U.S Security checks

[419]

I'm travelling to Orlando in a few days, and I was looking for info about the time in wil take me to get through the U.S security procedures.
I wil be arriving about 5pm on Friday afternoon. I want to know, as If it takes more than a hour or so, I will have to pre-pay for my hotel room. (It will be held for me until 7pm, unless I pay up front)

Also, how long does it now take to check in for U.S bound flights, as there is now extra security and visa checks.

Thanks for any info

419

[manintheback]

There is no simple answer. Orlando can be a real pain, but if you are up front by the exit door and run, I have got through with my wife in 5 minutes. I have also taken 1 and 1/2 hours when stuck behind a queue of hundreds. Checking in, depends how busy the airport is and whether you are pulled out for special treatment or not. My best is approx 10 minutes and worst was over an hour. So expect the worse, hope for the best.

[yazman]

Pay for the hotel, after all you are going to stay there anyway, no ? There are too many factors to rely on getting there in 2 hours - possible customs/INS crowd, late flight and the possibility you're not flying to Orlando at all but Sanford which is much further from the city.

[419]

Yazman,
When I get to Orlando, I will then be driving to Tennessee. If I feel okay after the flight, I might drive for a couple of hours, before finding a hotel.
I don't want to book and pay for a room in Orlando, and then get out of the airport and then decide that I feel like driving for a while.
I expect that hotel/motel bookings in Orlando would be fairly quiet this time of year. Would that be a correct assumption.

419

[yazman]

Interesting. The usual way to Tenn. would be up I-75 which pretty much means going through Orlando anyway.
I don't think you'd get very much further in a couple of hours.
Demand for rooms in the Orlando area is more or less constant year-round (except maybe hurricane season !).

[Tinstaafl]

Demand for rooms was much higher during the hurricanes - all those people evacuating the coast. On the plus side all the normally tolled roads were free!