Tips for navigating the airport with a large group (and multiple children)?

[Betty Rohrer]

You never said how many families there are in this group of 14. I don't see any reason to try to keep everyone together at the airport. Typically airports are fairly congested, so you might get separated or it may take some longer to get through security then others. I would allocate the children among the 4 adults so then you are talking about 4 different groups which makes it more manageable. Divide up the 6 teens/young adults among the adults in whatever grouping makes the most sense.

Upon arrival at MCO, I would plan to meet up at the baggage claim area.

if you would decide to break up in smaller groups make sure everyone knows whom is in each group with a planned leader for each group. do not assume someone is with another group when moving. I would make the meet point before leaving security point not baggage claim just in case someone is missing

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I agree about breaking up into family "pods" instead of trying to coordinate the whole group at once. I would be a little hesitant assuming a teen is responsible enough to be left completely on his/her own. I would try to keep small family groups together as long as possible in the airport, and then for some reason if no family boarding is called and moms/littles board after other other parts of the family try to switch around on the flight if needed.

I have been flying with my kids since they were 9 weeks (DS)/3 weeks (DD), and the anticipation was always worse than the actual event for every trip but one. The good thing about flying to Orlando is that that crowd tends to be much more understanding about families than your typical flight. Security at Orlando Airport is a nightmare though...so just plan on way more time than you think you will need and take lots of deep breaths.

You got this!

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

When separated we typically wait for people just outside of the jet bridge

 

[Angelboys3]

You never said how many families there are in this group of 14. I don't see any reason to try to keep everyone together at the airport. Typically airports are fairly congested, so you might get separated or it may take some longer to get through security then others. I would allocate the children among the 4 adults so then you are talking about 4 different groups which makes it more manageable. Divide up the 6 teens/young adults among the adults in whatever grouping makes the most sense.

Upon arrival at MCO, I would plan to meet up at the baggage claim area.

There are basically 2 family groups (3 if you count my mother in law as a solo) but myself/husband with 6 of the kids/teens, and my sister with the other 4 kids/teens.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

There are basically 2 family groups (3 if you count my mother in law as a solo) but myself/husband with 6 of the kids/teens, and my sister with the other 4 kids/teens.

how ever you group as a group make sure each leader knows who is in their group. also have a picture of each younger child on a phone showing what they are wearing that day

 

[focusondisney]

I’d love to know the southwest policy out of MCO - the last time we flew out the family line was longer than regular boarding- they were very strict, and many of the “extra” members had to board in regular position. But.have they changed the policy

The policy out of MCO is the same as anywhere else…family boarding is 2 adults with a child under 6. However, as with all things, the gate agents have the ability to make final decisions. We fly SW from Buffalo up to 5 times a year. I have never been on a flight that did not have family boarding. There have been some reports that agents decided to not do family boarding. The last one I remember reading said the agent said “everyone would qualify” so there was no way to do it. No idea what happened with seating on the plane. But family boarding is the normal policy on SW, even in Orlando.

 

[_19disnA]

How many different cars you will be using to arrive at the departure airport could also be a consideration. Unlikely that 14 people will all fit in any single vehicle. Grouping should start based on how you are getting to the airport. I don't see any reason to make it more complicated by trying to 'regroup' the people once you get to the airport.

 

[Angelboys3]

How many different cars you will be using to arrive at the departure airport could also be a consideration. Unlikely that 14 people will all fit in any single vehicle. Grouping should start based on how you are getting to the airport. I don't see any reason to make it more complicated by trying to 'regroup' the people once you get to the airport.

