Magical Express Time to get to PFQ Dec. 30, 2008???

[Macscave]

Can anyone tell me about how much time to allow to get to PFQ on Dec. 30th taking Magical Express? We land at MCO at 1:45 pm and want to make it to a 4:40 ressie at Coral Reef. We need to check in to get the dining plan for our ressie, but one of us could do that as the others went on to Epcot. The rest of our party is going the day before so they could even go on over to Epcot and we could join them. They plan to leave for Epcot around 3-3:15 pm. Think we can make it?!!?? It is my DH's birthday & I really want to make this ressie. There are 17 of us & can't make ressie any later There are only 5 of us coming in on the 30th - the others will all be there on 29th. Any thoughts?

 

[Brian Noble]

If it were me, I'd think about getting a towncar or taking a cab. If anything goes wrong---flight delayed, ME bus not prompt, many stops before POFQ, just miss the Epcot bus, etc.---you won't make it. Eliminating ME from the equation removes at least one source of potential trouble.

 

[Jestocost]

It typically takes 60-90 minutes from the time you exit the plane until you reach your resort. A town car or a cab won't really be any faster if you factor in the time you spend waiting for your luggage at baggage claim.

You'll then need to check in at your resort and get to Epcot, get into Epcot and get to Coral Reef from the gate. Are your park passes part of the package that you'll need to get at check in or do you have APs or separate tickets? If the former, nobody is getting in to Epcot until you are checked in and have your KTTWs.

I think it will be very difficult to make a 4:40 p.m. ADR if everything goes as planned, much less if there is a delay at any point in the process. Given how air travel works these days, you should probably count on a delay of some kind, however.

 

[Brian Noble]

It typically takes 60-90 minutes from the time you exit the plane until you reach your resort. A town car or a cab won't really be any faster if you factor in the time you spend waiting for your luggage at baggage claim.

No, but ME can be slower...a towncar is more predictable.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have gotten to my resort in the following times.....

towncar with carryon only.......45 mins

towncar with chceked baggage.....65 mins

DME.....from 50-90 mins, average time of about 70 mins after using it about 6 times to date.

I would say that if you get to MCO at 1:45, you could safely plan on being at the resort by 3:15. Then you will have to checkin, another 20 mins. Then, bus to Epcot could be a 20 min wait, then the drive..you may get to Epcot by4:00-4:15, walk to Coral Reef and arrive about 4:30. It's gonna be tight. And that's if things go pretty smoothly. I've built in wiggle time so you may catch a break and make it sooner.
The one thing you can do to speed things up is to get a cab to Epcot as soon as you get checked in. That will save you some time.

 

[Jestocost]

No, but ME can be slower...a towncar is more predictable.

Baggage claim can be slower too. I've waited almost two hours for bags in one extreme case.

 

[zurgswife]

If you could send 12 people over to check in on time. I would tell the other 5 to rush. Fastest person should head directly over to DME counter to check in. As soon as you get to PFQ head for the check in line. Maybe the other 3 or 4 should check carry on and head to Epcot. That way you only have one person holding up the group dining and they might seat you if only one person is missing.

 

[Brian Noble]

Baggage claim can be slower too. I've waited almost two hours for bags in one extreme case.

True. But, if I were a betting man, I'd bet ME is more likely to be delayed based on my own experiences. It's up to the OP what they want to do, of course, but if it's that important to make it, I'd try to take as few chances as possible. Probably it will be on time---and, if it weren't for the tight schedule, I wouldn't think twice about ME.

 

[CleveRocks]

I'm counting on DME taking about the same amount of time as a car service + luggage.

My suggestion at a time-saver is take a taxi from the resort to Epcot. Cheaper than a car service ... and a taxi from resort to Epcot (versus Disney Transport bus) is much more likely to save more time than a car service to the resort (versus DME).

Eliminate the weakest link. The biggest chance of a longer delay is the bus from resort to park. Catch a taxi at the front of the resort.