How busy is MCO on a Sunday night?

[labattblue]

Have a Wed-Sun trip 13 days from now. Flight back home on Southwest is at 715PM? I don't like the idea of leaving 3 hours ahead of time(ME) to go to MCO. Is the airport slow enough on a Sunday night, that we could get away with leaving at 515 or even 530? I'd rather have an extra hour of pool time versus being stuck in an airport terminal.

Thx!

 

[AmyLand98]

I think part of the answer will depend on if you are taking Magical Express or if you are driving.

I don't know about that exact time but we flew out of MCO on Sunday June 10th with a 4:40 Southwest Airlines flight and it took awhile. If you are on Magical Express, you might have other stops at resorts before you even head to the airport. While the security line moved fairly quickly for how busy it was the line was VERY long. We probably had about 30 - 40 minutes before boarding when we finally got to the waiting area. The Magical Express picked us up at 1:30. Hope this helps

 

[monarchsfan16]

I've found MCO security, as a general rule, to be more of a mess in the evening than in the middle of the day. I think a lot of people take the last flight home to maximize their vacation time. I've never flown out on a Sunday night, but if I had to guess, it'd be busier, as people might be trying to get back to work for Monday.
I would NOT wait to leave for the airport until 5:30 for a 7:15 flight. It's close to half an hour to get to the airport from WDW. Getting to MCO an hour before your flight is cutting it too close regardless of time of day. I don't even do that at home and I fly from a much smaller and MUCH more efficient airport than MCO.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I'm with everyone so far on this one. MCO can be very slow. I wouldn't leave after the 3 hour mark. Last August we took the ME , had no stop after our resort and still made it thru security with only 30 minutes to spare.

 

[TaraPA]

We usually take the last flight out of MCO to maximize our vacation time & I've never seen it "slow" in the evening, especially on a Sunday. I wouldn't leave only 2 hours ahead to leave, get there, get checked in & through security, then on to the gate. 2.5 hours would be the very minimum for me to feel comfortable. So at that point you might as well take ME which leaves 3 hours ahead!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

First you have to give DME "false" information. They don't let you "pick" your departure time. They pick it based on your flight. So you would have to find a flight that's 30 minutes later then your REAL flight. (You also can't just jump on a later bus... that's not fair to those who show up for their bus on time. If there is room they MAY let you on, but if the bus is booked full, you won't get a seat)

THen you have to hope it doesn't dilly dally around at other resorts before it goes to the airport.

And then you hit the TSA mess. Among Frequent Flyers MCO has a reputation.... and it's pretty darn bad. Lines that stretch across the concourse area to the shops are NOT uncommon.

Sundays are busy days and in the evening you add in the business travelers heading out for the week. (And no, the "we are running late" plea won't help)

And 5:30 LOL I wouldn't leave that late for MCO and I have the "express" pass so I don't have to stand in the long security lines and I drive (Express passes come in two forms. For a fee you can enroll in FlyClear.com or you may get selected for TSA PreCheck, but the later appears to be rather arbitrary and right now you have to be an frequent flyer on selected airlines...and even then no one really seems clear on how you get selected )

So you could have lots of time or you could wave your plane bye bye without you (Or discover that despite you A boarding passes you are now at the end of C and won't be sitting together)

 

[labattblue]

Thx to all. I will stick with ME and leave at 415.

 

[Brian Noble]

TSA PreCheck, but the later appears to be rather arbitrary and right now you have to be an frequent flyer on selected airlines

FWIW, on Delta if you are Gold Elite or above, you are sent an invitation to enroll. You have to respond to that solicitation to be enrolled. The other way is to sign up for one of DHS' trusted traveler programs---for example, Global Entry---and then register your ID number with the airline. But, only airlines that have signed up at particular airports can register you, because there is shared data between TSA and the airline, keyed by your boarding pass.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

FWIW, on Delta if you are Gold Elite or above, you are sent an invitation to enroll. You have to respond to that solicitation to be enrolled. The other way is to sign up for one of DHS' trusted traveler programs---for example, Global Entry---and then register your ID number with the airline. But, only airlines that have signed up at particular airports can register you, because there is shared data between TSA and the airline, keyed by your boarding pass.

That is the official line, but I know lots of Delta elites who never accepted invite and are in

And while I am in Global entry. I never gave DL that info,,,,

 

[DonnaL]

If you are using ME you very possibly will need the 3 hours allowed pick up time depending whether you are the first resort pick-up or the last. Sometimes ME stops at as many as four resorts for pick-ups. Trying to determine which you are could be a nightmare.....since I don't believe the same schedule is followed consistently........it depends on departing flight schedules out of MCO. So, to answer your question........if you are using ME you should plan on allowing the 3 hr window for getting to the airport.

 

[Brian Noble]

And while I am in Global entry. I never gave DL that info,,,,

So do you show TSA your GE credentials on entry, or do they somehow know who you are separately from DL's PNRs? I have't done my GE application yet, but I'm going to drop to Tin Elite on DL this year unless I get a lot more travel in the next six months than currently planned, so I'm going to have to make the time.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

So do you show TSA your GE credentials on entry, or do they somehow know who you are separately from DL's PNRs? I have't done my GE application yet, but I'm going to drop to Tin Elite on DL this year unless I get a lot more travel in the next six months than currently planned, so I'm going to have to make the time.

GE doesn't really give you credentials. There's a "sticker" added to your passport. Nexus (Canada entry) gives you a card. And you can't use PreCheck on an international flight so...

There's a lot of debate on Flyertalk as to how all this was linked together and honestly, I don't think anyone has a clue!

I found out I was on Precheck just by accident. I was at the Las Vegas airport and they scan you before directing you to either the precheck of first class line and they told me I was on precheck. Since at my home airport I used to skip the "Delta Elite" line (which is 10 times longer then the general line LOL!) I hadn't been scanned. Now I least start at the elite area.

The other thing about precheck is it's random. Occassionally you still get to go thorugh the regular line because "you weren't selected" It's only happened to me once (and I turned around and left the "elite" line the TSA directed me as it was LONG, went to the main checkpoint in Atlanta and was through without stopping....)

 

[Brian Noble]

Interesting. I've not yet been bumped out of pre-check, but then again am not flying all that often these days, so I suppose it is only a matter of time.

But, it is remarkably civilized when it is available.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Considering how often I have flown lately (I am well above average) I keep thinking "my number is up", but amazingly I am not hitting the "you didn't get selected" (Of course now that I say that tomorrow I will get the "no go" beep LOL!)

THe other question that might be relevant is...."are you dumped out of precheck if you aren't Delta elite" That seems to be your concern. My bet is you may not be (once again I am not sure how they bother to link all of this together), but it strikes me that if they decided you were "safe" they will just leave you in the system....

 

[Brian Noble]

Could be. I have some international travel coming up next year anyway, for which GE will be useful---and my AmEx card will comp the GE enrollment fee. It's just a matter of doing it.