Early Outbound Flight/Magical Express/Artificial Knee/Security Scanners

[srobinet]

I will be flying for the first time in about 25 years so I am not familiar with the more time consuming but necessary security measures at the airports. I will be using Disney's Magical Express to catch my very early flight on my day of departure. I believe my flight leaves MCO around 7:00 a.m.

I had a knee replacement in July and the metal in my artificial joint will set off the metal detectors. I am assuming this will result in extra security screening time for me.

Do I need to tell Disney this since I will need the extra time to clear security? Do they get all guests using the Magical Express to the airport 2-3 hours early? I don't want to arrive too late to clear security and therefore miss my flight . My flight is non refundable and no changes are allowed.

 

[DizneyMommy]

We were given a DME pickup 3 hours before our flight, but it made me nervous traveling with 3 kids, needing to check a bag, and with baby food that gets extra screening. I asked for an earlier time and was glad I did, our driver was late, took forever at our resort, and it ended up taking an hour from our original pick up time until we were getting off the bus. We had a long line for checking the bag, 30 minute line for security and then the place was a zoo when we tried to grab dinner for the kids. We cut it close, and that was with asking for a earlier pick up time. (It was 3.5 hours before our flight)

Funny enough, they didn’t bat an eyelash at the baby food (which is a first) but they are now making everyone remove all snacks from your bag. Having been on the dining plan... guess what our bags were full of!

 

[DizneyMommy]

Also, keep in mind your flight will start boarding 45 minutes before your flight time. The gate will close 10 minutes prior to your flight time.

 

[srobinet]

Thanks keep any advice coming this way. Like I said I have not flown in about 25 years and only twice then. I am used to large jets and assumed I would be flying on one for this flight I found after I booked my flight I am on a much smaller plane with turbo propellers. It's totally my fault for not reading the small print. It's a United flight but run by a airline that starts with a S that makes lots of flights from Pensacola throughout Florida. I am extremely nervous about the smaller plane.

 

[Firepath]

My DH has an old knee replacement with lots of metal. He always tells the attendant every time we go through any security. He almost always sets it off and has found it easier to warn them before hand so they don't assume it's something worse and get all excited. He usually points out which knee it is and they will concentrate on that area which makes the process quicker. We enrolled in TSA Pre-check but they still check out his knee every time. It really doesn't slow us down much though. Have a great trip!

 

[bumbershoot]

You can ask Disney to assign you to an earlier bus if you wish.

 

[rwdavis2]

You won't need any extra time in security because of the knee. Tell the screener as you reach the scanning area to make sure they send you through the scanner and not the metal detector. That way they can see exactly where to check. They may feel around the knee and wand it with a hand held metal detector. That's all they have ever done to me.

 

[monorailsilver]

My 17 yo has 3 pins/screws in her knee. So far the only security she went thru was for Yankee Stadium and she just walked thru with out a hitch. We flew in April but she had Surgery 3 days after we got back. We are flying in August so I plan to have her tell them she has screws in her R knee (torn ACL). We happen to have the xray pictures on our phone in case they are wondering too...not that I think we would need them but we were texting them to family.

My mom has a pacemaker (and dementia) so I have to tell them that she has one since she goes thru the naked scanner-you know the one that you stand on the feet, arms in the air and they scan you. She always gets wanded after as well.

 

[rwdavis2]

My 17 yo has 3 pins/screws in her knee. So far the only security she went thru was for Yankee Stadium and she just walked thru with out a hitch. We flew in April but she had Surgery 3 days after we got back. We are flying in August so I plan to have her tell them she has screws in her R knee (torn ACL). We happen to have the xray pictures on our phone in case they are wondering too...not that I think we would need them but we were texting them to family.

My mom has a pacemaker (and dementia) so I have to tell them that she has one since she goes thru the naked scanner-you know the one that you stand on the feet, arms in the air and they scan you. She always gets wanded after as well.

Good idea to warn them about the screws. I'm reasonably sure they would even show up on the airport metal detecotd. They won't look at the photos. How would they know it was her knee? Same with trying to show TSA a letter about anything.

 

[Debbie Jean]

No extra time needed. I have TKR's in both so I just point and say, "I got knees"... in Florida half the population has something replaced LOL They send me through the body scanner and do a quick pat down if needed and I'm on my way. No biggie.

 

[monorailsilver]

Good idea to warn them about the screws. I'm reasonably sure they would even show up on the airport metal detecotd. They won't look at the photos. How would they know it was her knee? Same with trying to show TSA a letter about anything.

I know they won't look at photos. Heck I have her MRI on my phone too.

But I think it is a courtesy to let them know. My dd usually gets precheck for some reason every time we fly. So we already told her to let them know she has screws.

 

[charmed59]

The world’s largest active senior community, where you either have a knee replacement or are going get one someday, is about an hour north of MCO, and that is our closest airport. During the holidays they were separating the pre-check line at MCO into “artificial knee/limb” vs. “all body parts you were born with” lines. They are very familiar with metal joints, and it only take a minute or two longer. My husband had one knee done a year ago, and by the time I pick up the scanned hand luggage he is catching up to me.

In pre check they do send me through the old scanners, and him through the one’s where you hold your hands up. His knee shows up on the scan and he’s good to go.

If you don’t have precheck everyone goes through the hands up scanner, so your knee will show up as an artificial knee and they will wave you through.

 

[KPeterso]

We have not flown since my Mom's knee replacement, but will in September. I plan to mention it to the TSA person before she goes through. That is what we have been doing at Disneyland when she goes through the metal detectors. Interestingly, the metal detectors go off at Disneyland in the area of the metal, so it shows around her knee, so the first time we went after her knee replacement they asked if that is was the reason the metal detectors go off. They then usually scan her too.