At WDW now, Pearson was a disaster.

[TropicalDIS]

Arrived here yesterday. Pearson was brutal. The luggage conveyor belt where bag drop is broke down and they didn’t know what to do. No backup plan. We waited in front of it for 90 minutes before we were shuffled off to another area and waited another 30 minutes. Finally they decided to check our bags manually, estimating the weight. Barely made our flight.

Nobody ever asked us for proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test either, though I had all the paperwork ready to prove both of those things.

AC then proceeded to not load my wife’s suitcase on board. We found that out once we landed and waited an eternity at baggage claim. Luckily they got it on the next flight and we had it this morning.

it is busy here. MK today was insane, and hot. Early entry if staying onsite is a must and genie + does help. Hoping crowds die down next week!

 

[hdrolfe]

Glad you made it! And your luggage arrived eventually. Enjoy your trip, and the warm weather (there is snow in the long range forecast here). I am sure the crowds will die down, since yesterday was a "holiday" a lot of people too today off as well. Next week will probably be better.

 

[TropicalDIS]

Glad you made it! And your luggage arrived eventually. Enjoy your trip, and the warm weather (there is snow in the long range forecast here). I am sure the crowds will die down, since yesterday was a "holiday" a lot of people too today off as well. Next week will probably be better.

Thank you!!

 

[damo]

Arrived here yesterday. Pearson was brutal. The luggage conveyor belt where bag drop is broke down and they didn’t know what to do. No backup plan. We waited in front of it for 90 minutes before we were shuffled off to another area and waited another 30 minutes. Finally they decided to check our bags manually, estimating the weight. Barely made our flight.

Nobody ever asked us for proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test either, though I had all the paperwork ready to prove both of those things.

AC then proceeded to not load my wife’s suitcase on board. We found that out once we landed and waited an eternity at baggage claim. Luckily they got it on the next flight and we had it this morning.

it is busy here. MK today was insane, and hot. Early entry if staying onsite is a must and genie + does help. Hoping crowds die down next week!

Did you fill out the attestation form? I think that is all they check.

 

[TropicalDIS]

Did you fill out the attestation form? I think that is all they check.

Yeah did that when checking in online.
just shocked they wouldn’t check the test results, and with the US requiring full vaccination status as of Nov 8th, expected to be asked about that.

 

[damo]

Yeah did that when checking in online.
just shocked they wouldn’t check the test results, and with the US requiring full vaccination status as of Nov 8th, expected to be asked about that.

But the attestation has you attesting that you both are vaccinated and tested. It is unlawful to fill out the attestation incorrectly.

 

[DisneyAndreaM]

Sorry you had a bad experience at Pearson. When I flew to NYC last week I had no issue and breezed through everything.

And from what I understand they check test and vaccination status randomly. I too thought it was odd that no one asked for my proof in person until they called myself and a few others to the desk before boarding to ask. My husband said he heard the agent say they do random checks.

 

[TropicalDIS]

But the attestation has you attesting that you both are vaccinated and tested. It is unlawful to fill out the attestation incorrectly.

I’m aware of that. For the land border they said they wouldn’t be checking. At the airport I’d expect something a little more thorough. Other people have reported having to show their documentation. Wasn’t the case on our flight.

 

[tgropp]

We arrived home yesterday at 5. Had to wait 25 minutes before they would let us off the plane. Finally got off and entered a mob scene. Waited an hour to get through customs and we were in row 4 and were first off the plane. We went to get our luggage and nothing on the belt resembled our luggage. We looked against the wall and not all kinds of luggage there. Seems they unloaded luggage to free up space for incoming flights. Then my wife was selected for a random Covid test. Another half hour to go through the line. I would think one of five people were tagged. We are going to WDW on the 16’th and coming home on NYE. I’m almost dreading Toronto return

 

[LuvMyEAR]

While i have not flown at all since the pandemic began, Pearson through the years has been the worst airport ever for me. I do everything I can to no longer book any connecting flights through there. Glad you got your luggage, settled in, and will begin to feel the magic!

 

[Going to WDW]

While i have not flown at all since the pandemic began, Pearson through the years has been the worst airport ever for me. I do everything I can to no longer book any connecting flights through there. Glad you got your luggage, settled in, and will begin to feel the magic!

