Disney's Magical Express - Airline reservations separate booking?

[jenjen212]

Hi,

Hope someone can help answer this.

I am going to book a package through the Disney Travel Company. But, I don't want to book the airfare at the same time through Disney because I want to book using my points directly through the airline's site.

Can I still book the Disney's Magical Express, without booking the airfare at the same time? Then, just call back with the details of the arrival and departure from MCO? Or, does it have to be done at the same time?

 

[stitchlovestink]

just call them with your airline name and flight #. You don't have to book your air thru them in order to utilize ME.
HTH...

 

[Missytara]

Many, many people book their own airfare.

Just make sure when you receive your confirmation, that the return flight no. is correct. That is what your pick-up time is based on leaving from your resort.

Don't worry about the arrival time, just the date. Many of us, including me, received an arrival time of 12:00 am on the right date. As long as they know you are coming that day.

Last year, our departure time continually went from 6:00 pm to 6:40 pm. ME picked up the time and we were leaving the resort at 3:30 pm; we got a whole extra half hour!

 

[sjs314]

Many, many people book their own airfare.

Just make sure when you receive your confirmation, that the return flight no. is correct. That is what your pick-up time is based on leaving from your resort.

Don't worry about the arrival time, just the date. Many of us, including me, received an arrival time of 12:00 am on the right date. As long as they know you are coming that day.

Last year, our departure time continually went from 6:00 pm to 6:40 pm. ME picked up the time and we were leaving the resort at 3:30 pm; we got a whole extra half hour!

When I called to give Disney my flight info for ME the CM said they only needed the flight numbers and I did notice the confirmation said 12am for a time also.

 

[CleveRocks]

The ONLY requirements for using DME are a reservation at a Disney owned-and-operated resort and a DME reservation. It makes no difference where or when you buy your air travel. You don't even need to fly ... you'd be eligible to use DME even if you never flew at all ... now, WHY you'd want a ride from Orlando Int'l Airport if you didn't fly into that airport, now THAT would be a mystery, but I'm just trying to point out that DME is not held back as a perk only for people who buy airfare through Disney.

 

[SHOREDAD]

The ONLY requirements for using DME are a reservation at a Disney owned-and-operated resort and a DME reservation. It makes no difference where or when you buy your air travel. You don't even need to fly ... you'd be eligible to use DME even if you never flew at all ... now, WHY you'd want a ride from Orlando Int'l Airport if you didn't fly into that airport, now THAT would be a mystery, but I'm just trying to point out that DME is not held back as a perk only for people who buy airfare through Disney.

So let me ask for clarification if I may? I am flying a non-participating airline.
1.For my arrival flight all I have to do is put the luggage tags on my luggage before I check in at my home airport.

2.Then when we arrive in Orlando we will just proceed to the DME and get on the bus?

3.Sometime after we arrive at the resort or luggage will come?

4. For the day we depart the resort will give us a time to get on the DME, since we are not a participating airline we have to carry our luggage with us and put it on the DME bus we get on?

5. We will have to check our luggage in at Orlando Int'l ourselves when dropped off by DME?

I am a newbie at DME, thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

[Missytara]

So let me ask for clarification if I may? I am flying a non-participating airline.
1.For my arrival flight all I have to do is put the luggage tags on my luggage before I check in at my home airport.

2.Then when we arrive in Orlando we will just proceed to the DME and get on the bus?

3.Sometime after we arrive at the resort or luggage will come?

4. For the day we depart the resort will give us a time to get on the DME, since we are not a participating airline we have to carry our luggage with us and put it on the DME bus we get on?

5. We will have to check our luggage in at Orlando Int'l ourselves when dropped off by DME?

I am a newbie at DME, thanks in advance for any assistance.

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. About three hours.
4. Yes. There will be a package under your door, the night before you leave.

If you have enough time to go to the parks, you can leave your bags with guest services. They will give you a voucher for your luggage. Make sure you return in time for them to retrieve your luggage. Say, if it is around 3:00 pm, when a lot of people are checking in, it may take some time for them to retrieve your luggage. The driver will stow it under the bus.

5. Yes, the driver will take it out from under the bus, and you can either chose to take the baggage to your airline yourself or there will be many porters there ready to take you as curbside check-in.

The driver should as a courtesy be tipped about $1.00 per bag for assisting you in getting the luggage on and off the bus.

Enjoy!

 

[SHOREDAD]

Thank you! I asked a question on the Mom's panel but you only get a limited number of characters, so I couldn't ask them all. I also read the Disney sights info on this, but it is always nice to hear from those that are not affiliated with Disney to get the "real" lowdown. Thank you!!

 

[Missytara]

Thank you! I asked a question on the Mom's panel but you only get a limited number of characters, so I couldn't ask them all. I also read the Disney sights info on this, but it is always nice to hear from those that are not affiliated with Disney to get the "real" lowdown. Thank you!!

You are so welcome. I cannot say enough about how great the ME service really is....

 

[jenjen212]

Thank you for the info everyone!

So, when our flight arrives in MCO, are there signs everywhere to direct you where the DME bus is? Is there a DME check-in at MCO? Do we have to show them our Reservation paperwork?

In your experiences, how long does it take for you to get to your Resort after you get on the bus?

Thanks!!!

