Disney's Magical Express/RAC - What "Participating Airline" Really Means!

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

I still confused! My mom and I are going to disney next year for my birthday! We are flying Jet Blue! and It is the Contemporary Resort is in the list of the DME! It's Jet Blue is in the list of all of airlines?

Okay.....it does not matter what airline you are arriving on, when you get to MCO. You tag your bags, at home, then when they are taken off the plane, the tagged bags are automatically taken to the appropriate resorts.
Now....for the return to MCO, at the end of your trip.
The 'participating' airines are....Airtran, Alaska, American, Continental, Delta, Jetblue, Northwest, United (and Ted), US Air. If you are staying at a Disney owned resort (not the Swan, Dolphin, or SoG), you will be able to take DME back to the airport..just as you were able to take it to the resort. If you are flying on one of the above mentioned airlines (participating in RAC), you will be able to head to the RAC (remote airline checkin) counter the morning of your departure...you need to be done with the checkin process no less than 3 hours before flight departure. You will have your bags tagged, your boarding passes issued. Then, you can go about your last day, to return to the resort about 45 mins before the time of DME pickup. Then, onto the bus (with any carryon bags you may have) and off to the airport.
Hope this clears up the confusion. If not...PM me..I'll be glad to help explain it better.

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I just got off the phone with a very nice Disney CM who booked my package for January. But there was one thing she said to me that didn't make any sense. She said that Southwest will not let Disney pick up our bags at the airport anymore when we use ME . . .

Has anyone heard that??? Has anyone recently used SW and had ME pick up their bags? I told her that they just did this in May for us and she said - oh I guess they stopped doing it since then because they don't do it.

Please tell me this isn't true!

At first I thought she meant RAC, and I already knew that SW didn't participate in that. So I asked her again and she clearly said that we will have to retrieve our own luggage at MCO because SW does not allow ME to pick it up anymore. . .

[CleveRocks]

Don't worry ... that CM is just dead wrong.

Disney's biggest failing is that our only way to contact Disney by phone is through the Disney Reservations Center, and DRC CMs are NOT trained in all aspects of Disney. They are trained in resort reservations, theme park ticket sales, dining reservations, and anything else that can be sold. They are NOT well-trained in other aspects of Walt Disney World. You can't rely on them to give you info on specifics of a resort, or a park ride, or transportation. Many of them just provide plain old BAD info.

[goofy4tink]

Eric is right.....CM's have been handing out that bad info forever!! Drives me nuts. Tag your bags, say goodbye to them at your home airport, and you won't have to worry about 'em. They'll get to your resort room about 3 hrs after you checkin and are able to get into that room.
It doesn't matter what airline you arrive into MCO on....everyone can use DME tags!!!

[jeanylaser]

I wanted to know is Jet Blue is participating to the Disney's Magical Express! Does The Disney's Magical Express goes to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. My Mom and I are flying to Orlando on January 2009?

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

I wanted to know is Jet Blue is participating to the Disney's Magical Express! Does The Disney's Magical Express goes to the Contemporary. My Mom and I are flying to Orlando on January 2009?

Yes, Jetblue is a participating airline. And yes, DME goes to the Contemporary..it goes to all Disney owned resorts.

[jeanylaser]

Can you tell me the Phone number for the DME! So my mom will call as soon as possible. Oh! one more thing! Where is the concourse of Jet Blue!

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

Can you tell me the Phone number for the DME! So my mom will call as soon as possible. Oh! one more thing! Where is the concourse of Jet Blue!

Jetblue arrives on Side A of MCO. You will leave the gate area and take the tram to the main terminal. You will then go across the terminal (not very long) and go to Side B..you will see it lit up in neon letters above you. Go down to level 1...ground transportation.
As far as making your reservation with DME, you really should call whomever you booked your room reservation with. They will be more than happy to book your DME ride for you.

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by CleveRocks

Don't worry ... that CM is just dead wrong.

Disney's biggest failing is that our only way to contact Disney by phone is through the Disney Reservations Center, and DRC CMs are NOT trained in all aspects of Disney. They are trained in resort reservations, theme park ticket sales, dining reservations, and anything else that can be sold. They are NOT well-trained in other aspects of Walt Disney World. You can't rely on them to give you info on specifics of a resort, or a park ride, or transportation. Many of them just provide plain old BAD info.

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

Eric is right.....CM's have been handing out that bad info forever!! Drives me nuts. Tag your bags, say goodbye to them at your home airport, and you won't have to worry about 'em. They'll get to your resort room about 3 hrs after you checkin and are able to get into that room.
It doesn't matter what airline you arrive into MCO on....everyone can use DME tags!!!

Thanks. I hope you are right. I know we used ME in May with SW and everything was just fine. So I figured this is something brand new or the CM was misinformed or confused.

[jeanylaser]

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

Jetblue arrives on Side A of MCO. You will leave the gate area and take the tram to the main terminal. You will then go across the terminal (not very long) and go to Side B..you will see it lit up in neon letters above you. Go down to level 1...ground transportation.
As far as making your reservation with DME, you really should call whomever you booked your room reservation with. They will be more than happy to book your DME ride for you.

thanks for the info! But I need the phone number for DME! Can we call disney to make the reservations can we do that?

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

thanks for the info! But I need the phone number for DME! Can we call disney to make the reservations can we do that?

DME only has access to resort reservations within the next 60 days. If your arrival date is within 60 days from now, then call DME at 866-599-0951. If your arrival date is beyond that time, call the Disney Reservations Center at 407-W-DISNEY ... they can make your DME reservation for you just fine. Personally, I've never made my DME reservations directly through DME, I've only done it through DRC.

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

thanks for the info! But I need the phone number for DME! Can we call disney to make the reservations can we do that?

As I said before, your mom should call whomever she booked your room reservation with. They are best equipped to make your DME reservation.

[jeanylaser]

Does The Disney's Magical Express goes to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. My Mom and I are flying to Orlando on January 2009? The Disney's Magical Express is free!

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by jeanylaser

Does The Disney's Magical Express goes to the Animal Kingdom Lodge. My Mom and I are flying to Orlando on January 2009? The Disney's Magical Express is free!

As goofy4tink told you in post #801 (above), DME goes to ALL Walt Disney World owned-and-operated resorts.

[jeanylaser]

Thank you! for the info! and oh! DME is Free!