MCO-where's the closest area that has...

[luvmyeor]

a grocery store and a fast food restaurant? I am traveling with a group of 19 people on a cruise out of Port Canaveral. We ended up with lousy flights from BWI to MCO and back. We have to transfer in Atlanta and must find both lunch and dinner on the way home. It is too expensive to do two airport meals so I have rented an economy car to do a food run before our flight home. I'm just not sure where the closest grocery store is to the airport. I am familiar with what's close to Disney but not what's close to the airport. Can anyone help me? Thanks!

 

[dudspizza]

Sounds like a lot of work to me to rent a car, run to the grocery store or fast food restaraunt and then back.

MCO has a food court with Chick-Fil-A, McDonalds, Sabarro, etc... The prices are not that bad and it is a nice place to relax, eat, and watch some people. There is also a BK in at least one of the gate area terminals.

I personally would go that direction.

Duds

 

[ducklite]

OK, wait. I'm confused. One car and 19 people? Why do you need a grocery store?

Take the north exit out of the airport westbound, there's a couple of fast food places right off the service road/Beachline.

I don't know of any grocery stores in that immediate area, there's one north of Florida Mall in a not so good area, but it's a bit of a hike, and confusing to get to if you don't know the area.

Anne

 

[NotUrsula]

If I'm reading this right, you're planning on picking up sandwich ingredients, etc. on the way to MCO, so you can picnic at MCO and ATL? If so, you need to re-think a bit; an airport is just NOT a good place to picnic out of whole packages and jars, partly because you need utensils for that, but mostly because carrying all that stuff through security will use up all of your carryon baggage allowance.

Packing cold meals for a flight isn't impossible, we do it all the time. However, you don't want to get the food on the WAY to the airport unless you are picking up pre-made deli sandwiches from someplace like Subway. Sandwiches are available at more-or-less street prices in the MCO food court, but I personally don't like to count on having time to buy food IN an airport when I still have security ahead of me.

If you are going to make the sandwiches/salads yourself, you need to do it at your hotel before you leave for the airport, and then pack them in individual portions in a small carry-on rolling cooler or two for transport. For condiments and spices, I recommend collecting little individual packets from food courts for a while before your trip and taking them along; jars are NOT travel-friendly. Buy a big pack of ziplocs and plan to package the lettuce, tomato, etc. separately so the bread won't get soggy. If you want chips, etc., you'll want to go with things like Pringles that are compact and protected from breakage. Each person can then take a premade sandwich packet and add whatever extras he/she likes. (BTW, If you want turkey, stick with smoked; roast turkey spoils super quickly.)

Updated: I just realized that you are coming straight off a cruise ship. If there is time before your airport transfer leaves from the port, I would try to pick up pre-ordered food in Canaveral. There is apparently a Publix quite near the port; could you have an order picked up there before going back to MCO?

 

[luvmyeor]

I know it may sound like a lot of work to some but we have been doing this for so long as it is just part of the job. We are traveling with a group of special needs adults and usually have to do one meal either on a plane or at the airport. If we figured on $8 per person for a meal at the airport that would be $302. I know in the past it has been more than that per person. I found a car for less than $30 and that is with the tax included.

Sometimes we have had the time to make everything in advance other times we have made sandwiches at the airport or on the plane (we are usually a pre-board so we have plenty of time). We've had people getting on the plane telling us they wished that they had thought to do that. We don't like to chance having time at any airport to buy food (security, flight delay, or a behavior issue with one of our guys) and we have several diabetics who cannot wait until food is available. We have someone with a special diet so a grocery store is a must. We actually ran into that problem once coming back from Disney and thanks to the pilot who gave up his tuna we didn't have a medical emergency. (We were diverted to another airport to refuel because there was too much air traffic in Philadelphia...ended up being more than an hour late.)

I have been to Florida Mall before so if there is stuff in that area I should be ok. I may have extra time and then I could go a little farther away from the airport but it will depend on the shuttle from the port to the airport. We are getting special treatment on and off the ship so I'm hoping we will get one of the first shuttles back. I'm going to run for the food with at least one other person while the others start going through security.

We were hoping that my one employee's sister(who lives near the port) could meet us and bring us food but she isn't available that day. If I was just traveling with my family I wouldn't be going through all this. At least this way I get to miss the group going through security (it is quite an adventure for our group).

Thanks for your help and adivce.

 

[plutosbone]

There is a Publix about 2 or 3 miles north of the airport. Take the Northbound exit, follow signs for 436 north. About 2 miles up, make a left hand turn onto Hofner Ave. Go about 2 miles and there is a Publix on the right and a Winn Dixie on the left. Should take no more than 5 to 7 minuters once in your car from the airport.

 

[NotUrsula]

Apparently there is also a Publix and an Albertsons south off of 417 (the South Exit/Greeneway route) on Landstar Blvd. Landstar is the first big exit after you get on to 417 coming from the airport. There are tolls, of course, but it's very direct and unlikely to have as much traffic as you will find going north.