Aussie Disneyland Planners come on in and lets plan together :)

[arje]

From the main page, go to the Global Neighbours section. Select Other Lands and then you will see the Australia section. Open that up and we can create threads.

Use this link as well if you like http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=177

 

[welley]

Thanks arje... found it

 

[queenie82]

Noice!!!!

 

[aussiemickeys]

Feeling a bit stupid at the moment, but wanted to share just in case someone else is in the same boat.
We applied (or so we thought) for our ESTA visa waivers a couple of months ago & paid the $45 USD as per website instructions.
Found out today (12 days before we leave - thank goodness still plenty of time to fix it) that we have been on a scam website & that there should not be any fee.
So we then got on the Australian website Smart Traveller (which we should have done in the first place, but never even ocurred to us) & followed their links over to the official US website to get it done correctly.
Now I am just feeling a little down & still nervous that we have actually done this correctly now. Did eveyone else get an immediate response when you processed your applications?
Plus we had to cancel the credit card that we gave the details to the scam site as well.
In one way not a good day, but big picture thank goodness we realised at all & have now hopefully done this correctly. Can anyone please put my mind at ease about this.

 

[becpee]

Feeling a bit stupid at the moment, but wanted to share just in case someone else is in the same boat.
We applied (or so we thought) for our ESTA visa waivers a couple of months ago & paid the $45 USD as per website instructions.
Found out today (12 days before we leave - thank goodness still plenty of time to fix it) that we have been on a scam website & that there should not be any fee.
So we then got on the Australian website Smart Traveller (which we should have done in the first place, but never even ocurred to us) & followed their links over to the official US website to get it done correctly.
Now I am just feeling a little down & still nervous that we have actually done this correctly now. Did eveyone else get an immediate response when you processed your applications?
Plus we had to cancel the credit card that we gave the details to the scam site as well.
In one way not a good day, but big picture thank goodness we realised at all & have now hopefully done this correctly. Can anyone please put my mind at ease about this.

We went to the ESTA website via the V-Australia website so knew it was a legit one, I had also read somewhere else that the ESTA thing was free so knew there would be no fee.
We did get an immediate answer, then we had to change the details due to our flight being changed and the change confirmation was ok straight away.

 

[welley]

Feeling a bit stupid at the moment, but wanted to share just in case someone else is in the same boat.
We applied (or so we thought) for our ESTA visa waivers a couple of months ago & paid the $45 USD as per website instructions.
Found out today (12 days before we leave - thank goodness still plenty of time to fix it) that we have been on a scam website & that there should not be any fee.
So we then got on the Australian website Smart Traveller (which we should have done in the first place, but never even ocurred to us) & followed their links over to the official US website to get it done correctly.
Now I am just feeling a little down & still nervous that we have actually done this correctly now. Did eveyone else get an immediate response when you processed your applications?
Plus we had to cancel the credit card that we gave the details to the scam site as well.
In one way not a good day, but big picture thank goodness we realised at all & have now hopefully done this correctly. Can anyone please put my mind at ease about this.

I am so sorry to hear this happend to you. It really annoys me that there are people out there willing to rip off people like that. It is so rude.

becpee is used the same site we did from the V-Australia website. You don't need to pay for the visa. It is free. And we to got our numbers back straight away.

I guess the best thing that has come from it that you can let others know to be careful when applying for their visas and also that you have enough time to get the real ones.

 

[queenie82]

Feeling a bit stupid at the moment, but wanted to share just in case someone else is in the same boat.
We applied (or so we thought) for our ESTA visa waivers a couple of months ago & paid the $45 USD as per website instructions.
Found out today (12 days before we leave - thank goodness still plenty of time to fix it) that we have been on a scam website & that there should not be any fee.
So we then got on the Australian website Smart Traveller (which we should have done in the first place, but never even ocurred to us) & followed their links over to the official US website to get it done correctly.
Now I am just feeling a little down & still nervous that we have actually done this correctly now. Did eveyone else get an immediate response when you processed your applications?
Plus we had to cancel the credit card that we gave the details to the scam site as well.
In one way not a good day, but big picture thank goodness we realised at all & have now hopefully done this correctly. Can anyone please put my mind at ease about this.

Wow...so sorry to hear you got scammed
I hadn't heard anything about that scam.
Our travel agent had fully informed us of the procedure and we knew that there should be no fee.
We indeed get an immediate answer.

One thing that WOULD be worth reminding people of is that although it lasts for 2 years you MUST register every time you travel. The first time you do it you give them travel dates. So you must redo the procedure just to update your travel dates with the same number you got the first time

 

[jacs1234]

Feeling a bit stupid at the moment, but wanted to share just in case someone else is in the same boat.
We applied (or so we thought) for our ESTA visa waivers a couple of months ago & paid the $45 USD as per website instructions.
Found out today (12 days before we leave - thank goodness still plenty of time to fix it) that we have been on a scam website & that there should not be any fee.
So we then got on the Australian website Smart Traveller (which we should have done in the first place, but never even ocurred to us) & followed their links over to the official US website to get it done correctly.
Now I am just feeling a little down & still nervous that we have actually done this correctly now. Did eveyone else get an immediate response when you processed your applications?
Plus we had to cancel the credit card that we gave the details to the scam site as well.
In one way not a good day, but big picture thank goodness we realised at all & have now hopefully done this correctly. Can anyone please put my mind at ease about this.

