What to do at MCO for 3 hours

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Southwest just did a sweep of changes to our May/June flights. Amazing changes for us, we arrive earlier (previously a very expensive change we were considering) and now have a direct flight home instead of a layover. However, my in-laws are flying in from another state and the best option for them arrives 3 hours earlier than us. We rented a car in our name and were originally all riding together when our flights landed within 15 minutes of each other but now they want to just hang out until we land. They will land at 8am and we land at 11am. What is there for them to do at the airport after they grab their checked luggage? They mentioned eating breakfast. I keep googling maps of MCO but nothing is helping me understand options before security. I suggested getting a shuttle to the resort (BWV) but since the room won't be ready, they prefer to wait for us.

 

[k5xs]

Outside security there are nice Disney and Universal stores to browse, along with scads of other shops.

There is also a food court with a McDonalds and a bunch of (mediocre) other eateries. Aside from McDonalds, I don't know what's available for breakfast.

 

[bumbershoot]

If they walk slowly from their gate they might see places that are open inside security. Though if they have checked bags that might worry them.

Be sure to check to see if you could change your SW-changed flight to something that matches them better, since they changed your flight. If you haven't already. And make sure their flight wasn't changed, too.

 

[Capt_BJ]

center food court is outside of security so no biggie there. I haven't tried this for a while but in the past if you took the escalator or elevator up to the lobby of the in airport Hyatt motel, you'd find a very large lounge area with sofas and comfortable chairs and no one cared if you plopped and hung out. This is b4 security, just follow the signs to the Hyatt .....

 

[sghokie]

MCO is a mad house. It's sort of like a shopping mall on black friday back when shopping malls were a thing.

If SW changed your flight you should be eligible to rebook another flight free of charge or get a refund if you want to book something else.

 

[Lewisc]

They land at 8a. McCoy's Bar and Grill in the airport Hyatt is open for breakfast. What will they do if their flight lands early and your flight is delayed? I'd spend the few dollars on a shuttle. Have breakfast at WDW. At a minimum alert them to the location of Mears Connect. Have them check the status of your flight as soon as they land. Flightaware.com will give you updated information. There is an option where is my plane now, or track inbound flight. Sometimes you can tell you'll have a delay before the airline officially announces it. Your flight is scheduled to leave at 11a but your income plane is delayed and is now scheduled to land at 11:15 Obviously your plane will be departing at least 30 minutes late.

 

[Meglen]

I waited in line for burger king for an hour. If you want Starbucks thats another hour than the last hour to sit and eat your cold food with your hot coffee or vis verse.

 

[kwdw]

I’ll second the idea of them just heading to Boardwalk. That will be a much pleasanter wait. They can leave their bags at Bell Services and explore the resorts at the Boardwalk area.

There is one sit down restaurant Cask and Larder in the SW terminal at MCO. But I would want to go get my luggage and eat outside of security. If they have a lot of luggage, that will be a pain to watch for that wait. While there are a bunch of QS places to eat in the main terminal, I think there is just the one TS place at the Hyatt.

 

[Miffy]

Q: What to do at MCO for 3 hours?
A: Leave. Go to resort. Relax and enjoy the wait there.

Seriously, I would not want to have to spend 3 hours at MCO if I didn't have to, and your in-laws don't have to. What if your plane is late? Then they might have to wait 3.5 or 4 hours.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

Go to the resort!!! They can leave their luggage with bell services. They can get something from boardwalk bakery or one of the shops. They can take a walk around crescent lake. If you are late for some reason they can checkout the other resorts or sit on the beach in front of the beach club across the lake or even walk over to the skyliner and take a relaxing loop around the resorts and parks. There are so many better option than staying at the airport.

 

[VandVsmama]

Have them book a reservation with Mears Connect. I mean, we're only talking $32 here ($16 one way per adult). Then they can leave their bags with Bell Services at your WDW resort and they can have breakfast at Boardwalk instead of hanging around at the airport potentially for hours. For example, like other folks have said, what's their plan if your arriving flight is delayed?

