Is this unreasonable (sp)

[NotUrsula]

According to the airport manager, who is quoted in today's Sentinel, the average TSA wait time at MCO is 26 minutes during peak periods. IME, that's average just about all the time at MCO these days; thanks to the sequester situation.

A lot depends on how you are getting there, etc., whether or not you have a rental car to return, or your own car to park, if you are checking bags or not ... lots of variables.

As to the food, if you are picky, why don't you just bring your own lunch? It is perfectly OK to do so. The only caveat is that soup will not work, and if you choose to bring yogurt, or condiments that you want to add just before eating, then you will have to fit those in your 3-1-1 baggie. (If the condiments are already on the food when you go through security, no problem at all.) Just buy a drink or fill an empty water bottle airside, and you will be good to go.

 

[goofy4tink]

Mco and it is so big and I got lost last time so that is why I was thinking 4 hours to get everything done

What airline are you flying on? MCO is large, that's for sure. But, it's very well marked. If you have some kind of food you like you can bring it. It just can't be a liquid or gel. For instance, you can bring a peanut butter sandwich, but you can't bring a jar of peanut butter. You can't bring any liquids thru security but you should easily find something to drink once you get thru the security area.
If you get to the airport at 7:30, you will have lots of options to choose from.
Believe me.....you are not the only nervous person at MCO. You will have lots of company. If you get confused or turned around, just ask for assistance. It happens all the time. No one expects you to be an expert.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

According to the airport manager, who is quoted in today's Sentinel, the average TSA wait time at MCO is 26 minutes during peak periods. IME, that's average just about all the time at MCO these days; thanks to the sequester situation.

A lot depends on how you are getting there, etc., whether or not you have a rental car to return, or your own car to park, if you are checking bags or not ... lots of variables.

As to the food, if you are picky, why don't you just bring your own lunch? It is perfectly OK to do so. The only caveat is that soup will not work, and if you choose to bring yogurt, or condiments that you want to add just before eating, then you will have to fit those in your 3-1-1 baggie. (If the condiments are already on the food when you go through security, no problem at all.) Just buy a drink or fill an empty water bottle airside, and you will be good to go.

I did not realize it took 26 minutes I asked someone that she said you can't take food though secretly, other wise I would gladly take a cubin sub from Publix

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

What airline are you flying on? MCO is large, that's for sure. But, it's very well marked. If you have some kind of food you like you can bring it. It just can't be a liquid or gel. For instance, you can bring a peanut butter sandwich, but you can't bring a jar of peanut butter. You can't bring any liquids thru security but you should easily find something to drink once you get thru the security area.
If you get to the airport at 7:30, you will have lots of options to choose from.
Believe me.....you are not the only nervous person at MCO. You will have lots of company. If you get confused or turned around, just ask for assistance. It happens all the time. No one expects you to be an expert.

Delta

 

[Alesia]

I did not realize it took 26 minutes I asked someone that she said you can't take food though secretly, other wise I would gladly take a cubin sub from Publix

You can bring a sandwich through security.

 

[Belle'sFan]

MCO has a pretty good web site. It has step by step pictures of a walk through for both arrivals and departures. Also has maps/ floor plans.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

MCO has a pretty good web site. It has step by step pictures of a walk through for both arrivals and departures. Also has maps/ floor plans.

Thanks I will check it out

 

[goofy4tink]

I did not realize it took 26 minutes I asked someone that she said you can't take food though secretly, other wise I would gladly take a cubin sub from Publix

Delta

Delta is such a large airline that it will be very easy to find and get checked in. No worries there. Get dropped off at the area that services Delta..it's all well marked.
As for that sandwich, go out and buy one!! You can bring any type of sandwich thru security! I had to suffer through the sardine sandwich one guy brought!!! Then there was the nice man I sat next to that offered me half his roast beef grinder from home!!!

See? A lot of the things you were worried about are being dealt with!!!

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

Yes I know I worry for no reason all the time I am known for it

 

[rszdtrvl]

We have a 2 1/2 hour drive to get to the airport.

Our flight leaves at 11:35a, which means it starts boarding around 11am.

