A warning about Magical Express

[mommytoe]

Going to the resort from the airport was great. Going back to the airport not so great. We were told to take the 1:00pm magical express bus to the airport. After rushing to make it to the stop on time (a few min to spare) we waited. Then we were told there was no room on the bus for us. We were told the bus was full and we would have to wait for the next bus in 1/2 hour.

Why tell us to take the 1:00pm bus then not have room for us on the bus? This caused a lot of stress for us, because we were already fighting with Delta that day about our flight home.

Don't get me wrong I would use magical express again. I just now know not to assume to ride the bus they tell me to take.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Did you ask anybody there? Seriously? It makes no sense that the bus was too full for scheduled passengers. I mean, what would have happened if the 1:30 bus was full (with the passengers actually scheduled for that run)? No, that's ridiculous. If it happens again, go RIGHT to the RAC, or, if that's closed for the day, see a hotel manager

 

[seashoreCM]

Did you have a written confirmation of bus time (typically slid under your door the day before; you can also get it or get it modified the day before, down at the lobby)?

If your scheduled bus' driver refuses you, do not pussyfoot around. If 3* hours and counting to flight time has already passed, the resort should be able to get you on your way within twenty minutes even if it means pulling cash out of the till for a taxi. Do not talk loudly to anybody.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

*The more and counting if you had specifically asked for and were scheduled on an earlier bus for such reasons as dealing with wheelchairs.

 

[mommytoe]

Did you ask anybody there? Seriously? It makes no sense that the bus was too full for scheduled passengers. I mean, what would have happened if the 1:30 bus was full (with the passengers actually scheduled for that run)? No, that's ridiculous. If it happens again, go RIGHT to the RAC, or, if that's closed for the day, see a hotel manager

We did go to them about it. We were told the 12:30pm bus was over full and they needed the 1:00pm bus for them. They would not help us at all.

 

[mommytoe]

Did you have a written confirmation of bus time (typically slid under your door the day before; you can also get it or get it modified the day before, down at the lobby)?

.

Yes we were given the confirmation the day before for the bus.
I tried complaining but they would not listen to me. In fact they turned their back to me.

 

[beccasmom]

I can tell you that when we were leaving SSR last November, we were 1/2 hour early (waiting for our bus) and an earlier one arrived. It was nearly empty and we were the only ones there. If it was scheduled to pick someone up, they never showed. The driver asked us if we wanted to leave with him, and we accepted. We were happy to get to the airport a little earlier, but I thought it was a little weird. We picked up some folks at OKW - maybe 6 people total. To be honest, we've only encountered full ME buses from the airport, never outbound. I can't say if our experience is typical.

 

[seashoreCM]

You will need to make snap decisions on when to:

Ask a manager to actually hand you fifty dollars for a taxi. (Or ask a desk clerk, having him summon a manager if he does not want to oblige. Please, no handing over notes made up with p a s T e d on letters.)

Get your own taxi and write Disney for reimbursement after you get home.

Have a Dumbo memory and ask for reimbursement for this taxi on your next Disney trip.

Someone (Tyler?) please let me stand corrected consistent with the fact that ME has one obligation, being there.

 

[pigletforever]

We saw it happen inOctober. We were picked up first at AKL there were about 30 of us. then we went to POP. People started coming on and more an d more. People were standing in the aisle. The lady in the seat across from me asked the driver when he was pulling out if peple were allowed to be in teh aisle. he slammed on the brakes. got on the raido called his supervisor had to ask if he could have people standing in the aisle. she said NO. He counted his boarding passes. He had fewer passes than people . So he made everyone standing get off. told them to find a manager to order another bus. Left them standing there on the curb and pulled off. I will say it wasn't a Disney bus or driver it was a plain Mears bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> plain
All buses used for ME are owned by Mears and the one you actually ride on may have ME markings, Disney Cruise Line markings, Mears markings, or may be white with no markings.

>>> left them
What about baggage stuffed underneath?

 

[pumpkinboy]

We have had this sort of trouble with ME before. Then again, we've taken ME 5 times since its inception, and will be doing it again this Saturday. Bottom line is that they got us where we needed to go in time for us to do what we needed to do.

We have a wheelchair-bound DS, and that is usually the crux of the problem with ME. Twice, our scheduled bus has arrived either without the necessary equipment or a busdriver unable to use the equipment to load my son and his wheelchair aboard the bus. They came thru for us both times of course, within a half hour, and we were at the airport in plenty of time to catch our homebound plane. Both of our problems we on the return trip from the resort, since at the airport there are plenty of buses, one of which will certainly be able to accommodate DS.

 

[bgirl29]

We saw this happen to someone in October when we were on out way back to the airport. We were the first ones on the bus, then on our 3rd stop the bus filled up with only half the people waiting in line on the bus. One very upset woman (can't say I blame her) was trying to talk to the driver about checking to make sure that everyone on the bus was on the correct timed bus.(Does that make sense?) He just turned his back on her and climbed on the bus, shut the door in her face and pulled away. He did call on his radio and tell someone that a lot of unhappy people were left behind. Then he did make some cracks to the people on our bus about how angry the lady was. Not too professional.

As the security lines were moving right along when we got to the airport I think she should have made her flight if she was picked up within another half an hour, but I would have been stressed out too!

 

[Lewisc]

It's only a 30 minute drive from WDW to MCO. One of the reasons for the early (3 hours before flight time) pick up is to allow time if buses are delayed for any reason. The posters in this thread made their flights.

DME tells passengers to be at the bus stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. It sounds like the OP wasn't at the stop at the correct time.

If the situations listed in this thread continue DME will have to stop accommodating passengers that miss their bus.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, I will confess now - I was one of those 'accommodated' passengers (but NOT, as far as I can tell, on any of the rides discussed here!). I was delayed on a bus returning from Downtown Disney due to a shift change - and I really did allow enough normal time to get back to Pop Century in time - and calmly called the Magical Express number, explained my situation, and asked if I could go on the next bus if there was space available for me. I also said that if it turned out there was no room on that bus, I would take a taxi to the airport and that I knew it would be at MY expense. That Cast Member agreed, and when the bus arrived, the driver agreed (helps to travel alone sometimes ), and I made it to the airport in plenty of time. Good thing, too, because I had trouble communicating with the SkyCap pushing my wheelchair and we sorta go lost, or misdirected, a couple of times trying to get from the bus to the gate