DIsapointed in Magical Express

[Melanie230]

You per chance first got to the drop off area for folks going home.

The airport stopped letting Disney CM's stand around with white gloves and pointing people to the Magical Express welcoming area. Other transportation services such as Acme Towncars or Joe's Taxi complained that it should be an equal opportunity nightmare for men* to find DME as it is to find them.

* Women ask for directions.

That is crazy!! We would never pay for a cab when ME is free!! I didn't expect anyone standing around to tell us where to go. We asked airport employees where to go. They told us and we went right to it. We just didn't know that there was a check in desk. Once we saw the buses pulled down to the end we went down and saw the desk. Went in, checked in and we were set.

 

[pooch]

That is crazy!! We would never pay for a cab when ME is free!! I didn't expect anyone standing around to tell us where to go. We asked airport employees where to go. They told us and we went right to it. We just didn't know that there was a check in desk. Once we saw the buses pulled down to the end we went down and saw the desk. Went in, checked in and we were set.

SeashoreCM's post. His comment about the taxi service was not suggesting you use one but that the taxi companies complained about the WDW CMs being everywhere directing people to DME thus cutting down the number of people just taking taxis instead. So MCO stopped letting the big Mickey hands be more prevalent than they are now.

 

[Alesia]

We did have the vouchers but our ME yellow tags and vouchers didn't come with an envelope with a window. It was a solid envelope with a little bus and the Disney characters on it. There was a white space with our name and addressed typed into it. Again, no directions to the DME area.

The booklet that the vouchers come in have a map and directions in it.

 

[goofy4tink]

Just so others know what they are looking for...the envelope that comes, with or without the window in it, with the luggage tags, has directions on the inside cover of the booklet that has the vouchers in it. It's a little diagram of the airport, giving you steps to get down to level 1.
FOr those who may be unfamilier with the process....
get off the tram from your gate. You are currently on level 3. Depending on your airline, you are on either Side A or Side B of the main terminal. When you get out to the main area of the airport, look to the side and up. You will see a large Side B or Side A..bright neon lights. You want Side B.
Here is where your airline makes a difference..if you are arriving at gates 1-29 (Side A) or 30-59 (Side B), you will head to side B and go down to level 1..ground transportation. Level 2 has baggage claim. You should arrive pretty close to the DME area. If you arrive at gates 60-99 (Side B) or gates 100-129 (Side A), you will cross over to Side B (both sides empty out into the same main area and you have to go to one side or the other from there), and go down to level 1, past level 2 and baggage claim. DME is going to be all the way to the end of that area, on your right, with the driveway and buses on your left.
So, there you go, in a nutshell..directions to DME. It is very easy to do. For those that don't get the directions beforehand.

 

[SaraJayne]

We did have the vouchers but our ME yellow tags and vouchers didn't come with an envelope with a window. It was a solid envelope with a little bus and the Disney characters on it. There was a white space with our name and addressed typed into it. Again, no directions to the DME area.

If you had the vouchers, you had the directions to where ME was in the airport.

 

[eeyoregon]

I changed resorts and there isn't enough time to get updated DME luggage tags. The CM told me to NOT put the wrong ones on but instead give the CM at the DME desk my airport baggage claim tickets (the ones that are given to you when you check in at your home airport) and they would claim our bags for us and deliver them as usual.

 

[goofy4tink]

I changed resorts and there isn't enough time to get updated DME luggage tags. The CM told me to NOT put the wrong ones on but instead give the CM at the DME desk my airport baggage claim tickets (the ones that are given to you when you check in at your home airport) and they would claim our bags for us and deliver them as usual.

When you say 'CM', who did you talk to?? Just curious. When you changed resorts, did you keep the same reservation number?? If your resort reservation number stays the same, you do not have to toss the luggage tags. All the resort info is in that bar code. Yes, it will say the 'old' resort on the tags, but the bar code will have the correct info. If you have any concerns, call DME before your trip and check on the resort they have you going to in their system.

It is only when you get an entirely new reservation number that you have to hand over your claim receipts and get new vouchers printed.

 

[Melanie230]

I didn't think it was directed at me. I was saying that it was crazy for the cab drivers to complain. I dont think they have a valid argument.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I didn't think it was directed at me. I was saying that it was crazy for the cab drivers to complain. I dont think they have a valid argument.

I can see why transportation companies were unhappy with DME and complained about Disney's practices.

Transportation companies are not allowed to solicit business from travelers making their way from the arrival gates to the transportation level.

When Disney began Disney's Magical Express in 2005, they had Cast Members with large Mickey gloves on level 3 and level 2 pointing guests toward the DME Welcome Center (which was on Side A in those days) on level 1. The Cast Members would also tell WDW-bound travelers about DME, and DME would transport guests who did not have advance DME reservations -- even guests who had pre-arranged towncar reservations or who had planned to take a cab.

Transportation companies complained that the Mouse had an unfair competitive advantage. So Disney had to pull the CMs with the Mickey gloves, and all DME passengers had to have advance DME reservations.

The ground transportation providers still lost a lot of business to Disney's no-cost transportation and luggage service, but at least Disney could no longer actively solicit arriving passengers.

