Last minute question : Customs

[beaudoin_n]

Hi,

I need to bring a medical equipment over to Disney for my ex-snoring DH

What's the best way to go through customs and back with the less hassle .

Thanks in advance

Only 2 days left before we take the plane Woo!!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I have 1st hand experience with transporting my CPAP machine to WDW from our trip last week. Just put it in it's carrying case -- take it carry-on if you're flying. Send it through the x-ray system. The TSA folks will open it up and wipe it for explosives. They've seen these devices plenty of times, but they wipe down any electronic devices for explosive residue. Nothing to worry about there, unless your hubby is also on a nitroglycerin spray and uses that anywhere near his CPAP. (not altogether impossible -- a colleague of mine was sent for secondary inspection at the Ottawa airport because his Blackberry tested positive for explosive residue -- he is also a pastor and could only surmise that someone had used a nitro spray near him once and the residue settled on his Blackberry.)

As a slight funny -- I packed my CPAP, but forgot to pack the power cord. I almost became my DW's ex-snoring ex-husband when I told her that one. She asked if the cord was white (it wasn't -- it's grey) but that reminded me that I had packed my battery charger and the cord from the charger fit into the CPAP machine power input with some fiddling. Nice save on the vacation!

 

[OntFamily]

The previous poster gave some good advice re airport security personnel.

For customs (Canadian customs), the most secure way to ensure you do not have any problem on your return (ie to ensure Customs doesn't act like you bought the equipment in the US, and want you to pay duty on it) is to show it to them in advance.

If you visit any Canada customs office, and bring your CPAP machine with you, they will examine it (make it easy to show them the model number and serial number), record the info on a green card, and then place an official Custom's stamp on the card. The card is given to you to keep. When going across the Canadian border, if they ask to see proof of Canadian purchase, all you have to show them is the green card. No problem. There is no charge for this service.

However, it is a low risk they'd ask for proof on these machines. They're a medical device, requiring a prescription. So, the average person can't walk into a store and buy one.

 

[beaudoin_n]

Thanks for all the info

BTW did you buy the demineralized water when you were there ? Where ?

Thanks

Only 2 days left leaving saturday

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I didn't use the humidifier while in Florida, figuring the room air was probably humid enough. I did not notice any difference. On the night before our flight I used regular tap water in the humidifier, figuring that the occasional use of tap water wouldn't build up any scale in the humidifier.

 

[OntFamily]

We packed 600ml of distilled water in our checked baggage (wrapped in plastic several times).