Victoria (YYJ) to Calgary (YYC) to Orlando (MCO) - update - WestJest change!

[lozzypop]

DD are going on our third DCL cruise in May, but this will be our first time leaving Port Canaveral. We have never been to WDW before, but are seasoned Disneyland pros.

I booked our flights with WestJet last night and had a questing regarding clearing US customs in YYC. WestJet has us arriving at 8:20am and our flight to MCO leaves at 9:55am. NOT taking into account the current debacle with the US government shutdown (which I hope will be resolved by May), is this enough time to move from one terminal to another and clear US customs?

We have never had an issue in Vancouver, despite the verrrryyy long walk between domestic and US terminals.

 

[Disney_Alli]

DD are going on our third DCL cruise in May, but this will be our first time leaving Port Canaveral. We have never been to WDW before, but are seasoned Disneyland pros.

I booked our flights with WestJet last night and had a questing regarding clearing US customs in YYC. WestJet has us arriving at 8:20am and our flight to MCO leaves at 9:55am. NOT taking into account the current debacle with the US government shutdown (which I hope will be resolved by May), is this enough time to move from one terminal to another and clear US customs?

We have never had an issue in Vancouver, despite the verrrryyy long walk between domestic and US terminals.

I think you'll be just fine. I haven't cleared customs here at home often since the change (and obviously don't have to switch terminals since Calgary is home) but the airport is well laid out and easy to navigate. It's still not all that far end to end. (Like a dummy when I had my Nexus interview I parked at the complete opposite end of the airport from their offices and walked the FULL length of the airport in under 6 minutes - I was also running late due to traffic lol)

 

[Carolynleanne]

Calgary airport is very easy to navigate and you'd be much quicker through customs than you would at say, YVR or Toronto. Have a blast!

 

[lozzypop]

So West Jet e-mailed me today to let me know that they were changing my flights and I spent a hour this evening with a customer service rep to try and get new flights that worked better for us. Now we are going Victoria to Calgary to Toronto to Orlando. But I was able to get a direct to Vancouver for our return flight for a much earlier time than the 5:45pm flight I had booked originally through Calgary.

Even though I have an extra stop, I don't mind the new itinerary because we have enough layover time now to grab a hearty second breakfast in Calgary and dinner in Toronto.

I figured that a 1:45 pm flight from MCO was OK especially when they kick you off the boat so early. Is anyone with experience travelling back to Canada after a cruise able to reassure me that we will be OK with our earlier flight? We are getting Disney transfers from PC to MCO if that makes a difference. I didn't fancy wandering around MCO with all of our bags for hours if I stuck with the 5:45 pm flight.

 

[Marc D]

1:45 PM is a VERY safe time to come back. We’ve done 10:25AM twice. It was tight but it is doable. DCL recommends nothing before 11:30AM or noon. Even if you wait until they kick you out at 9:30AM - but since there is nothing to do on the ship, there is no reason to hang around that long - you’ll be at MCO no later than 10:45AM using the DCL shuttle.

Quick tip : if you want a decent lunch in MCO and don’t enjoy food court meals, go up to McCoy’s in the Hyatt. They also offer a grab n’ go service.

 

[lozzypop]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I am very much a planner and it is freaking me out planning a route through so many different airports. Part of me wants to bail and stick with my tried and true route to Santa Ana and Anaheim, but I promised DD we would go on this cruise and I can't back out now!