MCO Orlando arrival time?
Jun 23, 2019, 9:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
MCO Orlando arrival time?
Apologies for this not being in the correct place if it isn't.
My flight tonight back to LGW is at 7:50pm. It's currently just before midday. I'm in Orlando. I want to drive down to Clearwater to see the gulf of Mexico beaches for an hour. It's a 2 hour drive. So I'd get there around 2pm. Leave around 3pm and be back at MCO for around 5pm. I may get delayed by traffic. I don't know the area.
Is there enough time for me to do this? Thanks.
My flight tonight back to LGW is at 7:50pm. It's currently just before midday. I'm in Orlando. I want to drive down to Clearwater to see the gulf of Mexico beaches for an hour. It's a 2 hour drive. So I'd get there around 2pm. Leave around 3pm and be back at MCO for around 5pm. I may get delayed by traffic. I don't know the area.
Is there enough time for me to do this? Thanks.
Jun 23, 2019, 9:49 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,234
I would not recommend this at all, Tampa traffic can be iffy especially around the times you will be travelling. However I do recommend Clearwater and am there again in August 
If it had been at 8am I would have said for sure - get there after 10 and leave by 2/3
If it had been at 8am I would have said for sure - get there after 10 and leave by 2/3
Jun 23, 2019, 10:20 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
I assume that going to Tampa should be fine? An hour away and hour back.
Any recommendations of places to check out for an hour or so. I just want to avoid theme parks for the afternoon.
Any recommendations of places to check out for an hour or so. I just want to avoid theme parks for the afternoon.
Jun 23, 2019, 10:38 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cumbria
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 4,510
In all seriousness, what has this to do with BA (bar that you are flying back on BA?).
I hope you don't miss your flight, but it is this sort of thing that does lead to missed flights and then people complaining about BA’s lack of flexibility.
I hope you don't miss your flight, but it is this sort of thing that does lead to missed flights and then people complaining about BA’s lack of flexibility.
Jun 23, 2019, 1:53 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 116
Daytona or Cocoa beach areas are pretty nice.
if you had a bit more time Saint Petersburg is great, but in reality I would stay local, I tend to allow more time in MCO than any other airport, it takes me ages to navigate and security is never quick or easy.
if you had a bit more time Saint Petersburg is great, but in reality I would stay local, I tend to allow more time in MCO than any other airport, it takes me ages to navigate and security is never quick or easy.
Jun 24, 2019, 9:58 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
Just as an update - I left my hotel in Orlando at 12.15 and arrived in Clearwater at 2.20pm.
I spent around 30 mins in Clearwater of which I spent about 10 minutes taking some photos on the beach after parking in a bus stop (and not getting a ticket).
I left Clearwater at 2.50pm and arrived at MCO at 5.15pm.
I did keep an eye on Google Maps and did chose faster routes going - including through Largo which was great as that was a very pretty route - better than the way coming back.
Obviously I didn’t have time to really see the place - but the beaches looked amazing and I think if I was to go to Florida again I would stay there or in Tampa.
I take on board how poor MCO airport is - how they have two lounges in the Terminal B - how its so small in the lounge they have two toilets in the men’s in total. How the Starbucks is so small you have to queue outside and how the air conditioning is very poor and the terminal is humid and warm. Not to mention the random mess of immigration and security which looks like it was dropped in the only space available...
I spent around 30 mins in Clearwater of which I spent about 10 minutes taking some photos on the beach after parking in a bus stop (and not getting a ticket).
I left Clearwater at 2.50pm and arrived at MCO at 5.15pm.
I did keep an eye on Google Maps and did chose faster routes going - including through Largo which was great as that was a very pretty route - better than the way coming back.
Obviously I didn’t have time to really see the place - but the beaches looked amazing and I think if I was to go to Florida again I would stay there or in Tampa.
I take on board how poor MCO airport is - how they have two lounges in the Terminal B - how its so small in the lounge they have two toilets in the men’s in total. How the Starbucks is so small you have to queue outside and how the air conditioning is very poor and the terminal is humid and warm. Not to mention the random mess of immigration and security which looks like it was dropped in the only space available...
Jun 24, 2019, 10:08 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Posts: 50,262
Jun 24, 2019, 12:19 pm
#14
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,240
Wow, 4 hours driving for 30 minutes at Clearwater. You must have been keen!! Next time, I'd recommend Pass-A-Grille beach. It's a bit further south (south end of St. Pete beach) but much easier to get into and out of from a traffic perspective. It's also much easier to park.
