How early to the airport?

[goofy4tink]

Disney quite often over books ME. Twice we were told we couldn't go at assigned time. Had to wait 30 minutes for next bus.

I highly doubt it's Disney's fault. More likely to be the bus driver's fault. I have seen buses crammed full because the driver allowed people to get on a bus they weren't assigned to. In fact, last Dec, I was traveling with friends. Their bus left 30 mins prior to mine...I had a slightly later flight. I asked the driver if there was room on their bus for me...if not, it wasn't a big deal. He said sure, hop on. Well.....I almost got off the bus! It was full! But because it was the last resort on the route, I found a seat, after the guest removed their bags from it, and sat down. But there wasn't an empty seat after that.

As far as security goes, I used to be a huge TSA supporter. Until my experience last Friday at LAX. We were flying home via Virgin American. They have a fairly small security area, so I figured things would be fine. I paid extra for dd's boyfriend to be priority since we were all precheck, and I didn't want him waiting in a long line. We got into the precheck line. Well, we were blended in with a regular line! So, there were people with shoes and jackets on, while others had to take everything off. I am used to going through precheck security with nothing in my hands or pockets. But, when I got to the scanner, the TSA agent looked at me, and asked where my boarding pass was. In my bag, where it always is! Well, you need to keep it with you so I can see that you really are precheck!! Seriously?? Now I had to run back to the belt, and grab my bag just as it went into the xray thingie!!! That held everyone up!! And I felt like an idiot. I may have mentioned the lack of consistency to the TSA person....he wasn't entirely pleased!!! My question? How do the screeners, at the xray area, know that I am precheck, and allowed to have my stuff stay in my bag? They have no idea what bag goes with what person.
It's the lack of consistency that is mind boggling. There should be a line for TSA precheck, that doesn't merge with a regular line! I saw some people trying to keep their shoes on because they saw us with ours on. It was just confusing to everyone. I have to wonder if the larger security areas were better run.

 

[Minnesota!]

Last month we flew out of MCO. We got on the earlier DME.... I think it was the 9am vs the 10am or something like that - it was an hour. We were at POR. Then we stopped at POFQ, SSR, and OKW. Security was LONG and a joke. By the time we got through, we had enough time to grab some lunch and get to our gate. I have no doubt that had we taken our regularly scheduled DME, which was 3 hours out from our flight time, we wouldn't have made it.

Our next trip, we will opt for an earlier DME, too.

 

[Accident]

Whoa.. american airlines social media campaign over lines is actually working and the head of the TSA was removed over long security lines this morning!!!! not going to instantly make this better but it's something starting..

 

[DebbieB]

I flew out of MCO on 5/15, security line on the Southwest end was about 25 minutes at around 10:30am. We rode back to the airport in a rental car and my friend's flight was earlier so I had plenty of time.

 

[sam_gordon]

I highly doubt it's Disney's fault. More likely to be the bus driver's fault.

I know this is "picking nits", but IMO, the driver is representing Disney, so it's still their fault. No, they may not be overbooking the busses, but there needs to be some kind of training/procedures that needs to be followed. Somewhere there is, or should be, a list of how many people are expected at each stop, and total on the bus. The driver should have access to that information, even if it means radioing or calling at each stop if someone requests to be added.

 

[maxiesmom]

I know this is "picking nits", but IMO, the driver is representing Disney, so it's still their fault. No, they may not be overbooking the busses, but there needs to be some kind of training/procedures that needs to be followed. Somewhere there is, or should be, a list of how many people are expected at each stop, and total on the bus. The driver should have access to that information, even if it means radioing or calling at each stop if someone requests to be added.

They do know what bus you are supposed to be on. And shouldn't be letting any extras on until they for sure have room, as in are at the last stop and have empty seats.

 

[sam_gordon]

They do know what bus you are supposed to be on. And shouldn't be letting any extras on until they for sure have room, as in are at the last stop and have empty seats.

So if the driver knows they're picking up 10 people from CR, 10 from Poly, and 10 from GF, they shouldn't allow extras to board at CR?

I would think it would be easy to notify the driver as they pull into their first stop... "you have 12 people boarding and 6 empty seats". Assuming no one extra gets on there, when they approach the next stop... "you have 18 people boarding and 6 empty seats". If he lets a party of 4 on the bus "extra", he radios that in. At the last stop "you have 6 people boarding and 2 empty seats". What would be even better is a computer on the dash that has the information.