These Orlando Airport CHANGES Could Mess With Your Next Trip

When it comes to vacationing at Disney World, the Orlando International Airport (MCO) can often be a beast in itself if you’re unfamiliar and unprepared.

Orlando International Airport

Maybe you’re new to the airport entirely, or maybe you just haven’t been in a LONG time. No matter your situation, this post is all about how you can stay prepared by keeping an eye out for some changes that could catch you off guard.

When it comes to stress-free vacationing, preparedness is key! Even if there are bumps in the road, knowing they could occur beforehand as well as knowing how to handle them is the key to ensuring that your magical vacation bliss is still intact. So, here are FIVE THINGS that often catch visitors off guard when they arrive at MCO.

1. Magical Express Is Not A Thing Anymore

This one shocks many who visited Disney World a lot in the past, but haven’t been in several years. Magical Express was Disney’s ground transportation service that provided free transportation to and from the airport if you were staying at a Disney World hotel. The most appealing part of this was that you could book it directly through Disney, so that when you arrived to the airport, you could hop onto your scheduled Magical Express shuttle stress-free.

Mears Connect is one of the airport shuttle services available.

Now, there is no Disney-provided transportation service. Instead, you have to research beforehand to decide which transportation company is right for you and your travel party. You then have to book it yourself instead of doing it through Disney. Popular choices are Mears Connect and Sunshine Flyer, and of course, car rental and ride share options like Alamo, Uber, and Lyft.

2. Being In The Right Place Can Be… Tricky

Now that you’ve scheduled your transportation to Disney World from the Orlando Airport, the next step is to navigate you and your travel party to the correct spot to be picked up. The thing is, this can be the trickiest part. The signs that show you where to go aren’t the most helpful, and we’ve even seen visitors who are trying to rent cars end up in the Uber pickup line!

It can be confusing!

You can check out a guide on where to go based on the transportation service you’ve booked by clicking here. Read over this beforehand so that you aren’t unprepared and are already an airport navigation pro before you even arrive.

Psssttt…This is a lot of news to take in, right? We’ve got a little fun break for you now – check out all the new, fun Disney-themed graphic tees and more in our merch store by clicking here!

New Disney-inspired tanks!

3. Food Options Are Limited… Unless You’re in Terminal C

So… the food situation is sort of weird at MCO. If you’re at the airport for a departing flight to head home, there are hardly any food options once you’re past security. If you’ve just arrived to the airport and are looking for a bite before you head to Disney World, there are limited options in the terminals, unless you’re in the new Terminal C!

Orlando International Airport

Terminal C is home to a wide range of food options. However, Terminal C is also HUGE and can be hard to navigate, so checking it out beforehand can be very helpful.

4. The Parking Situation Isn’t Always Ideal

MCO is a BUSY airport. If you’re traveling elsewhere from MCO, this is something you’ll want to keep an eye on. Parking fills up FAST and you could spend an impressive amount of time circling the lots and garages. Oh, and keep in mind that the prices to park are increasing!

Parking Garage Signage at MCO

One cool thing about MCO is that its social media presence is NOT lacking! They Tweet a lot about the parking situations, which garages are full, and more on their Twitter account.

5. This Isn’t The Only Orlando Airport!

This point is mostly important for scheduling transportation BACK to MCO from Disney World. MCO isn’t the only airport in Orlando, and it can sometimes be easy to confuse the two.

Orlando-Sanford International is often a more affordable option to fly in and out of Orlando, though it is further away from Disney World. Regardless, make sure you schedule your transportation to and from the correct airport!

We hope that these airport tips can help you be a bit more prepared and stress-free while you travel! Not only do we post a lot about Disney tips, but we also post a ton of general travel tips, no matter where you’re headed! Click the link below to check out some travel tips for 2023, and follow along for more travel news and updates.

Traveling soon? Check out our tips here!

Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!

WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.

Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.

Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!

Will you be traveling soon? Let us know in the comments!