Connecting in Toronto

[Palendat]

We leave Tuesday, Winnipeg to Orlando, connecting in Toronto via Westjet.

We only have 60 minutes to connect to the last leg of our journey and I am so worried about getting off the plane, collecting our luggage, going through customs, etc in only 60 minutes. We are travelling with 2 small children to boot, a stroller and MUCH luggage. Can anyone calm me down!!!

 

[mickeywho?]

Well you won't be going through customs in Toronto - last I checked we were all in the same country. You should only go through customs once in Winnipeg.
Is your airline not transferring your luggage. I didn't think you would have to do that yourself either.
Check with Westjet for the details - you should only be responsible for getting your family to the plane.

 

[DisneylandGuy22]

Last time i flew westjet i went from calgary to toronto then to orlando. I only went through security in calgary. Once i landed in toronto i had to get my bags then go through customs then through security then to the boarding gate...

Hope this helps...

 

[cab0899]

Yes, you do go through customs in Toronto as the Wpg to Toronto leg is a domestic flight. We did this last November with WestJet I was nervous about it as well but it did work out okay. Kim

 

[hawkaye19]

Morning,
We did the transfer through Toronto last year with 45 minutes between flights. If you see one of those golf carts...hitch a ride, we did half way and it saved us....another thing to keep in mind is to be sure everything you are carrying can be combined....smaller bags can be attched to larger wheeled ones. Do a trial run at home....we had 3 wheeled bags and 3 carry-ons....none combined, so I ended carrying the three carry-ons and pulling two of the larger wheeled ones....not a pretty sight, and by the time we made it over to the shuttle bus (it is a long walk) and squeezed on...I was reaching my limit
Next year, direct flight from Ottawa....ahhhhhh


Cheers

Bruce

 

[grover]

we will have to do the same...wpg to mco via toronto. have just over 1 hr to clear customs in toronto.
how far is it from where you get off the wpg flight to where customs is??

 

[Babyjustrun]

The worst that could happen, is that you get there without your luggage.
Usually it comes in the next morning at the airport.

 

[coastgirl]

Uh, I can't reassure you b/c I think it's tight.

We did it in May/June with 2 hours and had some time to spare, maybe 20-30 mins at the gate, but not a lot. We had a 3 and 5 yo in tow. Coming back our flt got delayed, we got to customs in TO an hour before our flt departed for Halifax, and they wouldn't even let us try; fortunately the next flt was only an hour later. I'm surprised they booked you with such a tight connection. Don't know if they'd even let you go on without picking up your bags.

Call Westjet and tell them you're worried. Ask if they can pre-book you one of those carts, or ask how you'd do that at the airport. Eek, with the new restrictions, don't know how you'll manage food for everyone--count on buying whatever they've got on the flt, I guess.

Can't WAIT for pre-clearance in Hfx.

Good luck. If you do talk to the airline, I'd be interested to hear what they have to say.

 

[mejaie]

We have the same flights in November. I plan on letting the ground people in Winnipeg know, then the flight crew know. We also plan on splitting up with 2 of us going ahead to customs and 2 getting the bags. Then (line cutting at customs, good practise for Disney( just kidding)). The first one to the customs line will let someone there know we have a tight schedule and hope to get through quicker. I have seen it done in security lines. We also have passports, and plan on having the resort address ready, so we hope that will help.

Is it a Disney meltdown if you do not make the connection and get a little irate?

 

[ferris198]

We did Toronto North Carolina in January. Our bags were tagged in Toronto to go to Orlando, we didn't have to pick them up and NC, then in Orlando Magic Express picked them up and delivered to our room.
We had no extra security checks or custom checks.

 

[mickeywho?]

I would understand two security checks - but why go through customs twice. Or is Toronto the only customs clearance?
When we fly international our stop-overs are usually outside of Canada, ie. Toronto - Glasgow - Belfast. So we go through customs once we land in Belfast - no reason to in Glasgow as we're not staying. I know for US flights we can go through customs at our own airport - that makes it very convenient.
Is there no US customs office in the Winnipeg airport?

