Have not flown in looooong time.....

[wedindis'00]

It has been at least 12 years since our last flight, wife hates to fly.
so....

#1 Any suggestions to help me, help her through it...mind you we are traveling with DD 7 and DS 4

#2 How early should we arrive @ airport

#3 We are flying Southwest out of Manchester and have EBCI, the flight is @ 250 pm so when can I get my boarding info

#4 we would like to bring a stroller for our son, how do we "check it" does it go against our luggage count

#4.5 we are also concerned about having boosters for our kids because we will be renting a car and staying offsite, can we check them as well, should we put them in a suitcase, rent them in Florida?

#5 It is my understanding that each of us can check 2 bags, not to exceed certain dimensions and weight, and also carry on a bag(within size limit) as well as a "personal bag"

#6 I read on one of the car rental sites about getting a pass for toll booths, can you not pay cash, if driving from MCO to Orange lake will I go through tolls, are there tolls from Orange lake to WDW


Thanks for any and all replys

 

[Jestocost]

It has been at least 12 years since our last flight, wife hates to fly.
so....

#1 Any suggestions to help me, help her through it...mind you we are traveling with DD 7 and DS 4

#2 How early should we arrive @ airport

#3 We are flying Southwest out of Manchester and have EBCI, the flight is @ 250 pm so when can I get my boarding info

#4 we would like to bring a stroller for our son, how do we "check it" does it go against our luggage count

#4.5 we are also concerned about having boosters for our kids because we will be renting a car and staying offsite, can we check them as well, should we put them in a suitcase, rent them in Florida?

#5 It is my understanding that each of us can check 2 bags, not to exceed certain dimensions and weight, and also carry on a bag(within size limit) as well as a "personal bag"

#6 I read on one of the car rental sites about getting a pass for toll booths, can you not pay cash, if driving from MCO to Orange lake will I go through tolls, are there tolls from Orange lake to WDW


Thanks for any and all replys

#2. You should arrive at the airport 90-120 minutes before your flight. SWA should have information on their Web site with recommendations for your particular airport.

#3. EBCI will get you checked in and have your boarding numbers assigned 36 hours before your flight, but you will not be able to see that information or print out your boarding cards until 24 hours before your flight. At that time (or any time after, it doesn't really matter with EBCI) you can go to the SWA site and follow the same process you would use to check in for the flight to see your boarding numbers and print out your boarding passes.

#4. If you want to use the stroller in the airport you typically can take it to the gate with you, get a tag from the gate agent and leave it on the jet bridge just outside the entrance to the plane itself. You would then wait on the jet bridge at MCO and the stroller would be brought to you there. If you choose to check it with your baggage it generally will not count against your checked baggage allowance, but check the SWA site to confirm.

#5. You are correct about the checked baggage allowance and carry-on baggage.

#6. Boosters can be checked or carried on board. They may or may not count against your various allowances, so check the SWA Web site.

I can't really speak to the other questions.

 

[rwdavis2]

I've taken both the northern and southern routes out of the airport in Orlando and have paid cash. Did it just 2 weeks ago. I highly recommend getting a roll of quarters. That works.

 

[goofy4tink]

It has been at least 12 years since our last flight, wife hates to fly.
so....

#1 Any suggestions to help me, help her through it...mind you we are traveling with DD 7 and DS 4

#2 How early should we arrive @ airport

#3 We are flying Southwest out of Manchester and have EBCI, the flight is @ 250 pm so when can I get my boarding info

#4 we would like to bring a stroller for our son, how do we "check it" does it go against our luggage count

#4.5 we are also concerned about having boosters for our kids because we will be renting a car and staying offsite, can we check them as well, should we put them in a suitcase, rent them in Florida?

#5 It is my understanding that each of us can check 2 bags, not to exceed certain dimensions and weight, and also carry on a bag(within size limit) as well as a "personal bag"

#6 I read on one of the car rental sites about getting a pass for toll booths, can you not pay cash, if driving from MCO to Orange lake will I go through tolls, are there tolls from Orange lake to WDW


Thanks for any and all replys

1. There's not a lot you can to do relax your wife. She can take a magazine with her...that helps take your mind off takeoff and landings. She will have to realize that flying is actually very safe. I'm not the happiest of fliers but it gets me where I want to go, much faster than driving. So, I fly. She can watch the flight attendants. If they seem to be going about their business, everything is fine. Believe me, there wouldn't be so many people choosing this profession if it weren't safe!!!
Besides, she is going to have to keep a brave face if she wants the kids to remain calm and relaxed. If she is busy with the kids, she may not have time to get all nervous.

2. Most airports ask you to be at the airport at least 2 hrs. prior to departure. You have to realize that they usually start boarding about 30 mins prior to departure. So you want to be at the gate at least an hour before take-off. And if you can get there earlier, it will help to relax a bit. I hate rushing to the gate and getting all scattered if I've left it too late!!! I like to sit and collect myself for 30 mins at least.

