How long to get through security at MCO?

[No11's Mom]

The Continental website recommends arriving at the airport 2-3 hours before departure time. Is it really taking that long? Can anybody out there comment on recent experiences departing out of MCO. Our flight is at 5:50pm, Sunday 3/17. We'll be at IOA that day and would like to stay as long as possible. My sister's family's flight doesn't leave until 2 hours after us, so she will drop us at the terminal and then go to turn in the rental car. What time would you recommend leaving the park to get to the airport on time for a 5:50 flight?

Thanks for the help.

Donna

 

[BigDave]

We were just at MCO on 3/2. We moved quickly through the security, but I would certainly get there at least 2 hours before your flight. It all depends upon factors such as checking in for your flight and then how many flights are actually leaving during that time period. The signs say that no one is allowed through security unless your flight leaves within the next 2 hours. They do go through the lines and pull people out whose flights are leaving within a certain time frame. For example, we were in line around 10:30 and they were pulling people whose flights were leaving at 11:00. If you happen to be someone whose carryon has to be searched than that would delay you as well.

Hope this helps.

BigDave

 

[inkkognito]

Definitely dependent on the time of day and day of the week!
We do a lot of Disney cruises, which means we head home Sunday morning, around the same time as the rest of the Disney Wonder passengers as well as others from the rest of the Port Canaveral ships. On our last trip, the security wait was 90 minutes when we arrived, with the line going all the way past the airline check-in desks and to the doors. We did some shopping and had lunch at Chili's, and by that time the line was down to 30 mins. Thankfully we had a late flight, so it was no problem for us.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[cindala]

Originally posted by inkkognito
Definitely dependent on the time of day and day of the week!
We do a lot of Disney cruises, which means we head home Sunday morning, around the same time as the rest of the Disney Wonder passengers as well as others from the rest of the Port Canaveral ships.

We will also be headed home on a Sunday morning. What time is it that the Disney Cruisers usually head home? We have a 10am flight, so I'm hoping we are just a little ahead of all the cruise line passengers!

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

We flew home from MCO on a Saturday in January, and around 9AM there was only a 5 minute wait for security (to airside B). We arrived on a Friday around 12:40PM, and there was hardly a line then either.

 

[lcsmom]

We went through security on a Friday at noon in Jan., going to catch a SW flight. It took about 30 minutes and there were only about 4 families in front of us! But one toddler was not cooperative with having his backpack put through x-ray and one guy had "suspcious objects" and so on and so. Definitely, get there 2 hours ahead.

 

[inkkognito]

Cindala,
The cruisers head out at various times, but you can get off the ship pretty early (maybe 7ish?) if it is cleared by Customs, and it takes about 45 mins. to get to Port Canaveral. TFantasy and Sovereign let off cruise passengers on Sun. morning too. We took our time and didn't disembark till almost 8:30, but if we would have hustled and be out of there by 7:30, I think we would have beaten most of the crowd. We're doing it again Easter weekend, so I'll post an updated report. We didn't care much about hurrying last time because our lflight wasn't until 2 p.m.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[SuzyQue]

We flew home on Spirit 2/23 (end of President's week) and we were through security in about 5 minutes. But on Spirit your seats aren't assigned until you check in, and even though we were there 2 hours early they couldn't sit us 2 & 2, my 2 DD's and I were in 1 row with my DH behind us. They also had us show picture I.D. before boarding the plane (even my DD who is in high school). On our way down my DD's Sketcher shoes with sparkles set off the alarms and she was taken aside for further checking, so on the way back we sent her shoes through in one of the tubs. ~~

 

[caverill]

I would allow for the full 2 hours...

In February we were "selected" to have our luggage x-rayed. When that happens, they pull you out of line, take your boarding pass, and have you stand by the x-ray machine until the bags "pass". Then you get to head off to security. Since you also need to be "re-examined" prior to boarding the plane, you need to be at the gate 30 minutes prior to the plane leaving.

This took almost the full two hours for us.

BTW, I really think the security is wonderful!

 

[chelsea&austinsmom]

We flew out of MCo on 3/7 we where there only 1 hr before are flight and had no problems with security. We would have been there earlier but Yourride was late picking us up. Thanks goodness we had no problems getting on the plane.