MCO Orlando airport - Wheelchair/Skycap assistance

[Euby]

Background information on me - while I am mobile, I have trouble with walking long distances. I'll be using an ECV once I get to Disney. I'll be flying down with my sister on Southwest next month for our WDW trip. Of course, Southwest is on Side A of the terminal and DME is on the complete opposite end of Side B.

In the past (pre-COVID) when I have flown to MCO, I have used DME baggage service to get my bags to the resort. Then I relied on a Skycap to push me in a wheelchair from Terminal A to Terminal B where DME is located. This included a short stop for a restroom visit then on to DME.

We will be leaving for the airport early in the morning. Our flight leaves at 10:45 am. I'm pretty sure that Southwest won't have a snack service, though I could be wrong. Regardless, I try to avoid eating/drinking much before flying, since the restrooms on planes and I are incompatible. So a restroom break after we land will be the first stop.

I've already made arrangements for wheelchair assistance at MCO. However, this trip, I'm not sure how best to handle things. Once the plane gets to the gate, there should be a Skycap there to meet us with a wheelchair. My sister and I had planned to grab something to eat at the food court in the main terminal area. Otherwise, it may be another hour or more before we get to our resort and try to eat there. So we'll need to have stops for restroom, baggage claim, food court, and then DME.

So my questions are:

1. Just how much will the Skycap do? Will they wait at the food court while we eat (which I'm doubting)?
2. Will they assist us at least to get to the food court, then we get another skycap afterwards to assist us with the luggage?

Any tips from those who have flown into MCO during COVID and taken DME to get to the resorts will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Bring your own snack/ breakfast. Either eat on the plane or after you land.
getting another skycap at the food court is gonna be nigh on impossible I am thinking.

 

[Bjkandma]

When we went in August, we used the wheelchair assist. They stopped at the restroom. We stopped at Burger King for food, got it to go and the gentleman waited with us. His name was Carlos, he was grea t. We were anxious about returning, he gave us his personal cell number. When we stopped at the airport, still on the Magical Express my granddaughter texted him and by the time I was off the bus, he was outside waiting to help.

I have nothing but praise for this young man. He was so polite and took customer service to an entirely new level. We definitely tipped accordingly. But something that has always caused us stress was a wonderful experience.

(We a te right outside the Magical Express area and at the gate for departure.

 

[RaySharpton]

Background information on me - while I am mobile, I have trouble with walking long distances. I'll be using an ECV once I get to Disney. I'll be flying down with my sister on Southwest next month for our WDW trip. Of course, Southwest is on Side A of the terminal and DME is on the complete opposite end of Side B.

In the past (pre-COVID) when I have flown to MCO, I have used DME baggage service to get my bags to the resort. Then I relied on a Skycap to push me in a wheelchair from Terminal A to Terminal B where DME is located. This included a short stop for a restroom visit then on to DME.

We will be leaving for the airport early in the morning. Our flight leaves at 10:45 am. I'm pretty sure that Southwest won't have a snack service, though I could be wrong. Regardless, I try to avoid eating/drinking much before flying, since the restrooms on planes and I are incompatible. So a restroom break after we land will be the first stop.

I've already made arrangements for wheelchair assistance at MCO. However, this trip, I'm not sure how best to handle things. Once the plane gets to the gate, there should be a Skycap there to meet us with a wheelchair. My sister and I had planned to grab something to eat at the food court in the main terminal area. Otherwise, it may be another hour or more before we get to our resort and try to eat there. So we'll need to have stops for restroom, baggage claim, food court, and then DME.

So my questions are:

1. Just how much will the Skycap do? Will they wait at the food court while we eat (which I'm doubting)?
2. Will they assist us at least to get to the food court, then we get another skycap afterwards to assist us with the luggage?

Any tips from those who have flown into MCO during COVID and taken DME to get to the resorts will be greatly appreciated.

