How long before departure/check in,can i take food on plane?

[tinkerpea]

Hi ive been trying to plan our travel days,1. the day of flying to the US if we do twilight check-in how long before departure do we have to be at the airport? Our plane leaves at 1pm so im hoping its not going to be too earlier morning!

On the way home we will do the Virgin check-in at DTD what times is this open from-to? and if we do this what time do we have to be at the airport,How long does it take to get there? We normally fly with Thomson and get ME but it gets us there about 4 hours before the flight,THis is a bit long for the kids" and me"

Im hoping for the 1st time to do a few hours in the park then a late lunch at T-rex as a fairwell meal so trying to figure if we will have time for anything other then lunch

Does Virgin have there own coach they put on or is there another bus other then ME?? can you choose your ME time or do they pick it for you based on flight time?
Would a taxi be a better option theres 6 of us but we will have NO cases!

Another quick question is i keep hearing about people going to Earl of sandwhich to use up CS credits and take sandwiches with them, If we do this can we take the food one the plane? I cant remember about food only fluids! I was thinking we could take enough so we have a snack at the airport and the crisps etc for the plane if the kids a a bit hungry.

Thanks in advance

 

[Elise79]

Twilight check in will tell you what time you need to be back - usually a couple of hours before as boarding usually begins an hour prior to departure.

Again after DTD check in - couple of hours before. Security is usually busy at Orlando and takes a while. Can't help with transfers as we drive back to the airport.

No problem taking sandwiches from the Earl on the plane - just remember to throw away any remaines before leaving the plane

 

[Vixster]

With transfers you get given a certain time slot for the magical express if you don't want to go then you will have find own way back cause some buses could be busier than others and no room

 

[2Tiggies]

ME have usually assigned a pick up time for us of just over 3 hours before our flight is due to depart. Sometimes it's been a bit more, sometimes a bit less but usually around 3 hours. You will be given a little envelope with the details which will be left hanging your the door of your room (on the outside) the day before you depart. They seem to be willing to try and accommodate requests for earlier pick ups, if they can, but they won't consider later pickups from what I have been told.

 

[tinkerpea]

Thanks all

I have just gotten off the phone with Virgin who have said due to my son having AS and my mum having an ECV they will give us assited passage which means that when we get to the airport we let them know and they take us straight to thr front of the lines through security etc and then when we get to Orlando they collect us from the plane and take us straight through again with no waiting(Thats what the special assistance department person on the phone told me)

Also when we did trip before last I was in hospital the night before and was released just before the flight so we didnt use ME and got a taxi instead as the rep met us at the airport and took my mum and kids,
Last trip i know we was at the airport AGES but we flew into sanford and so ME didnt go there it was another company! so im hoping the ME doesnt get us to the airport too much before we need to be.

As for food we have to leave anything we dont eat on the plane we cant take it through to baggage collection or security?

 

[Elise79]

Thanks all

I have just gotten off the phone with Virgin who have said due to my son having AS and my mum having an ECV they will give us assited passage which means that when we get to the airport we let them know and they take us straight to thr front of the lines through security etc and then when we get to Orlando they collect us from the plane and take us straight through again with no waiting(Thats what the special assistance department person on the phone told me)

Also when we did trip before last I was in hospital the night before and was released just before the flight so we didnt use ME and got a taxi instead as the rep met us at the airport and took my mum and kids,
Last trip i know we was at the airport AGES but we flew into sanford and so ME didnt go there it was another company! so im hoping the ME doesnt get us to the airport too much before we need to be.

As for food we have to leave anything we dont eat on the plane we cant take it through to baggage collection or security?

With food it depends what it is - meat, fruit, dairy etc has to left on board as it is not allowed into the country.

Packaged things like crisps, biscuits etc are ok

ME will get you to the airport around 3 hours before. MCO has a nice food court and a good range of shops before security. There is hardly anything to do after security.

 

[stephensmum]

ME picks you up 4 hours before an international flight & 3 hours before a local one (we we're changing at Atlanta) but we still had to be picked up 4 hours before. It is a long wait at the airport. This year we will be getting a taxi.

 

[Kath2003]

Be aware that if you require wheelchair assistance, you will most likely be last off the plane. It won't be the speedy transition that you've been told so far, although you may bypass some of the lines elsewhere.

As for taking food - you're going to buy hot sandwiches, then carry them for 2-3 hours minimum before eating them? That sounds grim I'd only do it if I were buying chilled sandwiches and had a cooler in which to carry them.

