Help! Too Much Luggage/Not enough People. Is there help at MCO?

[DisneyLovingMama]

Try as we might to lessen our luggage, we can't seem to get it down to a manageable amount (for us, that would be one bag/one carryon). When we get to MCO, are there push carts we can use? Can we take them out of the airport? We're renting a car from National - can we take a cart there?

If not, do you have any other suggestions? I'll be pushing DS in the stroller. DD can possibly take a carryon, but that leaves three other suitcases and a carryon for DH.

 

[poochie]

There should be luggage porters around, I noticed them last week. Hey it is worth a couple of bucks to save on the hassle.

 

[OKW Lover]

First suggestion is to try harder on your re-packing. If that doesn't work, there are luggage carts and porters at baggage claim.

A good trick on not having to drag the bags over to the car, is to instead drive the car to the bags. One of you can just get the bags and wheel them out to the curbside right outside baggage claim while the other goes to get the car. Then the driver does a half loop around the airport and pulls up to the arriving passenger level to get the bags and the rest of the party.

 

[DebbieB]

We always rent a cart, it's $3. We use it to take our luggage from baggage claim to National's lot. There is a place to return it in National's lot. We fit on it 2 full size suitcases, 2 carryons, laptop, freedom bag.

 

[LIFERBABE]

This works out great for us. I always pick up the car, and DH and the boys and bags wait at Baggage Claim to be picked up.

Our first time, we tipped a skycap to haul all our stuff over to the National garage. Duh!

 

[seashoreCM]

When driving around to pick up the rest of the family and the baggage, be sure they wait in a "car" pickup area s opposed to a "bus" or "taxi" area. Otherwise you might not be allowed to stop and when you finally find a place where you can stop, you can't wait long enough for the folks to run up with the bags.

But if you are at the "car" area and there is no room, ask the policeman to shoo away someone sitting doing nothing with arm out the window and engine off, so you can pull in.

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

"Many columns look alike. Be sure you and the folks you are meeting know exactly where along the pickup area you will rendezvous."

 

[Gillian]

3 suitcases is not a lot for 4 people.

We also send someone to bring the car around, most of the time. When I went with my mom & DS 3 (& me 6 months pregnant) we got a cart and pushed it to the car rental area. That was because neither of us could handle DS + the luggage alone.

 

[chamonix]

I think you did amazing if all you have is three suitcases for four people! We take more than that and there are only three of us. (we usually have two bags each, plus carryons--sometimes dh only takes one though) I see no reason to pack less when there are carts everywhere and we are under the airlines restrictions of two bags each. Why pack less? My dh makes fun of me, but I just can't think of any reason to pack less. So I would save a couple bucks on tipping a bellhop or something. Big deal.

Anyway, that being said--dh gets a cart and we take it all the way out to the National (or Dollar) car. It can be returned right there in the garage, or you can just give it to someone else who needs one.
On the return, we usually get a skycap (they're right there in the garage, waiting for you to pull in with your rental car!).

 

[D L and K's Mom]

We travel with lots of luggage, wheelchair, stroller, car seats, carry on bags, medical supplies etc........last trip we got a porter as soon as we got to the airport. He was great!! He put all the luggage on one cart, he brought us right to the terminal and he was GREAT!!! I am always going to "splurge" on the porter. I can't say enough. Our problem is even if we rent a cart we are "outnumbered" we need one person to push stroller, one to push wheelchair, and then there is no one to push the cart. Go with a porter. I think we gave him $2.00 a bag??? What do you think...is that enough????? He was so nice , told us about his family,etc....

 

[Kae]

There should be luggage porters around, I noticed them last week. Hey it is worth a couple of bucks to save on the hassle.

That's what we just did. We used National.

Kae