Page 1 of 1

How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 14:50
by Roxy-Popsy
Dearest V-Flyers

Many of you dread the thought of traipsing through airside after landing at MCO only to be confronted by huge queues to get through immigration.

I have the answer! The MCO Immigration Fairy :)

There's a new system in place where by if you have travelled to the US in the past 8 years, have a visa waiver form or an ESTA, you can be directed by helpful staff y) to use the self check in desks. Complete the directions on screen, print off receipt which shows the photo the machine has just taken of you, wait in short queue to be checked & off you pop to collect your bags. We were in our airport hotel within an hour of the plane landing.

This is a real quick version but it works!

Happy to answer questions but am off for a spot of retail therapy in the sunshine.

TTFN

Roxy Popsy

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 15:00
by dickydotcom
Many thanks. I will try and find that this weekend.
Dick D

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 15:55
by hiljil
That sounds fantastic ! Now why couldn't other airports do the same ?!

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 16:10
by Neil
Glad to hear a report of the new self service machines, here's hoping they help speed up immigration at MCO and then are rolled out across the whole USA.

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 16:57
by jilly
I hope to try out the new machines at the weekend too, but can I just ask if it's a touchscreen system? For some reason I have terrible trouble with them.

Thanks
Jilly

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 17:00
by buns
Grateful for the news ^) ^)

You deserve a simply super holiday for imparting this info :D :D

buns

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 17:20
by David
That's great new RP.

hope you have a fantastic holiday

David

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 18:51
by dickydotcom
Here is a link to an article on the system.
http://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2 ... -arrivals/
Dick D

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 17 Feb 2014, 20:21
by bethanicus
Yay!!

Best news, thanks Roxy-Popsy...
Can't wait to try it out in April :)

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 18 Feb 2014, 00:28
by peteukmcr
Thanks for the info. Will try this out on Sat when we arrive off VS75.

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 18 Feb 2014, 00:32
by Fuzzy14
Is this available to travellers with children?

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 18 Feb 2014, 01:53
by Roxy-Popsy
Dearest V-Flyers

I'm back at our hotel after a day of retail therapy from an outlet mall that had additional Presidents Day discounts y)

The screens are touch screens but they do seem long haul flight pax friendly y)

I didn't see any families with children being invited to use the screens but, that doesn't mean that they aren't able to use them, I just didn't notice, I was too amazed at the changes.

Mr Roxy Popsy & I had separate PNR's for boring reasons I won't go into. The machine gives you the option of just checking in yourself or adding another/other passengers. We chose to add another passenger on to the first registration & this worked fine but, we then had to stay together. However, if we had completed the process individually, each of us could have gone through separately. If we had done this one could have been collecting bags whilst the other followed shortly afterwards.

You still have to be cleared by a human after completing the online check in but this takes a moment.

For some pax completing the check in process it failed for a variety of reasons which aren't explained. If this happens, then you join a short failed queue which is directed by airport staff & you don't have to return to the main immigration queue which, as you are all aware can be very long. The process is then completed by a human.

We're staying off airport with courtesy transfer to the hotel but, within a few minutes of the airport, hence being in our hotel within an hour of disembarkation.

The Baggage Reclaim Fairy shone upon us as our bags were first to arrive on the carousel, we saw them going around as we were clearing immigration with the final human check.

Hope this helps, will be waiting for others to report back over the next few weeks.

Any more questions, don't hesitate to post.

TTFN

Roxy popsy

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 18 Feb 2014, 08:48
by whiterose
What fantastic events this time Roxy popsy, all the Gs, the new quick immigration AND President's Day discounts. Have a wonderful holiday and let us know the next fairy happening.

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 18 Feb 2014, 14:58
by whiterose
Given this week's run of luck, should you buy a lottery ticket? Just a thought.........

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 18 Feb 2014, 15:02
by Treelo
Thanks for that great tip, RP. However, TBH, the total pain for me has always been transiting back home through MCO. Now if they had a Immigration Fairy for that manoeuvre, that would be fab.
Oh, well done for grabbing those extra discounts too!!!

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 19 Feb 2014, 02:04
by Roxy-Popsy
I hope that the Immigration Fairy shines upon all of you that are soon flying into MCO.

The new system has really made me think about booking to fly into MCO in the autumn ( have yet to tell the current Mr Roxy Popsy :w) after MissTake has her second baby & after Miss Behavin' gets married. We'll need the rest ][|)

The Discount Fairy shone upon me as i bought a pair of Bvlgari sunglasses for $95, reduced from $425 :0 :D

Happy flying & retail therapy dear v-Flyers y)

I forgot to say that we were welcomed on board by name & had very attentive service throughout the flight, absolutely faultless, due to a high profile FSM & CSM. oo)

Whiterose - Am just off to buy a lottery ticket ;)

TTFN R-P

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 19 Feb 2014, 07:04
by catsilversword
I kept checking to be sure this was 1st April - but can see no sign of it. Wow, sounds like a great queue-buster :)

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 19 Feb 2014, 08:34
by katie666
This is great news. I thought that the scheme had been abandoned.

Katie

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 19 Feb 2014, 13:07
by Roxy-Popsy
Hi All
On thinking about Fuzzy14's question re: can the system be used with children, I think it depends on the age of the children. The reason for this is that the machine takes your photo (wasn't looking my best after an early start, long flight etc but heyho) & you must have to be of a certain height for the lens to focus upon you.

Don't loose heart though because the more pax who are directed to the self check in machines, the less people in the main queue.

We also struck very lucky because although we were on the late flight, the immigration hall was empty :D

I know you all hate me now because all the fairies waved their magic wands upon us but, it really does make you think positively when all the processes, systems etc actually work, that's all any of us want.

Popped onto Florida Mall before driving to the Gulf Coast. Mr Roxy Popsy says 'popping ' doesn't mean 5 hours :w Oh how Mrs Buns would have been proud of me.

Happy flying

TTFN
Roxy Popsy

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 19 Feb 2014, 17:42
by Fuzzy14
Roxy-Popsy wrote:Hi All
On thinking about Fuzzy14's question re: can the system be used with children, I think it depends on the age of the children. The reason for this is that the machine takes your photo (wasn't looking my best after an early start, long flight etc but heyho) & you must have to be of a certain height for the lens to focus upon you.

Don't loose heart though because the more pax who are directed to the self check in machines, the less people in the main queue.


Thank you, yes that was the basis of my question would it recognise the age of them and waive the requirement for a fingerprint or photo. Sounds best to stick to the main queue with young ones.

Hopefully the queues will be shorter but that's assuming they'll have the same number of officers on the desks and none have been replaced by the Metal Mickeys.

Enjoy the sun!

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 21 Feb 2014, 01:31
by Roxy-Popsy
For info Fuzzy14: There seemed to be as many desks open as usual y)

Whiterose: I didn't win n(

R-P

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 21 Feb 2014, 08:35
by buns
Here is a local News Report showing it "in action"

buns

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 21 Feb 2014, 12:58
by flabound
looks good.....I noted US citizens can also use it, I wonder what the process is for Green card holders as the card is literally that, a credit card..

Re: How to whip through MCO immigration in 5 minutes

PostPosted: 24 Feb 2014, 00:55
by dickydotcom
They weren't in use on Friday when we went through. But then there was no queue at all. We were straight up to a desk and through.
Dick D