MCI (Kansas City) help
 

Greeting FT.

I just found out that I'll be staffed in Kansas City starting next week... and the furthest "inland" I've ever been is Denver (ok... not including Chicago). I was wondering if someone could give me a little primer on MCI and the city beyond what can be had in a google search (I'm looking for the real FT perspective!)

Best airlines in and out? Great/common/easy desintations/connections around MCI? Great places in the city and down in Overland (suprisingly, I'm NOT staffed at Sprint :p )

Thanks! -xj

Welcome to FT xj47. I am moving your thread over to our Midwest Forums. I am sure that FT'rs in that MCI area will be happy to assist you.
Good luck with the move.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

The airport is way up north :D for those of us who live south. The best airlines? Depends on your FF program, as all the major US-based airlines fly out of here. The airport is great on the inbound, ok on the outbound as long as you don't want to purchase liquids/use the restroom after going through security (except for WN, not sure about other airlines). If your flight is significantly delayed, the airport is not the most pleasant place to be.

As far as where to go/hang out, a lot of it depends on what you like to do. There are a few frequent-posters who also live here (Pinniped & Athena53 come to mind) who could probably point out a lot more than I could.

Anyhoo, in KCMO, the Plaza, Brookside, and Waldo are pretty cool. Not sure on the Kansas side of things, unless you provide specifics of what you want to do - I live here so I probably miss a lot :)

Watch out for the road work - there are two major highway projects going on that cut through southern Johnson County (although being from LA you won't encounter "real" traffic :D) Here are some traffic/roadwork related links:

Scout System This covers the southern portion of the KC area.
Overland Park Traffic These are cameras operated by Overland Park. This is a fairly new feature.
KC Area Highway Closures - Kansas
KC Area Highway Closures - Missouri
(yes, I'm focused on the roads right now, it's raining and the idiots don't know how to drive :D )

I live & work in OP, so feel free to PM me with any questions.

I basically lived in OP/KC for a year and had a chance to check out most of the bar/nightlife scene. Can you give me some more info about what types of places you like (food, music, age group, etc.) so that I can give you better suggestions?

Um... I'm 22, so I'm still down with college age ;) I'm not a "music fan" per se (I enjoy music, but nothing specific enough to go to concerts etc.)

In terms of nightlife: not so into "loud." Quieter bars/cafes. Lounges rather than clubs.

Food: anything! If there is something particularly special that I should try, definately let me know.

Thanks!

You have to try Gates or Arthur Bryants to get some good KC BBQ. But since you will be out in OP you can try Jack Stack, they have great BBQ and its a little more fine dining than some of the other BBQ joints.
You might also want to check out the new Legends shopping area out by the Nascar track. Besides the BBQ joints there is not a lot of thing specific to KC that you wont find anywhere else in the US.
I dont know if I saw what time of year you will be here but if it is after thanksgiving you should check out the plaza, they have it all done up for Christmas and there are tons of people out walking around, its a park and get out kind of place. I think it was the first "shopping center" in the US. If im wrong someone will correct me.

Sounds great, thanks!

My advice is get married before you come here. I'm "old" compared to you, and I came here to live by my wife's parents. It works just wonderfully for us, and our two small children. If I were 22 and single, though, I think I'd be miserable. :D

That said, I too am "out South" and I'm sure that if there are any 'younger' KC folk lurking here, they ought to be able to offer some ideas to prove me wrong.

Let us know if you have other questions.

It's been a few years since I was had a gig in KC (and it ~was~ at Sprint PCS), but:

- I found it cheaper/easier to negotiate a long term contract for a rental car, park in long term parking and then walk to Terminal A (US and UA, plus others). Be aware that the drive from the airport down to Overland Park is pretty long.

- I stayed at this place long before I understood the concept of hotel points, and don't think they have a frequent stayer program, but I would recommend this place... Holtze Executive Village

- There are tons of BBQ places in KC. If you're going to be there for a while, try 'em all. Many are good, some are average.

Heh. Marriage isn't exactly on the horizon... I'd need to find someone, first. Then again, I hear there are plenty of cute, curvy, natural blondes in the mid-west/south (better than the freaking plastic straws walking around LA...) ;)

I keep hearing about this long drive, but on a google map its only 45 minutes... is it actually longer than that or is it just a bunch of non-LA residents thinking that 45 minutes qualifies as long? ;)

I'll have to check the company TA to see if they list that place... looks beautiful, though I'd love to get up to *wood Platinum.

Thanks for your help! -xj

Well...I'm afraid I should refrain from commenting too much in case my wife happens to start lurking here. :D

Yeah, I guess "long" is relative :p 45 minutes sounds about right.

It should be about 45 min, but the difference here is that you will be driving 70mph for most of those 45 min and seeing mostly farm land until the last 10 min of your drive.

about the women here, the widwest farmers daughter can really make you feel alright, that is right, but make sure its not the farmers daughter that is cooking meth out in the barn! Last time i looked we were the worlds largest meth producer!!!!!!! Yeah!

?! Seriously? In Kansas City, KS/MO? Whatever happened to the moral midwest, corrupt coasts?