Sandford Airport Questions

[UKPhil]

Hi All,

After many trips to Orlando International Airport, this time we're going to Sandford, and we've never used that airport before so I wonder if someone could help me out by answering some questions.

First, are there any rental car companies that are actually in the airport building like at MCO (i.e. you don't need to use a shuttle bus to get there). The Sandford airport web site lists these as being 'on site' (Alamo-National, Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, Thrifty) but doesn't actually make clear what 'on site' means.

Next, how long is it going to take us to get to the Formosa Gardens area on US 192? We'll be arriving on a Sunday afternoon, and I think I'd favour using the Greeneway rather than I4. How much are the tolls likely to be?

Finally, do they operate the same 'double drop' system with baggage at Sandford as they do at Ordlando International?

Thanks !

 

[ely3857]

Hiya,

I have gone into Sanford twice and never MCo but from what I understand it is a lot smaller than MCO.

There is no double baggage claim, you collect your luggage after immigration then when you walk out security pick (at random) people to use the baggage scanner but you stay with your luggage and it just takes a minute.

Car hire is onsite, just over one very small road to a different building, not sure how many companies as we have only used dollar.

We stayed on the US27 and it took just over an hour to get there, tolls arent much around $7ish.



Jodie

 

[Queenie]

As Jodie said, the car hire places are very easy to get to. After baggage claim and the random baggage scans you walk outside (there's only one door straight ahead - impossible to get lost/miss it.) You'll find yourself on a road with a crossing ahead, walk over the crossing and the door to the car hire building is immediately on your left.

One word - only the driver (or driverS) is allowed into the car hire building and no trolleys/baggage can go in with them, I don't know if that's different to MCO. It means the rest of the party has to wait outside with baggage. When you've exited the immigration building and the drivers have gone through the door to the car hire building - walk past that door and follow the path around to the left (around the back of the car hire building), there are a few benches there so grab one if you can in case you have a long wait! That way you'll be right by the car pick up lots too!

 

[UKPhil]

Many thanks for your replies.

The thing about only the drivers being allowed in the car hire building sounds a bit draconian. Both my wife and I normally drive so that means we would have to leave the kids on their own outside. I don't much like the sound of that. Is there any way round it?

 

[ely3857]

Many thanks for your replies.

The thing about only the drivers being allowed in the car hire building sounds a bit draconian. Both my wife and I normally drive so that means we would have to leave the kids on their own outside. I don't much like the sound of that. Is there any way round it?

One person can take all driving licenses in and get the car keys, even though the car hire place is a large room it would quickly fill if everyone and thier bags were allowed in!



Jodie

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Many thanks for your replies.

The thing about only the drivers being allowed in the car hire building sounds a bit draconian. Both my wife and I normally drive so that means we would have to leave the kids on their own outside. I don't much like the sound of that. Is there any way round it?

Most Americal rental companies require both drivers to sign the papers to rent a car. I would simply refuse to leave my children alone outside, they would accompany us into the building. This would then necesitate the baggage going in as unattended luggage is seen as potential explosives and would be treated as such.
I am sure that their policy is meant for groups where only one person is needed in the building and is not meant to endanger families with small children and 2 drivers.
You should do what you need to in order to keep your family and baggage safe.

 

[ely3857]

Most Americal rental companies require both drivers to sign the papers to rent a car. I would simply refuse to leave my children alone outside, they would accompany us into the building. This would then necesitate the baggage going in as unattended luggage is seen as potential explosives and would be treated as such.
I am sure that their policy is meant for groups where only one person is needed in the building and is not meant to endanger families with small children and 2 drivers.
You should do what you need to in order to keep your family and baggage safe.

As prev posted;

At Sanford they will not allow you to take luggage into the car hire room but the car hire company do allow one person to take all driving licenses in to get the car, I know this to be true as I have done it!



Jodie

 

[Graeme]

We didn't have any of that trouble with leaving people outside. Went to Sanford in Oct last year and found it infinitely less hassle than MCO. Bag pickup was fast, immigration were good, and the car hire, (Alamo then), was very quick and we even had one of their employees take my wife's bag and escort us to a car!

I found it very easy to drive to I4 and then down to Orlando, look on Google maps to see how straightforward it is. We're booked again in April and are flying again to Sanford.

Only drawback is that there are nothing like the shops in the airport for the way out as there are at MCO and the choice of food is very limited. Don't expect to be able to get a good meal pre-flight. As I remember it was sandwiches, crisps, burger and chips or pizza. None of which looked very thrilling!

 

[Queenie]

No but they have some wonderful desserts there!!!

 

[LondonMom]

Hiya
I usually travel with Virgin (who only go to MCO), mainly becuase my parents have a loyalty scheme they get lots of benefits from, but I did fly with My travel last June to Sanford> All I can say is, what a shame Virgin do not go there. It was SO easy! Correct to say they do not have as many shops and restaurants, but that doesnt affect you until your way home anyway and by then you're already on a downer! (we stopped for a meal on the way to airport).
There is no double baggage system, we could see our suitcases going round the carosel as we were queueing for immigration (which was also quick), and when we picked up our cases we were straight outside. We parked up our trolley outside alamo where we could see it and took our babies in with us, mainly to keep cool.
Our villa is just up the road from Formosa gardens and it took us about 50 minutes.
Have a good trip!

 

[binkyboots]

we flew into sanford, found it pretty easy to navigate to dollar rental, I took dh in his wheelchair and our luggage in with me, he felt as though he might have a seizure and no way was I leaving him!

picking the car up was easy and they gave us a free upgrade

sadly on dropping the car off our camera was stolen, I was moving dh and his wheelchair to the side when a very enthusiasti staff member drove off to clean the car, despite sprinting straight to their office our camera "was no longer there ma'am"

having flown out of mco I must admit I prefer it, but sanford I think is easier to deal with.