V-Flyer

Flying in economy to MCO in January and I'm wondering what the deplaning order is on arrival. We've noticed that the wait at US immigration has been getting worse over the years (a BA flight into Boston in July was probably the worst yet) and I'm thinking of sitting us in economy upstairs. Am I right in thinking that the upstairs economy gets off before the rest as that would give us a bit of a head start for the rush into immigration.

Not really no sorry. Both the upper deck and the main economy cabins tend to be held back until Upper and the main deck Premium cabin get's off, then it usually becomes a free-for-all from that point.

Which VS flight are you on? As the other problem is that the first VS flights from MAN and LGW often arrive within 10 - 20 minutes of each other as well. The 75 flight from MAN often arrives just before the 27 flight from LGW.

When I was last in Orlando (in May) they only held back the main Economy cabin. We were in Upper Class, so off fairly quickly - and well ahead of the 370-ish people in the main Economy cabin.

Unfortunately for us, the LGW flight (we flew from MAN) had arrived ahead of us, along with another international flight - can't remember the airline it was though. We got through US Immigration in about 45mins (via a "normal" counter as we were not directed to use the automated machines).

Kraken wrote:When I was last in Orlando (in May) they only held back the main Economy cabin. We were in Upper Class, so off fairly quickly - and well ahead of the 370-ish people in the main Economy cabin.

Unfortunately for us, the LGW flight (we flew from MAN) had arrived ahead of us, along with another international flight - can't remember the airline it was though. We got through US Immigration in about 45mins (via a "normal" counter as we were not directed to use the automated machines).

On my four trips to MCO this year, including last Saturday, I have been in UC and only the main economy section has been held back, so if on the upper deck in Y you stand a pretty good chance of getting ahead of the crowd but as with lots of things VS do, it is inconsistent.

Jon

Every flight we have taken to MCO in the last few years it has always been only the main economy cabin that has been held.

The downstairs PE and UC cabin and the upper deck have been allowed off at the same time. When we flew last New Year we were in economy upstairs on the back row and were some of the first people from our flight in immigration and way ahead of a lot of the UC pax.

MCO is using the new self service immigration kiosks as well as the standard way and I think this is helping keep the queue times down. However if you land just after another international flight then it is always going to be busy.

Neil

mitchja wrote:Not really no sorry. Both the upper deck and the main economy cabins tend to be held back until Upper and the main deck Premium cabin get's off, then it usually becomes a free-for-all from that point.

Which VS flight are you on? As the other problem is that the first VS flights from MAN and LGW often arrive within 10 - 20 minutes of each other as well. The 75 flight from MAN often arrives just before the 27 flight from LGW.

We're flying out of MAN, the only problem could be is that it's a Thursday flight which means the 75 is now the 73 and that departs at 13.10. We've always managed to get in front of the LGW flight in the past, I'm just hoping that the two and a half hours doesn't land us in between something worse, like a South American flight heavily laden with the much feared tour groups!

Irwin Fletcher wrote:We're flying out of MAN, the only problem could be is that it's a Thursday flight which means the 75 is now the 73 and that departs at 13.10. We've always managed to get in front of the LGW flight in the past, I'm just hoping that the two and a half hours doesn't land us in between something worse, like a South American flight heavily laden with the much feared tour groups!

What time of year are you flying? A friend of mine was on the VS73 yesterday (so low season for Brits travelling to MCO)... he enquired about extra legroom seats at check-in & was told not to bother. The load factor on yesterdays VS73 was 80 pax. With 370 odd seats empty there was a lot of room for everyone & a short immigration queue. My friend got 4 seats to himself in the middle of the Y cabin.

Kraken wrote:

Irwin Fletcher wrote:We're flying out of MAN, the only problem could be is that it's a Thursday flight which means the 75 is now the 73 and that departs at 13.10. We've always managed to get in front of the LGW flight in the past, I'm just hoping that the two and a half hours doesn't land us in between something worse, like a South American flight heavily laden with the much feared tour groups!