 

[coastgirl]

I would understand two security checks - but why go through customs twice. Or is Toronto the only customs clearance?
Is there no US customs office in the Winnipeg airport?

That's it...I'm guessing, like Halifax and other regional airports, there isn't. So, you check your bags per a domestic flight to TO then at TO you land at the domestic terminal, change to the international terminal, pick them up and get them processed through customs there. It is a royal pain. If you start where there IS a customs office, you just go through on your original check in. Personally I don't understand why you can't do customs on arrival at your destination, and only have to handle the bags as you normally would. I remember getting cleared in Heathrow and Frankfurt when taking a direct to Europe flt from the east coast. At this point, going through Toronto is a liability, and I'd love to avoid it.

In Halifax they are building a new customs area that should be open and staffed before Christmas. Then TO just becomes a regular connection for us. I think the terminal change will even be eliminated, as if we are a pre-cleared flt we can land at the international terminal. Maybe not, though, as not everyone on the flt will be heading for the US or whatever (isn't EVERYONE going to Disney??)...I do know that they expect more direct flts from Halifax after the change as they will now be able to fly into US airports that don't have the customs folks.

 

[Qc-007]

Hello,

I have a question. We just had a flight from Las Vegas to Mtl with a connection in To with WestJet. We got our bags, went through customs and everything was fine but.. we did not understand where to put our bags for our connecting flight to Mtl. We ended up at the WestJet counter. Fortunately, an employee was there and directed us directly to the counter to leave our bags thus not having to get in line with the new passengers checking in. What did we do wrong ? Was there somewhere else where we should have left our bags ? We did not see anything else...

 

[grover]

That's it...I'm guessing, like Halifax and other regional airports, there isn't. So, you check your bags per a domestic flight to TO then at TO you land at the domestic terminal, change to the international terminal, pick them up and get them processed through customs there. It is a royal pain. If you start where there IS a customs office, you just go through on your original check in. Personally I don't understand why you can't do customs on arrival at your destination, and only have to handle the bags as you normally would. I remember getting cleared in Heathrow and Frankfurt when taking a direct to Europe flt from the east coast. At this point, going through Toronto is a liability, and I'd love to avoid it.

In Halifax they are building a new customs area that should be open and staffed before Christmas. Then TO just becomes a regular connection for us. I think the terminal change will even be eliminated, as if we are a pre-cleared flt we can land at the international terminal. Maybe not, though, as not everyone on the flt will be heading for the US or whatever (isn't EVERYONE going to Disney??)...I do know that they expect more direct flts from Halifax after the change as they will now be able to fly into US airports that don't have the customs folks.

There IS a customs office in Winnipeg..however we clear customs in Toronto--not in Winnipeg. I imagine it has to do with flights and with switching planes in toronto. I guess they don't want you clearing customs in Winnipeg..getting of the plane in Toronto..wandering around doing what ever it is people do..and then getting back onto a flight without going thru customs again..makes sense to do it once..not twice-right??

 

[mbb]

There IS a customs office in Winnipeg..however we clear customs in Toronto--not in Winnipeg. I imagine it has to do with flights and with switching planes in toronto. I guess they don't want you clearing customs in Winnipeg..getting of the plane in Toronto..wandering around doing what ever it is people do..and then getting back onto a flight without going thru customs again..makes sense to do it once..not twice-right??

Exactly.

It's going to be tight, very tight.

But here's the good news!

1) YYZ expects that you will miss your flight - - so, you won't have a problem at the desk trying to re-book. Now, if the next flight is full, you could have a problem. So be prepared, look at the flight schedule, and write down the flights that would be acceptable to you and your family - before you go.

2) Get a porter.
Get a porter.
Get a porter.
The golf carts are fine, *if* the one you've asked for through passenger assistance shows up. If it isn't right there, get a porter. Let him grab your bags, count them, (and the kids!! ) and then get ready to run.

And seriously, we mean run, if you want to stand a chance of making this.

3) When you get to the cattle call of a line-up in YYZ that is USC&I, make your presence known to one of the agents (they're usually scattered through out the crowd)
All you have to say is "Flight #___ to Orlando, 4 people, travleing with small children...and they'll get you to the line up you need to be in.

