Multi stop I would guess is indirect, i.e. Orlando via Atlanta or similar. How that affects any visa or visa waiver procedures I do not know though. What a strange thing to think? The only suggestion I have is that your friend flies into other airports which have expedited immigration facilities and you don't have to queue up so long, but seriously, that's not really a reason to go indirect so I can't think for one minute that is the answer. Orlando International is very good anyway for immigration and is certainly better than a lot of other US airports I have flown into, with the exception of Houston (IAH) which is superb. I haven't flown into Sanford ever and never want to.

The only benefit from going indirect is often in cost savings, but then you have to weigh up cost savings versus time savings and with two small kiddies in tow, I would always go direct.

Quite why you friend has made the comment "I will never go direct again" is just bizarre. Why on earth would you want to spend 13+ hours getting to Orlando, with the hassle of changing planes and making connections, when you can do it in 8-9hrs and be in your hotel 90mins after landing????

Unless I am being totally blind and missing something, I would on this occasion ignore your friend and just go direct.

I'm not sure on the visa thing, perhaps she just means that you get it all sorted out on the first stop, so you dont get held up once you arrive in Orlando, I would go back to her and see if she can give you a bit more detail.

I did notice when pricing up the other day that if I was preparred to do a five hour layover in Cincinnate (spelling ) that it was about half the price of a direct flight to Orlando, so for the four of us it was a saving of something like £1,200 pounds. which would have bought all our theme park tickets.

As my kids are teens I would consider this, as that is a serious amount of money to me for the sake of one stopover. However I appreciate it is different if you have little kids.

I think I was using one of the screenscrapers to check flights so it was picking up direct and in-directs.

It took us about an hour to an hour and a half to get through immigration last time, but I think we might have flown into Miami not Orlando International.

I can sort of see what she is saying as if you have 5 hours to kill you might as well do this going through immigration, as it saves the time at the other end. It sort of makes the 5 hour delay only a 3 and a half hour delay, if you use it for something like immigration which you have to do anyway.

Many years ago when I used to go from my local airport we used to stop in Bangor Maine to refuel as the planes were 757s.
We just got off and sorted out visa out and when we got to Orlando airport we didnt have to queue for ages.
Some charters we used started flying into Sandford which was an oasis of calm,including the car hire area,compared to Orlando.
I would find out which airport your chosen flight is using and if its Sandford it is much quieter than Orlando airport.

I am also unsure on the Visa reasons...sounds odd to me too.

However, I can think of a couple of other reasons. Perhaps the scheduled flights have better leg room than particular charter flights? Also, you generally get more luggage allowance so you can bring back more shopping!

I flew into Miami in November, and the immigration was about the slowest I've ever seen (saw it really bad one time in Newark, but other times fine). I quite like going through Philadelphia.

thanks so far..................... ! overwhelmed by the response!

I am now home from work and have asked her what she meant lol

Think was crossed wires but we didnt get into the visa convo...only this year she is going into Tampa (Direct).... we are in London (btw)

She said its alot cheaper if you dont mind the hour and half drive to kissamee (which wouldnt bother me if it saves me loads on flights and by checking on BA its tons cheaper to Tampa than Orlando)

Now im confused again after reading replies here..... tampa or sanford?

Will be hiring a car upon arrival so thats no prob with travel and hiring a villa in kissamee

Sorry for jumbled posts i got one person telling me one thing and someone else another!!! (not on here btw) well meaning friends

You could fly US Airways into Charlotte and go thru Immigration/Customs there - which is a nice calm airport- then fly on to Orlando, rather than flying direct into a large hub with a large volume of traffic thru the Customs/Imm dept..

Only the charter airlines fly into Sandford,such as Thomson,Thomas Cook and First Choice.These planes will probably have as much legroom as BA planes and be quite a bit cheaper.We used to just book a late deal Fly Drive and sort out our accommodation separately.
Sanford is probably nearer than Tampa,but Kissimimee is accessible from both via the I4 motorway.
Look on page 222 on ITV Teletext for an idea of the flight only and fly drive prices this year.

