6 a.m. flight out of MCO..2 a.m. DME pickup..No way!

[Frwinkley]

We will be leaving on a Thursday morning. Will I be able to get an Uber at 3:30 a.m. from the Beach Club?

 

[WDWNY]

I think you can schedule an uber ahead of time, at least thats what I do in NY. Don't have to worry if there will be cars in the area.

 

[KEW]

I wonder if you can give DME a 'bogus' flight number for a flight a little later? Like find a 7 a.m. flight going out that morning and give them that info?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Yes, you can. I don't know how it works when you have checked luggage. But at that hour you won't be able to use the resort check-in for luggage anyway. Remember that if you give them a flight time that is not your own flight time, they are not responsible for getting you to the airport in time for your actual flight, and if you miss the flight you have no recourse against DME.

 

[Alesia]

I wonder if you can give DME a 'bogus' flight number for a flight a little later? Like find a 7 a.m. flight going out that morning and give them that info?

You can, but if that flight gets delayed or cancelled for some reason, you're not going to have a bus, so you'll need to keep an eye on that flight and possibly adjust accordingly.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

TSA and the airport want you there four hours before your flight leaves. A million and one things could happen that could back up security.

6 AM flight equals 2 AM pickup, yes. Prepare to get snuggly and sleepy in the airport terminal.

 

[FCDub]

TSA and the airport want you there four hours before your flight leaves. A million and one things could happen that could back up security.

6 AM flight equals 2 AM pickup, yes. Prepare to get snuggly and sleepy in the airport terminal.

They absolutely don't want you there four hours early if your PICKUP time is four hours before your flight.

 

[DebbieB]

TSA and the airport want you there four hours before your flight leaves. A million and one things could happen that could back up security.

6 AM flight equals 2 AM pickup, yes. Prepare to get snuggly and sleepy in the airport terminal.

They want you there 3 hours at MCO. At MCO now, picked up at 11 for 3:10 flight. We used TSA precheck and were through in 5 minutes. Now sitting for 3 hours.

 

[NotUrsula]

When you are speaking of very early flights, the airport's standard arrival interval advice can get you there way too early if you don't double-check with the airlines as to when their counters open, and when the TSA checkpoint opens. It's best to find that out directly from the airline, otherwise you might be kicking your heels in the outer lobby for a long time before you can even try to get airside. (In the case of SWA, the counter opens 2 hours before first scheduled departure. Most days, that flight departs right around 6 am, so getting there prior to about 3:45 am on those days would be useless if you had to check baggage.)

Remember to ask specifically what time the airline's counter opens, and what time the TSA checkpoint opens at that airport, otherwise you are just going to get the airline's standard "arrive x hours before departure" advice.

 

[Starwind]

You can, but if that flight gets delayed or cancelled for some reason, you're not going to have a bus, so you'll need to keep an eye on that flight and possibly adjust accordingly.

Actually, we discovered that DME doesn't adjust for delayed flights. In fact, WILL NOT adjust. We knew in the morning that our after 9 pm flight was delayed 2 hours [we later found out the physical plane starts the day in city1, flies to city2, then flies to orlando, then is our flight. That first flight out of city1 was delayed 2 hours by a snowstorm, which then cascaded the rest of the day and got added to by a storm in city2]. We tried to get our DME pickup time shifted a bit, but were told they will not move it. I asked why since we knew the flight was delayed, and they said "the flight could leave early, so so they will not be responsible for not getting you to the airport" and that DME will not adjust the pickup time for a delayed flight. Ultimately our flight was delayed nearly 3 hours; and at that time of night pretty much nothing but the bar is open. We spent many bored hours at the gate being entertained by how many time our airline changed the departure time [FWIW, they DID shorten the delay a few times, so I suppose DME's argument has merit].

