terminal (Level 3), then go downstairs to Level 2 baggage claim and carousels, then optionally return upstairs (Level 3) to go to large food court, then go downstairs (Level 1) to Magical Express area in main terminal. (Some passengers must go back upstairs to Level 3 and cross through or near food court to get from carousels to DME on Level 1.)

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If you need to clear or reclear customs when arriving in Orlando then you will find your bags at the customs station.

After clearing customs you have the choice of putting the bags on the other conveyor belt and then taking the tram to the main terminal.

Before 10 PM such bags, when yellow tagged, will be taken to your resort for you.

This process is similar to clearing customs in another connecting city.

Most Canadians and some British will preclear U.S. customs before leaving their country and will not need to clear customs in Orlando and will not go through the Orlando customs station on their way to the trams and main terminal.

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Other choices are:

2. Haul your bags out of the customs station, onto the tram, and down to the DME welcoming area.

3. Non-yellow tagged bags may also be put on the other conveyor belt and you pick them up again at the carousels in the main terminal building.

3a. Before 10 PM, non-yellow tagged bags can also be delivered to your resort by DME. Put them on the other conveyor belt at customs, skip the carousels and see the agent at the welcoming area.

3b. After 10 PM all bags, yellow tagged or not, domestic or international, need to be picked up at the carousels and hauled from there to the DME area.

 

[DJBass]

Why do some people need to cross through the food court? Sorry if this was just a joke I apologize for my tiredness and not getting it.

My main concern was how do i know when and where to go. I seem to recall having to take an airport monorail- is that the tram you are talking about? I take that after clearing customs but before getting my bags?

I'm arriving at noon.

 

[seashoreCM]

If your airline's carousels are on the A side, then from there you must go back up to Level 3 and cross over to the B side and then go down to the Magical Express welcoming area.

Like going from the grandstand on one side of a football field to the grandstand on the other side.

If your airline's carousels are on the B side, you just go down one more level and continue down the corridor with the windows to the outside at your left.

Continuing with the football analogy, the tram (monorail) stations in the main terminal correspond to the goalposts.