8 pm departure flight...Magical Express question

[Maisey13]

Our departure day has a late flight...8 pm. We are trying to plan our day (meals, parks) while our baggage is in storage after check out. We have no idea what time the Magical Express would be picking us up to take us back to the airport, so it's hard to know when to make our last meal time.

My biggest worry is missing our flight. My sister's family had a really bad experience with their pick up time (they even questioned it several times) and after all the extra stops to pick up other passengers going back to the airport they missed their flight home. They had to fly standby the next day (around Christmas) so you can imagine the stress with that experience.

Anyway, any info would be helpful. I love that the ME is free to/from our hotel but I will pay for a limo if necessary so we don't miss the flight.

 

[Jestocost]

Our departure day has a late flight...8 pm. We are trying to plan our day (meals, parks) while our baggage is in storage after check out. We have no idea what time the Magical Express would be picking us up to take us back to the airport, so it's hard to know when to make our last meal time.

My biggest worry is missing our flight. My sister's family had a really bad experience with their pick up time (they even questioned it several times) and after all the extra stops to pick up other passengers going back to the airport they missed their flight home. They had to fly standby the next day (around Christmas) so you can imagine the stress with that experience.

Anyway, any info would be helpful. I love that the ME is free to/from our hotel but I will pay for a limo if necessary so we don't miss the flight.

DME will schedule your pick up approximately three hours before your scheduled flight departure (four hours if it is an international flight). You should plan on being at the pick-up location with all of your bags and ready to go 10-15 minutes before that time. That should be more than enough time to make your flight unless something unusual happens.

If you use RAC to check your bags earlier in the day (you can do so as early as 8 a.m. based on your flight time and as late as 1 p.m.) then you can save some time at the airport by not having to wait and check bags there. That process frequently can be the longest part of getting to your gate after you arrive. As long as you are on a participating airline RAC is available to you.

Most of the complaints we get on this board are from people who don't want to be picked up so early. There almost never are complaints about being picked up too late and, in fact, DME will allow you to schedule an earlier pick up if you so choose.

Not sure what the problem was with your sister's trip but those issues are very unusual.

 

[Maisey13]

Thank you!

 

[seashoreCM]

Our departure day has a late flight...8 pm. We are trying to plan our day (meals, parks) while our baggage is in storage after check out. We have no idea what time the Magical Express would be picking us up to take us back to the airport, so it's hard to know when to make our last meal time.

My biggest worry is missing our flight. My sister's family had a really bad experience with their pick up time (they even questioned it several times) and after all the extra stops to pick up other passengers going back to the airport they missed their flight home. They had to fly standby the next day (around Christmas) so you can imagine the stress with that experience.

Anyway, any info would be helpful. I love that the ME is free to/from our hotel but I will pay for a limo if necessary so we don't miss the flight.

Did someone goof?

An assigned Magical Express pickup time much less than 3 hours before your flight is a mistake, not extra park time. You need to get it (as was shown on your confirmation sheet) corrected on or before the morning of the day before the day you depart.

If one of your last activities would be a meal, it is a good idea to plan to eat at the airport. You can always request (same deadline as preceding) and get a DME bus earlier than 3 hours before your flight.

If you miss your flight and it was not due to being tardy to the resort DME bus platform, get in touch with DME immediately to get advice or instructions. Have someone go out to the DME welcoming area if needed.

Waiting in line to check baggage at your resort does not count as punctual for the DME bus, which will not wait for you.

 

[sam_gordon]

Your pickup time will be sometime between 4:45-5:15 (3 hours +/- 15 minutes). You need to be at the pickup location ready to board the bus 15 minutes before the assigned time.

IF you were at the pickup location 15 minutes before your assigned time and 30 minutes has elapsed since the assigned time and there's no bus, IMMEDIATELY contact the front desk and explain your DME bus is late and they need to arrange other transportation. More than likely they'll put you in a cab. This should still get you to MCO ~2 hours before your flight.