Midway question..

[HHSTigerFan]

I work in Joliet and get out of work at 4:00, can I make a 6:00 SWA flight? What's my best parking options?

 

[Hannathy]

No.

At that time of day? Isn't it like 50 minutes good time?

Then you have to park and get into the terminal and go thru security.

I wouldn't risk it.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Ok, if not looks like next flight is a little after 8, with kids really don't want to be leaving real late. Maybe take a car service and get dropped off , allowing more time since wouldn't have to park?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It's possible that you might make it, if you can leave your office and get to the security line at the airport within one hour. Keep in mind that a flight departing at 6 pm, could start loading as early as 5:15 pm. That doesn't leave any time for traffic or parking delays. If you have to wait in line to check a bag, you won't make it. If kids are traveling with you, you won't make it either. I wouldn't risk this; I'd find a later flight or fly out the next morning.

 

[White_Sox_Fan]

If it is a SWA flight it more likely will start loading about 20-25 minutes prior to the flight. Still that is cutting it too close for me. No chance of leaving work early?

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Not really, as we are school teachers it's already taken 3 years to talk my principal into taking 3 days off for a quick trip to see the Christmas decorations.. Looks like SWA has a 6:00 and 7:50 flight on Tuesday nights.. Makes it a little late with a 6 and 9 year olds and still be at MK for RD

 

[backyardponder]

I assume you'll be taking the Stevenson (I-55). You can never trust traffic that time of the day. No way could you safely make a 6:00.

Parking: A lot of folks, me included, like Midway Park Ride and Fly. http://www.parkrideflyusa.com/mdw-chicago-midway-airport-parking/

They have great shuttle service. They pick you up right at your car and, when you return, help you put your bags back into the car. On return, I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes for their shuttle...usually shorter.

From the Stevenson, exit on Central. Turn right then make a left onto 47th which is the first street you come to. Their lot is a couple of blocks down 47th on the left.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

So if we take the 7:50 flight and get into MCO at about 10 our time and take ME, what time can we expect to get to our room?

 

[cruisingkat]

I wouldn't chance it - it will be tight.
We drove on the Stevenson from Rt 53 around 4pm last month to go to Member's Night at the Field Museum. It took us over an hour to get there - so it would be a little less to Cicero. The tie-ups occur around the 294/LaGrange Road exits, and then again around Cicero.
If you are checking bags, that will take more time as their lines can be long; and at least when we fly SW, the gate is always one of the furthest away from the TSA security check.
So if you factor in the driving time plus time at the airport just getting to your gate - I think you would be cutting it very close - even if you hired a car service to drop you off.

 

[NotUrsula]

Not in my experience, not even on a Saturday. (If it was 4 am, then yes, maybe.)

 

[siskaren]

So if we take the 7:50 flight and get into MCO at about 10 our time and take ME, what time can we expect to get to our room?

You should figure on getting to your hotel about 90 minutes after you land.

 

[cruisingkat]

So if we take the 7:50 flight and get into MCO at about 10 our time and take ME, what time can we expect to get to our room?

Don't forget- Disney is on Eastern time so your flight would get in around 11 Florida time. I think that at that time, you have to claim your luggage if you checked any, as they do not automatically transfer it. I think that the 7:50 flight was the one my daughter and grandkids were supposed to take for the weekend of the Princess half marathon (they ended up renting a car and driving down because SW cancelled all flights because of the blizzard forecast that evening) and she had told me that they were glad that they were just doing carry-ons as she wouldn't have to wait at baggage claim to get her luggage since Disney does not transfer luggage that late.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Don't forget- Disney is on Eastern time so your flight would get in around 11 Florida time. I think that at that time, you have to claim your luggage if you checked any, as they do not automatically transfer it. I think that the 7:50 flight was the one my daughter and grandkids were supposed to take for the weekend of the Princess half marathon (they ended up renting a car and driving down because SW cancelled all flights because of the blizzard forecast that evening) and she had told me that they were glad that they were just doing carry-ons as she wouldn't have to wait at baggage claim to get her luggage since Disney does not transfer luggage that late.

Which is why I have thought about just renting a car rather than take ME, little nervous about relying on ME at that time of night..

 

[siskaren]

Which is why I have thought about just renting a car rather than take ME, little nervous about relying on ME at that time of night..

Yes, but if you're going to rent a car, you'll have to get your own luggage anyway. For flights that arrive 10:00 PM or later, you do have to get your own luggage if you're using ME (I've never arrived that late myself, but I've heard that if you tag your luggage that it will just stay at the airport until the next morning.) While I do agree that having ME take care of your luggage is a great perk, I wouldn't hesitate to use ME that late at night, even though I'd have to get my own luggage.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Don't forget- Disney is on Eastern time so your flight would get in around 11 Florida time.

No. Flight arrival times are stated in local time at the arrival site, so if OP's flight is scheduled to arrive at MCO at 10 pm, it will arrive at 10 pm local time.

 

[cruisingkat]

No. Flight arrival times are stated in local time at the arrival site, so if OP's flight is scheduled to arrive at MCO at 10 pm, it will arrive at 10 pm local time.

The OP stated that the flight arrival time would be "our" time and they are in the Chicago area which is on Central time. Under your explanation, a 7:50 flight from Chicago to FL would arrive at 10 Eastern time which is 9 Central time. No way a flight to FL from Chicago would take only 1 hour. I know that our daughter's flight if it hadn't been cancelled was supposed to arrive around 11pm

 

[siskaren]

The OP stated that the flight arrival time would be "our" time and they are in the Chicago area which is on Central time. Under your explanation, a 7:50 flight from Chicago to FL would arrive at 10 Eastern time which is 9 Central time. No way a flight to FL from Chicago would take only 1 hour. I know that our daughter's flight if it hadn't been cancelled was supposed to arrive around 11pm

I was going to say the same thing. In fact, I thought that 10:00 seems a tad early because that's 2 hours 10 minutes, and when I fly from O'Hare it seems like it's more like 2 1/2 hours.

OK, I just checked, and I actually still have my flight information from my last trip (even though it was over 4 years ago), and it shows a departure time from O'Hare of 8:00 AM, and an arrival time in MCO of 11:30, which is definitely Eastern time, because that would make the flight time 2 1/2 hours. What's weird though is that the time for the return flight is about 20 minutes longer.

 

[yeahdisney]

I would not chance it. We fly midway and once recently it took us 1 hr and 15 minutes to get thru security, the high lite we sat very little at the gate before we boarded. We do try to get there 2 hours before flight time and we print our tickets at home and if we are running late I tip the guys to take my luggage at the sidewalk outside.

 

[Sugardimples]

I'd be more worried about trying to make that flight than about ME. Take the later flight. Even taking the later flight I don't think you will get to the gate too early.

 

[crashbb]

I was going to say the same thing. In fact, I thought that 10:00 seems a tad early because that's 2 hours 10 minutes, and when I fly from O'Hare it seems like it's more like 2 1/2 hours.

OK, I just checked, and I actually still have my flight information from my last trip (even though it was over 4 years ago), and it shows a departure time from O'Hare of 8:00 AM, and an arrival time in MCO of 11:30, which is definitely Eastern time, because that would make the flight time 2 1/2 hours. What's weird though is that the time for the return flight is about 20 minutes longer.

Prevailing winds - outgoing and return flights (on the same route) are always slightly different lengths even if everything else is the same.

You can also have slightly different flight paths, different equipment or different levels of "padding" for ATC issues, amongst other things.