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.

Fingers crossed they come through! Remember you might get some & not all. Are you comfortable letting the children fly with the grandparents if this occurs? And do you have a letter of authority prepared just in case. I really hope you all make it. So stressful!

I sent them for the API for the airline.

I don’t fully understand where the confusion lies because we also spoke in person about it too.

DH has a habit of being vague and not clear in his communications too, so I should have double checked what he meant.

You definitely don't need them to book flights.

At most/many airlines at the flight booking stage you don't need passport numbers, just passenger names (and possibly, but not sure, DOB).

Edit to add in view of previous comment - APIS, where you do need ppt deatils can be done much later.

..Good luck OP.

I wouldn’t recommend this, because the US isn’t just deporting people now, they pop you all in a detention centre, like a prison, and you wait weeks until your case is heard, even when you are willing to just get a flight home.

Good luck

I didn't realise we needed them and applied and got them the same day. They are very quick unless you have anything in your history.

The delay does happen with the official website. My most recent application took about 5 hours, and while I was panicking an internet search showed anywhere between 30 minutes and 24 hours is standard, sometimes longer.

OP I can only imagine the heart-in-mouth felling you have at the moment. Re-booking some flights put of several might be tricky but will be possible at a cost. I have everything crossed for you.

Good luck op, I applied in august with a group application. My husband and kids came through in about 12 hours but mine took 4 days. No idea why as I've never been anywhere near a police station. I hope it comes through this morning for you 🤞

For clarity I was referring to APIS, done through the airline, which is not the same as ESTA.

ESTA is of course a different process and I'd agree woth you about not delaying that in the current climate.

If I were you I would change my flights now. There will probably be a small change fee but if you leave it too late before departure then you wont be able to change them.

This gives me palpitations as I had the same situation last time we went to the US. Only realized when we went to check in and it said we couldn't. Luckily ours came through within 24 hours.

Got everything crossed for you.

Did you pay via PayPal for the estas OP?

Reading all of this makes me think that you have them but no email to confirm, if you have been able to check in online?

she hasn't checked in online

Did you use the official link another poster linked to above?

I would also consider looking at/booking other flights now due to it being end of term and the possibility of flights being full/expensive.

I think you missed the post where the OP said that she cannot check-in online (she gets a message saying that no ESTA can be found for the passport holder).

Fingers crossed for you. & don’t blame yourself some times these things happen no matter how organised we are x

Ah @McSpoot yes I missed that one.

How stressful. I hope they come through soon.

Whatever happens you haven't ruined the holiday. You will get there and have a great time. It's just an admin glitch. Hopefully sorted before your flight. Still sortable if they come through later. Hopefully the airline will be kind to you.

Easily done - I went back to check because I thought maybe I had made it up.

Really? I know someone who recently flew to the US from Heathrow and they weren’t allowed to board their first flight to London from another UK airport as their ESTA was still pending…

Is it with holiday flights or scheduled? If scheduled agree contacting the airline now, explaining and asking if you can do anything to change flights might be a good idea. They could have people from an earlier flight they had to bump and need to find seats for and if they also have a later flight with lots of space it’s not entirely unknown that they will switch you with a minimal cost. I’ve been paid to agree to take a later flight in the past when one was over booked.

Keeping everything crossed for you @Odellio. I’ve done a lot of applications for people at work. They seem to vary from instant to 48 hours. Praying you get them asap.

I wonder if ESTA don't have a full compliment of staff on a weekend?
Then again I suppose it could be automated...
I did mine on Friday and it was back within 3hrs...
Hopefully it will have come through by the time you get to the airport