That sucks. Thanks for letting us know. I immediately rang my dh and we didn't pay. whew. That's $45 you could have spent at Disneyland

 

[aussiemickeys]

Thanks to everyone for your replys about the ESTA visa waiver. I feel a lot better now knowing that everyone else had such an immediate answer when they applied.
Queenie - you said in your reply that you MUST fill out the travel date section each time. I thought this was an optional section & didn't bother with it as we will probably be travelling to the states 2 or 3 times in the valid two year period. I think I will go back & fill it in - may as well, it will only take a minute.

Again thanks very much!

 

[queenie82]

Thanks to everyone for your replys about the ESTA visa waiver. I feel a lot better now knowing that everyone else had such an immediate answer when they applied.
Queenie - you said in your reply that you MUST fill out the travel date section each time. I thought this was an optional section & didn't bother with it as we will probably be travelling to the states 2 or 3 times in the valid two year period. I think I will go back & fill it in - may as well, it will only take a minute.

Again thanks very much!

hmmm...
Well I just know our TA said it needs to be filled out before each trip.

The number lasts 2 years but the form needs to be done (with that number) each time.
I figure with the US you may as well be on the safe side!

 

[becpee]

We will be heading off in less than 2 weeks, now i'm worried that the build up is too big and we may be disappointed, say it isn't so
I have had a really crappy couple of days and am just worried it's going to carry over
On the upside I have been to the shops and grabbed some more stuff that we're going to need.
Half a day on a plane should do me good, it's not like I need to do anything, i'm pretty sure i'll be able to sleep the whole time
Bring on holidays, life sucks right now.

 

[gogo65]

Feeling a bit stupid at the moment, but wanted to share just in case someone else is in the same boat.
We applied (or so we thought) for our ESTA visa waivers a couple of months ago & paid the $45 USD as per website instructions.
Found out today (12 days before we leave - thank goodness still plenty of time to fix it) that we have been on a scam website & that there should not be any fee.
So we then got on the Australian website Smart Traveller (which we should have done in the first place, but never even ocurred to us) & followed their links over to the official US website to get it done correctly.
Now I am just feeling a little down & still nervous that we have actually done this correctly now. Did eveyone else get an immediate response when you processed your applications?
Plus we had to cancel the credit card that we gave the details to the scam site as well.
In one way not a good day, but big picture thank goodness we realised at all & have now hopefully done this correctly. Can anyone please put my mind at ease about this.

Oh my friend has also obviously been scammed as well.
She complianed the other day that when she registered herself and hubby that it was free, but she registered her kids about 2 weeks ago and complained that there was now a fee. I must let her know.
Thanks aussiemickey, wishing lots of pixie dust for being able to help everyone else.
Maybe we can add a new thread to a forum with the correct link

 

[queenie82]

This is the correct website for lodging the ESTA form
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta

This is a useful part of qantas's website about travel to the USA.

 

[rossip]

Hey everyone, our very own Australia section has been created. It's in the newish global section.

Thats awesome !! Thanks

I wonder if we can get this whole thread moved over there to keep it in one place - there is just so much great info in this thread.

 

[melbarkwith]

We will be heading off in less than 2 weeks, now i'm worried that the build up is too big and we may be disappointed, say it isn't so
I have had a really crappy couple of days and am just worried it's going to carry over

Absolutely no way that you will be disappointed. If the magic doesn't hit you when you walk down the esplanade to the gates, then it certainly will when you walk under the railway bridge. The real world just ceases to exist at DL There's nothing quite like it, you'll have a ball.

 

[darren123]

Absolutely no way that you will be disappointed. If the magic doesn't hit you when you walk down the esplanade to the gates, then it certainly will when you walk under the railway bridge. The real world just ceases to exist at DL There's nothing quite like it, you'll have a ball.

Totally agree nothing like walking down Main street USA and you look down the other end and see the partner statue and Castle.

 

[queenie82]

We will be heading off in less than 2 weeks, now i'm worried that the build up is too big and we may be disappointed, say it isn't so
I have had a really crappy couple of days and am just worried it's going to carry over
On the upside I have been to the shops and grabbed some more stuff that we're going to need.
Half a day on a plane should do me good, it's not like I need to do anything, i'm pretty sure i'll be able to sleep the whole time
Bring on holidays, life sucks right now.

That castle still brings a tear to my eye....

 

[keptwoman]

Absolutely no way that you will be disappointed. If the magic doesn't hit you when you walk down the esplanade to the gates, then it certainly will when you walk under the railway bridge. The real world just ceases to exist at DL There's nothing quite like it, you'll have a ball.

Totally! You just can not wipe the grin off my face for at least the first half a day.

 

[rossip]

We will be heading off in less than 2 weeks, now i'm worried that the build up is too big and we may be disappointed, say it isn't so ::

I ahd the same feelings prior to departure , I was worried our kids wouldnt like it since they hadn't grown up with Disney characters , i was also worried they would say Movieworld was better

As someone else said , the moment you walk into the park , the outside world ceases to exist , and you truly ar ein the happiest place on earth.

Nothing comes close to Disneyland - you will have an absolute ball

 

[marvel]

sorry to hear about the scam. at least you didn't get to the airport and realised it, that would really have been a nightmare.

You will be fine. I am smiling just thinking about you guys being there soon