Air canada magical express

[buxomlisa]

Hi everyone, I am planning my first ever trip to disney this decemeber and had a couple of questions.

If you fly air canada can you still use the magical express? Do you still get the free shuttle bus from orlando airport going to your disney resort? If I fly through canada I would still need to pick up my bags in montreal right? and then I don't have to worry about them til I get to the hotel or do I need to pick them up again in orlando airport?


I like flying air canada anywhere I go, you don't need to pay for your bags and it seems less hassle. Although it would be nice to do customs at home airport and connect through the us and not have to worry about picking up our bags again through the connecting flight until we arrive in orlando.

I've never flown on any of the american airline company's. Which does everyone prefer? I would like comfy seats ,good customer service, good connection airport, and it must have a tv on the back of the seat for entertainment. What company does everyone else fly with and where is your connecting airport, and what are your comments?


also, I'm looking at either staying at Pop or all stars music. both look really good. I like the look of music better, but everyone keeps saying the buses are better at pop.

 

[ccudmore]

If you fly air canada can you still use the magical express? Do you still get the free shuttle bus from orlando airport going to your disney resort? If I fly through canada I would still need to pick up my bags in montreal right? and then I don't have to worry about them til I get to the hotel or do I need to pick them up again in orlando airport?

Yes you can certainly use Magical Express both to and from the airport. The only glitch is that on the way home you can't use the curbside checkin at the resort. You have to take your bags with you on the bus (well actually they put them under the bus for you) on the way to the airport in Orlando. Once you get to the airport in Orlando you take your bags off the bus and check them in as normail. On the way to Orlando you can simply put the yellow DME tags on your bag and they'll take them through and put them in your resort room. If you are making a connection in Montreal on the way down you'll need to pick up your bags in Montreal and take them through the U.S. pre-clearance area in Montreal before getting on the plane to Orlando.

I've never flown on any of the american airline company's. Which does everyone prefer? I would like comfy seats ,good customer service, good connection airport, and it must have a tv on the back of the seat for entertainment. What company does everyone else fly with and where is your connecting airport, and what are your comments?

I've flown on many American airlines and if you're looking for comfy seats, good service and good connections they're slim picking in the U.S. Most airlines run bare-bones operations with no perqs.

also, I'm looking at either staying at Pop or all stars music. both look really good. I like the look of music better, but everyone keeps saying the buses are better at pop.

I prefer Pop. Buses are good and there's less groups booked in there.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[jwcollin]

Any International flight won't be able to use baggage collection for your trip home. As previous poster said, you will have to take your bags to the airport yourself but you can still use Magical Express.

As far as picking an airline, I just go for cheap and quick If Westjet is cheapest (never is...) I would go with them, if it is Delta that wins out - Delta it is!! We are going in August and we are flying down with Delta and coming back with Continental, both bought as one way flights! So far, I haven't seen the total price cheaper anywhere. Unfortunately, there is no movie/on-board video on one or two of the legs, but we bring our laptop anyway so we deal. I can't justify spending another couple hundred dollars just to watch a movie...

Sorry, can't comment on either of the hotels as we haven't stayed there but from what I have read on these boards POP is a big favorite!!

Have a great trip!!

 

[jsebsirois]

Hey there,

Here are my answers to two of your questions :

1) Airline Company

I really like Air Canada. The service is amazing. If you are planning to leave from Montreal, a lot of the american company don't have direct flight to Orlando. Keep that in mind.

2) Hotel

I stayed at All-Star Music twice and it's my favorite value resort. I never had any problems with the bus. Depending in which building you will be, you can even take the bus to Sports or Movies.

 

[buxomlisa]

Yeah, I've always used air canada, and I always have a connecting flight, I'm flyng out of halifax with a stop in either montreal or toronto. I hate pearson airport, its too big and confusing! I think I'm going to book air canada today, there is a sale on and its only $5 more than any of the american airlines. $199 each way. I've never paid that cheap for a flight anywhere!

Now I can only hope for a pin or free dining for the first week of december!

Is it true all stars resorts share the buses? How long did you have to wait to board a bus going to the parks from all star music? I'd like to stay in the jazz or broadway building, they seem close to the main building and bus stops?

What building is best for pop?

 

[ccudmore]

Have you looked into Allegiant Air out of Bangor Maine? They're a super-low-cost airline that may be worth the drive to Bangor. I just checked their site and there's flights from Bangor to Orlando starting at $49US each way ($75 with taxes). One caveat though is that the flights from Bangor to Orlando go to Sanford Airport, not Orlando international so you wouldn't be able to use Magical Express. You'd have to rent a car.

As for buildings at Pop, I like the 70s building. Close to the pools, buses and central building.

One further note. Be aware that the Pop Warner football championships are held at Disney the 2nd week of December and there will likely be A LOT of school groups booked into All Stars that week. From what I've heard thats the resort that they mostly book the sports groups into since its close to WWoS.