Wheelchair attendants are usually hired by each airlline except for skycaps.

• Just how much will the Skycap do? Will they wait at the food court while we eat (which I'm doubting)?

In general, they should take you to the restroom.

Will they assist us at least to get to the food court, then we get another skycap afterwards to assist us with the luggage?

In general, Tips can make a difference. Try asking the wheelchair attendant if they can do something and how much of a tip would be appropriate for the extras

 

[smidgy]

You were lucky to have this young man’s contact info. We sat a long time by the ME drop off on ground floor ( I started a thread with the full story! I guess you have to find a way up to the3rd floor and to your airline on your own before getting help. A family of angels saw me struggling with our luggage and an almost blind husband who can’t walk long distances and helped. Someone on a Disney FB group told me there is a phone just inside in the wall and to dial zero zero

 

[Bjkandma]

There is a phone on the wall, right inside the door. Truthfully this was our ninth trip to Disney. This has always been the "hiccup" in the Magical Express and the airport. Years ago the bus drivers would call and let the airline know we had arrived. Then one time it wasn't that way. Magical Express says it's up to your airlind. The airline says it's Magical Express responsibility. The airline says they have no way of knowing when we arrive.

We knew to question Carlos and he agreed he would be working and would help us. If course I was skeptical. But he kept his word - a rarity these days. Here is to hoping that Magical Express goes back to the way it was.

 

[smidgy]

Now why wouldn’t any of the numerous people I talked to that day tell me about this “ mystery phone”? Sheesh!! Even on the 3rd floor after the angel family helped us up and we found the Prospect porters and the wheel chairs not one of them said anything like: “ in the future there is a phone on the wall on the ground floor”. Thank you so much for your info!

 

[mamabunny]

Ironically, we were going to fly into WDW on this next trip, but with the changes to ME, we will mostly likely drive again.

I will say what I have learned about flying (in general) with a mobility device:

- Plan according to whether you can drive your mobility device with one hand, or if you require both hands.

- Also plan according to how many (if any) people will be in your travel party, and their total number of bags as well.

- All luggage must have good quality spinner wheels

- Luggage straps (long straps that go around suitcases) can turn 2 spinner cases into one "jumbo" case that I can then wheel alongside me, or tow behind me.

- Never NEVER NEVER put anything into a backpack that hangs off the seat back of your mobility device that you can't stand to lose; airports are outside the "bubble" of safety we enjoy at WDW!

- A crossbody bag, or a fanny pack (facing forwards across your waist) is very helpful at keeping things like meds, phone, credit cards, etc. close at hand. You are allowed to bring a bag/suitcase free of charge for medical supplies and equipment (when flying domestically in the US), but be prepared to show that bag is ONLY for those items - you can't use it to "sneak" a few extra things in, or the airline can (and will) charge you. You should tip anyone who handles that bag like it is a regular suitcase.

- BRING PLENTY OF CASH FOR TIPS. Can't stress this enough. I usually tip at least $5/bag for every bag in our party, plus another $10 if they touch my personal mobility device. Tip anyone and everyone who touches your "stuff". (Skycaps, attendants, ME bus drivers)

- Try to find a SmarteCarte (I know that often they are all rented out) if possible to load everything on - but this assumes that you have at least one other person with you who can push the cart. We have found that - at times - at MCO there will be "entrepreneurs" at MCO who will just happen to have a rental cart, and for a generous tip, they will load up your luggage and help you get to/from ME. Pro tip: NEVER LET THEM PUSH THE CART - you can "invite" them to walk along with you (they want the cart back so they can "help" another tourist after you are done with it) but make sure that a member of your party pushes the cart so that you remain in control of your possessions. This has happened enough to us in the last few years that we are kind of done with MCO, to be honest. It always feels creepy - but there's no other recourse if you need the cart, and all of these enterprising people have already handy-dandy rented them out!!!

