Flight Home/When to Leave

[daisyhead]

8:50 am flight at MCO; what time would u leave WDW? Rental car, stay at Contemporary.

Thanks!:mickey:

[Belster]

I know that ME would pick you up 3 hours before your flight. Taking into consideration that you need to drop off your car and such I would leave at least 3 hours before your flight.

[TheRustyScupper]

leave at least 3 hours before your flight.

1) Yep.
2) Don't forget, this is prime-time at the airport.
. . . lots of flights
. . . lines at security
. . . many rental cars being dropped
3) IMHO, I would do 3+ hoyrs.
4) Then, plan upon eating breakfast at the airport.
. . . if everything clicks, you have leisurely meal
. . . if everything is busy, you still make the flight

[SFTrny]

I agree with the 3 hours, although it depends on where you rented your car. If you are at one of the rental agencies that is right at the airport (like AVIS), then you can probably trim 20 minutes off that time. I always err on the side of caution. The last thing you want is a stressful return at the end of a wonderful vacation.

[droopy d.]

2 hours from the car rental place is normally my goal but DW always has us running late last year we had a 7:00pm flight and we left AK at 5:45 and had to return the rental car and I was stressing. We dropped off the car, we were checking our bags as they called no more bags got through security and my DW states I shouldn't be mad we had 10 min. till the flight was to leave and it was plenty of time. She is never early for anything.

[faline]

2 hours from the car rental place is normally my goal but DW always has us running late last year we had a 7:00pm flight and we left AK at 5:45 and had to return the rental car and I was stressing.

I'd be stressed as well! Fortunately, my husband cooperates with my need to leave a safety cushion! I would rather sit and read a book at the airport than try to rush through security in hopes of making my flight!

As for the original question, I too, would leave Disney about three hours prior to my scheduled flight.

[Ed]

It also depends a lot on the day of the week:

Sundays - Heavy to start with; add in cruise line passengers heading home.

Mondays - Heavy early morning outbound business travelers.

Tuesdays & Wednesdays - Historically the lightest days at MCO.

Thursdays - Another cruise line day.

Fridays - People getting a head start on weekend, and business travelers heading home.

Saturdays - Heavy to start with; add in cruise line passengers heading home.


Don't discount the extra load from cruise line passengers! :nono: On an average weekend, the ships that call Port Canaveral "home" disembark approximately 10,000 passengers, many of whom use MCO for their trips home. The first influx of cruise passengers starts at about 8am and continues until mid-afternoon.

Bottom line: It's strongly suggested that you be on the road toward the airport at least three hours prior to your flight time.

[wire0monkey]

I'd leave by 6:50 am. I haven't had a lot of problems at MCO if I leave for the airport two hours before my flight.

[Seasonscraps]

We usually leave 2 - 2 1/4 hours before the flight. To date we haven't come close to missing a flight - with the longest lines at security we still got to the gate 15 minutes before boarding.

[mouse2508]

(here comes the curve ball) :baseball:
I'd change my flight to 1 or thereabouts, go to Chef Mickey's for a BIG breakfast and one last "goodbye" to all the characters, and head to the airport 2-3 before flight time (depending on car rental on/off airport, day of week). Off We've always had a wait getting through security.

[daisyhead]

thanks for the advice everyone! we've decided to go with the curveball and pay a bit more for an afternoon flight! Chef Mickeys sounds a bit better than an early morning at MCO!

[SandmanGStefani24]

We've always had a wait getting through security.

this always seems to be a bottleneck and eats up more time than i expect. 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours is good because you don't have to be in a big rush, can find things easily and have time to eat or make a pit stop before you have to board. especially since you want to be at your gate 30 minutes before your flight leaves.

[SFTrny]

thanks for the advice everyone! we've decided to go with the curveball and pay a bit more for an afternoon flight! Chef Mickeys sounds a bit better than an early morning at MCO!

Great pick! We always try to get an early afternoon flight out of MCO. We don't hit any of the parks that morning, but stay out late the night before. Then we have a relaxing morning with a final tour of the monorail hotels with some extra shopping. We grab lunch at the airport once we are all checked in.

[wdwfan]

thanks for the advice everyone! we've decided to go with the curveball and pay a bit more for an afternoon flight! Chef Mickeys sounds a bit better than an early morning at MCO!

We always get early afternoon flight too. We enjoy a good breakfast (Kona or Boma) then head to airport.

[MinnieMommie]

I think you will be happier with the afternoon flight. A character breakfast is a great thing to do on the last day. I think leaving 2 1/2 hrs before your flight time is reasonable. If you are brave you can try 2 and if you get anxious easily stick with the 3 hr recommended interval. :mickey:

[WDWCrazyKaren]

Good plan! The longer you stay, the better! :mickey:

Last Saturday at 1:00PM, the security line took us 50 minutes. JUST the security line. It was a zoo. I'm just sayin' :cool:

[mudpuppysmom]

Here's a voice of experience being stressed and almost missing a flight home!

DS and I left MK an hour and a half before our flight time --it's a long story why we left so late but just know that it doesn't bode well being late! We got to the airport, I paid for a porter to take our bags to the airline check in so I didn't get further behind -- we checked our bags 40 minutes before our flight left and then ran thru security.....then I took the wrong tram to the wrong concourse and had to back track......finally get to the gate and they are asking if I'm so and so.......we were THE last two passengers on the plane and got many dirty looks on our way to find seats! They closed the door as we were walking in and we were moving as we buckled up!

Leave extra time that's my advice!