Overnight at MCO (Orlando)
 

Got a flight landing a little bit after 11pm and then another leaving at 5:15am.
Don't thing it's worth paying $116 or whatever for a hotel for 4hrs tops so planning on hanging out in the airport.

Should I do so, what's the best option?
Looked at the sleeping at airports website but not sure if their info is correct (they mention TSA starts up after 5am yet I would clear that before then).

i.e. stay airside or head landside to the food court where hopefully, at the very least, something like McDonalds is open.

The authority:

Sleeping In Ariports

I fly in and out of Orlando frequently, and it pretty much closes up at night. There will be no restaurants open in the airport at that time, and yes, TSA does not open until 5:00 AM. I was on a Delta flight last week (August 9, 2016) when Delta had their meltdown. My flight arrived at 2:00 in the morning, everything was locked up. You could probably sleep on a bench, but I did not see anyone hanging around any areas outside of the arrival gates. I would highly recommend getting a good night's sleep at one of the hotels nearby. Many of them have shuttle that pick up at the airport. There are no food courts that stay open past about 10:00 PM, and they don't open until about 6:00. Hard to find something to eat real early there.

Check on booking.com, or trivago and see what you can find for a hotel. I don't think Orlando has any flights that actually leave at 5:15. Most flights don't leave before 6:00 AM.

If nothing else, you can hang around a hotel lobby, but Orlando really pulls in the sidewalks after about 11:00 (or earlier) Even in the hotels, their lobby bars or restaurants are closed after 11:00. I think the airport lounges also close. (like Delta or American's sky clubs)

Good luck!

Call the Hyatt directly (not the toll-free reservations line) and see if you can get the "day rate" for a check-in after 11:00 PM with a 4:30 AM checkout. Even around 11 PM, that place is empty and it's not set up for overnights.

Even 4 hours at that Hyatt can be quite pleasant.

Sure, but at what price :confused:

We are in Budget Forum ;)

I'm definitely flying MCO-CLT on AA487 on the 15th Nov at 5:15am.

McD @ MCO is open 24 hours.

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/usa/orlando.htm

Found that on the MCO website. Others places are 9/10pm or until last flight.

Looked at the Hyatt and over £200 a night. They mention day rooms from 10m-6pm for $99 but still cheaper to sit up, or go to one or two hotels that are £40-£65 i.e Country Inn & Suites, Quality Inn.

There seems to around 3 flights on AA before 5:30am and 1 with Delta so there must be some form of security open.

My flights gets in at just before 11pm now so 6h15 less transit times, security, boarding 30mins before take-off etc.
Depends on shuttle buses as well. Looked at one or two and they mention every half hour so that might mean catching one at 3:30am to get to the airport before 4am (then security, monorail and walk to the gate).

You could take the free shuttle and sleep in a rental car for 32USD.

Brilliant! I'm getting a bit ancient, and like to think I know a lot about travel, but this one never occurred to me.

Safe, soft, quiet, comfortable, cheap.

Thank you!

:D

Skills honed during starving college days applied during golden years...priceless.

BTW The 32USD could be trimmed with additional deal-fu.

Did this once after arriving off a red-eye at FLL, even better when you book a compact and get a very comfortable Nissan Maxima. Found a park in a nice neighborhood near the airport and got in a decent 3 hour nap :) Not a bad deal for $22.

OK,

one of you guys need to post this in Low Budget Travel Tips thread.

This is pure Gold ^ @:-) :) :p

For the record, when I moved to Los Angeles many decades ago, my friend's plan was to sleep in a car to save on housing.

He did, but he didn't stay in LA permanently.

Once again, pure genius :D :D

I've slept in the back of a rental car a couple of times (although rented for 2-3 days).

First time in San Juan, PR, when I had an early flight and was out kayaking on the east of the island and wasn't going to be into the city until after midnight so paying $200 for a hotel for 4 hours didn't seem worth it. Tried to sleep in the car but felt too exposed and not that comfy so just went to the airport, dropped the car off, and sat in the terminal for 3 hours or so.

Second time, I arrived in Honolulu late and by the time I picked up my car, it was close to 12:30am so I drove to the beach and parked up. Then drove to Pearl Harbour around 5:30am.

Have pulled over to the side of the road a few times in my own car back home and also stopped off in a motorway services car park before for a break / doze.

Suppose it helps if you know in advance where you can park.
Also, not sure if it's different for Americans as us Brits need to pay for various insurances and can't just use our normal car / auto insurance and that could push the price up.

1. Use a CC with primary coverage on rentals.

2. Major USA airports have nearby free lots for travelers' fetchers awaiting that magical cell call "I'm at the curb outside baggage claim".

3. Just checked Hotwire for a midweek 24 hour prepaid rental in Sept.

22USD total @ MCO!!