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

If it were me, I would be headed to Boardwalk in a second. I would much rather spend my time there. That is just not something they wanted to do. I will of course remind them as we get closer that they can easily change their plans. We offered to book them on the shuttle or get them a private car. They insisted on waiting.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

If they walk slowly from their gate they might see places that are open inside security. Though if they have checked bags that might worry them.

Be sure to check to see if you could change you SW-changed flight to something that matches them better, since they changed your flight. If you haven't already. And make sure their flight wasn't changed, too.

They will have checked bags so I want to make sure they go grab their luggage first. SW changed their flights as well. Theirs was changed to an evening flight so the 8am arrival was what they adjusted it to.

If SW changed your flight you should be eligible to rebook another flight free of charge or get a refund if you want to book something else.

Yes we did that. These are our changed flights we made based on the new options.

They land at 8a. McCoy's Bar and Grill in the airport Hyatt is open for breakfast. What will they do if their flight lands early and your flight is delayed? I'd spend the few dollars on a shuttle. Have breakfast at WDW. At a minimum alert them to the location of Mears Connect. Have them check the status of your flight as soon as they land. Flightaware.com will give you updated information. There is an option where is my plane now, or track inbound flight. Sometimes you can tell you'll have a delay before the airline officially announces it. Your flight is scheduled to leave at 11a but your income plane is delayed and is now scheduled to land at 11:15 Obviously your plane will be departing at least 30 minutes late.

I mentioned the delayed issue as well. We figure if that happens they can get a taxi to the resort or we can book them an uber. Love the Hyatt restaurant idea for them if they insist on waiting.

I’ll second the idea of them just heading to Boardwalk. That will be a much pleasanter wait. They can leave their bags at Bell Services and explore the resorts at the Boardwalk area.

There is one sit down restaurant Cask and Larder in the SW terminal at MCO. But I would want to go get my luggage and eat outside of security. If they have a lot of luggage, that will be a pain to watch for that wait. While there are a bunch of QS places to eat in the main terminal, I think there is just the one TS place at the Hyatt.

I don't disagree about Boardwalk but at this time, they don't want to do that. Maybe we can convince them to change their mind by May. They will have checked bags so I want to make sure they get those first. Typically they only travel with one checked bag (two if they pack heavily) so shouldn't be difficult to manage. Good pointing out though! Hyatt restaurant is sounding like the best option.

Q: What to do at MCO for 3 hours?
A: Leave. Go to resort. Relax and enjoy the wait there.

Seriously, I would not want to have to spend 3 hours at MCO if I didn't have to, and your in-laws don't have to. What if your plane is late? Then they might have to wait 3.5 or 4 hours.

Agreed. I hate airports, especially when the alternative is Disney World......not my decision though. If we get delayed they can take a Taxi or an Uber.

 

[FCDub]

I would just let them figure it out. If you've given them alternatives to go ahead and they've declined, that's not your responsibility to help them fill three hours.

 

[sam_gordon]

There is one sit down restaurant Cask and Larder in the SW terminal at MCO. But I would want to go get my luggage and eat outside of security. If they have a lot of luggage, that will be a pain to watch for that wait. While there are a bunch of QS places to eat in the main terminal, I think there is just the one TS place at the Hyatt.

Looks like multiple choices to me... https://orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/shops-restaurants/

I'm hoping so. We're probably going to have 3-4 hours to kill at MCO after returning from a cruise in July.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Looks like multiple choices to me... https://orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/shops-restaurants/

I'm hoping so. We're probably going to have 3-4 hours to kill at MCO after returning from a cruise in July.

I did see that site but was having a hard time understanding what was located before security. For instance, a map I found just said food court, but no info on if there was a sit-down restaurant vs. fast food

 

[Lilsia]

Not sure what all will be open at 8, but things should start opening up by 9 or 10. They can go to the food court or check to see what other places are open. The airport is like a rectangle, with security at both ends and food and shopping in the middle.

