MCO - which side of plane to sit to see WDW?

[RedK]

Hey all
Does anyone know the normal landing and takeoff patterns for MCO well enough to say which side of the plane I should sit on if I am hoping to see WDW from the air?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Donna M]

Hey all
Does anyone know the normal landing and takeoff patterns for MCO well enough to say which side of the plane I should sit on if I am hoping to see WDW from the air?

Thanks for your help!

There is a permanent TFR issued by the FAA over WDW prohibiting planes from flying overhead. In over 20 years of flying to WDW we have never seen Disney.

 

[rwdavis2]

Most planes, at least the ones on the east coast seem to approach from the ocean and have never seen it. There's no way to guarantee being able to see the parks.

 

[OKW Lover]

The patterns change depending on the prevailing winds and where your flight is coming from or going to.

If flights are landing from north to south, its highly unlikely you could see WDW at all. If flights are taking off from south to north its also highly unlikely you could see WDW.

If flights are landing from south to north and you are coming from the west then you might get a chance to see WDW on the left side of the aircraft. OTOH, if you are coming in from the Northeast Coast, you won't see it at all.

If flights are departing from north to south and your destination is more to the west there is a good chance you would see WDW if you are on the right side of the aircraft. Again, if you're heading up the Atlantic coast you probably won't see it.

I live just a couple of miles from the castle and fly pretty regularly (well, in the pre-shutdown days) and have been able to occasionally spot my house from the plane. But that doesn't happen often.

 

[Riddlepilot]

As others have said if MCO is landing south you're not going to see it. If they're landing north you might see it but probably not. It doesn't really stick out, the easiest thing to see is probably the Contemporary, and Space Mountain. Everything thing else kind of blends in.

There is a permanent TFR issued by the FAA over WDW prohibiting planes from flying overhead. In over 20 years of flying to WDW we have never seen Disney.

While this is true it only goes up to 1500 ft and doesn't apply to IFR airplanes, or VFR airplanes if they're talking to MCO approach and have been given a squawk code.

ETA If you are going to see it you need to be on the left side during landing.

 

[jenushkask8s]

I don't know which direction we were taking off but we were sitting on the right side of the plane when we got this shot of Epcot in mid-July.

 

[JimMIA]

I don't know which direction we were taking off but we were sitting on the right side of the plane when we got this shot of Epcot in mid-July.
View attachment 528722

You took off to the South and turned West. GREAT picture!

 

[brockash]

I don't know which direction we were taking off but we were sitting on the right side of the plane when we got this shot of Epcot in mid-July.
View attachment 528722

Wow that's pretty awesome! Out of curiosity where were you heading?

 

[jenushkask8s]

Wow that's pretty awesome! Out of curiosity where were you heading?

Chicago