 

[goofy4tink]

I can see why transportation companies were unhappy with DME and complained about Disney's practices.

Transportation companies are not allowed to solicit business from travelers making their way from the arrival gates to the transportation level.

When Disney began Disney's Magical Express in 2005, they had Cast Members with large Mickey gloves on level 3 and level 2 pointing guests toward the DME Welcome Center (which was on Side A in those days) on level 1. The Cast Members would also tell WDW-bound travelers about DME, and DME would transport guests who did not have advance DME reservations -- even guests who had pre-arranged towncar reservations or who had planned to take a cab.

Transportation companies complained that the Mouse had an unfair competitive advantage. So Disney had to pull the CMs with the Mickey gloves, and all DME passengers had to have advance DME reservations.

The ground transportation providers still lost a lot of business to Disney's no-cost transportation and luggage service, but at least Disney could no longer actively solicit arriving passengers.

And still we see gypsy drivers who are actively soliciting for passengers at MCO. I was approached in Dec upon arrival. I was on my way from level 3, down to level 1 and heading to DME to check in. There were two drivers that approached me..one on level 2 by baggage claim, and one on level 1 as I got out of the elevator. The second one told me he could get me to WDW a lot faster than Magical Express!!!

 

[paults]

Melanie 230, when you opened the envolope there should have been a blue booklet with Mickey's picture on it and Disney Magical Express logo. Inside that booklet first page are the directions to the DME area. Also your vouchers are attached inside the booklet. If your vouchers were not attached and came without the booklet I would call
dme and complain.

 

[dudspizza]

Melanie 230, when you opened the envolope there should have been a blue booklet with Mickey's picture on it and Disney Magical Express logo. Inside that booklet first page are the directions to the DME area. Also your vouchers are attached inside the booklet. If your vouchers were not attached and came without the booklet I would call
dme and complain.

The first image is what should have come in the DME envelope and the second one is the map that should have been inside the booklet with the vouchers used to get on DME.

 

[Missytara]

I have to say that I have never been able to find the second escalator down to the first level, since they are no longer able to have a person stationed there with the "big white glove."

I have just taken the elevator down to the first level and have been able to find it very easily. I can see how someone would blindly come down to that level, just see the buses cruising by and going outside, since the rental car counters are right there; if they didn't look past the car counters to see the ME Counter, they might be tempted to go outside and think they are going to catch the bus.

 

[cel_disney]

Just wanted to share that when we got off our Delta flight, in the jetway there was a big sign with the location of DME! Never noticed that before but figured I would share!

 

[goofy4tink]

I have to say that I have never been able to find the second escalator down to the first level, since they are no longer able to have a person stationed there with the "big white glove."

I have just taken the elevator down to the first level and have been able to find it very easily. I can see how someone would blindly come down to that level, just see the buses cruising by and going outside, since the rental car counters are right there; if they didn't look past the car counters to see the ME Counter, they might be tempted to go outside and think they are going to catch the bus.

Have to say that I usually have trouble finding that escalator down to 1 as well...usually just get on the elevator. I usually fly in on either SW or JB...and rather than walk the distance over to the location the map gives, I just head down as soon as I exit the tram/security area...come out, turn left immediately, go down to level 2 and right into baggage claim. I take the elevator that's right there, and then walk down the length of the terminal there vs up on level 3. I may have to try the way they instruct you to go in Dec..just to see the difference.

 

[seashoreCM]

I I can see how someone would blindly come down to that level, just see the buses cruising by and going outside, since the rental car counters are right there; if they didn't look past the car counters to see the ME Counter, they might be tempted to go outside and think they are going to catch the bus.

If someone was walking along the sidewalk outside and got to the DME pickup area platforms, wouldn't the bus driver scanning the vouchers and boarding other guests tell that guest to go inside and register at the DME welcoming counter?

 

[Missytara]

If someone was walking along the sidewalk outside and got to the DME pickup area platforms, wouldn't the bus driver scanning the vouchers and boarding other guests tell that guest to go inside and register at the DME welcoming counter?

Should, but they may be busy loading luggage under the buses and not realize there is someone there right away.

I seem to remember a CM standing outside who was directing people to the particular buses; they might be able to spot someone who is in the wrong place.

However, I can tell you when I arrive, it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and tons of people are checking out - there are a great deal of buses arriving for drop-off and it is somewhat chaotic.

 

[kamik86]

I could see how someone would get very confused without that little booklet.

My first trip to disney at 22 was the first time I had ever flown (and the same for my DH who was with me) So that little booklet and the directions inside on where to go was great... We had no idea how baggage claim worked or anything. Plus Orlando is a much bigger airport then then our home one (the only other one I had been in when dropping off or picking up others).

The second time we used them we lost the luggage tags and booklet but by then I had found these boards and knew that I could call and get them to send us new ones!

 

[Missytara]

You know I completely forgot, the first couple of years I did the land/sea package, so you were booked through the cruise line.

They used to have an escort from the cruise line that used to meet you in the rotunda and escorted us downstairs; I never even paid attention where we were even going back then!

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I got my yellow tags and booklet in the mail yesturday!!


Calling Magical Express directly was so much more helpful. Thank you for your help!