 

[Lewisc]

I did see that site but was having a hard time understanding what was located before security. For instance, a map I found just said food court, but no info on if there was a sit-down restaurant vs. fast food

Location main terminal type restaurant

You can tell by name and pictures. I think Marconi Grill and Chilis are the only sit down in the main terminal, excluding the restaurants in the Hyatt

 

[VandVsmama]

Restaurants at the main terminal (this is before you go through security):
Auntie Anne's (also sells Cinnabon)
Carvel ice cream
Chick-Fil-A
Chili's Too
City Pub
Dunkin Donuts
Firehouse Subs
Hemisphere
Lobby Bar
Macaroni Grill
Macaroni Grill To Go
McCoy's Bar & Grill
McDonald's
Moe's Southwest Grill
Panda Express
Sbarro
Starbucks
Starbucks Evenings

 

[VandVsmama]

Just had another thought:

OP - are your parents nervous/anxious travelers? For example, are they usually ok with the logistics of vacationing in a place they're familiar with, but when faced with going somewhere new, it seems really overwhelming to them?

If yes, then that's what might be driving their very strong preference to wait in the Orlando airport 3-4 hours for you & your immediate family to arrive.

For example, our immediate family is going to WDW in early October with a husband & wife who we are very dear friends with, 1 of whom is blind. Our friends (Dick & Jane, for the purposes of this post) have not traveled anywhere by plane together since they got married 11 years ago. ALL of their trips together have been road trips.

This will be their first time on an airplane anywhere together since they first met.

They live in CA. We live in AZ. They've decided to drive here to our house the day before our plane departs to MCO just so we can all fly together as a group of 6. This is because they feel less nervous, anxious, etc. about all of the logistics since DH & I will be there with them every step of the way to kind of be their tour guide. Dick, for example, needs a companion bathroom. Where are those in the Phoenix & Orlando airports? I looked it up and sent info to Jane. DH even sent photos of the locations that he found online. Dick & Jane are now less anxious about that part, for example.

In 1 of your posts in this thread, you mentioned getting an Uber for them. So, for example, one could conclude that maybe your mom & dad aren't comfortable with and are not familiar with Uber or Lyft, so the thought of arranging a ride share like that has them thinking, "Nope, forget it. We'll just wait at the airport." Hence, you mentioned to them that they could get a taxi if they want to. That's definitely an option and doesn't require booking anything ahead of time...you can do it 'old school' style and just walk up and hail a taxi.

In terms of what is there for them to do at the airport for 3-4 hours while they wait for you to arrive? Well, on the one hand, they will have to figure it out. Once they get there, it will be obvious once they arrive at the main terminal that everything will be ok because there's stores to browse in and a ton of eateries...a couple of sit down options and a lot of counter service places at the food court.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, they are adults and will figure it out. All you can do at this point is explain to them what the options are and leave it up to them to figure it out. For example:

1. FIRST, they should go get their luggage from baggage claim.
2. THEN, they need to go back up to the main level of the main terminal where the food court & shops are. Tell them that if they get lost, to ask someone for directions.
3. If they're hungry and want something to eat, choose between sit down or counter service.
4. If they want sit down, the Hyatt right there at the airport has a couple of restaurant options as well.
5. Once done eating & they still have time to kill - find a comfortable spot in the long long section of chairs & seating in the shopping section of the main terminal. Park yourself there and settle in. Take turns going to browse in stores. For example, your dad stays behind with the luggage while your mom browses, then they swap. Even better if they can find a spot with a plug to charge a phone or battery if they need to charge something.
6. If they want to confirm when your plane is arriving & whether it's on time or late - they can look it up on a monitor, ask somebody in person, or look it up on their phone on the airline's website. The last option, you might have to give them instructions on how to do this if they are not very Internet savy (i.e., send them an email with screen shots & tell them to physically print the email out and bring it with them).

The Orlando airport map on the airport website is a little confusing. So go look up some Youtube videos that are walk-throughs of the main terminal. Then send a couple of those to your mom & dad. Have them watch ahead of time so they're familiar with the lay out. Sometimes, it's easier to see it than try to figure it out on a map.