We are leaving by 5:30am.
Travel time 2 1/2 hours = 8am.
Parking & shuttle to the airport = 20 minutes = 8:20am
Getting through TSA = 30 minutes (approx.) = 9am (approx.)

That should get us to the airport 2 hours prior to boarding, which, in my opinion, is perfect. We always leave room for highway issues, etc.

I like being early to the airport and people watching. DH would love to just drive up to the plane and go.

 

[MissManda]

I don't think I saw it in other posts, are you travelling alone or with a group? I found that the time it takes to get across an airport is directly related to how many people are in your party. My DH and I can get to MCO 2 hours early and usually have plenty of time. Last year, we travelled with a group of 7. We got there 2 1/2 hours early and I felt like we barely made it to our gate in time to board. It just took forever. People wanted to look through the gift shop, needed a bathroom, needed food. I prefer to be able to sit down at the gate for a few minutes and collect my thoughts and that trip just about drove me nuts (I'm a nervous flyer and it doesn't help my anxiety to feel rushed just getting to the gate).

I will admit that last year, I had to fly out of O'hare for the first time. I was pretty nervous about it because we were leaving late afternoon, I was really concerned about traffic getting to the airport, I didn't know my way around, and its a big airport. I let that intimidate me and we ended up getting to the airport 3 hours ahead of time. There were no lines at all, we zipped through check in and security in under 30 minutes. Our gate ended up being pretty far away so the walk was pretty long but even then, we ended up sitting around for way too long.

I think that you should be fine at 2 hours, maybe 2 1/2 hours if that makes you feel better. I wouldn't get there any earlier than that.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I've done international departures from Orlando (Cayman and Roatan) twice in the last 2 months and each time had plenty of time for 9:30 ish departures arriving at the terminal at 7:30, even with checking extra bags (dive gear). Chik ' filet was open for breakfast and the security line wait was about 10 minutes . . .

I "checked in" by computer the night b4 so I had boarding pass in hand and checked bags at the curb (paid extra bag fee nite b4 on line too).

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I don't think I saw it in other posts, are you travelling alone or with a group? I found that the time it takes to get across an airport is directly related to how many people are in your party. My DH and I can get to MCO 2 hours early and usually have plenty of time. Last year, we travelled with a group of 7. We got there 2 1/2 hours early and I felt like we barely made it to our gate in time to board. It just took forever. People wanted to look through the gift shop, needed a bathroom, needed food. I prefer to be able to sit down at the gate for a few minutes and collect my thoughts and that trip just about drove me nuts (I'm a nervous flyer and it doesn't help my anxiety to feel rushed just getting to the gate).

I will admit that last year, I had to fly out of O'hare for the first time. I was pretty nervous about it because we were leaving late afternoon, I was really concerned about traffic getting to the airport, I didn't know my way around, and its a big airport. I let that intimidate me and we ended up getting to the airport 3 hours ahead of time. There were no lines at all, we zipped through check in and security in under 30 minutes. Our gate ended up being pretty far away so the walk was pretty long but even then, we ended up sitting around for way too long.

I think that you should be fine at 2 hours, maybe 2 1/2 hours if that makes you feel better. I wouldn't get there any earlier than that.

It is just me.

I've done international departures from Orlando (Cayman and Roatan) twice in the last 2 months and each time had plenty of time for 9:30 ish departures arriving at the terminal at 7:30, even with checking extra bags (dive gear). Chik ' filet was open for breakfast and the security line wait was about 10 minutes . . .

I "checked in" by computer the night b4 so I had boarding pass in hand and checked bags at the curb (paid extra bag fee nite b4 on line too).

Thank you for putting my mind at ease

 

[alaska8]

FYI
Some airlines will not allow you to check your luggage more than 2 hours prior to a flight (various reasons.....If they are dealing with multiple flights then your bag may by mistake get put on the wrong baggage cart, or it may get put to one side until they start processing that flight and then may by mistake get forgotten) At the check in desk two hours prior to departure should be ample time.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

FYI
Some airlines will not allow you to check your luggage more than 2 hours prior to a flight (various reasons.....If they are dealing with multiple flights then your bag may by mistake get put on the wrong baggage cart, or it may get put to one side until they start processing that flight and then may by mistake get forgotten) At the check in desk two hours prior to departure should be ample time.

I did not know that