A or B Garage?

[mick]

Originally Posted by Bobbins

The lifts are the same - not sure about the tunnel, is there only a tunnel on one side?

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The only time we ever encounter the tunnel is when we are going back to MCO to meet one of our daughters who have occasionally joined us.

We always park up in the multi-storey parking garage above the car hire on side B. The lift from the car park takes you down to the tunnel level which then takes you under the road and to level zero I suppose in American reference. Then lift or escalator back to level 3 where we sit in the corridor to the monorail.

We always park on side B because we know the UK planes land there and it's the nearest to arriving from 417.

Mick

[SteveC]

Thanks. I did wonder about this side A & B thing as we always end up on the same side to pick the rental car up despite travelling with TC and Virgin which have check-in desks on B and A respectively. Realised though that despite this they both take off and land from the same gates so makes sense we always pick the car up from the same side - I just never knew whether it was A or B.

[mick]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Thanks. I did wonder about this side A & B thing as we always end up on the same side to pick the rental car up despite travelling with TC and Virgin which have check-in desks on B and A respectively. Realised though that despite this they both take off and land from the same gates so makes sense we always pick the car up from the same side - I just never knew whether it was A or B.

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Steve

There must be some sound commercial or logistical reason why the VS check-in desk is over on side A when, like all the other direct UK flights they leave from side B. One day when I'm extremely bored I'll Google it - or maybe not.

When we use VS we never do the baggage transfer and always check in at DS for the return flight so we don't go anywhere near side A at MCO.

Mick

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by mick

When we use VS we never do the baggage transfer and always check in at DS for the return flight so we don't go anywhere near side A at MCO.

Mick

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Us neither as we don’t need to use it and I don’t want to hang around an airport for one minute longer than I need to.

[mick]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Us neither as we don’t need to use it and I don’t want to hang around an airport for one minute longer than I need to.

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Apart from when a BA/Avis fly drive attracted us because of ££££ back in Nov 2017 we've done OLCI with Alamo for around the last 6 trips. If you've seen two 70+ year olds heading to side B garage like Usain Bolt that will have been us.

This year however we're giving the Visitor Toll Pass a try and hoping that there's not a queue of thousands at the pick up desk.

Mick

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by mick

This year however we're giving the Visitor Toll Pass a try and hoping that there's not a queue of thousands at the pick up desk.

Mick

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As a regular visitor have you thought about buying a Sunpass transponder over there instead of queuing for the visitor pass each time? We got one from Publix for $19.95 and have used it for around 10 Florida visits so far. It’s linked to our bank card and tops up when the balance goes below a certain level (maybe $10 or $15). We put it in the windscreen as soon as we arrive and it is detected as we go through each booth even before we go on the website once at the villa to add the rental vehicle plate and the dates we’re using it. The transponder also gives the discounts e.g our local toll booth is discounted from 75c to 23c.

[mick]

Originally Posted by SteveC

As a regular visitor have you thought about buying a Sunpass transponder over there instead of queuing for the visitor pass each time? We got one from Publix for $19.95 and have used it for around 10 Florida visits so far. It’s linked to our bank card and tops up when the balance goes below a certain level (maybe $10 or $15). We put it in the windscreen as soon as we arrive and it is detected as we go through each booth even before we go on the website once at the villa to add the rental vehicle plate and the dates we’re using it. The transponder also gives the discounts e.g our local toll booth is discounted from 75c to 23c.

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We haven't actually. We don't go out of our way to avoid tolls but we usually only encounter them on the two airport trips MCO to Highgate and we usually just slow down to pay cash. Less than $10 for the whole holiday.

We thought we'd give VTP a try as it's apparently instant as you pass through the first plaza and you don't have to link it to your plate.

Mick

[Bobbins]

Originally Posted by SteveC

The transponder also gives the discounts e.g our local toll booth is discounted from 75c to 23c.

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The visitor toll pass seems to give the same rates - I noticed it charged us 54c to join and leave the 417 at Celebration. It's $1 cash.

It's odd how the difference varies - sometimes it's quite small.

[AJ86]

In September this will be my 3rd visit and i'll be honest, i had no idea that there was an A or B side!

I have just looked at the map and my mind is blown! haha

My question now is I have booked with Avis, I am in the preferred program which side should i go to? I doubt they will be holding a car for me on both sides?

We are arriving on an internal Delta flight, so guess I will be on B side.

Thanks

[mick]

At this point in time I must apologise for my constant use of the word "monorail" as I have in the past "annoyed" someone by using it.

Far be it from me to annoy my fellow Dibbers further. It is of course an automated people mover (APM) which runs on two concrete strips and collects power from a central rail.

So to anyone that I have confused over the past 15 years by referring to the APM as a monorail I apologise unreservedly. Especially those who though they'd arrived at the Magic Kingdom straight after getting off the plane and wandered around MCO aimlessly looking for the monorail.

Mick