Pearson has been dicey for connections (most YOW connection flights go through YYZ or YUL. We never found YUL better. Will be glad when direct flights are available again --- we'll pay extra to get one --- but at this point have zero confidence it won't be changed at the last minute which makes us even more nervous about traveling right now.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

I have a non-stop flight booked with WJ in Feb 2022, and am just praying that they don’t cancel and rebook us through TO, as they had done for our (now cancelled) Nov 2021 trip. We had flown with United for many years, out of Halifax, and found Newark to be a relatively painless connection.

 

[TropicalDIS]

While i have not flown at all since the pandemic began, Pearson through the years has been the worst airport ever for me. I do everything I can to no longer book any connecting flights through there. Glad you got your luggage, settled in, and will begin to feel the magic!

Yes Pearson can be brutal.
Thank you! Good to be back in the magic and loving it so far!

 

[migel]

I flew early November from Pearson and Customs was so slow the flight was delayed to accommodate the backlog. Coming back was better, although had I been selected for a random test, my feelings would be different. The random testing and PCR requirement (as opposed to Antigen), is government overkill, intent on punishing those of us who need/want to travel, despite the State broadcaster's dire warnings not to. It's back to Southwest for me. Enjoy your visit!

 

[dancin Disney style]

I went to Mexico in October...in and out of YYZ. I had read an absolute ton of reports about the crazy long lines, waits for luggage, etc, etc. We were totally prepared for any and all of it. I even told my ride to just wait at home until I called to say 'come now'...figured we would be the ones to sit and wait rather than my ride have to circle for who knows how long. We basically walked right through customs, there were maybe 10 people ahead of us in the line and all kiosks were working....except they were not operational for the QR code so we had to key it in again. After that we walked to baggage and that was our only wait which was maybe 30ish minutes. The wait there is always long so this was no surprise. We were business class so our bags came out first. From there we walked straight outside.

As far as proof of vaccination etc. goes Mexico requires nothing so when we checked in at YYZ it was no different than pre Covid. Coming home however was different. At Cancun airport we were not even allowed to get in the check in line without showing our PCR test results and ArriveCan receipt. When do get to the counter you show it again, they process you and stamp your boarding pass with 'Docs OK'. If you don't have that stamp you can't get through security, they turn you back to check in. From there you head to security where you walk through thermal screening and you have to provide a QR code from a health questionnaire. Arriving back in Canada we were asked for nothing which surprised me but then again we had been checked and rechecked in MX.

 

[Lydia S]

Question for everyone that’s flown out of Pearson recently. How early did you get there before your flight? It used to be that the recommendation was 3 hours prior for international. Is that still enough time? I’m flying Westjet on a Monday morning in 2 weeks.

 

[tgropp]

Question for everyone that’s flown out of Pearson recently. How early did you get there before your flight? It used to be that the recommendation was 3 hours prior for international. Is that still enough time? I’m flying Westjet on a Monday morning in 2 weeks.

We were there three hours ahead of a Westjet Thursday 10:30 a.m. flight to Orlando. Cleared customs in 80 minutes

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

So how much earlier would you plan to arrive the Saturday a week before Christmas? Kind of worried about how much time we will need for our 10am flight. 4 of us have nexus but my in laws (mil uses a mobility scooter) and friends 21yo daughter who are also travelling don't. In laws have been waiting for their interview since before this all started and the office still isn't available for interviews.

 

[tgropp]

So how much earlier would you plan to arrive the Saturday a week before Christmas? Kind of worried about how much time we will need for our 10am flight. 4 of us have nexus but my in laws (mil uses a mobility scooter) and friends 21yo daughter who are also travelling don't. In laws have been waiting for their interview since before this all started and the office still isn't available for interviews.

We’re flying out of Toronto Dec 16 on a 7:30 Westjet flight and plan on 3 hours. I would add an extra 30 minutes for a Saturday morning flight. we used Nexus last week and it was slower than the regular line. Nexus has one lane open and it was backed up out the entrance way while the regular lines had 7 gates open so keep an eye open to try and gauge which option is faster. Seems everyone has Nexus now.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I would still do the 3 hours minimum. If you don’t know your way around or you want to have time for breakfast add an additional 15-20 minutes. You never know how things will go...you could be through and at the gate very quickly or you could barely make it. Personally, I prefer to go earlier and have extra time.