Orlando Airport

[triplets]

Hi all,
One week to go to our holiday! Anyone got any tips on getting through the airport with the kids as painlessly as possible? Have been told getting a luggage trolley can be a nightmare, is it true? Also has anyone used the Virgin check in in Downtown Disney, is it worth it? Have never flown with Virgin before, any tips on where to sit as there are five of us?

Never travelled to Orlando with kids - will be doing in November . But have travelled there without with Virgin lots of times. Staff excellent both on and off the flight. Had no probs with luggage trolleys, Didn't use Downtown Disney as not being used due to terroist (crap spelling) threats. Parents have used it and they said it was ideal. With 5 of you I would try & sit either 2 then 3 behind on the side or 2 on the side and 3 in the middle seats. You can then keep swapping around. I have been watching your holiday threads with interest cos we are going to. Where abouts are you staying? How old are your triplets? We can't wait just a bit nervous of the long flight with a kiddy.

Hi,

If you are wearing a coat on arrival into Orlando, be prepared to remove it. All hand luggage must be placed in the grey bins they use prior to it being x-rayed. Do ensure that all your party are together!. Orlando is one of the very few places in the US where all passengers are searched not long after you get off the plane!.

Apart from that hassle, going through the airport itself is not too bad and I can remember seeing plenty of trolleys. As the airport is so spread out (there is a monorail to take you to the main terminal building) it can take some time to transit the airport to get down to the actual arrivals level on the ground floor.

Ensure that all your documentation is in order and that all the visa waiver forms and customs form are correctly filled in. Do not complete these standing in line; fill these forms in on the plane. Each one of your children as well as your good self and DH will need a completed visa waiver form (the ground staff will give you these at check in) and you can sign this form them on their behalf if they are less than 14 years of age. They are strict there and I have seen people sent to the back of the line as forms have not been cirrectly completed. Do not attempt to cross the yellow line at immigration before you are summoned forward. The adults in your party will be fingerprinted and photographed.

Depending on the configuration of the aircraft as they do use different types, would suggest you go for three at the side and two in the middle (or vice versa as Oooggs suggested).

Believe that the Downtown Disney check in facility is now open; you ALL have to go there though the day before with all your luggage including hand luggage. Do check in resort about this though as their procedures can and do change on a regular basis.

Have a fab time, would like to read of your experiences.

P.S the Mall at Millenia is well worth a visit!.

P.S

Have a look at Orlando airports.net. This is the official aiport site and gives plenty of infomration. There is a good section on there called "Arrivals walkthrough".

triplets, have you pre booked your flight seats? I just ask as DH the boys and I went in July/Aug and got to the airport fairly early but got split up. I was sad about it as it's such a long flight. As look would have it a friend was at Newcastle and saw me upset. She told me to have a word with the flight attendant as I board. So I did and they managed to get a couple to swap with DS1 and I so we were in front of DH and DS2.
Do you know which airport you're going to in Orlando, International or Sandford?

Definitely worth checking in at Downtown Disney. Do it first thing and then spend the day in Disney. We checked in, discovered then and there there was a long delay on the flight and had a fantastic day in Disney rather than being stuck in the airport. If you're able to, Twilight Checkin at Gatwick is good to since you don't then need to queue the next day and it's much more relaxed. We do it but we do only live 30 mins away from Gatwick so its easy to pop in the night before!

When you land at Orlando, you have to collect your luggage at baggage reclaim and then you have to check it in again in order to use the transit to the main part of the terminal. Then you have to wait at another reclaim to collect your bags again. It's a PITA.

Cusyoms & Immigration is a nightmare - be prepared for queues. It's tedious and your children will no doubt get bored.

Is your car hire through Dollar? The car pick up is in a multistorey carpark so keep an eye on your children so they don't wander off. I think this is true of most of the car hire firms. Getting your car can be time consuming too so again, be prepared for the children to get bored.

You will undoubtably get lost at some point in your journey to your first hotel. DH & I inevitably spend at least half of the drive not talking to each other. American roadsigns are cr*p (sorry to any Americans!!) and you'll be tired and irritable after the flight (and all the queueing I mentioned)

Seating wise, I'd go for all in a line, starting from the window and ending up with 1 or 2 in the middle seats. This should mean that you're disturbed less by people needing to get out of non-aisle seats. As for where in the plane, when we've flown Virgin, seats numbered around 25 were in a small cabin of about 6 rows, just behind Upper class. Fab as it felt more private. Ask about the layout of the plane when you check in.

All comments about Orlando airport apply to the International airport, not Sandford though!

Hi all,
Loads of helpful info, thank you. Oooggs my trio will be 7 in Jan, they are used to bery long car journeys, 8+ hours, so hoping they won`t be a nightmare! I think we Mums all worry about them disturbing other people. We are staying in a villa 1 mile from the Animal Kingdom, 13 nights there, then 8 nights in a beach bungalow on Anna Maria Island, thats the bit I am looking forward to most! What date are you going?

Triplets, if your 3 can watch TV solidly, they'll be fine on the flight with the seatback entertainment. Add a few favourite games and snacks and you'll be fine.

We are going on 25 Nov and back 10 Dec (day before DS 1st birthday) we are staying in a house in Orlando. DH & I have been several times before to Orlando, the Keys & Clearwater it's just great. DH would live there if I would let him . Have an ace holiday, Virgin are superb, can't wait for you to tell me all about it.

We're off too on Dec 27 for a couple of weeks. Can't wait. Going to Saratoga Springs Disney Vacation Club for our first timeshare (49 years to go!).

Hi everyone,
Guess what, thought it was all going too well. Just had an e-mail from the real estate people in Anna Maria Island to say that the house we have rented from the 24th for 8 nights has been sold and the new owners have the builders in building a pool! I am now waiting to hear from them as they say there are two other properties that they could offer us, don`t say if the rental price is the same. We are really disappointed at this late stage, the house was virtually on the beach and had a large garden for the kids...........watch this space!

Quite horrified to read your post & realise you haven't prebooked your seats!!! You do realise you can't choose where to sit when you get to Gatwick, don't you?! In fact if you turn up without prebooking, it's likely that either you will end up all being spread out around the plane or some other poor people will have to be moved because of you! Ring them now & check it!

DH says you can go online & see the plane layout so that you can see where your seats are (once you have the numbers).

Hi Tallulah,
We have reserved our seats but have been told that as we are checking in the day before we might find that we dould have chosen somewhere better, thats why I was asking! We have 3 then 2 across the aisle in the middle.