As well, your porter should direct you right up to one of the agents, but he may not.

So you have to be prepared to take charge.
Tell your partner to stay with the luggage and kids, find the agent, tell them your spiel, and run back and get your partner, kids and luggage (and the rest of the people from your flight, also connecting to MCO will probably be right behind you! )

4) Once you're through Customs, it isn't over...there is a desk by the luggage belt, and if your flight is departing in the next 5 minutes, tell them, ask which security line to get in, can they call and ask the gate to wait for you? and hope for the best.

Have I scared you enough yet??

I'll be honest, and tell you that it isn't fun. We've missed it more times than we've made it.

Stay cool, be prepared, pack as lightly as you can, put all your electronics in ONE bag, so you'll only have to open that one..wear slip on shoes if you can, and skip wearing a belt.

If the kids have a favourite blankie or toy, get one of those harness/elastic thingies, that they can attach it to their, or your, wrist.

Remember, you will get to WDW, just maybe not on the flight, or route that you originally booked.

HTH!

 

[mbb]

I just re-read all of that.

And I'm thinking I must be *really* scary to travel with.

We aren't park Commandoes, but I am an airport one!

 

[grover]

Exactly.

It's going to be tight, very tight.

But here's the good news!

1) YYZ expects that you will miss your flight - - so, you won't have a problem at the desk trying to re-book. Now, if the next flight is full, you could have a problem. So be prepared, look at the flight schedule, and write down the flights that would be acceptable to you and your family - before you go.

2) Get a porter.
Get a porter.
Get a porter.
The golf carts are fine, *if* the one you've asked for through passenger assistance shows up. If it isn't right there, get a porter. Let him grab your bags, count them, (and the kids!! ) and then get ready to run.

And seriously, we mean run, if you want to stand a chance of making this.

3) When you get to the cattle call of a line-up in YYZ that is USC&I, make your presence known to one of the agents (they're usually scattered through out the crowd)
All you have to say is "Flight #___ to Orlando, 4 people, travleing with small children...and they'll get you to the line up you need to be in.

As well, your porter should direct you right up to one of the agents, but he may not.

So you have to be prepared to take charge.
Tell your partner to stay with the luggage and kids, find the agent, tell them your spiel, and run back and get your partner, kids and luggage (and the rest of the people from your flight, also connecting to MCO will probably be right behind you! )

4) Once you're through Customs, it isn't over...there is a desk by the luggage belt, and if your flight is departing in the next 5 minutes, tell them, ask which security line to get in, can they call and ask the gate to wait for you? and hope for the best.

Have I scared you enough yet??

I'll be honest, and tell you that it isn't fun. We've missed it more times than we've made it.

Stay cool, be prepared, pack as lightly as you can, put all your electronics in ONE bag, so you'll only have to open that one..wear slip on shoes if you can, and skip wearing a belt.

If the kids have a favourite blankie or toy, get one of those harness/elastic thingies, that they can attach it to their, or your, wrist.

Remember, you will get to WDW, just maybe not on the flight, or route that you originally booked.

HTH!

LOL..well i am glad we are not travelling with kids..have one teenager who can carry more and run faster than me..lol!
i have no problem in making my presence known should it be required..and we won't have tons of baggage to juggle-so that will help!

 

[Northstar]

That's it...I'm guessing, like Halifax and other regional airports, there isn't. So, you check your bags per a domestic flight to TO then at TO you land at the domestic terminal, change to the international terminal, pick them up and get them processed through customs there. It is a royal pain. If you start where there IS a customs office, you just go through on your original check in. Personally I don't understand why you can't do customs on arrival at your destination, and only have to handle the bags as you normally would. I remember getting cleared in Heathrow and Frankfurt when taking a direct to Europe flt from the east coast. At this point, going through Toronto is a liability, and I'd love to avoid it.

In Halifax they are building a new customs area that should be open and staffed before Christmas. Then TO just becomes a regular connection for us. I think the terminal change will even be eliminated, as if we are a pre-cleared flt we can land at the international terminal. Maybe not, though, as not everyone on the flt will be heading for the US or whatever (isn't EVERYONE going to Disney??)...I do know that they expect more direct flts from Halifax after the change as they will now be able to fly into US airports that don't have the customs folks.