 

[SHOREDAD]

jenjen212, I hope I did not change the intention of your thread. I just thought someone who already responded would be able to ask my questions, instead of me starting a new thread. Either way we both got our answers, these boards are awesome!!!

 

[Missytara]

Thank you for the info everyone!

So, when our flight arrives in MCO, are there signs everywhere to direct you where the DME bus is? Is there a DME check-in at MCO? Do we have to show them our Reservation paperwork?

In your experiences, how long does it take for you to get to your Resort after you get on the bus?

Thanks!!!

In your packet, will be a map to the DME desk. You will be arriving on level three and level one is the DME desk. In addition, there is an A and B side - if you arrive on A side, you will need to go to B side to get to DME.

You will be directed to a CM standing at the end of the "line" to the check-in desk. If you have all your transfer tickets and no issues with baggage (i.e. the tags are already on your bags from your departure airport) you will be directed to a line for your bus to your resort.

If you do have issues, you will be directed to the DME counter to resolve it - very quick.

You can expect to get to the resort about 90 minutes from deboarding your plane at MCO.

There is no set route, nor set stops, so you will never know which resorts you are going to and what order they will be in - but you know that you will get there!

 

[jenjen212]

jenjen212, I hope I did not change the intention of your thread. I just thought someone who already responded would be able to ask my questions, instead of me starting a new thread. Either way we both got our answers, these boards are awesome!!!

Shoredad, no worries. It did help answer some of my other questions too. Since, I live in Miami, I usually drive the short trip. But, this time, I will be coming from visiting family in NY, and bringing two of them down with me for a surprise Disney trip. So, this is going to be my first time flying in to Orlando. I am so glad that Disney offers this. It is such a $$ saver!

MissyTara, thank you for the info. That definitely helps!!

 

[SHOREDAD]

Shoredad, no worries. It did help answer some of my other questions too. Since, I live in Miami, I usually drive the short trip. But, this time, I will be coming from visiting family in NY, and bringing two of them down with me for a surprise Disney trip. So, this is going to be my first time flying in to Orlando. I am so glad that Disney offers this. It is such a $$ saver!

MissyTara, thank you for the info. That definitely helps!!

Sounds awesome! We drove from New Jersey last Easter with three kids ages 10, 3 and 1. It was okay the way down but the way home was horrible. I was not able to convince my wife to drive again. SO we are flying! I love the drive but it was bit rough at times. Have a blast!!!

 

[sunny45]

I remember taking DME on our last trip in 2007 but what I don't remember is if we set it up or if it was automatically set up by Disney.

I know it is part of our reservation right now and all flight info is added to our reservation.

Am I suppose to do something or is it automatically generated there on our reservation from Disney to have it set up and ready for us when we get there?

I remember from last time reading that some folks got their own bags at baggage claim and that's we we did too. I didn't want to wait for our bags to arrive 3 hours later while we were at the parks and not getting back until midnight. I like to arrive at the hotel unpack and not worry about anything else. This trip we are arriving by 2pm so once we get to the hotel we can have everything right there, unpacked and be ready to go off to the parks and not have to worry about a bag in the room later that night. That is just my personal preference.

 

[seashoreCM]

It is recommended that you make your Magical Express reservation at least 14 days in advance, although shorter notice is okay for room reservations made later.

If you have not booked airfare, pick a flight, any flight, any airline, arriving roughly at the time you think you might get to Orlando. Tell that to the Magical Express reservationist.

 

[goofy4tink]

So let me ask for clarification if I may? I am flying a non-participating airline.
1.For my arrival flight all I have to do is put the luggage tags on my luggage before I check in at my home airport.

2.Then when we arrive in Orlando we will just proceed to the DME and get on the bus?

3.Sometime after we arrive at the resort or luggage will come?

4. For the day we depart the resort will give us a time to get on the DME, since we are not a participating airline we have to carry our luggage with us and put it on the DME bus we get on?

5. We will have to check our luggage in at Orlando Int'l ourselves when dropped off by DME?

I am a newbie at DME, thanks in advance for any assistance.

What airline are you flying out on??? If it's SW, it is now participating at almost all the WDW resorts.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So let me ask for clarification if I may? I am flying a non-participating airline

Just for clarification , EVERY airline 'participates' in Magical Express. Only some airlines participate in Resort Airline Check-in for your return flight home (sorry for the redundancy).

I like to arrive at the hotel unpack and not worry about anything else. This trip we are arriving by 2pm so once we get to the hotel we can have everything right there, unpacked and be ready to go off to the parks and not have to worry about a bag in the room later that night. That is just my personal preference.

A few things to note:

• This tends to delay your own departure from the airport, since you need to detour to the baggage claim level; it's a little less inconvenient if your flight arrives on and your luggage appears on Side B of the terminal.
• It also tends to delay all the OTHER passengers on your bus - the ones who let Magical Express claim and deliver their luggage as designed, while the driver first loads then unloads under-the-bus luggage from Guests who insist on hauling their own.
• While Walt Disney World takes care of all tipping related to DME-delivered luggage, Guests who bring their own luggage to the bus are advised that it's customary to tip any service person who handles one's luggage - $1-$2 per bag.
• Especially with a mid-afternoon arrival, it's possible one's room may not be ready, necessitating leaving the luggage with Bell Service and adding to the necessary tip; alternatively, the party could simply wait in the lobby with their luggage until the room IS ready.