 

[tinkerpea]

Be aware that if you require wheelchair assistance, you will most likely be last off the plane. It won't be the speedy transition that you've been told so far, although you may bypass some of the lines elsewhere.

As for taking food - you're going to buy hot sandwiches, then carry them for 2-3 hours minimum before eating them? That sounds grim I'd only do it if I were buying chilled sandwiches and had a cooler in which to carry them.

Who said we was buying HOT sandwiches
We have snap freeze packs any thing we buy WILL stay chilled!I believe that Earl do cold stuff? We havent eaten there in a few yrs but i dont generally eat hot sandwiches so Im guessing I had something cold!!!

We have done assisted passage with an ECV around 10 times with my dad when he was alive,and another 5 with my mum I know all about getting off the plane last But Thanks...... The only new thing is the fact Virgin told us they will take us straight through security at the Gatwick end and we can skip and go straight to the front when Bag checking, Not that we should need this with day before check in.we have always been taken straight through with my parents No problem its been very quick

 

[tinkerpea]

ME picks you up 4 hours before an international flight & 3 hours before a local one (we we're changing at Atlanta) but we still had to be picked up 4 hours before. It is a long wait at the airport. This year we will be getting a taxi.

WOW I could just imagine my 3 tired bored boys at the airport 4 hours before

I think we will be doing the same getting a Taxi sounds like a fab idea to me
We wont have any luggage due to DTD check in and we will have our seats pre-booked so how long before hand would I have to be there if getting a taxi?

 

[Kath2003]

Who said we was buying HOT sandwiches
We have snap freeze packs any thing we buy WILL stay chilled!I believe that Earl do cold stuff? We havent eaten there in a few yrs but i dont generally eat hot sandwiches so Im guessing I had something cold!!!

They sell mainly hot stuff, I assumed since you were suggesting eating at a toasted sandwich place, that's what you'd get, is all? I'd check you can carry the freezer packs through to the plane - if they contain liquid, you can't

Orlando airport is thankfully one of the best. Lots of great shops and places to eat.

 

[queendisney]

As for taking food - you're going to buy hot sandwiches, then carry them for 2-3 hours minimum before eating them? That sounds grim I'd only do it if I were buying chilled sandwiches and had a cooler in which to carry them.

We bought a vege burger each from Burger King near the departure gate at MCO to have on the flight at some point..tbh it wasn't that bad cold and we both quite enjoyed it It was a far better option then the Vege VA offering anyway. Basically it was because they had forgotten to put my DH pre ordered meal on board on the way out...he is a vege but doesn't like cheese so we order him an asian vegetarian as that never has cheese in it or a vegan then you have no butter or real milk either This year we have the DDP and will def be taking Earl of Sandwich stuff on board. Try and avoid anything with lettuce, now that is BAD when limp

 

[Elise79]

Be aware that if you require wheelchair assistance, you will most likely be last off the plane. It won't be the speedy transition that you've been told so far, although you may bypass some of the lines elsewhere.

As for taking food - you're going to buy hot sandwiches, then carry them for 2-3 hours minimum before eating them? That sounds grim I'd only do it if I were buying chilled sandwiches and had a cooler in which to carry them.

We have taken the hot sandwiches before and eaten them on the plane - I always have the beef and its been fine. Certainly a lot better than some plane food

 

[Kath2003]

We have taken the hot sandwiches before and eaten them on the plane - I always have the beef and its been fine. Certainly a lot better than some plane food

Ugh, the thought of sweaty sandwiches just turns my stomach
Personally I just eat before we get on the plane then not worry about food until we land.

 

[Shazzie B]

A lot of the Disney Hotel Quick Service restaurants/Food courts do 'packaged' sandwiches, turkey, ham, cheese etc. We did this a few years ago to use up QS credits, also as DD doesn't like 'plane' food. We just bought them as late as we could, think we ate in the airport though (I'm getting old so memory is failing) They were in semi-solid plastic containers and travelled well. These might be better for you. Not been to Earl of Sandwich so they may have something similar of course.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

We bought sandwiches at Orlando airport last time - there was a small deli place near the gate and we took them on the plane. They were very nice

 

[queendisney]

Ugh, the thought of sweaty sandwiches just turns my stomach
Personally I just eat before we get on the plane then not worry about food until we land.

My husband is diabetic so we have to take something..also the breakfast on VA is just awful so if we didn't take something then we wouldn't eat for about 12 hours before we got home! The vege burger from BK was surprisingly unsweaty