Anybody ever slept at MCO Airport?

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BrianTheMute

Member
Crunching the numbers, I realized I can save about $40 and also arrive in WDW quite a bit earlier if I fly in late the night prior. The catch is, I'd have to sleep in MCO. It's not completely unheard of, according to This Site, but I just wanted to know if any of you have ever done it and what your experience was.
 
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Pioneer Hall

Pioneer Hall

Well-Known Member
It's an airport, so I would guess that people who have canceled flights have slept there before. I would imagine that no one working there would hassle you if you were asleep on a seat. However, I personally wouldn't do that just for my safety and safety of my possessions. There aren't a lot of flights that leave in the middle of the night, so the terminals aren't quite as busy. You could become a target of someone getting to your stuff when you are asleep.
 
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tarin24u

tarin24u

Member
Almost!! Missed our flight by about 3 minutes in 1989 and sat thru a day of stand-by flights. A very nice Continental employee got us a room at the hotel across the street for the night. We had no luggage because we checked our bags and ran thru the airport thinking we would make our flight (we forgot that you need to take that tram to the gate)!! All in all not a terrible time but we were scoping out places to sleep just in case.
 
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Disneykidder

Disneykidder

Well-Known Member
Isn't there a hotel in the airport?? Or am I thinking of Miami International? (We stayed there on our way to a cruise.)

We did the exact same thing you said. We flew in late to MCO and yes, DME did take us at 12am. Anyhoo, we went to the resort we were staying in and just paid for the night and then our package started the next morning on a new reservation. It was perfect...we didn't even have to change rooms, although sometimes you may have to. We ate breakfast and were in the parks early...it also saved us money on airfare to go the night earlier and stay over than traveling the next day so it was a no brainer.
I don't advise staying in the airport, though...too uncomfortable and NOT safe at all. Save yourself the worrying and get a cheap room somewhere. Get a room on International Drive or at a value on property...much safer and you'd have a bed.:)

Good luck.
 
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tecowdw

tecowdw

Well-Known Member
BrianTheMute said:
Crunching the numbers, I realized I can save about $40 and also arrive in WDW quite a bit earlier if I fly in late the night prior. The catch is, I'd have to sleep in MCO. It's not completely unheard of, according to This Site, but I just wanted to know if any of you have ever done it and what your experience was.
Click to expand...

Only in the on-site Hyatt!
Not sure why anyone would consider just sleeping in the airport with a hotel right there. All you have to do is go up escalators and *BAM* you've got a bed to sleep in!
:shrug:
 
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tecowdw

tecowdw

Well-Known Member
Disneykidder said:
Isn't there a hotel in the airport?? Or am I thinking of Miami International? (We stayed there on our way to a cruise.)

We did the exact same thing you said. We flew in late to MCO and yes, DME did take us at 12am. Anyhoo, we went to the resort we were staying in and just paid for the night and then our package started the next morning on a new reservation. It was perfect...we didn't even have to change rooms, although sometimes you may have to. We ate breakfast and were in the parks early...it also saved us money on airfare to go the night earlier and stay over than traveling the next day so it was a no brainer.
I don't advise staying in the airport, though...too uncomfortable and NOT safe at all. Save yourself the worrying and get a cheap room somewhere. Get a room on International Drive or at a value on property...much safer and you'd have a bed.:)

Good luck.
Click to expand...

I agree - I'd get a single night at a Disney value resort before I would stay in the airprot all night sleeping on a bench - barring staying right at the Hyatt, of course.
 
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B

BrianTheMute

Member
Original Poster
The whole point is to save money though, and I can't imagine the Hyatt being free, or even being less than $40.

Edit: $242 for a night at the Hyatt? O.O Am I reading the right price? That's basically what I'm paying to stay at the Poly.
 
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tecowdw

tecowdw

Well-Known Member
How is it you will save money by arriving a day sooner? Usually additional days add to your travel expenses.

And what are you going to do with the extra $40 that would making sleeping in the airport worth it? If $40 is an important amount for you to save, you probably should not be going to Disney where EVERYTHING is expensive.

