Booking Flights need advice...fast!

[silverstar]

Hi we are a family of 4, from Alberta. We have our trip booked , the last 10 days in August. It's our first trip to WDW! ...we got a 40% pin, so we have our resort, and part tickets booked. Now we just need flights. There is a great sale right now through Air Canada. How does the Magical Express work? Is it eligble from the Air Canada flights (the ones we are looking at are actually United flight going through Denver) What we are wondering about is the flight times for the return trip home, if the flight is at 5:50 pm, what happens with our luggage when we check out of the resort, and when would we have to leave WDW in order to catch our flights? Where does the Magical Express leave from...your resort? Do you have to book when you want to use it...or does it have scheduled times? Sorry for all the questions, we just would like to book our tickets today hopefully since the price is probably as good as it's going to get.
Looking forward to all your answers, and advice!

 

[photomama]

not much advice, we are taking our first trip as well.

We booked direct flights from Calgary to Orlando with WestJet and got a pretty decent deal. Good Luck and Congrats on booking the trip.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Is it eligble from the Air Canada flights (the ones we are looking at are actually United flight going through Denver) ...if the flight is at 5:50 pm, what happens with our luggage when we check out of the resort, and when would we have to leave WDW in order to catch our flights? Where does the Magical Express leave from...your resort? Do you have to book when you want to use it...or does it have scheduled times?

Any of the airlines flying in to Orlando will get your bags to your room at WDW. If the airline isn't a participating airline for the trip home, you can check your bags with the hotel and then you take them on the bus with you and then check them at your airline when you check in for your flight. We've done this twice flying Southwest and it has worked magically. You book the ME for your trip there ahead of time and then they will advise you of the time for the return trip to the airport when you get there, although I think one of the time they did give us a time prior to our trip and indicated they would be confirming at the resort. Just to clarify, you do have to leave from your resort on ME.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Usually you leave from the resort three hours prior to your flight...despite what some will say, we have never found this too be too early; Flying domestically is three hours...you may need to double check an out-of-country flight return although if it through Denver again the three hours may work.

Good luck with it all!

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Just remembered there is a sticky thread in the Transportation forum...check that out for all of your ME questions.

 

[dis_guy]

Everything the pp said is correct. ME works really well, all you have to do is get to the ME counter in the terminal on arrival.

Your resort will let you know your times etc the day before your departure.

The only stressful thing I've heard about is that sometimes the ME tags and info are sent to you at the last minute and people worry as their date approaches and their tags haven't arrived yet.

I should mention that you should let ME know your flight information as soon as you book your flights.

The thing I love about Disney is that it doesn't matter what kind of travel day we've had, once you get to their desk at MCO, we're looked after without much input from us.

 

[Pokemom]

You should also keep in mind that if you are flying United, you will be charged a baggage fee ($15 for the first bag and $25 for the second bag each way). If you are planning to take a lot of luggage, that could affect your price significantly.

 

[crashbb]

Since your final destination is Canada, you cannot use RAC or BAGs on your way home. The DME bus will take you to MCO (leaving WDW 4 hours before flight time) and you can get the front desk to print out your boarding passes, but you will have to bring your luggage on the bus.

Coming into MCO, just put the yellow tags on your luggage and the bags will be brought to your room. It works the same way as if you were starting in the US, since we pre-clear US customs/immigration in Canada. This would be true even if you weren't stopping in DEN.

I'm not sure if both your flights are UA or if the Alberta-DEN ones are on AC. You only pay the baggage fee if your FIRST flight (of a connecting series) is on UA. So, if your Alberta-DEN flights are on AC, you don't pay a baggage fee on the way there, but you do pay it on the way home. If both flights are UA, you'll pay the fees both ways.

 

[dis_guy]

The DME bus will take you to MCO (leaving WDW 4 hours before flight time) and you can get the front desk to print out your boarding passes, but you will have to bring your luggage on the bus.

Actually, it's 3 hours before your flight, unless it has changed since April 08.

 

[crashbb]

Actually, it's 3 hours before your flight, unless it has changed since April 08.

Was your final destination in the US or in Canada?

ETA - from the WDW website (in reference to international departures):

Q. On my day of departure, how will I know what time a motor coach will pick me up at my Resort hotel to return to Orlando International Airport?

A. The day before you check out, you will receive a Transportation Notice advising you of your motor coach pick-up time and giving you other general information. Your motor coach pick-up time will be approximately four (4) hours prior to your flight departure time from Orlando International Airport. You are responsible for bringing your luggage to the motor coach pick-up location