- If you have bags or items that don't have wheels, consider buying a folding luggage cart and bringing it in your suitcase. You will lose space and weight, but if there is no SmarteCarte (or similar rental cart) available, you will be glad you have it with you. If your luggage has spinners *and* pop up handles, make sure that all non-wheeled bags have a "trolley strap" on them (usually a strap of the same fabric the bag is made out of that can pass over the extended suitcase handle to hold the bag) or some other straps/loops to help lash everything together!

- Plan ahead for snacks/meals if your connections through interim airports are tight or if you are flying on a beverage-service only flight.

- If you need lots of specialized supplies (like incontinence products, or specific personal hygiene or paper products) it may be easier, and less stressful to have those shipped directly to the Resort hotel, and waiting for you. If you have leftovers, you can decide if you want to send them home (either by shipping them, or cramming them into your suitcase somewhere)

- If you know you are going to do a lot of shopping, then bring along an empty suitcase, or plan on buying one either at Disney Springs or your Resort hotel shop. I have a cotton Vera Bradley duffle bag that I leave folded in my suitcase that inevitably gets filled with souvenirs on every trip!

- Remember that you can ship things home from your Resort hotel, and larger purchases can often be shipped directly from the shop you purchase them at in the Parks or at Disney Springs. We routinely have artwork, or bigger items shipped home; often they arrive after we have been home for a week or so - just when we are feeling a bit blue, and need a little Disney pick me up! We will sometimes even ship things home when we drive so that we don't have to worry about dealing with getting them back to the Resort, and then out to the car... Let UPS do the work!

- In general, allow extra time for everything at the airport - it will take time for your mobility device to be loaded (before the flight) so be there early, and it will take time for it to come back off the plane when you land (so allow extra time at connecting airports/flights) and plan on sitting on the plane and waiting for it - you may be the last off (hopefully not, but it has happened to me). You may have to wait for the HA stalls in the bathroom, and elevators (especially at MCO) and routing at many airports for passengers on wheels is not always intuitive.

Remember that your airline should have someone - both coming and going - who can help you either find an attendant or Skycap to assist you. When flying in to MCO, stop at the gate (if there are agents working there) and ask right then. When flying out of MCO to go home, you may have to go to Departures/ticketing to get assistance, depending on the airline. ME *should* have sorted this years ago, but they have always passed the responsibility off to the airlines (which is fair - it falls on them at every other airport in the world, literally).

MCO in general is stressful for me because ME tends to drop us off without as much lead time as we like to have. Our family prefers to get to the airport very early so that we can check in, check all of our bags, get through security, purchase a snack or light meal, use the bathroom, find the gate/check in and make sure that we are ready as soon as they call for pre-boarding for mobility device users. Getting ME to understand the unique needs of mobility device users has been a struggle for as long as I can remember; it has been so disappointing to us for years now that we drive the 1202 miles from our front door to WDW rather than deal with ME/MCO.

 

[Starwind]

We haven't traveled during the pandemic, but before we didn't use Magic Express' luggage service, instead we collected our luggage at Baggage Claim and brought it to the bus ourselves. So my comments are based on that and then what some people have mentioned above.

Because of food allergies, I can't eat plane food and most airport food. So I bring my own. I stick with snack-type items that don't need to be kept cool, that travel well, and that will "tide me over" until I can get a proper meal. I bring extra in case of travel delays. Granola bars, protein bars, there are all kinds of things that work well. Personally, I won't eat on the plane [and definitely would not right now since you'll be wearing a mask on the plane], but they are handy for in the airport for a quick snack.

Once we arrive at our resort, we check in and then do one of two things: if our room is ready we go and check the room and then head to the QS for some food, or if the room isn't ready yet we head to the QS for food. It may even only be a quick snack depending on how we are feeling, with a larger meal later... but something nice, and a drink [we get the refillable mugs] and where we can sit down and relax.

