Help Navigating MCO

[pixiedust33]

It's been a while since I've flown into MCO and I'm hoping someone more familiar with it can help me with a question. I am flying American, which I understand goes into Terminal B. I am considering a stroller rental from Kingdom Strollers that I can pick up/drop off at MCO in Terminal A, level 1 "at the wrap n fly near the USO". I see that terminal A and B are just opposite sides of the same building "on level 3" but how much hassle is it to get from Terminal B baggage claim to the Terminal A level 1 area where I get the stroller? Do I have to go up and down stairs and have a long walk? Is it pre or post security?

If it's not convenient, I'm going to go with a car service that will also rent us a stroller, but if it IS convenient, I like the sound of Kingdom Strollers better than anything else I have found.

 

[erionm]

You would need to go back up to level 3 to get over to Terminal A. You can use either an escalator or elevator to go between levels. The walk between terminals is pre-security. I personally haven't done it, so can't comment on how long of a walk it is.

 

[gmi3804]

It's not that inconvenient. Get your bags, go back up the escalator, and cross the terminal to A. Then go down the escalator. It's not that far.

 

[sam_gordon]

What are you using for transportation? How many adults/kids are with you?

The reason I ask is where I need to be for transportation will change what I want to do first. If I *HAVE* to get my transportation from the B side (Mears Connect?), I would want to go get the stroller from A side, then cross over to B (yes, going back up to level 3), get luggage, and go to transportation.

If I *CAN* get my transportation from A (like a rental car or private car service), then I'd rather get my bags, go get the stroller, then proceed to transportation.

If I have extra adults, it's a "divide and conquer", one goes to get the stroller (with the child?), the other goes to get the luggage. Meet at whichever side you do transportation from.

 

[NotUrsula]

It is after you come off the train and leave the secure area. The width across the center atrium is about half the length of a football field. There are plenty of elevators on both sides. Baggage always takes rather a while to come out at MCO, so if the reviews of Kingdom say that they are quick with the paperwork, I'd trot across without your luggage and get the stroller first, then go back to B for the bags.

If it's an option, the better way is to have one adult take the stroller-aged kiddo to go get the stroller while the other waits with/for the bags (dump your carryon with that person, so that you can move faster. If this is the case, be sure to text back a meeting location in Baggage claim B; all ground transit leaves from that level, and also the rentals garages.

 

[pixiedust33]

What are you using for transportation? How many adults/kids are with you?

The reason I ask is where I need to be for transportation will change what I want to do first. If I *HAVE* to get my transportation from the B side (Mears Connect?), I would want to go get the stroller from A side, then cross over to B (yes, going back up to level 3), get luggage, and go to transportation.

If I *CAN* get my transportation from A (like a rental car or private car service), then I'd rather get my bags, go get the stroller, then proceed to transportation.

If I have extra adults, it's a "divide and conquer", one goes to get the stroller (with the child?), the other goes to get the luggage. Meet at whichever side you do transportation from.

I'm sorting out the transportation logistics all together this week, but am leaning towards using a private car service that does an airport meet and greet. The other option I'm considering is Uber. So, either way, I could get transport from either A or B, I think. We have two adults and one 2.5 year old.

I've also just realized that I can pick up and drop off the strollers at different locations, so I can do stroller pickup in person at my Disney resort, but I would want to drop off at the airport on our way out because of the timing of our departing flight. So I guess my bigger question is how annoying it is in reverse. If it's possible for us to drop checked bags at Terminal B, and then have just one adult quickly go drop the stroller at Terminal A and meet back up before security, that doesn't seem like a big deal at all. I don't mind a walk if it's just me or my husband booking it through the airport with an empty stroller. What I really don't want to have to do is trek with all our bags and the toddler through the airport to get the stroller.

 

[gmi3804]

I get a Visitor Toll Pass every time, which is only distributed in A. I go to A regardless of where I arrive, but then, I never check bags. If I did, I'd get the Pass first (as described above) and then go back for my bags. Then out the door for the rental car.

 

[CarolynFH]

I'm sorting out the transportation logistics all together this week, but am leaning towards using a private car service that does an airport meet and greet. The other option I'm considering is Uber. So, either way, I could get transport from either A or B, I think. We have two adults and one 2.5 year old.

I've also just realized that I can pick up and drop off the strollers at different locations, so I can do stroller pickup in person at my Disney resort, but I would want to drop off at the airport on our way out because of the timing of our departing flight. So I guess my bigger question is how annoying it is in reverse. If it's possible for us to drop checked bags at Terminal B, and then have just one adult quickly go drop the stroller at Terminal A and meet back up before security, that doesn't seem like a big deal at all. I don't mind a walk if it's just me or my husband booking it through the airport with an empty stroller. What I really don't want to have to do is trek with all our bags and the toddler through the airport to get the stroller.

