Dec. 28 ABD Egypt

[Didneymoma]

We are leaving on the Dec. 28th ABD trip to Egypt, and I have not received any information from Disney. Is this normal? I am really beginning to stress about testing requirements (as we leave Christmas Day and not many facilities are open). We fly through London to Cairo, and each country has different testing requirements. For anyone that has gone, will the Clear App QR code pass for the vaccination requirement? Anyone know of Covid testing facilities that are open Christmas Eve?

 

[sayhello]

I would call ABD. I think lately it's been a couple of weeks ahead of time, but since your time includes the 25th, they really should have said something by now.

Sayhello

 

[Magnum_PI]

We are leaving on the Dec. 28th ABD trip to Egypt, and I have not received any information from Disney. Is this normal? I am really beginning to stress about testing requirements (as we leave Christmas Day and not many facilities are open). We fly through London to Cairo, and each country has different testing requirements. For anyone that has gone, will the Clear App QR code pass for the vaccination requirement? Anyone know of Covid testing facilities that are open Christmas Eve?

Did you get any info from them?

 

[LuckyBelle1]

We leave on Friday for Egypt (not with ABD), and we are getting our PCR tests this afternoon with the results coming back tomorrow. We are all vaccinated, but I did not find anything that gave me confidence that the CLEAR app or anything else available in the U.S. would be accepted to board the plane or to get into Egypt even though technically Egypt only requires you be fully-vaccinated. I just got off my pre-trip prep call with our travel organizer and she confirmed that a PCR test was necessary. We are assuming the 72 hour window applies, and so you might want to schedule a test on the 26th. Good luck!

 

[aggiedog]

FYI, we flew thru London to Prague in September and had to do all the things England wanted, just to pass thru (we had a 3 hour layover, did not leave the airport) along with everything the Czech Republic wanted.

https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions?affiliateId=avalon&originCountry=USA
I found this link helpful for figuring what was required.

 

[AquaDame]

We leave on Friday for Egypt (not with ABD), and we are getting our PCR tests this afternoon with the results coming back tomorrow. We are all vaccinated, but I did not find anything that gave me confidence that the CLEAR app or anything else available in the U.S. would be accepted to board the plane or to get into Egypt even though technically Egypt only requires you be fully-vaccinated. I just got off my pre-trip prep call with our travel organizer and she confirmed that a PCR test was necessary. We are assuming the 72 hour window applies, and so you might want to schedule a test on the 26th. Good luck!

Out of curiosity where was the requirement from if not Egypt..?

 

[LuckyBelle1]

My understanding is that Egypt does not accept CDC cards as sufficient to establish proof of vaccination. For citizens of countries that have a better national system of establishing vaccination status - like a QR code issued by a national health department which I understand do exist for some countries - testing is not required. It's possible that you might be able to use the codes provided by some states, or from CLEAR Health or Vaxyes, but I couldn't find anything that gave me confidence that these would be sufficient. So we played it safe by getting PCR tests. Also, worth noting that some airlines have stricter requirements than the countries themselves! For example, the US will accept a monitored antigen test taken within a day of departure for reentry (and that had been our plan), but Emirates requires a PCR test to board the plane to the U.S., so we need to get a PCR test the day before we leave. That was a curveball!

 

[aggiedog]

You have to watch timelines too. Some countries, like the US, do things in terms of calendar days, while others are in hours.

i.e. if you leave Canada for the US at 6:00pm, Friday, you can get your test any time Thursday (rapid antigen test ok), but going to Canada requires the test be done within 72 hours, so a 6:00pm flight on a Friday means you can't even start your test until after 6:00pm Tuesday (must be PCR.) Dd is going to Toronto after Christmas, hence these specific examples are in mind.

 

[Mathmagicland]

You have to watch timelines too. Some countries, like the US, do things in terms of calendar days, while others are in hours.

i.e. if you leave Canada for the US at 6:00pm, Friday, you can get your test any time Thursday (rapid antigen test ok), but going to Canada requires the test be done within 72 hours, so a 6:00pm flight on a Friday means you can't even start your test until after 6:00pm Tuesday (must be PCR.) Dd is going to Toronto after Christmas, hence these specific examples are in mind.

So true! I’m struggling with this now for am upcoming trip, as some places I read the test based on departure time and others it reads based on arrival.

Another thing to watch for is whether it is based on the last flight into the country rather than your first flight if you have a connection. Any testing timings for arrival may need to be based on your last leg into the country.

 

[aggiedog]

Ah, that's interesting. I've always been told it's at the beginning of your journey, if it's all contiguous travel.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Here’s a recent article from the Washington Post about verifying timing of Covid testing & how the author got caught in timing using initial flight departure vs using last leg of the flights & had to test again on the fly at an airport in between connections. It’s what made me research deeper to be sure I have the timing right.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...8ef6fa-4d34-11ec-b73b-a00d6e559a6e_story.html

 

[aggiedog]

Wow, bummer. File that under "every country has it's own rules." I'm pasting this list from that article because I think it has some good points to follow.

