A Newbie's Guide to Orlando International Airport

Everyone arriving into MCO has to take a shuttle tram from the gate area to the main terminal. So, when you get off the tram, you will walk towards the center of the terminal area...hotel is around it, lots of greenery and such. If you look up, you will see, in bright neon, Side A and Side B signage. You are on level 3 at this point. Walk over to Side B, and go down a level, you are on level 2 now...baggage claim. Go down another level, to level 1, which is ground transportation. At the end of that area you will find DME, past the rental car counters and the Mears area.
It's really very easy.

You can't get to B side level 1 from A side level 1. You have to go back up to level 3, cross over and then back down. When you get off the elevator on level 1, NOT THE TUNNEL LEVEL, turn left and keep going until you see the blue podiums with Mickey on them.

Also, there is one baggage carousel on each side on level 1.
Thanks for the maps. My question is, is it possible to get from side A to side B or vice versa if you are on the 1st or 2nd levels? I see from the map that you can do this on the 3rd level, but there seems to be no walkways between sides A and B on the 2nd or 1st levels. I will be picking up my own luggage (due to late arrival, close to midnight) on the A side of baggage claim on the 2nd level and will need to proceed to the B side of level 1. Will I need to go back up to the 3rd level before proceeding to the B side? (confusing, I know :confused3)

You can't get to B side level 1 from A side level 1. You have to go back up to level 3, cross over and then back down. When you get off the elevator on level 1, NOT THE TUNNEL LEVEL, turn left and keep going until you see the blue podiums with Mickey on them.
 
You can't get to B side level 1 from A side level 1. You have to go back up to level 3, cross over and then back down. When you get off the elevator on level 1, NOT THE TUNNEL LEVEL, turn left and keep going until you see the blue podiums with Mickey on them.

Also, there is one baggage carousel on each side on level 1.


You can't get to B side level 1 from A side level 1. You have to go back up to level 3, cross over and then back down. When you get off the elevator on level 1, NOT THE TUNNEL LEVEL, turn left and keep going until you see the blue podiums with Mickey on them.
It's actually quite difficult not to be able to find DME now...there is an incredible amount of signage. Even over by the tram from the gate areas there is a sign directing you to DME!!
I also don't see where I suggested anyone could get from Side A to Side B on any level other than level 3. And the huge majority of baggage claim carousels are on level 2. I've actually can't even remember seeing any on level 1, but then again, I wasn't looking for them.
 
According to MCO website the chapel is just past security on the west side of the airport (gates 1-59) Arriving at the other side of the airport (Southwest). Is there a way to gain access to the chapel? Would I be able to go through security with an incoming boarding pass?
 
You can only try. I don't think I've ever heard of anybody doing that but you might get a sympathetic TSA agent.
 


Starbucks open 24 x 7
Can you get a sandwich without the mayo ?
 
Besides Outback, are there any decent sit-down restaurants after security? I guess Terminal B (we are flying Delta). We will have a long wait between the time our cruise shuttle drops us off (around 11 AM) and the time our plane takes off (around 4 PM). We want a decent meal. Not fast food. And I don't really like Outback. But I want to get through security before settling down to eat.
 


Besides Outback, are there any decent sit-down restaurants after security? I guess Terminal B
Outback is the only sit-down restaurant in that section of the airport.
 
Best thing to do with a 3 year old and 5 year old while we wait about an hour - hour and a half for the other part of our group to land? Is there room to wonder a bit, once we departed the plane? Should we head to DME and try to hang around there?
 
Nothing to do near the DME area. Instead, stay on the arrival area in the main terminal and spend some time in the shops or the food court.
 
In March we will be flying into MCO for the first time and will be using DME (also our first time). We will be flying in/out with AA so our terminal will be on the A side. My question is, how do we get from Terminal A to Terminal B to get to the Disney Welcom Center and DME. Is there a walkway or do we have to take a shuttle across? Thanks for any help.
you take the shuttle to the main terminal. A and B are sides of the main terminal. Just walk across to the B side, go down the stairs and elevator to level 1 (where the car rentals are) and walk to the end. There are lots of signs, and folks are always happy to help you. (Also read the top of this board - there are more detailed instructions.)
 
you take the shuttle to the main terminal. A and B are sides of the main terminal. Just walk across to the B side, go down the stairs and elevator to level 1 (where the car rentals are) and walk to the end. There are lots of signs, and folks are always happy to help you. (Also read the top of this board - there are more detailed instructions.)

