?? about magical express & town car options

[chantel0206]

Hi! We're staying at the All Star Music Resort from 10/23 - 10/27. I understand we have the Disney Magical Express available to us. We'd like to get as much time in as possible. We fly into Orlando at 11:00 am and fly out Saturday at 6:55 pm. About how much time should we allow for waiting for the bus and getting to and from the airport and hotel? If we want more time at the parks, is it worth getting a town car? We are more concerned with leaving on Saturday than arriving on Tuesday. Thanks in advance for your help.

Chantel

 

[goofy4tink]

Hi! We're staying at the All Star Music Resort from 10/23 - 10/27. I understand we have the Disney Magical Express available to us. We'd like to get as much time in as possible. We fly into Orlando at 11:00 am and fly out Saturday at 6:55 pm. About how much time should we allow for waiting for the bus and getting to and from the airport and hotel? If we want more time at the parks, is it worth getting a town car? We are more concerned with leaving on Saturday than arriving on Tuesday. Thanks in advance for your help.

Chantel

If you arrive around 11 a.m., you should be in the AllStar Music checkin line by no later than 12:30..most likely around noon.
For your departure from the resort back to MCO, DME will want to take you at about 4 p.m.
While I realize that 3 hrs before the flight seems excessive, it really isn't. MCO asks that you arrive 2 hrs. prior to flight departure. It takes about 30 mins to get to MCO from WDW. If the DME bus has to make more stops, it could add 10-15 mins to that drive. If you hire a towncar to get you back to MCO, you should leave no later than 4:30-4:45 at the latest. I have yet to get stuck in one of those horrendous security lines, but I've seen them when I'm arriving and walking past them....very scary!!

So...here's a breakdown of the times, and methods of transportation I have used...
Towncar with checked luggage....one hour, give or take a few mins.
Towncar with carryon only.....45 mins
DME....between 50-90 mins..yes, a huge difference. Most of the times were less than 65-70 mins, but one time it was close to 90 (we were third of three stops, with huge amounts of luggage being removed at the first two stops).

I'm not sure an extra hour at the parks is worth the chance of cutting the time too closely. I prefer to return to my resort about an hour before I need to be at DME bus stop. I get a bite to eat, get any luggage from bell services that I may have stowed. Much better than rushing around like a nut case.

 

[Edd]

First off MCO does not request , MCO has no control over passengers coming and going to the airport, you to be at the airport two hours ahead of the flight departure time. 99% of all car service companies will schedule you to be picked up two hours ahead of the departure time. If the passenger wants to be at MCO earlier all they have to do is request an earlier pick up time from the car service.

In your case a car service will schedule you to be picked up at 5:00 pm. If you want an earlier pick up time all you do is request it and the car service will comply. In your case you can get an extra hour at WDW and possibly more because:

DME may give you a schedule return of 3:45 - 4:15. There is actually a 30 minute leeway time period for you to be at the DME pick up spot. Because you don't want to miss your scheduled bus you should be there at 3:45. In reality the pick up time is scheduled from 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours and 15 minutes.