Magical Express and delays with TSA.

[nluvwithdisney]

I'm curious as to why you prefer O'Hare. I've never flown out of Midway, but I would think that with it being a much smaller airport, it would be easier to deal with.

For us it's the ease of travel in getting in and out of the airport as well. We have found it easier since O'hare is right off the tollway and trying to deal with the traffic on the streets around Midway just wasn't for us. We live in the Western burbs so we are about the same distance wise from both.

 

[tjmw2727]

Totally wanted to do it but it isn't something you can get done quick. We leave on June 9th and can't get an appointment in a city with 5 locations until July.

Just so you know you can do this as a walk in and get it done in time for your trip!

I have had precheck for about 6 months now and since my daughters will be flying quite a bit this year we decided to enroll them. They filled out the paperwork online and we went to the local facility last Friday even though they didn't have any appointments available. Waited about an hour to be seen and then the process took maybe 10 minutes having had the forms already completed. Of course if you can get an appointment it will be much quicker but they are college students so we went when we could - it was worth the hour wait for us.

Monday morning I checked online and they both were approved and had their Know Traveler Numbers. Since we have three flights booked I called AA and SWA and made sure the number was noted on the flight, updated their profiles for them and they are good to go.

 

[tjmw2727]

OP - if your worried just schedule DME for an earlier pick up time, they will pick you up more than the 3 hours prior to flight but not less. If you can, depending on your airline and flight times, use RAC to check your bags at the resort as this saves quite a bit of time vs checking bags at the airport.

 

[kallanach]

If we have a 10: 15 flight leaving MCO does that mean Magical Express would have us board a 7 am bus?

 

[tjmw2727]

If we have a 10: 15 flight leaving MCO does that mean Magical Express would have us board a 7 am bus?

Yes!

 

[kallanach]

Yes!

Thanks!

 

[Starwind]

TSA has a website where you can check TSA line wait times; they seem to update throughout the day so you can see several hours worth:

http://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/wait_times_detail.aspx

 

[AngiTN]

TSA has a website where you can check TSA line wait times; they seem to update throughout the day so you can see several hours worth:

http://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/wait_times_detail.aspx

Thanks for the link

 

[AngiTN]

TSA has a website where you can check TSA line wait times; they seem to update throughout the day so you can see several hours worth:

http://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/wait_times_detail.aspx

Do you know much about the data?

When they show TSAPreCheck does that mean that is the PreCheck line or that check point has a PreCheck line?

Also, is this all user generated? I see a way to report your wait time so I wonder if all this is generated from that or if they have some other method to determine waits

 

[DebbieB]

If we have a 10: 15 flight leaving MCO does that mean Magical Express would have us board a 7 am bus?

Depends on the schedule for your resort. Should be between 7:00 and 7:30, they usually pickup every half hour. When I stayed at Boardwalk, pickups were :15 and :45 after the hour.

 

[DebbieB]

I went through security at MCO last Sunday morning, it was 25 minutes.

 

[Starwind]

Do you know much about the data?

When they show TSAPreCheck does that mean that is the PreCheck line or that check point has a PreCheck line?

Also, is this all user generated? I see a way to report your wait time so I wonder if all this is generated from that or if they have some other method to determine waits

Unfortunately I know nothing about the data.

I did read a news report today (I think on NBC news website) re: the TSA lines and how TSA has an app that includes wait times; but the article cautioned that the wait times are passenger supplied and TSA has some kind of disclaimer about accuracy (as in may not be). Not sure if those are the same wait times as on the link.

Sorry.

SW

 

[missycakes99]

I usually call the day before pick up and have them change the time to 30 minutes earlier. I've, all but one time, been the first on the bus and then had to go to 2-4 other resorts before leaving for the airport. I like to be at the airport at least 2 hours before my flight, at any airport, so that I can have a snack and relax before boarding.

I've read a few threads now that the talk is of 3 hour waits at MCO. I have a really hard time believing that is happening. Could happen once or twice, sure things happen but if it were a regular thing I think the airlines would have a whole lot to say about it. They would have thousands of passengers to reroute. Lately the wait at security has been longer for sure. I was through there in Dec and March and both times it was long. March being the worst at 40ish minutes but the line in Dec was actually longer. I talked to several friends lately that also said the wait at security was between 20-50 minutes. Different sides of the airport and different times of day.

I don't know if it's happening at MCO specifically, but yes, airports have been warning (and actually emailing passengers) us all of 3+ hour waits. O'Hare is getting the most press about it (a video was posted of the line), but a friend in Austin had a similar experience two weeks ago and here in San Jose the waits are also reaching 3 hours. It's a problem at ALL airports and it's because TSA is understaffed. They are warning people that it will be occurring all year and especially at holiday season. "Hold on to your butts!"

 

[AngiTN]

I don't know if it's happening at MCO specifically, but yes, airports have been warning (and actually emailing passengers) us all of 3+ hour waits. O'Hare is getting the most press about it (a video was posted of the line), but a friend in Austin had a similar experience two weeks ago and here in San Jose the waits are also reaching 3 hours. It's a problem at ALL airports and it's because TSA is understaffed. They are warning people that it will be occurring all year and especially at holiday season. "Hold on to your butts!"

Someone here in one of the many TSA threads posted an article that questioned that reasoning. I hadn't thought of it before but it made sense. Basically they said that is hard to believe because in most cases all check point lines are operating so there would be no where to put more staff. More staff also wouldn't make the people move through the scanners faster. Fewer bags would but the airlines have refused to alter their stance on bag fees. Despite the fact that they are spending way less on fuel now. They could ease them and still pull a profit.