Tell me about changing planes in Newark.

[The Eighth Dwarf]

Yes you do, but it's simple rechecking them. You pass through immigration/customs (as it's the first time you set foot on U.S soil), collect your bags and recheck them straight through (they will already have the MCO tag on them and they guys behind the box will take them and sort them out for you) then on to your gate. It must have been ok as I did it with an 11 year old and a 3 year old in a pushchair on my own and I managed it. My flight back was through Texas and I didn't have to recheck them

You DO NOT exit past security otherwise you will have to go through this again.

Thanks, last year we flew direct from Belfast, and this is our preffered option, but thanks to the credit crunch and the lack of any direct flights we have to go via Newark. It seems to me someone is missing a trick here but thats a whole other discussion.

The year before we flew via Gatwick, that place is a circus. Being Belfast our International airport is about a fifth of the size of Gatwick and not a tenth as busy.

Just hated having to fly the wrong way then fly back over belfast on the way out and I was loking for a parachute to jump out on the way back.
So with Newark at least we`re flying the right way.

Can someone confirm the luggage allowance for me, I think it`s 23kgs each.

 

[eyeorenut]

Thanks, last year we flew direct from Belfast, and this is our preffered option, but thanks to the credit crunch and the lack of any direct flights we have to go via Newark. It seems to me someone is missing a trick here but thats a whole other discussion.

The year before we flew via Gatwick, that place is a circus. Being Belfast our International airport is about a fifth of the size of Gatwick and not a tenth as busy.

Just hated having to fly the wrong way then fly back over belfast on the way out and I was loking for a parachute to jump out on the way back.
So with Newark at least we`re flying the right way.

Can someone confirm the luggage allowance for me, I think it`s 23kgs each.

Hi there, we are also from Belfast and hoping to go with Continental In November. I believe the luggage is 23kgs and like you i hate not having local flights anymore! Went last year with Flyglobespan! Can't see why Thomas Cook don't cash in on this and put the flights back on from Belfast. Gatwick is a nightmare of a place. There's nothing worse than sitting there with tired children waiting on a connecting flight back home.

 

[The Eighth Dwarf]

just trawled this up from the depths of the interwebz,
Anyone done this recently ?
Still wondering about Mickeys magical express and our luggage.
Am I right in thinking it gets put on MME for us and it should be in our room when we arrive or am I going mad.

 

[The Eighth Dwarf]

Looks like we'll be there at the same time

Happy Planning

Luv Suzy

Sorry suz, just noticed this.
Thats cool, I hope your having as much fun as I am planning, with the occasional break for a wee nervous breakdown of course.

 

[scottishgirl87]

We did the GLA-EWR-MCO route last month and had no problems.

We picked up our own luggage at MCO and took it to our ME bus ourselves. I'd rather just have peace of mind that my luggage is actually there rather than find out at the hotel it hasn't arrived! It wasn't a difficult process either

 

[paulfoel]

Always fly from BRS to MCO via Newark.

Continental are much better than the normal British charter airlines. No probs changing in Newark and you get to do immigration here rather than in Orlando.

Nearly got enough Continental miles for a free flight to new york each now !!!

 

[xox_Violet_xox]

done this from glasgow a few times. Easy peasy No worries at all, although last year one bag didn't make it on the flight to MCO. However, by the time we'd checked with the nice wee man at the desk and brought up the baggage info there was already a not on the system witha description of the bag and how it was on the next flight down

It arrived at the WL a few hours after we did!

Continental are fab to fly with, so much better than British airlines imo

 

[Type A Tim]

Have never used Continental/Newark to go to Orlando but have travelled through Newark many times from Belfast in recent years to various destinations in the US.

I would say leave yourself at least 3 hours to make a connection. Anything less and you are risking it.

If your flight is delayed by an hour which can easily happen AND if you arrive into a different terminal from the one your onward connection departs from... by the time you clear immigration/customs and then transfer to the other terminal with the air-train and then clear through security again (which can be brutal!) you will be very tight for time. Colleagues of mine have missed connections this way.

Tim

 

[jockey]

The Continental route is fab, last year we used them BA and VA with Continental being the best. The flight leaves on time most days and the staff are wonderful. We travel with 2 young children and have had as little as 1.5 to connect.

