A pass through the airport of the country's number one tourist destination may seem daunting, and Orlando International Airport handles more than 35 million travelers each year, but MCO (if you're confused by the acronym, see Part I) is a user-friendly hub with relatively respectable stats for on-time departures and landings.
Armed with some relevant information, your time at Orlando's airport will be the highlight of your travels.
Well, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it won't be too stressful.
Planning When to Be at the Airport
You can often avoid a lot of headaches and hassles by choosing a good time to be at the airport. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the slowest travel days in the U.S., with the smallest crowds on those mornings. Conversely, Fridays nights and Monday mornings are peak travel times. And Orlando International Airport resembles Dante's fifth circle of hell (that's the one for angry, wrathful folks) around Thanksgiving and during Christmas week through New Years.
The airport identifies three windows when the wait to get through security is typically longest: 6:00 to 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
If you'll be killing time in the airport and would appreciate access to a number of shopping and dining options, most of the stores and eateries are open from around 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., even though MCO operates around the clock.
One other thing to keep in mind regarding air travel in Central Florida is that during the summer, there are raging thunderstorms just about every late afternoon/early evening.
They're known to cause delays, so savvy travelers plan around them.
Navigating the Airport
The two adjoining terminals (A and B) are in a large, central, multi-story building. This is where you find the airline ticketing counters, baggage check, baggage claim, rental car agencies, a food court, lots of shops, the Hyatt Regency-Orlando International Airport, connections to transportation and more.
Four concourses that house the gates, called Airsides 1 through 4, surround the terminal building. These too have some shops, restaurants and other facilities.
If you're catching a departing flight, there are two security checkpoints at opposite ends of the terminal building, each feeding into two of the concourses. After passing through, you take an approximately 1-minute train ride from the terminal to your concourse. Check the overhead sign outside the train to confirm that it goes to your gate.
If you're on an arriving flight, you start at the gate, of course. If it's an international flight, you'll first pass through Immigration and Customs checkpoints. From the central area of the Airside, take the train to the terminal building.
Passing Time at the Airport
MCO has all your standard airport shops, newsstands and chain restaurants, along with a number of themed shops in the terminal building related to popular Central Florida attractions like Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and the Kennedy Space Center. Scattered bars offer libations if you prefer being inebriated while waiting around.
The most exciting thing in the terminal's food court is undoubtedly the 3,000-gallon saltwater fish tank. You can look, but you can't eat out of it. If you want fresh fish or something else besides fast food, the on-site Hyatt Regency serves fancier fare.
Outside the terminal shops are some fairly comfortable seats with outlets. The central atrium in the terminal building is done up to resemble a park, and it's a fairly pleasant atmosphere to sit a while. There are outlets there too, and most other places, and there's free Wi-fi everywhere.
Armed with some relevant information, your time at Orlando's airport will be the highlight of your travels.
Well, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it won't be too stressful.
Planning When to Be at the Airport
You can often avoid a lot of headaches and hassles by choosing a good time to be at the airport. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the slowest travel days in the U.S., with the smallest crowds on those mornings. Conversely, Fridays nights and Monday mornings are peak travel times. And Orlando International Airport resembles Dante's fifth circle of hell (that's the one for angry, wrathful folks) around Thanksgiving and during Christmas week through New Years.
The airport identifies three windows when the wait to get through security is typically longest: 6:00 to 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
If you'll be killing time in the airport and would appreciate access to a number of shopping and dining options, most of the stores and eateries are open from around 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., even though MCO operates around the clock.
One other thing to keep in mind regarding air travel in Central Florida is that during the summer, there are raging thunderstorms just about every late afternoon/early evening.
They're known to cause delays, so savvy travelers plan around them.
Navigating the Airport
The two adjoining terminals (A and B) are in a large, central, multi-story building. This is where you find the airline ticketing counters, baggage check, baggage claim, rental car agencies, a food court, lots of shops, the Hyatt Regency-Orlando International Airport, connections to transportation and more.
Four concourses that house the gates, called Airsides 1 through 4, surround the terminal building. These too have some shops, restaurants and other facilities.
If you're catching a departing flight, there are two security checkpoints at opposite ends of the terminal building, each feeding into two of the concourses. After passing through, you take an approximately 1-minute train ride from the terminal to your concourse. Check the overhead sign outside the train to confirm that it goes to your gate.
If you're on an arriving flight, you start at the gate, of course. If it's an international flight, you'll first pass through Immigration and Customs checkpoints. From the central area of the Airside, take the train to the terminal building.
Passing Time at the Airport
MCO has all your standard airport shops, newsstands and chain restaurants, along with a number of themed shops in the terminal building related to popular Central Florida attractions like Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and the Kennedy Space Center. Scattered bars offer libations if you prefer being inebriated while waiting around.
The most exciting thing in the terminal's food court is undoubtedly the 3,000-gallon saltwater fish tank. You can look, but you can't eat out of it. If you want fresh fish or something else besides fast food, the on-site Hyatt Regency serves fancier fare.
Outside the terminal shops are some fairly comfortable seats with outlets. The central atrium in the terminal building is done up to resemble a park, and it's a fairly pleasant atmosphere to sit a while. There are outlets there too, and most other places, and there's free Wi-fi everywhere.