PDX-ATL-MCO-PDX
Oct 11, 1999, 12:46 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,178
Sunday 10/10/99 MCO-DFW-PDX
Check-in at Medallion line went quickly, though the airport was very crowded. Lots of kids, but hey it's MCO. There must have been 60-70 people in the regular line. Seat 1E on the first leg (767-300) & 1A (727) on the DFW-PDX leg.
Headed to the CRC, which is just inside Terminal B after you get off the train (next to the golf shop). As I write this I'm in the CRC…and it is the prettiest one I've ever been in! This place is huge, with many separate rooms divided by ½ glass window walls. Textured walls, beautiful wood trimwork, transoms with cut & leaded glass inserts, it looks like some of the old antebellum mansions or B&B's in suburban ATL or MSY. Tons of sofas & heavy comfortable chairs, nice work desks (at the proper height), wicker furniture with thick cushions and windows on 3 sides to the runways & taxiways. You could literally get lost in here. Only about 15 people in here (I think), but didn't check all of the rooms. There could be 50 people here and it still wouldn't seem crowded because it's so spread out. Saw 2 people sleeping on sofas, but I knew if I sat down for any length of time I'd fall asleep too. Small, slightly cramped phone & cubicle area, which seems strange given the total space in here. This is a great place to get away from the Griswold's with their Mickey ears…
Got to gate just as boarding started, flight was full and departed on time. Green salad with chicken served as the snack, it was pretty good with Raspberry Vinagrette dressing. Sat next to a very interesting guy who works for Lockheed-Martin Info Systems. He's on temp assignment in Ft. Worth and travels back & forth each week from MCO-DFW. Learned a lot about how the defense contractors have had to branch into other areas to survive. Smooth flight, snoozed for ½ hour and we landed on time. Only negative seemed to be the seats on this plane. The 2-2-2 configuration in the 767-300 seems to have narrower seats and armrests in FC. Between my seatmate & I, it seemed like we were shoulder-to-shoulder the whole trip. Hope the 767-400 is a bit wider.
Flight from DFW was a bit late leaving, approx. ½ hour. Slept for first 2 hrs, then when I woke up the FA asked if I was ready for dinner (chicken w/cous cous & mixed veggies). Decent meal since it had to be served about an hour later than everyone elses. Ice cream sundae for dessert. We made up most of the delay in flight…pilot came on & told us he got a more direct routing than the original flight plan. Skies were very clear, excellent flight & we landed on time.
Baggage area was crowded but quick, shuttle to car & home. Three days here & leave for IAH on Thursday. Will do a small report from Houston next week. Haven't been there in 3 years, staying at the Hyatt downtown, near the Conv. Center.
Check-in at Medallion line went quickly, though the airport was very crowded. Lots of kids, but hey it's MCO. There must have been 60-70 people in the regular line. Seat 1E on the first leg (767-300) & 1A (727) on the DFW-PDX leg.
Headed to the CRC, which is just inside Terminal B after you get off the train (next to the golf shop). As I write this I'm in the CRC…and it is the prettiest one I've ever been in! This place is huge, with many separate rooms divided by ½ glass window walls. Textured walls, beautiful wood trimwork, transoms with cut & leaded glass inserts, it looks like some of the old antebellum mansions or B&B's in suburban ATL or MSY. Tons of sofas & heavy comfortable chairs, nice work desks (at the proper height), wicker furniture with thick cushions and windows on 3 sides to the runways & taxiways. You could literally get lost in here. Only about 15 people in here (I think), but didn't check all of the rooms. There could be 50 people here and it still wouldn't seem crowded because it's so spread out. Saw 2 people sleeping on sofas, but I knew if I sat down for any length of time I'd fall asleep too. Small, slightly cramped phone & cubicle area, which seems strange given the total space in here. This is a great place to get away from the Griswold's with their Mickey ears…
Got to gate just as boarding started, flight was full and departed on time. Green salad with chicken served as the snack, it was pretty good with Raspberry Vinagrette dressing. Sat next to a very interesting guy who works for Lockheed-Martin Info Systems. He's on temp assignment in Ft. Worth and travels back & forth each week from MCO-DFW. Learned a lot about how the defense contractors have had to branch into other areas to survive. Smooth flight, snoozed for ½ hour and we landed on time. Only negative seemed to be the seats on this plane. The 2-2-2 configuration in the 767-300 seems to have narrower seats and armrests in FC. Between my seatmate & I, it seemed like we were shoulder-to-shoulder the whole trip. Hope the 767-400 is a bit wider.
Flight from DFW was a bit late leaving, approx. ½ hour. Slept for first 2 hrs, then when I woke up the FA asked if I was ready for dinner (chicken w/cous cous & mixed veggies). Decent meal since it had to be served about an hour later than everyone elses. Ice cream sundae for dessert. We made up most of the delay in flight…pilot came on & told us he got a more direct routing than the original flight plan. Skies were very clear, excellent flight & we landed on time.
Baggage area was crowded but quick, shuttle to car & home. Three days here & leave for IAH on Thursday. Will do a small report from Houston next week. Haven't been there in 3 years, staying at the Hyatt downtown, near the Conv. Center.
Oct 11, 1999, 6:32 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: SDF via MCO DFW, FSD, BDS, DSM, ORD, OMA
Posts: 612
Great report, Shadow! Sorry we couldn't hook up while you were here. 
Also too bad you couldn't have stayed through part of Sunday. Gorgeous day, sunshine & no humidity. This is why we live here! (Well, that and the traffic. Also the spectacle of seeing 'driverless' Cadillac's driven by 4'0" snow-bird ladies)
Cheers,
'toad
Also too bad you couldn't have stayed through part of Sunday. Gorgeous day, sunshine & no humidity. This is why we live here! (Well, that and the traffic. Also the spectacle of seeing 'driverless' Cadillac's driven by 4'0" snow-bird ladies)
Cheers,
'toad
Oct 11, 1999, 7:16 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
I concur. Great report and I'm sorry we couldn't get together. The only intresting things that happeded to me on this trip were, that on the way down, I fell asllep on pushback from the gate in the CO MD80 and next thing I knew, they were lowering the wheels to land at MCO. I guess I was pretty tired. On the way back on Sunday I lucked out. The 10:30 AM 757 was configured with BusinessFirst seats in the forward cabin and the ride was VERY comfortable. I will note for the record, that the Business First seating and things like the small video monitor are starting to get ratty looking and could use some TLC. On both my video monitor and on the woman's in the seat next to me the plastic framing was loose and falling off, and it was almost impossible to get the monitors back in their storage place.
Oct 11, 1999, 11:44 am
#20
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
The MCO CRC may not be the biggest, but it is the nicest ...
They have great views of the runways/taxiways as you mention, great furniture ... and most importantly a very nice selection of beer (seven or eight choices, which isn't bad at all considering it's free!).
They have great views of the runways/taxiways as you mention, great furniture ... and most importantly a very nice selection of beer (seven or eight choices, which isn't bad at all considering it's free!).