what time to leave for MCO???

[Mai Ku Tiki]

3pm would be fine for us. I just didn't want to be overly cautious.

No such thing as being 'overly cautious' flying anywhere these days...
Domestically, USA, I hope for the best but plan for the worst.

 

[sam_gordon]

No such thing as being 'overly cautious' flying anywhere these days...
Domestically, USA, I hope for the best but plan for the worst.

I'll disagree with that. I mean, if you want, you can show up at the airport 12 hours before your flight. Or, better yet, 24.

Yes, "cushion" should be built in. But, assume these are the MINIMUM times to account for:
Travel to MCO: 30 minutes
Check bags: 15 minutes
Security: 30 minutes (no pre-check)
Shuttle & walk to gate: 15 minutes.
Boarding Door closes: 15 minutes

So if you take all of those times (which include some "slop"), you should leave your Disney resort 1:45 before departure. Adding on another 1:15 (so leaving Disney 3 hours before) should be enough cushion.

Now, if it's a busy time of year, a busy time of day, you want to get a good meal, etc, sure, add more more time. But yes, at least in my opinion, you CAN be "overly cautious" when it comes to making your flight.

 

[beccasmom]

We usually leave MCO on early morning flights and give ourselves 3 hours (towncar service); I have little recent experience with flights later in the day. The TSA lines can be insanely long early in the day (all the way down to the food court in terminal B when we arrived around 4:30 one morning). So TSA Pre-Check can be a big help. MCO Reserve is another available service, but only during certain hours (we plan to try it for our August trip); might be worth checking it out though.

 

[hrhdhd]

If you go up 417 there is no rush hour, there's never traffic there. We usually fly home is around 7, we leave our resort roughly 2.5 to 3hrs before flight time if where leaving from Disney. It's about a 45min drive up 417 so we get to the airport about 1.5-2.0 before the flight time which is more than enough. We do have pre-check so that factors into my time.

I use SR-417 during rush hour all the time, and believe me, there's a rush hour. Although the road has been widened to three lanes, it's still busy, and accidents can cause delays.

 

[wendlle]

Wow thank you everyone for so many wonderful replies.

We have decided on 3pm, this is so we can also eat before boarding the plane.
And just to clarify the flight is just to LAX we aren't coming home to Australia, we are spending a few days at Disneyland before the journey home.

 

[philharmagic fan]

There are a number of unique-to-Orlando shops (Kennedy Space Center, Universal, Disney) at MCO to poke around in if you arrive early, so I'd leave at 3 and plan on shopping or eating a sit-down meal if you arrive early.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

I'll disagree with that. I mean, if you want, you can show up at the airport 12 hours before your flight. Or, better yet, 24.

Yes, "cushion" should be built in. But, assume these are the MINIMUM times to account for:
Travel to MCO: 30 minutes
Check bags: 15 minutes
Security: 30 minutes (no pre-check)
Shuttle & walk to gate: 15 minutes.
Boarding Door closes: 15 minutes

So if you take all of those times (which include some "slop"), you should leave your Disney resort 1:45 before departure. Adding on another 1:15 (so leaving Disney 3 hours before) should be enough cushion.

Now, if it's a busy time of year, a busy time of day, you want to get a good meal, etc, sure, add more more time. But yes, at least in my opinion, you CAN be "overly cautious" when it comes to making your flightd

Amazing how some assume their personal experiences apply to all.
Anyway...The other concern is running into construction or an accident on I-4.
But surely your minute-by-minute scientific analysis instead is likely spot on.
Mea culpa. Have a Disney day!

 

[seashoreCM]

I think it was around 2005 when I suggested this:

If your last or second to last activity before going home would be a meal, do that meal at the airport. Now plan your trip back to the airport.

Doing things this way prevents being anxious during your trip back.

 

[Lewisc]

Amazing how some assume their personal experiences apply to all.
Anyway...The other concern is running into construction or an accident on I-4.
But surely your minute-by-minute scientific analysis instead is likely spot on.
Mea culpa. Have a Disney day!

The airport and airlines suggest arriving 2 hours before your flight. Google maps says current driving time from the GF to MCO is 31 minutes. NOTHING TO DO WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. The poster you quoted, and others, suggest allowing 60 minutes driving time to MCO. Extra time in case of traffic or construction delays

How much extra time would you suggest?

Add a hour if you want to eat. Make it a little more if you want to relax with table service. A little less for grab n go grub.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

The airport and airlines suggest arriving 2 hours before your flight. Google maps says current driving time from the GF to MCO is 31 minutes. NOTHING TO DO WITH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. The poster you quoted, and others, suggest allowing 60 minutes driving time to MCO. Extra time in case of traffic or construction delays

How much extra time would you suggest?

Add a hour if you want to eat. Make it a little more if you want to relax with table service. A little less for grab n go grub.

This was my complete original post:
"No such thing as being 'overly cautious' flying anywhere these days...
Domestically, USA, I hope for the best but plan for the worst."
It wasn't a direct order to the OP nor did I specify any times.
It was only an opinion offered for their consideration.
Not sure why that's so upsetting?

Time to move on fellas....

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Wow thank you everyone for so many wonderful replies.

We have decided on 3pm, this is so we can also eat before boarding the plane.
And just to clarify the flight is just to LAX we aren't coming home to Australia, we are spending a few days at Disneyland before the journey home.

Have a wonderful time in DL! And safe travels to your homeland!