We actually are all arriving in the same vehicle lol. A friend owns a transportation company and has a 20 passenger van with luggage trailer.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Now that we're travelling next month I'm starting to get nervous about the logistics of flying with 14 people. Any tips/tricks/whatever to get through the airport and flight? We will have 4 younger children, 4 adults and 6 teens/young adults. We're flying SW so no assigned seating. I'm planning for my sister and I to board during family boarding with the 4 littles to hopefully be able to sit together, aiming for the back of the plane for proximity to the bathrooms AND so when it's time to deplane we can go last and not hold up the rest of the passengers as we gather our herd. The rest of the group will board at their assigned position and hopefully at least be able to sit in groups of 2. Are young children allowed to sit in window seats as long as it isn't an exit row? We wanted to do the children in window and middle and the adult in the aisle seat to prevent the temptation to get up and go visit siblings lol. We're taking 1 double stroller with us and gate checking it. Ideas for quiet games or something for them to do both on the flight and while waiting in the airport? The littles range in age from 2-7. If we take snacks, do we have to take it out when going through the security checkpoint? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!

I would have the teens pair up; where one goes, their partner goes as well; the older teens paired with the younger ones, of course.

Four adults, each can watch a child in the airport; three adults each get a set of teens to help them out with their child. Adult is responsible for the three under their care, and they get help from the teens in their 'pod' with their little one.

Keep the lone child/adult combo as the person who would be checking things with the agent at the desk, etc. They get the worst carry-on...the one with all the stuff to pull out, 3-2-1 bag or snacks, and the stroller; they should have the 'oldest' youngest child.

Pick one location, and designate it as 'home base'. It can be a row of chairs at your gate, or a strip of floor along the window by the gate. That way, if any of the teens get separated, they know where to find your group. Plus, then you can leave carry-ons in a pile with each other, and you don't have to worry about hauling all of them to the bathrooms or to get snacks; just leave a couple people there with your gear!

If the adult needs to hand off their child to someone, (i.e. to go talk to an airline agent at the desk, or use the restroom), the child can join one of the groups of teens/child/adult combos, and everyone in that group stays put at the 'home base' location until the lone adult gets back. If an adult with a teen/child group needs to use the restroom or step away from their group, the lone adult/child combo picks them up at stays at home base until the adult is back.

I'm with the other poster that said keep snacks sealed until passing security. They've swabbed my snacks before; gummies, things like HI-Chews or Starbursts seem to set something off in the sensors. I would have some 'surprises' tucked away, that only come out on the plane...think things like (links): Magic coloring books (meaning no concerns about broken or lost crayons, or markers making a mess); Colorforms; travel games. I know some parents are 'death to electronics' but on planes, sometimes they can be your best friend...just make sure you have them charged and ready to go! Just don't forget the headphones! (I bundle all our charging cords together, in one little bag; makes it easier to get through TSA)

Make sure everyone uses the restroom before boarding, especially those who might need help.

When it's time to deplane, let the rest of the plane get moving, and regroup into your 'pods' before leaving the plane. It's a good strategy for at the parks/hotels too.

Sometimes SW is pretty strict with the family boarding into and out of Orlando, because the majority of the plane would be boarding during FB, and would cause backups doing that. So, at times, they don't even bother with it. We've flown in and out of MCO on SW several times, and all I can say is that was never the same way twice.

 

[easyas123]

I've never navigated with a group that large, but my extended family is ginormous.
One adult needs to be point on their people AND ONLY THEIR PEOPLE so that nobody thinks everybody else is watching cousin billy when cousin billy decides to get a snack from an airport shop.
This rule is in effect from the time you get out of your transportation to the airport until you get to your destination at MCO.

Everyone with a smartphone needs their ticket on their smart phone, it just makes it faster.

Don't worry about the big herd, only focus on your herd. If you focus on your herd, you're less likely to leave Kevin behind in the house when you're going to Paris or lose him in NYC on the way to Florida.

I don't see any reason to try to keep everyone together at the airport.

Upon arrival at MCO, I would plan to meet up at the baggage claim area.

Honestly - all of the above makes the most sense to me. Each family should be responsible for their own, no need to complicate it by assigning kids to different adults/older kids. Just individual family groups, they can board when they board, sit where they sit and you all can see each other when the flight lands. Each family being self-responsible would probably make it less frantic/stressful as well.