3. With EBCI, your boarding group will be assigned at the 36 hr window. by SW. You can access that info when you get to the 24 hr window. You can go to the SW site, plug in your conf number and it will walk you through the process. At that time you can print out your bp's and see what group you got. So, that would be at 2:50 the day before....24 hrs prior to departure.

4. When you get to your gate, a lot of times the gate people will see the stroller and they will give you the tags you need. Then, when you are just about to board the plane, they will take it from you. When you land, the strollers will be returned to you, right as you exit the plane onto the jetway.

4.5. If you have room in the luggage, put them in there. Better to have your own equip vs renting.You can't use them on the flight if they are backless. So, packing them may be your best bet.

5. Each passenger that has paid for a seat gets 2 checked bags, as well as a carryon bag that can go in the overhead bin, as well as a carryon bag that fits on the floor beneath the seat. Go to SW's site to get specific measurements.

6. To the best of my knowledge, you can use cash at the toll booths in this area. I always have. I'm not terribly familiar with where the toll booths are though.

Hope this helps a bit. Have a great trip!!!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

When you pay your tolls ask for a receipt. I have read a few reports where people got charged by their rental car co. for unpaid tolls. SO haveing those receipts as proof you paid will help.

If you wife is that afraid she can as the Dr. for a RX for anxiety meds. I would have her take one about a week before the trip to see how it affects her. She may only need to take a half of a pill about the time you guys reach the gate area at the airport. This should be enough to take the edge off but not make her too sleepy.

 

[wedindis'00]

Thank you all very much

 

[wedindis'00]

When flying with previously mentioned bad flyer, is there a set of seats, if given the chance, we should choose? I'm pretty sure that SW has rows of 3 seats, how do most of you with more than 3 sit? behind each other? across the aisle?

 

[pigletto]

When flying with previously mentioned bad flyer, is there a set of seats, if given the chance, we should choose? I'm pretty sure that SW has rows of 3 seats, how do most of you with more than 3 sit? behind each other? across the aisle?

Speaking as a nervous flyer. I medicate. I get a prescription before each flight, and it makes me comfortable but not out of it. That is option one. I also watch the flight attendants faces. I figure if they don't look terrified it isn't time for me to panic.
Seat arrangements are important to me, so I pay extra if necessary to be near the front of the plane. If the configuration is like most of our flights, I go on the aisle, ds(8) sits in the middle, and dd(15) likes the window. I am not so nervous that anybody else would notice. It just definitely helps me to be busy chatting with my kids and not beside strangers. I also like the aisle for the illusion of a little more space. My husband is usually in the seat directly beside us across the aisle.

 

[kamik86]

I would probably say one parent and child in a row behind the other parent and child.

This way each child has a nearby parent, no one is left by themselves in a row, and you are close enough to talk. You could try going across the aisles but since the aisles don't exactly line up it can be more difficult to talk to the other group that way.

 

[goofy4tink]

When flying with previously mentioned bad flyer, is there a set of seats, if given the chance, we should choose? I'm pretty sure that SW has rows of 3 seats, how do most of you with more than 3 sit? behind each other? across the aisle?

You could put mom in an aisle seat, the two kids in the middle and window seats, with you across the aisle in the aisle seat. That way, your wife won't be sitting that close to the window. I find a lot of nervous fliers don't do well sitting near the window.
Then, try to get seats as close to the front of the plane as you can. I now head to the back of the plane when flying solo, but back when I was a really nervous flier, I had to sit towards the front of the cabin...just didn't make me nearly as nervous. If I sat in the way back, I got nervous looking at all those rows and rows of 'souls'..yeah, that's the only way I could think of them..just like in the news when there is an 'incident'. Now, it's no issue where I sit.
But it might be better if you could get a front of cabin row.

 

[downontheBW]

#6 I read on one of the car rental sites about getting a pass for toll booths, can you not pay cash, if driving from MCO to Orange lake will I go through tolls, are there tolls from Orange lake to WDW

I don't know if this is what you're referring to but... We flew into MCO recently and booked a rental car. The rental website showed that their cars had the gizmos that enabled you to just breeze through the toll areas and the toll amount would be added to your rental amount at the end.

What we found out when we talked with the rental agent at MCO is that the car rental company charges a daily fee (I think it was about $3/day) for the use of the gizmo. There's an on/off switch on it, so we turned it off. I would not have liked paying that extra $21 for the week we had the car.

It was easy enough to use the "cash only" lane to pay the tolls. We headed east so may have only been on different toll roads than you will. I'd second the recommendation to bring plenty of quarters.

 

[ForMyBoys]

I can speak to your first item because I HATE to fly. I should say petrified.

My dr prescribes me anti anxiety medication for flights and gave me the advice to replay in my head a safe take off and safe landing so I help reinforce the idea of a safe flight instead of other visions that pop into my head.

I know not everyone likes to resort to medication but for me its absolutely worth it. It has given me the ability to fly for vacations and to fly solo for work. Good luck!