What to do in the airport for 4+hours?

[badgebunny]

Help! We are going to be stuck in Ft Lauderdale's airport until our 3:30 flight with a 7 and 2 yr old. Unfortunately, we let CCL take care of our flight arrangements and we are sailing out of Miami but flying out of FLL so we can't take any of the post cruise excursions due to our transfers. Does anyone know if there is anything very nearby the airport to keep us busy or are we going to be "that family" with the loud grouchy kids running up and down the concourse?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Amy

[Goldryder]

Take some puzzle books and colouring books for the kids and its also a good idea to take some snacky food with you too and drinks...they are very expensive in airports and kids can be picky if bored/tired so if you make it, you know they will love it ;)

 

Take a couple of travel blankets, not big hefty ones, just lightweight that fold into nothing, so the kids can sleep for a while. Take a storybook too, that will help relax them into dropping off to sleep too ;)

 

Another thing they might enjoy doing with Daddy is plane spotting, watching the planes arrive and offload and then get the fuel put on them etc.

 

Hope that helps a little bit :)

[98Charlie]

In past experiences out of FLL, don't think you are going to find anything nearby to help keep kids occupied until your flight. However, I think you may be surprised how little time you will actually have to worry about keeping them occupied.

 

Depends on what airline you are taking and the month you are flying as to how busy the airport will be but DH & I have had 3 - 4 hour wait in FLL before that passed pretty quickly once we got checked in for our flight, got our luggage checked in and found our gate.

 

Agree with Goldryder that airport games with the 7 yr old will help pass some time. I'm thinking the 2 yr old may be have just enough jet lag or cruise lag to fall asleep for awhile or just be mezmerized by all of the airport activity surrounding you.

 

What airline and which month are you flying? Perhaps some of us can help think of ice cream stands or other things in your particular terminal than can help you with ideas.

 

Dianne

[badgebunny]

"What airline and which month are you flying? Perhaps some of us can help think of ice cream stands or other things in your particular terminal than can help you with ideas."

 

Dianne,

 

Thanks so much for your reply. We have all sorts of games and books for the flights. My boys are actually really well behaved when they need to be but are very active:>)!! So we would appreciate any input that anyone may have about food courts or anything else we may find to occupy them. We are flying Delta next week.

 

Thanks again,

 

Amy

[98Charlie]

Amy, DH & I have flown from FLL on Delta to both Columbus and Dayton, OH several times over the past few years, most recently in Nov., 05 and Feb of this year.

 

The Delta terminal does have a few food areas that will interest your 7 year old and has a large table seating area where you can sit after getting your food. This area is inside the passenger check-in portion of the terminal, located near where you check your luggage.

 

On our last two flights we were not able to pass through security to the boarding areas until about 2 hours prior to our flights. So you may have to find a comfortable spot to wait until you can go through security --- good time to visit the food court.

 

Once you have passed through security the food venues are more limited. Our Cols and Dayton flights have always been loaded out of gates at the end of the boarding corridor which is a very large open seating area that has many windows where your kids can watch planes being loaded with baggage, refueling operations, etc.

 

One suggestion I have for your time spent prior to passing through security to boarding gates is to have one parent take the 7 yr old outside to watch the taxis, buses and people coming and going. I normally spend a few minutes out there just watching and listening and learning about airport security and traffic.

 

Dianne

[98Charlie]

On a side note, Amy, I understand your concern about the wait time.

 

In 1989 our family was flying home from Orlando following a spring break vacation to FLorida. Our oldest daughter, Winnie, had celebrated her 16th birthday during vacation and was flying home with a 5-ft tall Winnie the Pooh bear, birthday present from her friends.

 

Unfortunately our youngest daughter, Gretchen, age 6, broke out in full blown chicken pox 2 days before our flight home. We knew we'd probably be denied boarding if airline workers knew of Gretchen's malady. It was April and very hot in Florida, but poor Gretchen was dressed in a long sleeve frilly dress, long leggings, white gloves and a brimmed bonnet (thank God it was about Easter and we we were staying near a KMart :) ) to help cover her growing spots.