As for the ME, it always takes a while for the bags to arrive. We generally pick up one small bag with all the bits in it we need for the kids etc and let ME deliver the rest

 

[torsie24]

We take our own bags to ME rather than waiting.

It can be up until 3 hours and as soon as we get to the hotel I'm desperate for a shower and change of clothes, and the option of just going to bed!

 

[tinks_1989]

Always fly from BRS to MCO via Newark.

Continental are much better than the normal British charter airlines. No probs changing in Newark and you get to do immigration here rather than in Orlando.

Nearly got enough Continental miles for a free flight to new york each now !!!

we love this route as well shame Bristol are stopping this route

We find it really easy after a few worries before but couldn't of gone better

we collected our bag for ME I think we had to any way as they said after a certain time you have to. Also I hate departing with it worrying that we will lose it

 

[The Eighth Dwarf]

Thank you all , looks like we`ll just grab our bags at the airport then, no sense worrying the whole way to Old Key West.

What about the in flight entertainment, can anyone tell me about this ?

 

[scottishgirl87]

In-flight entertainment is probably the best I've seen Touch screen's on each seat allow you to watch a range of movies (although the movies were pretty rubbish when we went), TV shows or you can play games against other people on the plane (or yourself).

 

[2Tiggies]

Thank you all , looks like we`ll just grab our bags at the airport then, no sense worrying the whole way to Old Key West.

I grab my bags too for ME. (So far only direct flights) I like a little carry on to hassle with as possible so I usually want to get into those bags as soon as we get to our room. As long as you can manage to pull them up the escalator to the monorail you also don't have to wait for them to take the sloooooow scenic route on the conveyor.

 

[MarkLyndaJakeChloe]

Hi there,

Just to let you have my thoughts on Continental and BFS-EWS-MCO.

We used them last year, stopping off in New York for a few nights on the way out. I would have to say that they are probably the best airline I've flown with.

Have done the usual charter flights from Belfast, which were fine and a couple of times with Virgin via Gatwick. I find Virgin over-rated to be honest and also the journey back is a nightmare (waiting at Gatwick for your connecting flight to Belfast).

Ok, you have to stop off at Newark with Continental, but it's an easy transfer, it breaks the journey up a bit, there's no worry with missing your connection as it's the same airline, there in flight entertainment is superior to Virgin's, luggage allowance is better (ie than Flybe/easyjet for connecting flight) and it means you get the Customs/Passport Control thing out of the way at Newark (they're much quicker than MCO). Then you arrive at MCO and straight onto the ME!!

As for paying for flights, I always check their site daily to get a feel for the best rate. As for paying it in full, I just get a credit with 0% interest and use that when the price is right!!

So you can see why we're using them this July!!

 

[petals]

We changed in Newark last time we went with Continential no problems. Had two hours free at the airport which was needed to get from one terminal to the other and then plenty of food places at the gates as well for drinks and that

 

[The Eighth Dwarf]

Hi there,

Just to let you have my thoughts on Continental and BFS-EWS-MCO.

We used them last year, stopping off in New York for a few nights on the way out. I would have to say that they are probably the best airline I've flown with.

Have done the usual charter flights from Belfast, which were fine and a couple of times with Virgin via Gatwick. I find Virgin over-rated to be honest and also the journey back is a nightmare (waiting at Gatwick for your connecting flight to Belfast).

Ok, you have to stop off at Newark with Continental, but it's an easy transfer, it breaks the journey up a bit, there's no worry with missing your connection as it's the same airline, there in flight entertainment is superior to Virgin's, luggage allowance is better (ie than Flybe/easyjet for connecting flight) and it means you get the Customs/Passport Control thing out of the way at Newark (they're much quicker than MCO). Then you arrive at MCO and straight onto the ME!!

As for paying for flights, I always check their site daily to get a feel for the best rate. As for paying it in full, I just get a credit with 0% interest and use that when the price is right!!

So you can see why we're using them this July!!

Good to get a Belfast perspective on this.
I hope you had a good time in July and let me know how the flight went this time

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

We also found them to be excellent from Belfast and will use them again for next year