Magic Express and your resorts?

[FairyDust2008]

How is the Magic Express service at WDW? Did your luggage arrive okay at your resort destination? We are considering flying for our trip and utilizing this service so I wanted some good feedback-THANKS SO MUCH

 

[TxMickeyLover]

We had no problems at all. As soon as we checked into WL, we headed directly to Epcot for evening EMH. When we got back to our room, our bags were lined up against the wall between the closet and tv.

 

[jujashmom]

Same here...nice comfortable ride to WL. We went to MK for a few hours and when we returned our luggage was there!

 

[stellablue]

Excellent service-I can't believe it's free!

Buses arrived right on time for both arrival and departure. Pleasant ride with comfy seats. Nice bus driver. No issues with our luggage whatsoever

 

[Cinders Mum]

we took our bags on board the bus, we could have handed them over (we had to clear immigration first and collect our bags, then hand them over again) which all felt too much like hard work, so we took ours and they were stowed under the coach we travelled on, so had them with us on arrival.

Val

 

[goofy4tink]

DME is a wonderful service. The thing I tell everyone is to pack anything you may need for the first 6 hrs of your stay. You may want to change your clothes when you get to your resort..into something cooler, or a swimsuit. You may not get your bags for 3 hrs after you checkin. So, you will have what you need right there, with you.
My average time, from deplaning to resort checkin line, has been about 70 mins. Usually it takes less than an hour but one time it was about 85 mins...last of three stops.

 

[OKW Lover]

Magical Express is worth every penny.

Seriously, it does indeed get you and your luggage to your WDW resort. Timeliness isn't one of its virtues, based on our experience. An example, in January, on a Sunday, we arrived at MCO at 3:00 pm. Got on our bus at about 3:30, but didn't leave the airport until 4:00. At one point during our wait one of the other passengers got up and asked the bus driver "what makes this express?". We left about 10 minutes after that. We got to our resort (BWV) after one stop at CBR and had time to freshen up before our ADR at Yachtsman. Got back to the room after after a leisurely dinner about 9:00 but no bags in the room yet. Called bell services and they said they would look for them. Finally, about 30 minutes later they brought our bags to the room.

Not great service, but it get us and our luggage there.

 

[CleveRocks]

I've had 2 wonderful experiences with DME and I'm looking forward to many more. Both times, I got to my resort as quickly as a car service or rental car would have gotten me there.

DME launched on May 5, 2005. It was supposed to end in the fall of 2006, but it was so successful in the eyes of guests and Disney suits alike that in April 2006 it was announced it would be around through at least the end of 2011.

It's served at least 5 million guests so far ... and maybe as many as 8 million in its appromately 1,000 days of service ... and almost all of them have been positive experiences. Have there been some minor delays such as OKW Lover experienced? Sure. Have there been a few isolated problems that were even bigger? Sure. But if you look at millions of car rentals, millions of taxi rides and millions of car service rides, there are also going to be some stories of delays and other problems.

There are no rampant or widespread problems with DME, just like there are no rampant or widespread problems with car services or rental car agencies.

 

[skipperkim]

No complaints here. We change clothes in the bathroom airport since we usually need to use it anyway after a 4 hr flight. I can't say enough good about it, your bags "magically" appear in your room.

 

[joenan88]

It really is a great service..my one and only issue I had was sunscreen. You are not allowed to bring it on board the airplane so you have to wait 3-4 hours for it to arrive...If you are traveling with small kids apply it before you check in your bags..just a small helpful hint..

 

[Native NYer]

We used DME last month and loved it. Because our flight arrived around 6:30 pm and were traveling with a 4 year old, we opted to get our own bags. It only took us about 10 minutes at baggage claim! We went to the DME counter and saw what seemed to be a long line. I waited on line about 5 minutes before getting to a CM. The CM was fast! When we walked over to the line for the Poly, we showed our tickets and got right on a bus. We were at the Poly about 30 minutes later! We would have been there even faster, but a stop at Fort Wilderness was added.

The return trip was just as easy! We took advantage of the Resort Airline Check-in since we used a participating airline and didn't have to worry about checking our luggage at the airport!!! We were picked up promptly at 5:45, made one stop at the GF and were off to the airport. We arrived at the airport 2 hours before our flight.

We're going to WDW in August and will use DME again. But this time, we're using the yellow luggage tags. We land at noon, so there's plenty of time for our luggage to arrive at our resort.

If you choose to use the yellow tags, pack a carry on with anything you may need for the first few hours after you arrive.

 

[waughzoo]

ME is a great advantage with staying on property. We had no problems with it last summer and check in early for departure. They took our luggage, issued boarding passes, and we spent the afternoon at MK before departing for the airport that evening.

 

[Bubby4Clay]

It really is a great service..my one and only issue I had was sunscreen. You are not allowed to bring it on board the airplane so you have to wait 3-4 hours for it to arrive...If you are traveling with small kids apply it before you check in your bags..just a small helpful hint..

I can't bring sunscreen onboard? Not even a small amount in the ziplock bag I am allowed in my carry-on?

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Yes, you can pack sunscreen in your see-through plastic baggie as long as it meets the TSA's 3-1-1 rule.

 

[Gubblebum]

I didn't have a problem packing sunscreen in my carry-on last year, and I plan to do it again next week. You just have to make sure it's in a 3oz or smaller container and fits in a quart-sized ziploc baggie.

 

[Gubblebum]

I'm wondering, how does it work on the return trip if you're using resort check-in? This option wasn't available to us last year, so we just brought our own bags to the airport and checked them.

Should we remove the yellow ME tags on arrival, or leave them on for the return trip?

 

[Bubby4Clay]

I didn't have a problem packing sunscreen in my carry-on last year, and I plan to do it again next week. You just have to make sure it's in a 3oz or smaller container and fits in a quart-sized ziploc baggie.

Thanks Gubblebum and NeverlandPixie
I was a bit scared, since I am traveling with a 3yr old, and 2 adults with severe sun sensitivity due to medications.

I am going to make everyone carry some sunscreen in their carry on. But, I guess if we run out before our bags arrive...we'll go buy some.

 

[wishesUT]

We loved Magical Express! My family and one other were the only people on the bus to the Poly and we got there very quickly. It was a wonderful service and we would do it again in a heartbeat. The only downside was that we had an early flight home that left at 7:00 a.m. and so we had to get on the bus at 4:30! Yikes! That was a little early.

 

[Native NYer]

I'm wondering, how does it work on the return trip if you're using resort check-in? This option wasn't available to us last year, so we just brought our own bags to the airport and checked them.

Should we remove the yellow ME tags on arrival, or leave them on for the return trip?

You don't need the yellow ME tags when you're leaving. The resort airline check-in is available to those flying participating airlines. Currently, the participating airlines are Airtran, American, Alaska, Continental, Delta, Jetblue, Northwest, and United (including TED). The resort airline check-in desk is open from 5:00 am to 1:00 pm daily. According to the document that was left in our room the night before departure last month, if your flight is departing before 8:00 am, you must check in at the airport.

One of the best things about the resort airline check-in is that one adult from your party can check bags and get boarding passes for everyone. You do have to show ID and your Key to the World.