The wheelchair pushers at MCO that have brought us from the plane to ME have always been able to also navigate our checked baggage; they will get one of the porter carts and use that. Er, and they are able to push both a wheelchair AND one of those carts WITH luggage on it at the same time!

There used to be self-service baggage carts in the baggage claim area, but a comment above suggests they may not be available right now.

Another option is, can your traveling companion handle the luggage themselves ?

My suggestion is this:

Bring your own food. Keep it simple. You aren't trying to replace a meal, just tide you through until you can get a meal at your resort Quick Service. Snack-like things are your friend.

The wheelchair pusher taking you from the plane to ME will do a restroom stop and will stop at baggage claim to retrieve your luggage. We let them know right away which or both we will need. And we tip extra.

Once you are at your resort, Bell Services can take care of your luggage, storing it until your room is ready [and you call them and ask them to deliver it to your room; so you can determine when they deliver it, e.g. if you want to go eat something first].

Get your ECV. Complete checkin. Go eat. Enjoy your visit.

 

[jo-jo]

What does one tip for this help? What if you're going with current ME rules and needed a wheelchair for one person and needed to get your own bags to ME?

 

[Starwind]

Here is a previous thread on the issue of tipping the pushers: https://www.disboards.com/threads/wheelchairs-at-airport.3576957/

For us, for MCO specifically, we factor several things:
- there is a long stretch to get from the gate to the main terminal because of the airport design and the internal train system they have [this = time]
- baggage claim can take some time if (a) your flight's baggage isn't already there soon after you get to baggage claim; and (2) for YOUR bags to come out;
- hauling the baggage (effort in addition to pushing the wheelchair);
- any restroom stop [=time];
- depending on your airline, it can be a long haul from baggage claim to Magical Express [=time & effort since there are now bags as well]
- getting through ME checkin process [=time]
- waiting at ME [=time]

 

[Simba's Mom]

I need WC Assistance, fly SW, and no longer use DME. Last time I did, coming back to the airport, I called DME and they assured me my bus driver would call for a wheelchair. So when I got on the bus, I checked to be sure the driver would call and he looked at me like I had 2 heads and he said “No” so I asked him why I’d been told that by DME and he just shrugged and said, “I don’t know” and went to the other passengers. When I got to the airport it was a LONG wait and I was solo, so I sat for what seemed like forever. Finally someone just took pity (or got sick of seeing me) and got a WC. Next time I took an Uber right to SW check in, WC WAS right there at curbside pick up, someone took me from there. Best money I ever spent!

 

[mamabunny]

What does one tip for this help? What if you're going with current ME rules and needed a wheelchair for one person and needed to get your own bags to ME?

It depends - when I would use an airport assistant or attendant, how much I would tip depended on what kind of help I needed.

If we pretty much went either straight from the curb through security and to the gate, where they left me? $5 to $10, depending mostly on distance. (Some airports it's a LONG ways to go!).

At arrival, it depends again on the situation; since they would have to meet me at the gate, and (in today's scenario) we would then have to go to baggage claim, and on to ME to wait for the bus? I would say at a minimum $5/bag they touch, plus another $10 as a courtesy for pushing the wheelchair, minimally.

Given that fewer people overall are traveling, and we know that most of those folks rely heavily upon tips, right now I would (personally) be inclined to be much more generous because they are working front-line customer service in a pandemic. Just like housekeepers and wait staff and valet staff at WDW, those people are (potentially) exposing themselves to a virus because they have to work.

 

[jo-jo]

Given that fewer people overall are traveling, and we know that most of those folks rely heavily upon tips, right now I would (personally) be inclined to be much more generous because they are working front-line customer service in a pandemic. Just like housekeepers and wait staff and valet staff at WDW, those people are (potentially) exposing themselves to a virus because they have to work.

You are so right. Back in the beginning of this mess, we used instacart a bunch, those shoppers were running around during the panic buying and during the mask/no mask time. We made sure we tipped well.

Thank you for the information.