For a while due to Covid, rental cars were on only one side of the terminal - the side opposite where we land. So we got pretty good at the down to luggage, up, across, and down again to rental cars. The trek from one side to the other isn’t that far, maybe five minutes (or a little longer if the security lines extend out in the way). Y’all could easily do as you say, drop the bags on B, one go to return the stroller, then meet up before security.

 

[hsmamato2]

I think it's a huge PITA to drag selves,kids,bags up and across to find needed services. We did it a couple of years back and what a hassle... this was just to get from our terminal over to B for mears buses (after not being told where we needed to go) it was NOT fun. (I was with family who pack big suitcases etc and kids)

 

[sam_gordon]

I think it's a huge PITA to drag selves,kids,bags up and across to find needed services. We did it a couple of years back and what a hassle... this was just to get from our terminal over to B for mears buses (after not being told where we needed to go) it was NOT fun. (I was with family who pack big suitcases etc and kids)

Travelers can only control what they can control. They can't control where their airline has baggage claim (although they can control which airline they use, which adds more pros/cons), and they can't control where their necessary service is (in your case, the Mears Bus pickup, in the OP's case, where Kingdom Strollers is).

 

[gmi3804]

I think it's a huge PITA to drag selves,kids,bags up and across to find needed services. We did it a couple of years back and what a hassle... this was just to get from our terminal over to B for mears buses (after not being told where we needed to go) it was NOT fun. (I was with family who pack big suitcases etc and kids)

1. Pack smaller bags
2. Don't take kids

 

[pixiedust33]

I think it's a huge PITA to drag selves,kids,bags up and across to find needed services. We did it a couple of years back and what a hassle... this was just to get from our terminal over to B for mears buses (after not being told where we needed to go) it was NOT fun. (I was with family who pack big suitcases etc and kids)

This is where I have landed! I also am not a light packer for Disney and have a 2 year old "runner" who is the size of a 4 year old and too heavy for me to carry for any length of time. After some further research and reading more reviews, I've decided to go with Cast and Crew transportation for our airport car service because they also provide stroller rentals so the stroller will be conveniently in the trunk of the car when they pick us up (and they come in to greet us to help us with the aforementioned large bags and have rear facing car seats )

 

[Lewisc]

Travelers can only control what they can control. They can't control where their airline has baggage claim (although they can control which airline they use, which adds more pros/cons), and they can't control where their necessary service is (in your case, the Mears Bus pickup, in the OP's case, where Kingdom Strollers is).

They can pick a transfer service which best suits their needs, including location.

Ride share picks up on the same area as baggage claim. Collect your bags, turn around and use app to summon ride share. Offer the door number as your pick location.

Almost every car service will meet you at baggage claim.

Prior to DME Mears had 2 pick up locations on each side of MCO. I wouldn't think of using Mears shuttle service when I fly with SW. Schelping to the opposite corner of MCO isn't the way I want to start my vacation

 

[sam_gordon]

They can pick a transfer service which best suits their needs, including location.

But location of the transfer service may not be an important enough deciding factor. In which case, they may need to change concourses. They could also change airlines which could affect which baggage claim.

 

[Lewisc]

But location of the transfer service may not be an important enough deciding factor. In which case, they may need to change concourses. They could also change airlines which could affect which baggage claim.

My post must have been poorly worded.

You give the car service your flight information. The driver meets you at your baggage claim.

You tell ride share the door number directly across from your baggage carousel. That's your pickup location.

Mears shuttle will be convenient for some airlines but a real pita for others

 

[jimmymc]

To get from B baggage claim to A level 1, you need to go up 1 escalator, walk 3 minutes, and down 2 more escalators. Plus maybe 5 minutes to get from the escalators to where you're picking up. It's all land-side, pre-security, and there are elevators available for all floor changes.

 

[hsmamato2]

1. Pack smaller bags
2. Don't take kids

haha well that works for just myself but I frequently travel with others who feel differently about packing options....

 

[EACarlson]

This is where I have landed! I also am not a light packer for Disney and have a 2 year old "runner" who is the size of a 4 year old and too heavy for me to carry for any length of time. After some further research and reading more reviews, I've decided to go with Cast and Crew transportation for our airport car service because they also provide stroller rentals so the stroller will be conveniently in the trunk of the car when they pick us up (and they come in to greet us to help us with the aforementioned large bags and have rear facing car seats )

Have you verified the weight rating of the car seat? Many rear facing only car seats won't take the weight of a 4 year old. If you're two year old is truly that size, I would be concerned about it.

 

[pixiedust33]

Have you verified the weight rating of the car seat? Many rear facing only car seats won't take the weight of a 4 year old. If you're two year old is truly that size, I would be concerned about it.

Yes, I did - thank you! I may have exaggerated a bit but he’s 39 inches and 32/33 pounds so the size of an average 3 year old/small 4 year old He’s a very tall string bean who is much closer to hitting the height limit than the weight limit, which is 40 pounds. If he grows too much more before March, we may have to turn the seat front facing but it’s the same seat so shouldn’t be a big issue.