Looking for info on damage @MCO /rental car status

[PlutoPony]

Hate to even ask this, given how many people have just had their lives torn apart (literally in some cases)....... We're supposed to fly in tomorrow (Sunday) late morning. MCO website shows lots of cancellations for today and some delays - about what you'd expect. I'd appreciate any info about the airport area and how things look (other than not good). Plan is/was to pick up a Hertz car - wonder if there are undamaged cars to be had? Maybe we should make a call to the a limo company instead? Also, driving from MCO to WDW - suspect many of the road signs are down or damaged. It's been YEARS since we've been to WDW - think we can find it w/ a good map and "dead reckoning" and very poor signage?

We have very mixed feelings about taking this vacation now. It's very hard to think about having a good time and playing around, when so many people lost so much.....

TIA
Beth

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I would call Hertz mainly because with all the flight cancellations and delays people may be trying other routes to get home or possibly not being able to return cars on time back to MCO.

I think it would be a good idea to call a few towncar companies just in case they are still cleaning up the roads down there. Just on the safe side, have all your bases covered. Have a safe trip.

 

[mrsltg]

We have very mixed feelings about taking this vacation now. It's very hard to think about having a good time and playing around, when so many people lost so much.....

It's great to be reverent, but don't cancel! The taxes that you're going to pay and the money that you are going to spend is going to be very important to the rebuilding effort. If people start cancelling vacations, the economy of central Florida will be even more damaged.

Don't be afraid to ask CM's how they and their families are doing. I am sure that they'll appreciate the concern.

Have a good vacation!

Erin

 

[jadedNYer]

Info on the airport:

www.orlandoweather.com

It says that MCO had damage to all terminals and there are no flights in or out.

 

[Cora]

We too are flying in tomorrow to MCO. I called Delta about an hour ago and was told MCO is opening for arrivals at 2p today. I'm assuming some departures might be getting out at this time. I am planning on heading to Logan (Boston) at 6am and pray.
Good Luck to you too.

 

[PlutoPony]

And I"m going to guess that they're assessing it hour by hour at this point. United said they don't have a firm time for reopening, but are "hoping" to get a ~ 5 pm flight off. And when flights do resume, it will be on a limited basis - no telling which flights will make it. My travel agent talked to Disney a little bit ago about maybe changing our Poly reservations (if the flight's cancelled) and they INSISTED that flights were taking off and landing at MCO I realize that they're probably not located in Orlando, but come on.....do they really have info to that effect?? So we continue to proceed as if we're going in the morning, put the dogs in the kennel, etc. and hope for the best.... Oh - Hertz 800 number (live person) sayes they're open at the airport (not sure I believe that either!).
Still have mixed feelings about going with what everyone's going thru,.... We went thru a Cat 1 and it wasn't fun at all - I can't imagine what we'll see when we're down there.
Just a suggestion, but I think we should all skip some nice meals/souvenirs (sp?) while we're there and donate that money to the Red Cross - certainly others need it more right now.....

Beth

 

[inkkognito]

Here is there website:

http://www.orlandoairports.net:/goaa/main.htm

Looks like things are getting slowly but surely back to normal.

Barb

 

[PlutoPony]

I've been checking the MCO website on and off all morning and the arrival/departure info is incorrect....... If you check those flights that DO show as not cancelled, then go to the website for the actual airlines - they will show all filghts cancelled! (did that make sense?). Haven't figured out yet where the info on MCO's website is coming from The "time updated" icon thing changes/updates each time you access the page. Anyhow, the only info I've been getting is by checking w/ the airlines on the phone . Some flights may get in/out later today, but no certainty yet.
Any other good info sources of airport info that I haven't discovered yet??

TIA

 

[inkkognito]

Thanks for the heads-up...good to know their information is not accurate!
Must be a common thing, as on Thurs. Midway airport was showing all ATA flights to Orlando as cancelled, but the airline confirmed that they were not. Makes you wonder!
Barb

 

[PlutoPony]

Saw the info on CNN ~ 4:30...then went to United website and yes indeed, a flight from Dulles took off about 4 pm for MCO!
Wohoo! Still no assurance that we'll get out tomorrow on our 10:30 flight as planned, but at least it's progress for the Orlando area! Will call UAL later tonight and see what they say, but I suspect we won't know for sure until tomorrow a.m. Don't even want to think about the rental car counter... just taking phone numbers for lots of limo companies so will start dialing if need be....

 

[CarolA]

Airport web sites often just show the flight schedule not updated info.

 

[PlutoPony]

Yeah - but I'm hopeful this time as the flight was originally to depart at 2:30 and showed delayed, now shows "in flight" w/ actual departure of 4 pm. This is the first "in flight" I've seen on the United website today, so here's hoping they're updating it! When I talked to them earlier today, they said they were trying to get this flight out. Maybe I'll check out some other airline websites - we're mostly packed so it's either check this stuff out or vacuum...

