Christmas Travellers Anyone?

[Torontogal]

So we are flying to WDW Christmas and leaving Jan. 1st. We are all fully vaccinated. I am trying to understand the requirements for entry into the US and entry back into Canada. I understand I require a rapid test for US entry and a PCR test in Florida 72 hrs before. What do you recommend is the least expensive but painless way of getting these tests? I am reading that Walgreens and CVS is free and that Walmart Canada would be a good place to get testing done. Can you please confirm? I am reading through these endless posts...Thanks so much!

 

[GreatGoofini]

I think the current consensus is Shoppers (if available in your area) for the $40 test going down and free Walgreens drive through or free BeeperMD mobile testing in Orlando for the way back.

 

[pigletto]

Walmart is half the price on the way down
(Rapid antigen ) and some costcos do them even cheaper, so check with those pharmacies if they are near you.

 

[Love2Cruise2015]

Do we need a Rapid antigen test to get into the US by land (by air you need a test?). I thought we just needed one to get back into Canada (PCR)? Please correct me if I am wrong as the information is frequently changing...

 

[pigletto]

Do we need a Rapid antigen test to get into the US by land (by air you need a test?). I thought we just needed one to get back into Canada (PCR)? Please correct me if I am wrong as the information is frequently changing...

Currently by air you need a rapid antigen if flying from Canada into the USA. If you were to drive over you do not. PCR is the test needed to come back into Canada.

 

[Torontogal]

I think the current consensus is Shoppers (if available in your area) for the $40 test going down and free Walgreens drive through or free BeeperMD mobile testing in Orlando for the way back.

Thanks - that is pretty much what I thought of. My return flight is at 16:55 on the 1st of Jan. so wondering when I need to do my test....any idea?

 

[Torontogal]

Currently by air you need a rapid antigen if flying from Canada into the USA. If you were to drive over you do not. PCR is the test needed to come back into Canada.

What does ID NOW mean? I see a few posts about that?

 

[TommyJK]

What does ID NOW mean? I see a few posts about that?

At Walgreens, one of the tests you can book is called "ID NOW". It is a (fairly) rapid test that is NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) that Canada also accepts for re-entry (i.e. not just PCR test).

When booking a drive-thru Walgreens test, this is the one you want to select as it's accepted for re-entry and you will get the results emailed to you typically within an hour or two.

 

[Torontogal]

At Walgreens, one of the tests you can book is called "ID NOW". It is a (fairly) rapid test that is NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) that Canada also accepts for re-entry (i.e. not just PCR test).

When booking a drive-thru Walgreens test, this is the one you want to select as it's accepted for re-entry and you will get the results emailed to you typically within an hour or two.

Trying to prebook my test for Dec. 29 but it is blocked off. Does that mean I am too early or it is fully booked?

 

[TommyJK]

Trying to prebook my test for Dec. 29 but it is blocked off. Does that mean I am too early or it is fully booked?

Oh yes, you are much too early. Walgreens only opens up booking slots a few days in advance.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Be aware...things too a drastic change yesterday and the feds said further changes are coming. USA also announced changes are coming in the next day or so. The announcement was made at 4pm and took affect at midnight.

Canada has reinstated the quarantine for everyone traveling from all countries....EXCEPT the USA. However, remember they said more changes are coming by the end of this week. This change requires everyone entering Canada to be tested and then quarantine until they receive a negative result. They also said if your quarantine plan is not approved you will have to go to one of the hotels.

 

[Madame]

2.5 weeks til we are to leave (land crossing). If it turns south for us, 200ish DVC points will be put into holding (points that are current use year and could have been banked into the next use year but not when they're put into holding) and will have to be used by end of July.

It will be the straw that broke the camel's back for us regarding our DVC. A cash booking would have been fully refundable and in this unstable environment (who knows how long this will last - even with vaccines there are a LOT more people on the planet since 1918) and my ability to only travel during school breaks, well

 

[peacefrogdog]

For anyone in GTA:
We are flying out Dec 26th. Have our antigen testing booked Dec 25th (because we have to have it done 2 days prior boarding our cruise leaving from Port Canaveral). Want to plan for the possibility of a false positive antigen and the need to confirm. Other than the Switch Health testing that is available at the airport, anyone know of other places that to rapid PCR analysis in the GTA?

 

[TommyJK]

For anyone in GTA:
We are flying out Dec 26th. Have our antigen testing booked Dec 25th (because we have to have it done 2 days prior boarding our cruise leaving from Port Canaveral). Want to plan for the possibility of a false positive antigen and the need to confirm. Other than the Switch Health testing that is available at the airport, anyone know of other places that to rapid PCR analysis in the GTA?

I was considering using this place (that has a lot of different testing locations in the GTA) before a short trip I did in October. They do same day results for PCR with 2 options.

https://www.fhhealth.com/

 

[Eeyore's the Best]

We are flying to Florida Dec 25 from Buffalo, so no test for us required on the way down. We are returning Dec 28, we plan to do a Walgreens ID Now test on the morning of the 26th. We fly back to Buffalo and cross over same day or next morning. Looks like at this point we won't be required to do the test on arrival to Canada and quarantine for results as we are not flying in to Canada but just driving back across. We are monitoring closely, if any kind of quarantine is required upon our return to Canada we will be cancelling.

 

[wdwmom3]

We are flying to Florida Dec 25 from Buffalo, so no test for us required on the way down. We are returning Dec 28, we plan to do a Walgreens ID Now test on the morning of the 26th. We fly back to Buffalo and cross over same day or next morning. Looks like at this point we won't be required to do the test on arrival to Canada and quarantine for results as we are not flying in to Canada but just driving back across. We are monitoring closely, if any kind of quarantine is required upon our return to Canada we will be cancelling.

They excluded travel to the US for the testing once in Canada and isolating.

We would be ok if we have to isolate for a day or two to await test results. But anything more then that and we would need to cancel.

 

[Susan2771]

Looks like our trip is going to be cancelled if this new change in testing to enter the States comes into play. We are to fly down Boxing Day. Have no idea where we are going to be able to accommodate or even where we can get tested on Christmas Day

Biden administration considering requiring stricter coronavirus testing for everyone traveling to US - CNNPolitics
Live updates: Omicron coronavirus variant puts world on edge (cnn.com)

 

[wdwmom3]

Looks like our trip is going to be cancelled if this new change in testing to enter the States comes into play. We are to fly down Boxing Day. Have no idea where we are going to be able to accommodate or even where we can get tested on Christmas Day

Live updates: Omicron coronavirus variant puts world on edge (cnn.com)

You could order the switch health antigen tests.

 

[wdwmom3]

Looks like our trip is going to be cancelled if this new change in testing to enter the States comes into play. We are to fly down Boxing Day. Have no idea where we are going to be able to accommodate or even where we can get tested on Christmas Day

Biden administration considering requiring stricter coronavirus testing for everyone traveling to US - CNNPolitics
Live updates: Omicron coronavirus variant puts world on edge (cnn.com)

Ok just read this. They are only CONSIDERING changing the testing. They may not even do that. I think we all need to relax a bit.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Thanks - that is pretty much what I thought of. My return flight is at 16:55 on the 1st of Jan. so wondering when I need to do my test....any idea?

At least before all this recent discussions with the Omnicron variant, the government website stated you need to show proof of a negative test (e.g. a PCR test; can't be a antigen test) within 72 hours of your flight). So for you, you would need to be tested sometime after Dec 29th at 1655h.