I've flown into Orlando International plenty of times and never once had any issues with immigration (remember they got Disney to work on their customer service). Compared to the likes of Atlanta, San Francisco, LA, Newark and Boston, it's a walk in the park. In fact, our record is still 45mins from setting foot on the arrival lounge at MCO to setting foot in our hotel (Rosen Center) on International Drive. Now that is a turnaround.

Personally I would always consider flying indirect (i.e. as your friend has mentioned via Tampa) but the cost savings have to be worth it and you also have to be aware that you will have a 90min drive to Orlando after a long flight. Not everybody is up to that, but I find that tiredness often kicks in around mid evening, so a flight arriving mid/late afternoon shouldn't cause a problem.

Tampa or Sandford? Well with Sanford you are likely to be heading in on a charter flight. I've never flown in to the airport but I have seen the Holiday Uncovered programmes which showed it to be an absolute nightmare, but there are obviously positive comments as well. Tampa is a fair distance from Orlando, but is an easy drive up the interstate.

I wouldn't just look at Tampa or Sanford being an alternative. Just put in Expedia that you want to travel London to Orlando, choose indirect flights and see what prices come up (and via where). You can then compare by selecting the direct flights only. I would avoid going via Atlanta (the busiest airport in the world) but anywhere else is an option (Charlotte and Philly are good choices).

If at the end of the day though it boils down to a much cheaper price flying into Tampa and then driving up to Orlando, I would certainly more than consider it.

Don't forget that the visa regs change in january and you have to register online through the US embassy at least 72 hours before you travel.

How does the visa reg's effect anyone travelling that books flights now?

You'll find further visa info in the dedicated thread at the top of the forum page

Just returned from Florida at Christmas and have to say we were very impressed with Sanford airport and would choose to fly there again. Very relaxed, freindly and not crowded at all.. Immigration took perhaps 20 minutes and no real queueing for car hire. Thoroughly recommend Sanford. Don't do as I did though and travel through with an apple in your bag when you have signed your declaration saying that you are not importing any fruit ... I got stopped by the sniffer dog!

Have booked Orlando now with Virgin after all that

Am ready for the 'zoo'

Wont take any fruit

That fruit dog always seems to go for us too even when we don't have any fruit
I've flown into both Orlando Int and Sanford and was very impressed with the quick turn around at Sanford.
There's no question for me re flights...direct every time with kiddies. Worth the extra.

I agree, having used both Orlando and Sanford several times, my vote goes to Sanford - much quicker to get through, even if the drive is longer. Hated Orlando airport, though Miami is even worse!

Mehmeh1,

I'm really surprised by your comments on Orlando International. We've flown in there 5 or 6 times and have always had a great immigration and car hire experience, so much so that we have been in our hotel within an hour of passing through immigration most times. Of course delays can happen on a daily basis and if that happens then it's just bad luck, but I think it's important to give positive experiences as well as negative experiences on a forum like this so as not to deter people thinking of flying direct into MCO.

Miami I agree with you though. Horrid airport full stop.

Have used MCO three times and all bad! Collecting your luggage twice and mile long car hire queues. Sanford also three times and so much quicker altogether. Have you tried Sanford? Also the charter flights into Sanford are much more comfortable then the scheduled ones into MCO, with better leg-room.

Perhaps you haven't been through Orlando International recently. The double baggage belt thing is no longer the case. Or at least it is optional. You can either collect your bags and walk with them through customs, or place them back on the baggage belt for delivery in the car rental area.

I would also agree that I have never had a problem at MCO, yet MIA is still a rather horrid experience in my opinion.

I've never found the double baggage system an issue, confusing the first time, but very efficient and literally steps from the car hire area when they come out the final time. The change to being able to choose whether you do this now at least gives people the option, but I would probably still prefer to do the double baggage system.

As for car hire queues, I just sign up to the club of whichever hirer I have booked with and you get a priority check in. I've always been ready to go within 5-10 mins of arriving at the desk in MCO.

I haven't flown into Sandford so I can't comment. I have seen the Holidays Uncovered programmes though which shows it in quite a bad light but at the end of the day, a TV programme would never put me off and if the price was right, I would consider Sandford despite the longer drive to I Drive area.