 

[Cora]

Flights from Boston to Orlando on Delta/Song have departed and visa versa...maybe there is hope for me in the am.

 

[safetymom]

They are saying on the news here that some people may not get out of MCO until Tuesday.

I would call Hertz and ask them.

I wouldn't depend on the airport website for up to date info. Call the airline you are flying to get the up to date info.

 

[DisneyCrazy]

My niece is in Orlando now. She was supposed to come back last night (to PHL) around 9PM. She said flights from the (yesterday) AM were all cancelled because they didn't want to bring the planes into MCO. She had a CONFIRMED flight this morning, but it too was cancelled. Then they told her probably Tuesday, then probably Thursday .

She has now rented a car and is on her way to Tampa (with a confirmed flight).

If someone NEEDS to get out of Orlando it might be worth the 90 mile drive to Tampa. I think since Charley was originally supposed to hit Tampa and ended up going South, Tampa might be a little less backed up.

 

[PlutoPony]

Ok, did (finally) get thru to the Hertz counter @ MCO - so we know at least some phones are working there! They DO have cars, and are professing no real problems. United has no info for tomorrow yet, nothing has been cancelled (yet). There's no doubt that things ARE moving at MCO, just don't know to what extent. Still proceeding as if we'll get out tomorrow...
Good luck to everyone one else and thanks for your help/suggestions!

Beth

 

[lsyorke]

Jet Blue has confirmed our flight for tomorrow out of JFK to MCO with no expected delays or cancellations. According to the girl I spoke to there are alot of rumors going around. They have cancelled some early flights for today, but tomorrow is on schedule!!

 

[seashoreCM]

Try to reconfirm hotel and rental car rates per day even if your travel dates are different.

If you wish to voluntarily extend your car rental, get confirmation in writing before actually doing it.(you might be able to get confirmation at any of their offices but maybe you have to drive back to the originating location) Car rental companies in particular reserve the right to raise your rate for the entire rental if you return the car late.

Originally posted by mrsltg
It's great to be reverent, but don't cancel! The taxes that you're going to pay and the money that you are going to spend is going to be very important to the rebuilding effort. If people start cancelling vacations, the economy of central Florida will be even more damaged.

If hotels and car rental agencies and airlines are not going to honor the rates and fares originally booked, then you should not feel guilty about cancelling.

Also, if we are talking about spending money to help Florida's (or any other disaster region's) economy, then we should not feel bad about touring the affected areas notwithstanding people's (after all they are benefiting from the more active economy that reults) privacy.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[disneyaddict]

Just got back this morning into philly at 1:30. I am actually disneycrazy's niece. As he said we were originally scheduled to depart MCO Friday night at 9 pm. Obviously that flight was cancelled. We would have left earlier but the storm was not originally supposed to hit orlando directly. Anyway, i rebooked us on the same flight on saturday night figuring that the morning flights wouldn't take off since USAIR was not bringing any planes in on Friday night. I confirmed our flight Saturday at 6:30 Am and it was ON TIME. We got a late checkout at Pop Century and decided for the heck of it to still make sure it was still on time. When it also got cancelled they told me that they could get us out on Tuesday morning. I said I would call back and that we may just drive home, obviously not the best idea following the storm up the coast. We decided to go to the airport to see if talking to someone in person would help. Well, there was no one at all working the USAIR counter. They had a sign up saying that all their flights for Sunday were cancelled and that the ticket counter would open back up on Monday.

Now i know that these employees probably had severe damage to their homes and I am sensitive to that. But every other airline had someone working their counter. Even if we had to wait in a line 1,000 deep I think they should have had at least one person working there. That aside at this point the earliest they were able to confirm us on a flight was on Thurday morning. So we decided to take the earliest flight out of Tampa on Monday morning and just go there and start standby til then, since we figured that it was going to be a while til orlando started running, at least the usair part. We went to eat and then we decided to call USair again to see if we could get out early if our party of 5 split up. Well the lady told us that if we could make it to Tampa by 9:15 there was a flight leaving and that we could have 5 confirmed seats. Well we took it and while that person finished on the phone with them the other 4 went and each stood in a rental line. Dollar had no cars without a ressie. We got one with Avis. We took all their insurance since we didnt know what the traffic or road conditions were going to be like and a full tank of gas because we didnt want to find a gas station, cause oh by the way it was now 530 and its 1 1/2 hours to Tampa in normal conditions. It ended up costing us 135, which wasnt that bad considering there was a family on our plane that paid over 200 for a taxi from mco. Well to end this long story the plane took off about 10:30 and I am now home.

This was quite an experience. I have flown out of a Nor'easter and had quite an easy time getting out quickly but it was a little dinky airport in NE PA. Getting out of MCO was a whole different story. I see all USAIR flight for this morning are still cancelled. So if you have any family down there tell them to go to Tampa it is worth it.

Judy