Immigration at MCO

Hi all,

I was wondering about the new automated passport control at MCO, specifically with regard to travelling with our toddler who will be 2 when we go in January. Both me and SWMBO have been to the USA since 2008 but junior obviously hasn't. Does this therefore exclude us as a family from using the automated kiosks? The website is a bit ambiguous with regard to this situation so any first hand experiences would be helpful.

If we aren't able to use the kiosks do they ever tend to take pity on those with toddlers in terms of shortening wait times for the manned kiosks? I hope to circumnavigate most of this issue by being in either PE or UC (if they ever do a sale!!!) on VS75 which is usually the best for immigration queues but nontheless dreading this part of the journey with a grumpy impatient toddler!

Many thanks for any help - experiences/advice would be much appreciated.

[buns]

I have to say on my two previous visits this year (March and May) although the machines were there and working, all non US Passport holders were dealt with as before.

That is, presenting ourselves as a family to an Immigration Officer at a booth, usual questions, fingerprinted and photographed before collecting our bags off the carousel before customs


buns

When I went in March this year, our flight joined the tail end of another flight (we were delayed around 4 hours from LGW)
Joined the famous snake in the immigration hall, and worked down to the final 3 lines, there was a guy (not in uniform) asking if people had been through US Immigration within the last 2 years, i had so he undid the lane divider thingy, and showed me to the automated machine, luckily its easy and self explanatory to use, but after a delayed flight my mind wasn't really working, but managed it!
I took the printed receipt which had the photo it just took, plus the customs info printed to a separate agent they checked it, looked at my passport and stamped it. Was through to collect luggage. Luggage was on belt, saw mine and went to the custom desk, handed the printed ticket to them, asked the usual questions and passed though.
Even with the queue at the beginning i was though on the monorail, it only took about 15 mins!
Maybe i was lucky, as after i picked my luggage up of the belt after clearing immigration, i looked though the glass and a couple who were behind me in the snake queue, were still not at the desks

I have to say on my two previous visits this year (March and May) although the machines were there and working, all non US Passport holders were dealt with as before.

That is, presenting ourselves as a family to an Immigration Officer at a booth, usual questions, fingerprinted and photographed before collecting our bags off the carousel before customs


buns

ditto at the end of Feb
Dick D

Anyone travelling with children are NOT allowed to use the automated kiosks. WE used them in May this year and they were great for us, we flew through.

Children are not tall enough for the eye scanners, so therefore not allowed to use. (well they weren't in May 2014 unlesss htings have changed).

Children can use the automated machine, they don't have to do the fingerprints tho. It shows this on the video of how to use them on the mco website.
Although not been through myself there is a thread on the dibb of somebody there now who used them with a 20 month old who hadn't been before

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/showthr ... =Automated

Although I don't think you get to choose at the moment you are directed to it or not

We were there in May this year, and travellers with children were told they could not use them , so maybe things have changed since then.

We were directed out of the line, just as it started at the far right corner in the hall. The kiosks certainly made it quicker for us, we were through within 10-15mins. Even though children were not allowed to use them at the time, the overall queue does benefit from these kiosks as more people are directed out of main queue thus meaning it moves quicker.

You are correct, I think they were more selective when they first opened and I have heard that people with children haven't been able to use them.
But if it speeds up the overall queue great.
If your flight isn't delayed the 75 is the first in. Hoping for the same myself when we go in September with our 16 month old

Flight 71 gets in before any of them assuming no delays - scheduled ETA 13.45...

Mrs J and I arrived in on the 71 in May which had been delayed, so we were in after the LGW flight, however we were through in about 10-15 minutes due to being asked to use the automated machines.

In relation to children, I don't think families with children are permitted to use the machines for some reason.

Dan

I arrived last week off the VS15, a few of the flights were delayed that day and two VS flights plus a BA one landed within 15 minutes of one another.

The immigration hall was full to capacity when I got there. It wasn't obvious but there was a sign to the left for the machines and if you're not a seasoned traveller to MCO then I'm sure it could have easily been missed.

However, I followed the sign and used the machine and within 5 minutes and had the paperwork stamped. My luggage was just being pulled off the carousel, I think the staff had been rushing to avoid a storm that was coming.

The system worked really well for me, I didn't see any children using the machines. However,I think the difficulty is more the height of children for taking the photograph as even though it adjusts for different heights, young children would need to be picked up. My thinking is that this would just slow down the automated process which is something they probably want to avoid.

As a side note, the photograph was bl**dy awful and scary after a 9 hour flight

Jilly

We flew in last month. We were asked the date of our previous visit which was April last year, as a result we were directed to the machines. They worked for Mrs Amex but not for me, so with (not very flaterring pic of Mrs Amex) in hand we were directed on - and even though for whatever reason my passport had not worked, we still were through and picking up our car in a little over 30 mins.

Flight 71 gets in before any of them assuming no delays - scheduled ETA 13.45...

Thankfully no gla flight on the day we go, mainly on Saturdays and some Friday's