Web Images Video Shopping News Maps More | MSN | Windows Live

Ciao - for people with opinions

Latest reviews Write a review

Best picks Latest videos

SHOPPING

Reviews

Questions

Similar offers

I WANT TO

RELATED TAGS

SHOPPING > Travel > North America > United States of America > Orlando > Orlando Attractions > Orlando, USA (MCO) > Reviews

Orlando, USA (MCO)

User reviews (19)

Ask a question

Best Orlando Attractions (Ciao Hitlist)

Write your own review

Keep on the move with 3 from £15 a month. Choose from phone, mobile broadband & laptop deals

New customers receive 40 free prints when registering and uploading photos with Truprint!

Review »

Show all Reviews for Orlando, USA (MCO)

Orlando International Airport

Feb 9th, 2008 (Feb 6th, 2008)

Advantages:
Easy to navigate, plenty of toilets .

Disadvantages:
Time in Queues and Speaker system .

Recommendable Yes:

Detailed rating:

Prices

Is it worth visiting?

Transport links

Family Friendly

CRAFTYDONNA

CRAFTYDONNA

About me:

Thanks everyone who reads and ratesmy reviews, it means alot to me that my opinion counts.

Member since:25.07.2006

Reviews:81

Members who trust:29

Here is my experience of Orlando International Airport which we have used on Three holidays to Florida, our latest visit was Nov 2007.

Orlando International airport is one of the main Airports for Central Florida but some airlines use Sanford which is further from Orlando. It really depends on the airline company to which airport you will land at, we used Virgin for all trips and all arrived at the same area of the international airport.

Before you arrive in the USA don't forget to fill is those green visa waiver forms for each person in your party oh and 1 white customs form for the whole family. Fill this out correctly other wise you will pay for this later, time wise. The airline crew are very good and will help by checking over your forms but you must ask them to do this. On virgin flights they have a little section in the flight magazine with helpful information.

On Arriving try and get off the plane as quick as possible. Why you may ask? Well you will find out as soon as your reach passport control where you will find queues and queues of people trying to get through. At our arrival time we had two large planes arrive at similar times and it becomes even more of a nightmare. Average wait has been between 30 minutes to 1 hour, not good when you have 2 children who have had a long flight and just want to get their holiday started. Plus you have everyone else being grumpy, adults and children (Ear-plugs might come in handy here). Once you get to the end of the queue make sure you have all your forms and passports ready. Wait your turn until your called, don't move unless asked. When called forward all the family must go together, hand over all paperwork and pray that everything is filled in correctly. I saw at least 6 families sent to the back of the queue and asked to refill in their forms, all forms can not have any crossing outs. Then the officer will check each of you out, adults have to do a finger check and eye/picture check. They don't really bother with the children much. Oh don't expect a happy greeting, they don't smile and please don't joke with them. Once your through that bit, breath!!!!

Then its collect your baggage time, on the last trip its was easy, all luggage was there ready and waiting and we had no trouble at all. Good time to take a toilet stop. On other visits it took half an hour here.

Then off you go through another check, you give in the white form customs form at this stage, in the past we didn't have to do this we just gave them to the officer at passport control.

Then round the corner you meet a man with a conveyer belt putting on luggage. Normally they take your luggage from you and you don't see it until Baggage Claim which they normally direct you to (They give you a number to go to) and is very simple to get to and is very well sign-posted. BUT on our last trip we was given the option not to use this and take the luggage straight with us to the exit, this is okay if you don't have many bags with you. We had one each so managed this okay.

You then proceed to either Baggage claim if you gave luggage or Exit if you have it already, you basically are going in the same direction. You get directed to a Train (Monorail) and this takes you to the main people, these can get packed so try and keep everyone together as much as possible. There is only one station to get off.

The you follow the signs to where you wish to go to:

Baggage claim - If you handed luggage over go here and collect luggage this can again take time.