What time of year are you flying? A friend of mine was on the VS73 yesterday (so low season for Brits travelling to MCO)... he enquired about extra legroom seats at check-in & was told not to bother. The load factor on yesterdays VS73 was 80 pax. With 370 odd seats empty there was a lot of room for everyone & a short immigration queue. My friend got 4 seats to himself in the middle of the Y cabin.

January 15th. We generally fly on Thursdays to avoid the weekend supplements and the 747s normally are 3/4 full so the quick of the mark can usually bag few empty seats to stretch out in. One of the quietest times at Orlando's theme parks is between Thanksgiving and Christmas so that might explain the ultra low numbers yesterday.

Irwin Fletcher wrote:January 15th. We generally fly on Thursdays to avoid the weekend supplements and the 747s normally are 3/4 full so the quick of the mark can usually bag few empty seats to stretch out in. One of the quietest times at Orlando's theme parks is between Thanksgiving and Christmas so that might explain the ultra low numbers yesterday.

January... ouch. That is one of the worst months out for the South American tour groups. In Brazil [for instance] pretty much all of the children get all of January off, so what do the parents do? Send them on a trip to Orlando.

We were in Orlando in the 1st week of February a few years ago (just after Harry Potter had opened the previous Summer) and the tour groups were everywhere. (Enormous piles of identical "tour" rucksacks left with a few non-riders outside each attraction). The staff at SeaWorld said the 5 days we were there were quietening down compared to January.

When we were in Orlando that February it was also unusually cold - struggled to make it up to 8 degrees C in the daytime. Close on frost at nights too. You could tell the locals at the bus stops - they looked like they were waiting for a ski-lift, not a bus.

Have a great trip to Orlando & fingers crossed for a not too busy flight and short immigration line.

Kraken wrote:

Irwin Fletcher wrote:January 15th. We generally fly on Thursdays to avoid the weekend supplements and the 747s normally are 3/4 full so the quick of the mark can usually bag few empty seats to stretch out in. One of the quietest times at Orlando's theme parks is between Thanksgiving and Christmas so that might explain the ultra low numbers yesterday.

January... ouch. That is one of the worst months out for the South American tour groups. In Brazil [for instance] pretty much all of the children get all of January off, so what do the parents do? Send them on a trip to Orlando.

We were in Orlando in the 1st week of February a few years ago (just after Harry Potter had opened the previous Summer) and the tour groups were everywhere. (Enormous piles of identical "tour" rucksacks left with a few non-riders outside each attraction). The staff at SeaWorld said the 5 days we were there were quietening down compared to January.

When we were in Orlando that February it was also unusually cold - struggled to make it up to 8 degrees C in the daytime. Close on frost at nights too. You could tell the locals at the bus stops - they looked like they were waiting for a ski-lift, not a bus.

Have a great trip to Orlando & fingers crossed for a not too busy flight and short immigration line.

We've got a seven day cruise in the middle to soften the theme park blow. The tour groups have gone more ridiculous year-on-year and the American tourists are none to pleased about them. There is a clip on YouTube of an Argentinian and Brazilian tour group facing off with chanting and shouting like a game in the Copa America, the location? Mickey's Philarmagic at the Magic Kingdom!

Does anyone know how well signed the Global Entry kiosks are?

When queues get lengthy, do they make them difficult to access?

adjonline wrote:Does anyone know how well signed the Global Entry kiosks are?

When queues get lengthy, do they make them difficult to access?

All I can say is "pass" on this question. Certainly if you arrive on the 2nd or 3rd international arrival in a very short space of time [especially if you are towards the back of the plane] you are going to be held up in the corridor leading into the Immigration Hall.

Once in Immigration, the lines do split up into one huge zig-zag queue for Visitors, a smaller zig-zag for US Citizens, plus separate lines for Crew / Diplomats - I would expect there is a line for Global Entry too.

If you are in the Visitors queue, back in May, near the front of the line they were sending a selected few through to try the new APC [Automated] machines. You were either lucky to get selected or not - I'm not sure the difference in wait times was that different back then, as the system was not fully up and running.

Just remember when in US Immigration, behave in a sober manner & be courteous to anyone you speak to, be they a "queue line guard" [probably employed by the airport] or a US CBP Officer [who can refuse you entry!] Good manners cost nothing and are always appreciated, however long the wait may have been.