Returning to airport for departure...options?

[LegoMom3]

Can I buy myself a little more time on my departure morning if I use another method of getting to the airport besides the Magical Express bus? ME picks you up around 3-1/2 hours prior to your scheduled flight time, I believe. My departure flight is at 3:05pm.

What do people do for other options?....town car?...taxi? Any suggestions welcome! And, if it really won't help, then I'll just stick with DME as it's free and I'm using it on arrival anyway.

TIA!

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[TheWog]

You can schedule your time with a pickup by a car service. Will cost you some money, but can save you an hour and a half or 2 if you choose to cut it closer. You can still you RAC if your airlines participates so you can be picked up at a park if you prefer as well.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Sure, you can use a variety of paid options. Keep in mind, MCO advises arriving two hours in advance of your flight's departure.

DME normally picks up three hours, give or take fifteen minutes, prior to departure. Saving yourself an hour and a half to two hours could have you arriving at the airport as close as thirty to sixty minutes before your plane leaves. Even if you were able to use RAC, you still have security lines, the tram, and getting to your actual gate. Your plane could be boarding; with MCO's not-unusual long lines, the flight could even be closed.

But, yes, you can make alternate travel arrangements and choose your own pickup time.

 

[Lewisc]

A car service will typically pick you up 2 hours before your flight. Normally that buys an extra hour.

Guests who want to end their stay at a theme park, or a meal in a different resort, will also save the time it takes to get back to their resort if they pay for transportation from that resort or from a theme park. Works best if you can use RAC to check your luggage.

 

[TheWog]

Sure, you can use a variety of paid options. Keep in mind, MCO advises arriving two hours in advance of your flight's departure.

DME normally picks up three hours, give or take fifteen minutes, prior to departure. Saving yourself an hour and a half to two hours could have you arriving at the airport as close as thirty to sixty minutes before your plane leaves. Even if you were able to use RAC, you still have security lines, the tram, and getting to your actual gate. Your plane could be boarding; with MCO's not-unusual long lines, the flight could even be closed.

But, yes, you can make alternate travel arrangements and choose your own pickup time.

Good point. Should have added the disclaimer "not that I would do this". I was also basing on the 3 1/2 hour scenario provided. I would arrive at MCO about 2 hours in advance as well. You just never know.

 

[brockash]

Good point. Should have added the disclaimer "not that I would do this". I was also basing on the 3 1/2 hour scenario provided. I would arrive at MCO about 2 hours in advance as well. You just never know.

I don't think you'd have any problem cutting it closer, unless you were travelling during a really popular time of year (like Thanksgiving.) We always take ME, and have always left right at 3 hrs. or 2 hrs. 45 min. before our scheduled flight, and we always have soooo much time to kill before our flight. Even the 2 times we didn't use RAC, we still had at least an hr. waiting at the gate. We always travel on a Sat. afternoon. If you use RAC and decide to pay for transportation about an hr. and a half before your flight; I think you'd be fine. Just my opinion and experience of course.

 

[dburg30]

I don't think you'd have any problem cutting it closer, unless you were travelling during a really popular time of year (like Thanksgiving.) We always take ME, and have always left right at 3 hrs. or 2 hrs. 45 min. before our scheduled flight, and we always have soooo much time to kill before our flight. Even the 2 times we didn't use RAC, we still had at least an hr. waiting at the gate. We always travel on a Sat. afternoon. If you use RAC and decide to pay for transportation about an hr. and a half before your flight; I think you'd be fine. Just my opinion and experience of course.

BUT, you also have to allow for non airport related delays. An accident? Bad traffic for some unknown reason (rush hour during week, not a problem weekend as much) etc etc. Car service slightly delayed or something like that. There are many things that can screw up getting to the airport on time. Those are just a few other things to keep in mind.

 

[goofy4tink]

DME pickup time is seldom 3 1/2 hrs before flight departure time. More like between 2 3/4 and 3 hrs. For a 3:05pm flight, you would be picked up between 11:45 and 12:15..depending on which resort you are at. It will take you at least 30 mins to get from WDW to MCO. Then, 10 mins or so to get to security. Who knows how long security will take....you can get lucky and get through it in 10 mins or you can face a 30+ min time frame. You really should be at the gate no less than 45 mins before flight departure. So...with that in mind....That's almost two hours right there. By taking DME you have an addlt 30 mins to kill.

If you feel that the extra 30 or so mins is important and worth the $50+ to use a cab or car service, then terrific. That's your call. But even if I use a car service, I always ask for a pickup time of 2 1/2 hrs before my flight departure.

 

[TaraPA]

I'm a risk-taker, and I cut it close! If I'm traveling with the kids I play it safe & get there early. If I'm solo or with other adults, that extra 90 min. on my last day in a park is PRICELESS. Twice I've left right from a park to MCO by taxi, appx. $65. Is it risky? Absolutely. Am I willing to suffer the consequences if there's an unforseen delay? Absolutely. For 90 min. in WDW it's a risk I'm willing to take!

 

[Lewisc]

DME has 2 pickups per hour. You'll be picked up between 3:15 and 2:44 hours before your flight.

My guess is a poster who reported 3 1/2 hours is mistaken. Maybe there was a change in his flight schedule. DME based his pickup time on updated flight information.

 

[Gary M]

We took two trips to WDW this past winter and used DME both times. The security lines at MCO differed greatly. On Dec. 5 it took 40 minutes to get through security and on Jan. 15 it took 5 minutes. We flew AirTran both times with the same deaprture times.

We were picked up 3 hours before departure.

 

[maxiesmom]

Keep in mind too that most airlines are not flying with any seats open. If you miss your scheduled flight because you are late, you may have quite a while to wait before getting on another one. Add to that the horror that can be Orlando traffic, and the horror that can be the security lines, and I wouldn't cut it too close leaving for the airport.