SW

 

[seashoreCM]

(quote) [we later found out the physical plane starts the day in city1, flies to city2, then flies to orlando, then is our flight. That first flight out of city1 was delayed 2 hours by a snowstorm, which then cascaded the rest of the day and got added to by a storm in city2]

You never know. Another plane could be rolled out in Orlando and become your flight. Then when the physical plane you were thinking of arrives in Orlando (if it does) it becomes someone else's.

 

[AngiTN]

TSA and the airport want you there four hours before your flight leaves. A million and one things could happen that could back up security.

6 AM flight equals 2 AM pickup, yes. Prepare to get snuggly and sleepy in the airport terminal.

No, they don't. Disney picks you up 4 hours before the flight because they don't drive straight to the airport after each pick up. Usually there are additional stops and it may be an hour before you leave WDW.
There's zero reason to leave WDW 4 hours before your flight if you are taking Uber/Lyft to WDW. Not a domestic flight at least. No idea about International though, as I don't fly it.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the airport authority in Orlando actually recommends that passengers be at the airport 3 hours prior to their flight time. This was recently changed from 2 hours. DME has added in an extra hour for travel time, since they often stop to pick up more passengers at multiple resorts.

Never seen DME adjust for flight delays. Your assigned pickup time remains your pickup time, even if the flight is in delay status.

 

[glamdring269]

Wow 4 hours? Glad we're just taking DME on the way in. We have TSA-Pre and there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to be at that airport 3 hours ahead of flight time. Unless you like hanging out at an airport for 2.5 hours.

 

[AngiTN]

Wow 4 hours? Glad we're just taking DME on the way in. We have TSA-Pre and there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to be at that airport 3 hours ahead of flight time. Unless you like hanging out at an airport for 2.5 hours.

Yep. We have done Uber back to MCO even when it was 3 hours, no way we'd do it for 4 hours. So worth the $30 to get 2 more hours at the parks. Not to mention, having more control when there's a flight change. We would have already been on ME and left sitting at the airport for hours on one trip last year. Instead, we were just walking out of Epcot to catch our Uber when we found out about our flight change. We got to close the park that night instead. I don't know about any of you but if my choice is killing 4 hours at MCO or 4 hours at Epcot, my choice is easy.

 

[Minnesota!]

I must be the only one who is excited for MORE time in the airport. I love it...it's part of the trip for me (and my husband/kids...). We love the people watching, kitschy-souvenir shopping, etc.

I am totally ok with the 4 hours pickup, even if I were to breeze through security in 5 minutes.

 

[AngiTN]

I must be the only one who is excited for MORE time in the airport. I love it...it's part of the trip for me (and my husband/kids...). We love the people watching, kitschy-souvenir shopping, etc.

I am totally ok with the 4 hours pickup, even if I were to breeze through security in 5 minutes.

Urgh, yeah. You must be the only one, or one of 5 people, who want to sit around an airport. Blech! Only 2 places I hate more, prison and hospitals. And I'm guessing about prison

 

[Minnesota!]

Urgh, yeah. You must be the only one, or one of 5 people, who want to sit around an airport. Blech! Only 2 places I hate more, prison and hospitals. And I'm guessing about prison

Ha ha! I absolutely love airports...I could sit in one all day just to people watch/plane watch. I love the crazy vibe, the stressed out people, the nervous fliers, etc.

We routinely get to our home airport WAY earlier than we "should" just so we can be there.. Cheap entertainment, I guess!

 

[AngiTN]

Ha ha! I absolutely love airports...I could sit in one all day just to people watch/plane watch. I love the crazy vibe, the stressed out people, the nervous fliers, etc.

We routinely get to our home airport WAY earlier than we "should" just so we can be there.. Cheap entertainment, I guess!

Going TO our vacation, I can see it. I'm excited and am good with getting there early, when we aren't taking the 5 AM flight. Going home, nope. Gotta drag me kicking and screaming away from vacation at the last possible moment. Airport means home and the end of vacation. Last thing I want to do is hurry that along.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I love airports, but when I am leaving Disney I want as much time in the parks as possible. I think we are going to cab it back to MCO in January.