MCO queue for returning visitors

[Clarksk]

Hi

I’m travelling with my family in December into MCO. We all visited America in April, (into Fort Lauderdale) however my youngest son now has a different ESTA as I had to renew his passport.

Are there different queues in MCO for previous visitors, and which queue would be join given he is travelling with an updated passport and ESTA?

Many thanks

[YorkshireT]

No, it’s all the same, unless you have Global Entry.

[Amystefan]

You just all get in the same queue and wait.

[galaxyflorida]

When we went to JFK we were told that if you had a new passport since last visiting the US you couldn't use the 'returning ESTA' queue.

[ManCity]

Originally Posted by galaxyflorida

When we went to JFK we were told that if you had a new passport since last visiting the US you couldn't use the 'returning ESTA' queue.

See more...

Different airports have different systems. For example, some airports are still using the APC kiosks, whereas MCO changed from those to the facial biometrics a year ago. Since then, MCO has just one queue for almost everybody - except for Global Entry and US nationals.

[Caroian]

There was a "first visit" queue when we arrived a couple of weeks ago, but they were only allowing those who had never been to the US before in to it (it was a much shorter and hence quicker queue!) It did not matter that we all had new ESTAs and one of us had a new passport since our last trip. There was someone at the entrance to the queue to direct, so you can always ask (assuming the set up remains the same) as this seems at odds with some of the advice above!

[bighal]

I suspect the first visit line is there so they can take your fingerprints. We went this year only one of our party hadn't been to the US before and they where the only ones required to give their fingerprints

[welsh wizard]

Is there a separate queue for returning estas I don’t remember seeing it before but as it wouldn’t have applied to us I may have missed it. It will apply this time though so am keen to confirm.

[chmurf]

well, don't overthink, or overplan

when you're there, you'll just use whatever lane you will be directed to by the "ambassador", because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you've been before, or if your passport is wrapped in golden paper, the only choice you might be able to make is "us citizen/residents OR Global Entry OR foreign/muggles

the rest of the story, you don't choose, the ambassadors do

[tink18]

Arrived today there is just one big massive queue we were lucky and arrived before the Manchester flight and waited an hour and a quarter I imagine some of the people behind were looking at a three hour wait