Annie the Astronaut Starts a New Journey from Screen to Terminal at MCO

For nearly a decade, Annie the Astronaut has helped welcome, guide, and engage passengers at the Orlando International Airport (MCO). Now, she's officially taken one giant leap to join us in the real world!

On August 27, MCO introduced their new live Annie mascot in the airport atrium, where more than a dozen mascots from Central Florida welcomed her to the world. Synect's creative team helped create Annie as part of our early collaborations with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), and seeing Annie walk through the terminal was a particularly special moment.

This video, courtesy of MCO, captures all the excitement of Annie's first landing at the airport!

Read on to learn more about our work with MCO and Annie's creation.

Developing a Digital Ambassador for MCO

Annie's story begins in Orlando. As part of our collaboration with MCO, we helped the airport develop a digital ambassador that would make airport communication more approachable, engaging, and memorable.

As Lance Lyttle, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, said in the airport's press release:

"Annie’s astronaut theme pays tribute to Central Florida’s rich aerospace heritage and embodies the excitement, optimism, and sense of possibility that come with every journey."

Annie first appeared during the 2017 Thanksgiving travel season. Over the years, Synect's team has helped Annie come to life across MCO's visual communication ecosystem.

She's appeared on wayfinding displays, highlighted amenities and concessions, shared passenger information, and added personality to the journey. Alongside her canine companion, Luna, she's made millions of airport experiences more enjoyable and engaging.

Annie's Award-Winning Airport Journey

Last summer, Annie's Airport Journey went live on twin overhead video walls at the airport's checkpoint. It's an immersive 3D experience created by Synect to improve passenger experiences at the checkpoint. The experience follows Annie through a detailed digital recreation of the airport, including Easter eggs like the famous carpet. Along the way, Annie shares real-time wait times, security guidance, concession information, and more.

Annie's Airport Journey quickly captured hearts and headlines. Visitors called it "fabulous" and "fancy" on social media. At the 2025 Digital Signage Awards, Annie earned a High Commendation for Immersive and Experiential Environments and took home the award for Creative Excellence: Helpful Information.

That recognition builds on years of award-winning collaboration between MCO and Synect. In 2023, MCO and Synect also received the Digital Signage Experience Award for Public Spaces for the airport-wide visual communication ecosystem at Terminal C.

For Synect, those awards stand as proof that strong partnerships and smart content can help create better airport experiences. As Montee Fiely, Synect's Head of Strategic Engagement recently said:

"MCO is always raising the bar for passenger experiences. Their work is proof that content can be a powerful tool for airports to support passengers and create one-of-a-kind experiences."

Welcome to the World, Annie!

Annie has already come a long way since her first digital appearance.

She's a key part of MCO's wayfinding, security experience, and passenger communications. She also makes a special appearance with Annie's Sensory Room, supporting passengers who need a quiet space within the airport.

Now, as a real-life mascot, she has an entirely new way to connect with passengers and the Central Florida community.

We couldn't be more excited to see a character our team helped image and create take this step. Welcome to the real world, Annie. We can't wait to see where you go next.

To learn more about Annie's first real-world appearance, read MCO's press release.