I'm being too critical, aren't I? Bad me-bad me!
:zipit:
 
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tecowdw

tecowdw

Well-Known Member
BrianTheMute said:
The whole point is to save money though, and I can't imagine the Hyatt being free, or even being less than $40.

Edit: $242 for a night at the Hyatt? O.O Am I reading the right price? That's basically what I'm paying to stay at the Poly.
Click to expand...

I have stayed at that Hyatt 6 or 7 times and I have NEVER paid that much! Is that a peak travel day or something? I don't think I've ever had a rate over $150 there.
:veryconfu
 
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tecowdw

tecowdw

Well-Known Member
Goofycanuck said:
Your $40 savings will not be worth the level of exhaustion and misery you may experience the first day.
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Agreed!
If getting in sooner is what's important, I'd rather just go to Pop Century or All-Star and apply that $40 "savings" toward that room night. Good and rested in the morning and then you can really enjoy that extra day gained!
:sohappy:

Honestly, the check-out of a value, check-in to another hotel may just negate the whole "extra day" advantage though. You spend a part of the day moving in & out.
 
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Hakunamatata

Hakunamatata

Le Meh
Premium Member
BrianTheMute said:
Crunching the numbers, I realized I can save about $40 and also arrive in WDW quite a bit earlier if I fly in late the night prior. The catch is, I'd have to sleep in MCO. It's not completely unheard of, according to This Site, but I just wanted to know if any of you have ever done it and what your experience was.
Click to expand...

Is that a typo and should read $400? Cause I can't imagine sleeping in an empty airport for $40.
 
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M

markc

Active Member
I realize that most people have different budgets, and to one person $40 is a lot than it maybe to somebody else - but sleeping in an airport to save that much money isnt too smart. While MCO is generally a safe airport, sleeping by yourself at an airport isnt the most safe thing to do...nor is somebody's discomfort worth that little of savings.

Ultimately - if $40 makes that much of a difference to you that you would consider sleeping at an airport the night before and jeopardizing your safety and comfort, I'd suggest you may wish to rethink your entire trip to WDW if money is that tight.

On a side note - you can often get hotels in Orlando for $40-45 through Priceline and hotwire. In fact - a lot of times, the Hyatt in MCO is one of the hotels that is awarded on those sites for around $50.
 
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M

markc

Active Member
It's also worth nothing that the terminals are cleared out at 1am by security. Absolutely NOBODY is allowed to be airside after that point until around 5am.
 
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W

wdwcandice

Member
I've done a lot of things for a lot less money, but I can't imagine sleeping in an airport for 40 bucks....however....cool that you can enjoy a whole extra day at WDW. If you're up for it and traveling alone, I'd say, go for it. It would make for a good story someday. If you're resting your foot on your bags, I'm sure you'd wake up if someone got too close. If you snore or drool when you sleep, ah....forget it. It's not your public, snore away!

Seriously, a couple times when we used to drive down with kids, we'd drive all night and then check into a cheap motel on International Dr around 2 pm and sleep, grab a bite for dinner and sleep some more and be very refreshed and ready to start our wdw vacation bright and early. I'm guessing the arriving early is more important than the 40 dollar savings??? Not judging your budget, we've all had and have budgets. Would going to a cheap hotel work out?
 
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Figment1986

Figment1986

Well-Known Member
BrianTheMute said:
The whole point is to save money though, and I can't imagine the Hyatt being free, or even being less than $40.

Edit: $242 for a night at the Hyatt? O.O Am I reading the right price? That's basically what I'm paying to stay at the Poly.
Click to expand...

that's Rack Rate and the Hyatt MCO is a business hotel... they get tons of meetings in there and can charge whatever they want... granted they do give discounts to people holding meetings there, or discount travel sites.
 
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B

BrianTheMute

Member
Original Poster
We aren't renting a car, so we're limited to hotels in the airport or ones offering free shuttle. We'd consider a room if we could find one for $20-$30, but that doesn't seem likely.
 
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C

Clockwork

New Member
Rent a room

Go on Priceline make the hotel has an airport shuttle my wife and came in a day early for Thanksgiving and got a room at the clarion for 32 plus a 5 dollar resort fee. After being in the military for 7 years and sleeping on numerous airport and bus terminal floors I wouldnt recommend that to anyone
 
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