Have we ruined our DisneyWorld trip?

[Odellio]

I need some reassurance or advice. We are due to fly to Florida for DisneyWorld this afternoon with SC and DS. We have little knowledge of international travel, I knew we needed ESTAs but didn’t understand the process. I checked with in-laws who are organising the whole trip if they had sorted ESTAs, and they said they had. Obviously I misunderstood that they were talking about their ESTAs only and not ours. We applied yesterday afternoon as soon as we realised we didn’t have ESTAs. Still pending authorisation. I am hugely panicking now that we won’t get them in time to check-in.

Actually years ago (pre Esta) you could. As a UK citizen you filled out your visa on the plane. Cabin crew would come round and hand out the piece of paper for you to complete mid flight.

Okay thread police.

Stand down. I’m not looking for a row with a random today.

I just want to give OP hope if it’s a better airline.

Is there a later flight you could possibly be put on? If there are seats available that is...

Good luck Op. good they can change flights if need be.
From memory Estas ask info about your work and parents so I would never assume someone else could complete.
The Cuba thing catches some people out.

That's true, ESTA hasn't always been around, ex cabin crew here and we used to go up and down the plane giving out the sodding things! It took forever because everyone kept on making mistakes and we'd eventually run out. White form if you had a visa and a green one if you didn't.

oh god, fingers crossed for you xxx

Why am I getting stressed about this?

Good luck, OP!

Not true at all which is a bit embarrassing for you after being so patronising. I remember filling in my visa in the air on the plane as we approached JFK in 1993.

Things always turn out well on these kinds of threads I've noticed so I predict you'll get them in the nick of time.

I remember doing that twice in the 90‘s. Would have been ‚92 ‚95

I filled in the form on the plane as recently as 2010, I remember because it was the first time I'd been to the states.

Good luck OP, I hope they come through asap.

I remember those green forms filled out en route - and some of the questions which nobody with half a brain would ever say yes to (but I bet some did).

I’ve done group ESTA applications, but you need photos of each passport in order to apply.

Ah the good old visa waiver form...handed out in the hundreds on some flights..an act that was usually followed by pleas of "anyone got a biro"...followed by "anyone got another form"...

Not wanting to wade into this fight, but, no, you never filled in your visa paperwork during the flight. You filled out your customs declaration. Before the ESTA you didn't need a visa (well, you still don't, but you do need the ESTA) since the UK is/was part of the visa waiver program. In 2008, the US introduced the ESTA for countries in the VWP.

So, I guess, you are both kinda right? You didn't have to prove you had a visa before boarding the plane (assuming UK citizen) but that was because you didn't need a visa. You still don't need a visa, but do need the ESTA.

Possibly, before the 1980s, there was something (pre VWP) but not for over 40 years.

I applied at the weekend and I’ve just checked the emails and it came through in an hour.

Fingers crossed for you 🤞

Hopefully they come through on time 🤞

But If the in laws were supposed to be organising everything and they haven’t organised your estas, have you checked your also fully insured for the holiday !

So, where are the in laws now? Has FIL said anything about it all?

Insurance is all good. I did do that and double checked policy re pregnancy!

Of course that's not right. I've been to the US plenty of times without either in the past.

Best of luck OP, hope you get confirmation very soon.

UK is/was part of the visa waiver program

I know, @McSpoot; technically the blasted green things were a visa waiver form, but were still "Oh god it's that bloody visa thingy again" to most of us

And then there was the charm of being sent to the back of the immigration line if you'd made a mistake ... maybe there's something to be said for the electronic version after all!!

Have the travel agency/ airline been helpful?

Oh I really hope they come through in time, how stressful for you.

Yep and most of the world is brainwashed one way or another.

You do you dear

Yes we did ours on a weekend just before Christmas as going away in January and they came through within the hour

May be time of year that is slowing yours down

Hope it gets sorted for you in time