Pearson Airport

[jennstew]

I am taking a mother/daughter trip to WDW in March. This is my first time travelling without my dh. I have some issues with anxiety so am nervous but also excited that I am doing this on my own. I am hoping that someone her could walk me through what it will be like at the airport, where to go, customs, any tips, no detail is too small. We usually fly out of Buffalo so I am not familiar with the airport in Toronto. I am comfortable when we arrive in Orlando because we've done it. We are flying Air Canada out of terminal 1 at 6:30 am on a Monday March 10.
Thanks for your help
Jenn

 

[mkmommy]

We leave my husband home all the time, and it is easy.

US Customs at Pearson is usually crazy busy, so leave lots of time, I mean lots, like 3 hours especially if going in the morning, or during busy departure times like March break. I see you are leaving at 6:30 AM , not sure what time Customs opens though.

My one word of advice is get a letter notarized from your husband allowing you to take your daughter out of the country. 3 out 4 times that I have been asked for it, it has been returning to Canada at Pearson.

 

[jba2]

I second mkmommy's advice regarding a notarized letter. I have been asked for a letter at Pearson when traveling to the U.S. with my children.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I've also been asked for the notarized letter by both US customs when leaving Canada & by Canadian customs upon returning. I use the online form letter that you can purchase a license for from LawDepot.com - it has always been enough & has never been questioned

We have flown the 6:35am Sunwing flight to MCO - arriving at Pearson at 4:15 am.. Customs was open when we arrived or very shortly afterwards.

 

[redrosesix]

I third the letter - you can download a template from the Passport Canada website.

I don't go through Pearson every year, but I usually find something has moved or changed each time I go. A couple of times we have gotten the wrong directions from the information people but the signs are always correct (especially the ones for US departures) and the airline staff usually give good information.

 

[BijouBabe]

I always get asked for a letter as well anytime I cross into the states with my DS, but because there is no father on the Birth certificate as his bio father is not around I just need the larger Birth certificate. I have had many friends who have needed the letter, so make sure you have that with you.

 

[jennstew]

Thanks, I will make sure to have the letter. I have read that we should be there 3 hours in advance so that means 3:30am. This should be enough time shouldn't it?

Jenn

 

[mom_rules]

We fly out of Pearson-Terminal 1 Air Canada all the time. If you have baggage to check be aware that their baggage counter doesn't open until 4 or 4:30 so you will be standing in line for an hour before they open if you arrive at 3:30am. You could always check your own baggage and print your luggage tag at the kiosks if they are working.
Air Canada US Flight check in is usually around pillar G or H area depending on your class of service. You need to find the illuminated board that tells you which area to go to.
If it is a particularly busy departure day at the airport, you will be asked to wait in a waiting area and you will be called into the customs hall by your flight time otherwise you will take your checked luggage with you into customs (make sure you fill out your form before you get to the Customs Hall) right after your baggage is tagged.
After customs you will drop off any checked baggage then proceed through security (where there may or may not be a line up).
From there you will go down the escalator and look for your gate number and head down the appropriate wing to your departure lounge.

Now if you have time to spare-there is a duty free shop right when you get off the escalator after security. There are also some restaurants and a few little gift shops where you can purchase magazines, gum, water, books etc

Hope this helps.....Terminal 1 is pretty easy to get around in. Stuff is pretty well marked and there are always agents walking around that will tell you where you need to be.

 

[alc571]

Air Canada is quite possibly the easiest airline to fly out of Pearson on. Make sure you print out your boarding passes the night before, and then you can skip the checkin at the airport. You can go straight to baggage drop and then on to security. Or if your like me and do carry-on only, you can go straight to security. We've never gone to Pearson more than two hours before our flight - but we park AT the airport. We flew Air Canada last April and our tickets even said to get to the air port 90 minutes in advance because we did online checkin. You'll need more than 2 hours if you're parking somewhere that you need a shuttle from. We arrived at 4:15am for this 6:30am flight, and we were at the gate waiting at 4:40am. 25 minutes from our car to the gate (again - we did online checkin, and skipped the baggage drop).

We flew out on Sunwing last week, with a 6:30am departure, and only left two hours. We were still at the gate with an hour to spare. And security was much more crowded than it was in April.

They are doing a new border procedure at Pearson which makes customs more electronic. Those "blue sheets" you normall fill out on the airplane, you now scan at the airport with a copy of your passports. So, when you are leaving - you scan your passports and then key in the information (where you're going, etc.) and then the machine spits out a receipt which you take to the border officer. So much faster. On the way home, you fill out the blue sheet on the plane and do the same process but this time you scan the sheet and then your passports. It will spit out a new receipt, and then a border officer will look at it and send you on your way. If you look suspicious, they'll send you to another officer who will ask you questions, but we were dressed in Disney - so we got through...

Like everyone else says - everything is pretty well marked. You go up for Departures, and come in on the lower level when you arrive.

 

[jennstew]

Thank you. Between this thread and the one about customs I feel much less anxious. We are flying with just carry on's and I will do online checking the night before.

Jenn