• Which test is required? For example, if it’s a PCR test, a rapid antigen test will not suffice.
• What is the maximum length of time allowed between the test and your entry to the destination?
• Does the destination or airline only accept tests from specific testing partners? This is the case for Hawaii and parts of Africa that only admit travelers who have been tested through their Trusted Travel partners, for example. Information on covid-related requirements for entry into the United States from a foreign country is available on the CDC website.
• If you’ll be island hopping at your destination, are there inter-island requirements?
• What testing options are available? Choose a testing site where the turnaround time suits the destination requirements. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services site is a good place to start for domestic tests. For your return to the United States, consult the governmental website of the foreign destination and inquire with your travel agent, hotel or tour operator about whether they arrange testing. Keep in mind that, wherever you are, case surges or other factors could affect appointment availability and processing times.
• Can the testing site provide official documentation in digital and printed form? Various destination and airport officials may ask to see your documentation throughout the journey, and you don’t want to be unable to produce it because you’re caught without WiFi or cell service. “Always ask for digital and hard copies,” recommended Brooke Berlin, a travel expert based in Boulder, Colo., and the founder of Karoo Consulting, a business development and representation company that specializes in working with entities in Africa. “If you receive results through an online portal that doesn’t show all of the required info, ask your doctor to provide a letter on letterhead that includes your name, location and date of the test, result, and the doctor’s signature and contact info,” she said.
• Are you required to complete and upload a health declaration form before arrival? Do you need to install a covid app? Both are becoming common and may be needed for entry into the country, as well as tourist sites, for example

There's also a statement further on in the article about choosing flights in consideration for need for testing, ie don't pick a Monday flight where you'll need to find a lab over the weekend.

It takes a big chunk of fun out of travel. :/

 

[Mathmagicland]

It takes a big chunk of fun out of travel. :/

It definitely adds a few steps to the travel planning and departure prep process!

 

[Mathmagicland]

So true! I’m struggling with this now for am upcoming trip, as some places I read the test based on departure time and others it reads based on arrival.

Sharing an update to my comment - sometimes the country itself posts conflicting info! Their immigration page for tourists says a negative Covid test is needed 72 hours prior to departure, it is not clear if it a literal 72 hours or three days. However, their affidavit I have to attest to online 48 hours prior to arrival re knowing the immigration requirements, and get a confirmation of such back that I may have to show to get into the country, says the negative Covid test has to be within 72 hours of arrival! And then I’ve also got the time zone difference to consider.

So, to be safe I’m going with a test within 72 hours of arrival time, using the time zone of the country as the starting point to count backwards those 72 hours. That way I think I’ve got all possible interpretations covered.

Yes, it’s a lot, but may be part of our new travel reality for a while.

 

[Grifdog22]

Sharing an update to my comment - sometimes the country itself posts conflicting info! Their immigration page for tourists says a negative Covid test is needed 72 hours prior to departure, it is not clear if it a literal 72 hours or three days. However, their affidavit I have to attest to online 48 hours prior to arrival re knowing the immigration requirements, and get a confirmation of such back that I may have to show to get into the country, says the negative Covid test has to be within 72 hours of arrival! And then I’ve also got the time zone difference to consider.

So, to be safe I’m going with a test within 72 hours of arrival time, using the time zone of the country as the starting point to count backwards those 72 hours. That way I think I’ve got all possible interpretations covered.

Yes, it’s a lot, but may be part of our new travel reality for a while.

Thank you for sharing this! Have a safe and wonderful trip! I hope you will tell us about the adventure upon return.

 

[abdmom]

You have to watch timelines too. Some countries, like the US, do things in terms of calendar days, while others are in hours.

i.e. if you leave Canada for the US at 6:00pm, Friday, you can get your test any time Thursday (rapid antigen test ok), but going to Canada requires the test be done within 72 hours, so a 6:00pm flight on a Friday means you can't even start your test until after 6:00pm Tuesday (must be PCR.) Dd is going to Toronto after Christmas, hence these specific examples are in mind.

There's a lot of misinformation out there. Canada does NOT require PCR tests. They require a molecular test and there are quite a few variations of those. It's always best to go to the official source to determine the actual requirements. Canada covid testing requirements Don't rely on other sources.

 

[aggiedog]

Interesting. I haven't heard of anything other than PCR and RAT's in the US, but I am no expert in testing.

 

[STPfan]

Wife and I traveled to Egypt (on our own) in November and loved it. Cairo, Awsan, Luxor and Hurghada (only down part of the trip). Egypt is really picky about their tests and only believe in PCR tests, wife and I did a antigen test for our return flight home and I kept the sleeve that the test came with that showed it was CDC approved for international travel plus a screenshot of the U.S. Egyptian embassy website that just mentions a covid test was needed. Depending on how you plan to test coming home, be prepared to present your case.

 

[Grifdog22]

We are leaving on the Dec. 28th ABD trip to Egypt, and I have not received any information from Disney. Is this normal? I am really beginning to stress about testing requirements (as we leave Christmas Day and not many facilities are open). We fly through London to Cairo, and each country has different testing requirements. For anyone that has gone, will the Clear App QR code pass for the vaccination requirement? Anyone know of Covid testing facilities that are open Christmas Eve?

How was the trip?

 

[Magnum_PI]

How was the trip?

I'm curious as well. I haven't heard anything about how the December trips went! ...and the next one that's going is the one we're on haha.