Exit - Follow signs to exits. You will see many different types like rental car area, buses, Taxis, Car parks and so on. As we had a tour bus picking us up we found a virgin rep who directed us to the ground floor where several buses were waiting.

RETURN - This is much easier to do and follow, you arrive at the airport and go to the gate you need, this is normally already on your ticket which it has been on all trips. You go through security gates, be prepared to wait for a long while and take off shoes and watches and you name it everything, apart from your main clothes of cause. The detectors seem to be more sensitive than the uk one as we have found. My trainers set them off twice. On the last visit the machines were playing up and I nearly had a panic attack that we was going to be late. You then get on the train to the gate you want and jump off at the other end. Your basically at the departure area for your plane. Before you get there don't forget toilet stop and duty free, this normally closes 30 minutes before your flight is due to leave so be quick. Also you can grab a quick drink at several of the cafes there but be prepared to pay more than normal cafes.

The seating areas are not very comfortable and I don't think they have enough seats for the number of people using this gate. Also when they call peoples names or gate numbers, they should do so more clearer or get a better system, you never seem to be able to here what's been said.

OVERALL : I don't mind this airport at all its not one of the best but isn't bad. The main downside is the waiting around and all the queues and stuff but I suppose you have to expect that as part of the holiday.

Write your own review

« Previous review Next review »

Add a bookmark

How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines

Products you might be interested in »

Ramada Convention Center I-Drive, Orlando Hotel - 8342 Jamaican Ct, Orlando, FL 32819, USA Rate it now Buy now for only £ 23.61	Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort LAKE BUENA VISTA, Orlando Hotel - 13351 State Road 535, Orlando, FL 32821, USA Rate it now Buy now for only £ 35.72
Ramada International Drive, Orlando Hotel - 6500 International Drive, Orlando, Florida, FL 32819, United States of America Rate it now Buy now for only £ 32.69	Super 8 Motel -Orlando/Near Universal, Orlando Motel - 5900 American Way, Orlando, FL 32819, USA Rate it now Buy now for only £ 17.56
Lake Buena Vista Resort Village And Spa, Orlando Villa - 8113 Resort Village Drive, Orlando, Florida, FL 32821, United States of America Rate it now Buy now for only £ 55.58	Staybridge Suites Orlando/Lake Buena Vista, Orlando Hotel - 8751 Suiteside Dr, Orlando, FL 32836, USA User reviews (1) Buy now for only £ 39.35

Comments about this review »

sghawken 09.02.2008 17:44

You people with your overseas travel make me sick ;o)

hackersupr 09.02.2008 16:32

Great review :)

CPTDANIELS 09.02.2008 16:16

Interesting review

read all comments

More reviews »

Orlando, USA (MCO) - review by Testarossa

Advantages: Big, clean, lots of facilities
Disadvantages: Long time to get through immigration

Testarossa 28.01.2005 (28.01.2005) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Orlando, USA (MCO)

Orlando, USA (MCO) - review by Vistaway

Advantages: Compact, Good design, comfortable, lots of shops and restaurants
Disadvantages: Need to take Monorail to gate.

Vistaway 08.07.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Orlando, USA (MCO)

Orlando, USA (MCO) - review by agrady1008

Advantages: Great Location. Major airlines use. Great Facilities
Disadvantages: Security.

agrady1008 17.02.2008 (17.02.2008) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Orlando, USA (MCO)

Orlando, USA (MCO) - review by Limara

Advantages: Very quick to exit the terminal
Disadvantages: not a great range of shops

Limara 05.07.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Orlando, USA (MCO)

Orlando, USA (MCO) - review by Dalesman

Advantages: 10 - 15 mins drive from International Drive
Disadvantages: none that I can think of

Dalesman 19.08.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Orlando, USA (MCO)

Show all reviews

Are you the manufacturer / provider of Orlando, USA (MCO)? Click here

Orlando, USA (MCO)

Orlando International Airport

More reviews »

Best/worst »