 

When we got to the boarding gate we discovered our flight was delayed 2 hours. Gretchen was getting really uncomfortable with her spots itching beneath her ``costume.'' Older daughter was carrying that giant Pooh bear. We were in Mickey Mouseland territory with hundreds of kids flying home during spring break. That Pooh bear became a magnet, attracting about every child within 6 gates to our seating area.

 

I finally ordered Winnie to take her bear for a walk - as far from her younger sister as possible - as we waited for what seemed an eternity to board that flight. Still can remember seeing Winnie and her bear walking along with a string of squealing kids beside and behind her while Gretchen sat itching in the seat beside me and wondering how much longer she had to wear her ``dumb gloves and hat.'':D

 

We did make it safely back to Columbus with children, bear and pox intact. But if you ever hear of a mass epedimic of chicken pox in the US around April, 1989, you'll know the culprit.:eek:

 

Dianne

[Terpnut]

I'm guessing you will be debarking the ship by NLT 9am and should be at the airport before 10:30 am so you'll have over 5 hours to waste!

 

The airport offers some luggage storage but I don't know how much they can handle, how much you have nor how much it will cost (http://www.fortlauderdaleinternationalairport.com/services.php). Another option for your luggage is, upon arrival at the airport, to catch a hotel shuttle to the Sheraton or other airport hotel and store your bags there (we're talking a five minute shuttle ride).

 

Assuming you can either check your luggage early or find on or off-airport luggage storage, you could then easily catch a cab to the beach, go shopping, eat lunch at a restaurant, etc. etc. The airport is centrally located to most Ft. Lauderdale attractions so you COULD free up 2-3 hours--assuming you can find a safe place for your luggage.

 

In the worst case, you may want to consider splitting up. One parent could stay with the luggage and take a nap or read a book. The other parent could take the kids to the beach!?

 

In the future, I would not recommend booking airfare and transfers with the cruise line!

 

Good luck!

[Nebr.cruiser]

All good suggestions; Another option is to have a portable DVD player along with a few favorite movies. Seems to work in many situations with our grandkids. Also might be nice on the cruise at times.

 

If you can manage the luggage situation, the SeaQuarium is not very far from the cruise port and you could see a lot of it in 2-3 hours, then head to the airport.

[Cruising Aussie Mum]

We live in Australia, but travel back to the USA every 2 years (I am American, my husband is Australian)- so we are very familiar with long flights, long waits and trying to keep children happy through it. I now pack each of our kids a surprise goody bag before each trip containing things like books, art supplies, snacks, socks, etc. I sneak them into their carry ons before we leave and they are lifesavers on the planes and in the airports. Sometimes I work the items into some sort of theme, like our last trip when we spent time at Disney World, all the items were Disney related.

Our kids were 8 and 5 last trip. As for the 2 year-old - been there, done that, I remember travelling with a 2 year old was sooooo challenging. :eek: Good luck!:)

One last thing - and I know not everyone will agree with it... we do find that Gameboys and/or portable DVD players are a wonderful distraction for the kids... and even ourselves.:rolleyes:

[Host Walt]

One suggestion - Because the airport is so close to Port Everglades, if you don't mind two $10-15 cab fares, you can check your luggage then before going through security take a 10 minute cab ride to the port and check out the activity there. (Make sure there are ships in port.)

 

Another suggestion - you are also close to the main beaches of Ft. Lauderdale so get a cab to have lunch at a nice seaside restaurant.

[98Charlie]

Host Walt's suggestions are both good. I do remember that there is a room down by the food courts (behind the Delta check in area) that stores luggage until you are allowed to check in. Seems to me the price was 2 or 3 bucks a bag in Feb. Warning on that, however, there was a sign that said they were not responsible for luggage damage, which made me believe you are at your own risk if you use the service.

 

 

Dianne

[Terpnut]

Again, assuming you can find a safe place for your luggage, I'd get out of the airport for a few hours at the beach or doing something kid-friendly! You'll probably still have 1-2 hours to kill at the airport before departure anyhow! :D

[badgebunny]

Thanks everybody!!!

 

We have given some thought to renting a car w/ a car seat for the day, I hate the idea of a cab and no car seat. You all have given me lots of ideas and I am very grateful. Next time I am taking care of all of the travel arrangements myself!!!

 

Dianne--hopefully we won't have any illnesses to contend with, your daughter sounds like a trooper!

 

Amy