 

[buxomlisa]

no license, no car so I cant fly out of bangor or rent a car in disney, thats why I decided staying on site at disney would be better because of the buses even though its a little more expensive than staying off site.

what resorts do pop warner stay at? I'll be there from dec.1-8 I think.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

When you would fly from Montreal to Orlando your flight would be treated like any other domestic flight arriving from any other US city when it lands in Orlando. So you can put the yellow luggage tags on your checked bags, then once you get off the plane in Orlando you can go right to the Magical Express check-in, then your bags will show up in your room 3 hours later.

 

[CdnBuzzFan]

Magical Express is a service offered by Disney to its guests to get you from the Airport to your hotel. If you're staying at a Disney resort, then you may request the free ME service to your hotel.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Magical Express is a service offered by Disney to its guests to get you from the Airport to your hotel. If you're staying at a Disney resort, then you may request the free ME service to your hotel.

Don't forget you also need to reserve your spot on the Magical Express bus before landing at Orlando International Airport, because you can not just walk up to their check-in counter and get on a bus to your WDW Resort without reserving a spot ahead of time.

 

[jsebsirois]

Is it true all stars resorts share the buses? How long did you have to wait to board a bus going to the parks from all star music? I'd like to stay in the jazz or broadway building, they seem close to the main building and bus stops?

All Stars Resorts share the buses at some park. It changes from time to time but I really never had any problems with transportation in 4 times visiting Disney World.

Broadway is a good building at All-Star Music because it's more calm and not too far from the main building.

 

[buxomlisa]

thanks for the tips! I wouldnt have known I have to book a place on the magical express bus if you guys hadn't told me!

I like the look of the broadway building, NY is one of my favorite places!

so If I am connecting in montreal, I don't put the magical express baggage tags on my bags until I pick them up in montreal before I go to customs and check in the bags again? then I don't have to worry about them til I get to the hotel. Does it usually take 3 hours for your bags to arrive at the hotel? and If I've gone out they will just hold them til we get back to the hotel?

 

[DisneyFreak06]

If you connect through Montreal, you no longer need to get your checked bags to go through Customs. You check your bag for your flight to Montreal, and then you do not see them until you DME "magically" delivers them to your room. That's if you register for DME beforehand, and put your yellow tags on your bags before you leave.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If you connect through Montreal, you no longer need to get your checked bags to go through Customs. You check your bag for your flight to Montreal, and then you do not see them until you DME "magically" delivers them to your room. That's if you register for DME beforehand, and put your yellow tags on your bags before you leave.

They could also choose not to put the yellow tags on, pick up their checked bags and then get on the Magical Express bus. Plus if someone was landing after 10:00 PM then they have no choice to do that, since that's when the bag deliver to the resorts stops for the night.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

They could also choose not to put the yellow tags on, pick up their checked bags and then get on the Magical Express bus. Plus if someone was landing after 10:00 PM then they have no choice to do that, since that's when the bag deliver to the resorts stops for the night.

That's true, but I love the fact that you don't have to pick up your bags when you transfer through Montreal now.

 

[buxomlisa]

oh so I put the tags on the bags in halifax and I don't have to worry about picking them up in montreal?? I thought I needed to check them again in montreal and go through customs?? That would be awesome, because I hate lugging around my big heavy luggage through the airports!

 

[glendalais]

oh so I put the tags on the bags in halifax and I don't have to worry about picking them up in montreal?? I thought I needed to check them again in montreal and go through customs?? That would be awesome, because I hate lugging around my big heavy luggage through the airports!

Yes, when connecting from a domestic flight to a transborder flight at Montréal-Trudeau, you no longer need to physically claim your baggage. If the U.S. Custom and Border Protection officers feel that there is need, they will be able to automatically hold or recall your baggage without your assistance.

However, returning to Canada and transferring from a transborder flight to a domestic flight, you will need to claim your baggage after clearing Canadian Customs and Immigration and then recheck it for your domestic flight.

 

[buxomlisa]

actually I think I remember this now when I when to vegas in march. The girl at the counter in halifax send we don't need to pick up our bags in montreal, we just get them in vegas. I was like no way, we always had to pick up our bags before. So when we got to montreal I seem to recall us waiting by the carosel and no bags coming out so we asked about it and I think I remember them saying they will be loaded on to our next flight to vegas. hmm, it's all coming back to me now!! I love this idea! I always hated lugging my big suitcases around the airport, but yes I do remember picking them up in toronto on the way home though!

 

[mbat]

buxomlisa - Did you end up flying Air Canada?

I am going in December and wanted to make sure that if I book with Air Canada that I am actually flying with them the entire trip (stop over in Toronto). I previously flew to Vegas and booked with Air Canada and then found out that we were actually flying with their affiliate US Airways (I think - can't remember). I was not pleased as we found out at the airport and ended up having to pay for our luggage.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

All Stars Resorts share the buses at some park. It changes from time to time but I really never had any problems with transportation in 4 times visiting Disney World.

Broadway is a good building at All-Star Music because it's more calm and not too far from the main building.

I believe we stayed in Broadway during our August 2007 trip. The building was farther away from the main bulding than I would have liked, especially after a 16 hour park day !!

I enjoyed the morning walk to the food court for coffee, but for me, it ws too far away from the bus stop and food court