The post you responded to is from 9 years ago.
 
We've decided to splurge on our upcoming trip and we've upgraded to first class (Delta). Does anyone know if MCO has a preferred security lane anymore? I've read conflicting reports around the internet. The last time I had expedited security in Orlando was on JetBlue and when I asked the TSA agent for directions to the expedited line, he directed me a line that was no different than any other line and it took nearly 90 minutes to get through security. I've considered applying for TSA pre-check, but I don't think we have enough time to be processed before our mid November flight.
 
We've decided to splurge on our upcoming trip and we've upgraded to first class (Delta). Does anyone know if MCO has a preferred security lane anymore? I've read conflicting reports around the internet.
They do not. We live in Orlando and fly Delta regularly. Only pre-check and Clear will work to speed you through security.
 
We've decided to splurge on our upcoming trip and we've upgraded to first class (Delta). Does anyone know if MCO has a preferred security lane anymore? I've read conflicting reports around the internet. The last time I had expedited security in Orlando was on JetBlue and when I asked the TSA agent for directions to the expedited line, he directed me a line that was no different than any other line and it took nearly 90 minutes to get through security. I've considered applying for TSA pre-check, but I don't think we have enough time to be processed before our mid November flight.
It might be worth a shot to *try* and apply. My DH and I applied online yesterday and have an appointment today for my DH and tomorrow for me. They apparently quote you several weeks, but two people I talked to said they got an email with their number a few days later and then the letter in the mail within a week. We're flying November 25th, so probably later than you but from these two sources you might still have time!
 
We've decided to splurge on our upcoming trip and we've upgraded to first class (Delta). Does anyone know if MCO has a preferred security lane anymore? I've read conflicting reports around the internet. The last time I had expedited security in Orlando was on JetBlue and when I asked the TSA agent for directions to the expedited line, he directed me a line that was no different than any other line and it took nearly 90 minutes to get through security. I've considered applying for TSA pre-check, but I don't think we have enough time to be processed before our mid November flight.

There is - at least there was this morning on the A side.

I just flew out of MCO this morning. My husband was assigned TSA pre-check and I was not (previously, it has either been both of us or neither)- so we had the entire security experience!!
My husband breezed through pre-check, other than a woman in front of him who insisted on taking all of her stuff out of her bags, shoes off, etc. - she wasn't listening to anybody and was drawing the ire of the agents and those behind her. He then went to the lounge to wait comfortably for me. I had given him my few liquids to put with his, so I could avoid at least part of the regular security process, but it turns out it would not have been necessary.

I had to go with the masses. It was 5:45 - the lines were insane. Went through at the start of the line for all non-pre-check passengers. Times were posted as 22-26 minutes. About 50 feet into the line, there was a place for expedited passengers for certain airlines to break off from the line at the far left - there was a white lit sign above it, heralding expedited security for statused passengers for listed airlines. It would easily go unnoticed and the agents weren't telling anyone, you had to see it on your own. It definitely allowed those eligible to make a big 'skip the line jump' and get in front of a lot of people (the break off is before reaching the 'desks' where the agents check boarding passes).

Just for more information on today's security procedures (which are literally different every time I fly through MCO, and I have done it at least half of a dozen times this year alone).
Drug sniffing dogs working the lines at a point less than halfway to the desks. Constant calling out to everyone that there were no bins in use today - everything stayed in your bags including laptops, other electronics (absolutely no mention of food this trip), belts and shoes on - nothing in your pockets. If your shoes set off the metal detector - they said you would have to go through again, with your shoes going through the belt that 2nd time. There were still lots of people taking things out and off, and annoyed agents. Still lots of people getting snagged for missing those bottles of water they had coming into the airport. They were basically doing TSA pre-check protocols in the the regular security lines.

I set my stopwatch when I got on line - I cleared the security area after 25 minutes. If they were running the full boatload of security measures, those lines would have easily taken 60 minutes or longer. We still had plenty of time in the lounge before boarding since I am neurotic about getting to the airport early (for just that very reason - you never know how bad security is going to be). When we finally went over to the gate to board - we witnessed a lot of frantic people running to their gates. Our plane left late because they held it due to the large number of passengers who had not yet boarded - 18 to be exact, we left about 10 minutes late to accommodate the late arrivals.
 
There is - at least there was this morning on the A side.
At MCO, the A & B sides refer to ticket counters and baggage claim areas. What gates were you heading for? 1-59 or 70-120?
 

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