Two key bits of info help to make sense of the customs and immi process:

1. You've got to remember that INDIVIDUALS do not selectively go through customs and immigration, whole flights do. Either a flight is domestic, goes into a domestic terminal where people getting off can scatter to the four corners... or it's international and goes into an international arrivals where you are funnelled through a border check, because every person arriving on that plane is arriving from abroad.

2. The complicating factor, in the case of Canada-US flights, is PRE CLEARANCE. For every other international flight I've ever heard of, the rule is that you go through a border check at the first airport where you touch down in the new country... then, if you are continuing your journey within that country, you get on a domestic flight after clearing. But Canada has this unique thing where we let the US set up preclearance centres, staffed by US government employees, in Canadian airports. So if you fly to the US from Toronto, you go through the border check, along with everybody else getting on the plane (following principle #1), before you get to the gate. Then your arrival in the US, along with everybody else on your plane, is a regular domestic arrival that does not go through an international terminal.

So Coastgirl, the sad news about US preclearance in Halifax is that you will ONLY clear in Halifax if your connection is at a US airport... Newark, Boston, Detroit, whatever. If you fly YHZ to YYZ to MCO, you will be stuck in the same nightmare of needing a looong connection time because you will have to do preclearance for the Canada to US flight in Toronto. I'm expecting more direct flights from Halifax because nobody in their right mind will want to go through Toronto now to get from Halifax to the US.

And Palendat , my vote is that the stress of trying to make this very tight connection with your kids IS NOT WORTH IT. Even with the heroic measures Mbb describes (wow, I learned a lot of tricks from that post!), if your baggage is late getting to the baggage claim, or if your first flight is even a bit late, you be stressing big time and your kids don't need a hyperventilating parent doing Airport Commando (that would be me on our last trip ). With the change of terminals, too, to cope with in Toronto, that's just a bad itinerary. I'd change to a later flight out of Toronto if it's at all possible.

 

[coastgirl]

So Coastgirl, the sad news about US preclearance in Halifax is that you will ONLY clear in Halifax if your connection is at a US airport... Newark, Boston, Detroit, whatever. If you fly YHZ to YYZ to MCO, you will be stuck in the same nightmare of needing a looong connection time because you will have to do preclearance for the Canada to US flight in Toronto. I'm expecting more direct flights from Halifax because nobody in their right mind will want to go through Toronto now to get from Halifax to the US..

Well that sucks. Yes, will be hoping for and looking for direct flts. (Or next-stop-US-flts at least.)

And Palendat , my vote is that the stress of trying to make this very tight connection with your kids IS NOT WORTH IT. Even with the heroic measures Mbb describes (wow, I learned a lot of tricks from that post!), if your baggage is late getting to the baggage claim, or if your first flight is even a bit late, you be stressing big time and your kids don't need a hyperventilating parent doing Airport Commando (that would be me on our last trip ). With the change of terminals, too, to cope with in Toronto, that's just a bad itinerary. I'd change to a later flight out of Toronto if it's at all possible.

We had a two hour connection coming back through TO and didn't make it b/c of a delay (and a little extra confusion over where to find our carseats), and it WAS stressful. I hate that. We got home only an hour later, but the AC flt staff was telling us we'd be fine even with the delay (of course we knew to doubt them!), and we were left running, worrying, and not knowing WHEN we'd get to Hfx. (Which is still a fair drive from home.) Better for someone to say up front, you're not going to make it but we'll make arrangements to get you on the next flt, which is an hour later than your sched departure...I do think the idea of researching the alternates beforehand is a good one, so if things do get delayed, you know what you're up against. With 2 hours for the connection, we assumed we'd be fine.

Anyway, good luck to the OP, won't it be nice when we have strapping teens to help out!

 

[hawkaye19]

I imagine it is like herding cattle, and each and everyone is saying...but we only paid $49..we only paid $49

I would rather pay a little more, board one plane, go though customs once and then get off in MCO

ahhh, now that is a vacation...April 2007 here we come

Bruce