hey everyone so i just landed at mco like literally walked off the plane and through the whole thing and i gotta say its a beast of an airport but totally manageable if you know whats up honestly my head is still spinning a little but i wanted to share some quick thoughts because i wish someone had given me a heads up you know its not like lax or jfk where its super spread out but it still has its quirks and its always busy like always so if its your first time here or even your second time and you were totally confused last time lemme tell you some stuff that might help you out.
Getting your bearings
okay so first things first mco is basically built around this huge central terminal building and everything else kinda connects to it its not like some airports where you just walk from gate to gate because here youve got these automated people movers or apms that take you from the main terminal to your gate concourse and back so thats your first big thing to get used to you land on what they call airside which sounds fancy but basically its just where the gates are and you gotta take the train thingy to get to the main terminal building which is landside where you pick up your bags and find your rental car or your uber its kinda straightforward but also kinda confusing because its so big and there are always so many people everywhere and you just follow the signs honestly they are pretty good with the signs but sometimes you feel like youre walking forever to get to them.
- long walks warning: seriously some of those gate concourses like c or even b if your gate is at the far end can feel like an absolute trek after you get off the apm train thing and you just want to get to baggage claim or your car but you gotta keep walking and its tiring especially if you have luggage and little kids so just be prepared for that and dont think you can sprint through it all in five minutes.
- hidden shortcuts (sorta): okay so its not really hidden but more like knowing where to go for less crowds so for pickups and dropoffs sometimes going to the departures level instead of arrivals for a pickup can be a lot less congested or vice versa depending on the time of day and also when youre going from the apm to the main terminal look for the moving walkways those are your best friends they dont literally cut through walls but they save your feet from some serious pounding and sometimes if youre looking for food before security on the main terminal if one side is super busy try the other side its basically a mirror image and sometimes one side is just chill.
The peak hour survival guide
listen mco is the gateway to disney world and universal studios and basically all the fun stuff so its always peak hour you know its just like that so you gotta be smart about it and have a plan especially if youre flying out early morning or late afternoon like everyone else you literally cant expect to just waltz through security in five minutes even with tsa precheck sometimes it gets backed up so give yourself extra extra time for everything its not like your small town airport at all.
for security lines if you dont have precheck or clear youre gonna be waiting and waiting and thats just the reality so pack your patience and make sure your liquids are all sorted out and your shoes are easy to take off and honestly sometimes going to a different security checkpoint than the one thats right in front of you can save some time like if you see one thats ridiculously long maybe walk a bit further to another one because sometimes one is shorter but its not a guarantee its just a gamble you gotta play.
food lines are also a thing so if you know you want something specific like a starbucks or a specific burger joint try to use mobile ordering apps before you even get to the airport or while youre on the apm because that can save you literally twenty minutes of standing around and waiting and its super handy for when youre trying to catch a flight and you dont have time to spare and for rental cars if you didnt book ahead you might be waiting for ages too so always book ahead and know exactly where you need to go for your shuttle or pick up and its usually a little walk or a bus ride from the main terminal to the rental car center so factor that in your timing.
and for uber or lyft pickups its pretty well signed but know that there are specific areas for them on the ground transportation level and sometimes its just absolutely swamped with cars and people so finding your driver can be a bit of a scavenger hunt and dont be shy about calling them or texting them exactly where you are and what youre wearing because its loud and busy and its hard for them to spot you sometimes. its a bit of a chaotic but fun experience honestly and its super efficient in its own way once you figure it out so good luck and enjoy your trip or your flight out of orlando!