MCO security

[Dilsy]

How long is it taking these days on arrival through MCO airport? We land at 1725 and wondering if we will manage to get to Epcot that evening. Staying at the Swan with Alamo car hire (done online check in).

[mick]

Sadly the ultimate "piece of string" question.

If there's been no international arrivals within say 30 minutes of you then you may be through in 15 minutes. Unfortunately though if three international 747s have landed 30 minutes before you there may be over 1,200 people in the immigration hall. The hall and baggage claim was undergoing refurbishment when we arrived last month but I don't think that it had any negative impact on us.

We were through the kiosks in 15 minutes - then waited 45 minutes for the carousel to start.

I've been reading on here people's experiences recently. Some say everyone was directed through the kiosks. Others say nobody was directed that way.

Mick

[pooh's gal]

As Mick says, it's the piece of string question. We caught the 10.30am Virgin flight last year from Gatwick and walked into an empty immigration hall, straight through to the x-ray machines and out again within about 5 minutes, then a very short wait for the cases and we were all done and dusted with about 15 minutes. Ooh the joy!

[Mr Tom Morrow]

As per Mick above. No way to tell. Can be minutes, could be 2 hours.

We have Global Entry so were through in well under 5 mins flat. My Son took nearly an hour sadly.

[Mibbs]

Highly Unlikely to be honest but as the others have said 'who knows'.
Last year we were 1 of 2 flights from the UK that landed within minutes of each other, with the people already going through it was horrendous.

[mick]

Dilsy

Just to help you speed you on your way.

You say you've done OLCI with Alamo. Have you got the bar code that allows you to skip the counter? You may already know but STC allows you to go straight to the garage, pick a car and drive off. Avoids any upselling at the terminal desk.

Some Alamo users say they get the bar code with OLCI others say you need the next STC process. Either way all you need is a bar code.

Mick

[chmurf]

well first of all there is no "security" at MCO when arriving.

it's either immigrations and customs (international) or just nothing (domestic)

your plane lands at 5:25pm
if you're at the back of the plane that's 5:45 at best into the immigration hall
if you're lucky that's 10 minutes to bagage claim, if you're not it's 2hrs (so between 6pm and 8pm roughly)
then if you have bags to collect ... if you sped through immigration, you might wait 10, 15 minutes or even more. If you spent a long time in line they'll be waiting on the floor

collecting the car should be easy and fast if you've done STC but our experience last month was by far the longest we ever had (including when we needed to go to the counter)

no car in our row, staff telling us to wait as new ones were being brought forward. Then there was a real traffic jam before exiting the garage. There were cars bumper to bumper up to the garage hut in the SUV row, with more cars trying to get in line at the junction with the midsize sedans side.
Took us 30 minutes between the time we sat in the car and the time we exited the barrier.
then 30 minutes ride to Swan, then check in
then going to EPCOT ...

if you're lucky you'll be in EPCOT by 8:30pm

park closes at 9pm in july (current schedules) so unless there is EMH or hours are extended, don't make EPCOT a plan for arrival night

[mick]

Originally Posted by chmurf

if you're lucky you'll be in EPCOT by 8:30pm

park closes at 9pm in july (current schedules) so unless there is EMH or hours are extended, don't make EPCOT a plan for arrival night

See more...

And at 8.30 pm your body clock is saying 1.30 am.


If weren't both 72 I might give EPCOT a crack

[chmurf]

Originally Posted by mick

And at 8.30 pm your body clock is saying 1.30 am.

See more...

being from mainland EU, our body clocks even say 2:30am ...

[mick]

Originally Posted by chmurf

well first of all there is no "security" at MCO when arriving.

it's either immigrations and customs (international) or just nothing (domestic)

your plane lands at 5:25pm
if you're at the back of the plane that's 5:45 at best into the immigration hall
if you're lucky that's 10 minutes to bagage claim, if you're not it's 2hrs (so between 6pm and 8pm roughly)
then if you have bags to collect ... if you sped through immigration, you might wait 10, 15 minutes or even more. If you spent a long time in line they'll be waiting on the floor

collecting the car should be easy and fast if you've done STC but our experience last month was by far the longest we ever had (including when we needed to go to the counter)

no car in our row, staff telling us to wait as new ones were being brought forward. Then there was a real traffic jam before exiting the garage. There were cars bumper to bumper up to the garage hut in the SUV row, with more cars trying to get in line at the junction with the midsize sedans side.
Took us 30 minutes between the time we sat in the car and the time we exited the barrier.
then 30 minutes ride to Swan, then check in
then going to EPCOT ...

if you're lucky you'll be in EPCOT by 8:30pm

park closes at 9pm in july (current schedules) so unless there is EMH or hours are extended, don't make EPCOT a plan for arrival night

See more...

That's a terrible experience with Alamo STC but hopefully I would say a rare one?

Have to say a strange choice in the Full Size row in April though. There was an 8 seater van (not really the thing for just the two of us) and about three trucks (We're going on holiday not delivering bags of cement )

Rest were either Hyundai Sonatas, which we've had before, or Nissan Altimas which we went for. Only about 1,200 miles on the clock. Nobody waiting at the barrier and we'd already done "full to full" with Andy at DFCH so from entering the garage to driving out about 10 minutes.

Mick

Mick