Disney's Magical Express

[stitchlover]

So with Disney cutting back in other areas due to the economy how is ME holding up right now? Are they running buses less often? Anyone just back with any thoughts on this? We have always had a good ME experience.
Also we will be going to the Poly any idea of what that ME route looks like these days? It is always like sitting on pins and needles waiting to get to your resort. Just wondering how many we might have to go to before we hit the Poly.
TIA!

 

[goofy4tink]

They may be putting fewer buses out there for DME...but I can't say for sure. If so, they will wait a bit longer to be sure the buses are full and guests don't have to wait overly long for a bus.
But....I haven't heard anything official.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

If so, they will wait a bit longer to be sure the buses are full and guests don't have to wait overly long for a bus.

Disney's Magical Express does not wait for the buses to be full. They don't do so now, and they never have since the launch of Magical Express. They may wait a while for more guests going to the same resort, but there's no requirement for the bus to be full.

Often, buses are dispatched with more than half the seats empty, because it's time to go.

There is no reason to believe that the Magical Express product has been degraded due to the economy.

 

[debster812]

There is no reason to believe that the Magical Express product has been degraded due to the economy

I would respectfully disagree with this. Just recently, DME instituted this change. That if you arrive at MCO after 10pm, you will need to retrieve your own luggage from the carousel, and bring it with you to the checkin center, and on the bus with you.

Also, we rode DME 2x this past winter, once in January, and once in February. Both of these times we waited slightly longer than we have in the past for the bus to leave. Granted, these arrivals were at night (one at 11pm, one at 8pm)

So, yes, I think they are adjusting some things, based on the economy, and fewer people being at the WDW resort.

 

[TheWog]

I think the elimination of the post 10:00 p.m. baggage retrieval is the most noticeable and the one that impacts me most...

 

[goofy4tink]

Disney's Magical Express does not wait for the buses to be full. They don't do so now, and they never have since the launch of Magical Express. They may wait a while for more guests going to the same resort, but there's no requirement for the bus to be full.

Often, buses are dispatched with more than half the seats empty, because it's time to go.

There is no reason to believe that the Magical Express product has been degraded due to the economy.

Full? Maybe not completely full. But, the last two buses I have ridden on, have sat there, for half an hour, waiting. In Sept, we were among the first to board the bus to POP. There were maybe 12 of us on the bus, when I got on. But, we sat there, for 35 mins....no, there were no people in sight...the driver just stood outside, chatting with other drivers (whose buses were also less than half full!). Guests would come straggling along, get on board, saying..'This is great, now we won't have to wait as long since there's no one else in line waiting to get on!!'. Ah, no..not happening. From what I understand, on that one trip, the total time waiting was about 45 mins...that's what a passenger told me when we finally left. She was the first one on the bus and just couldn't figure out why she had to sit there for 45 mins!!!
I truly believe that if they start cutting back, there will be fewer buses/drivers. If that's the case, you won't see buses leaving half full....that wouldn't make sense. Even those riding the buses after 9:30/10pm have to wait much longer than those riding the bus midday.

Those buses are not running every 20 mins anymore...and I have yet to see one pulling out that didn't have a good sized group in there. It just doesn't make sense to send out two buses, within 20 mins of each other, that are 1/3 full...makes a lot more sense to tell guests that the buses leave every half hour..that way they can put more people on each bus.

So, I will respectfully disagree....more buses are waiting to get more guests on board before leaving. Full? Maybe not full but a heck of a lot more people than they did a year ago!

 

[jblrn2b]

In February we got right on ME to SSR and it left within 10 minutes. Going home was the same experience. It was the same as previous trips.

 

[csbm]

We have never used ME in our past experience with Disney.
We are planning are to use it this trip at the end of May.

How long will I have to wait and do they have specific buses to certain resort areas?

We are staying at Beach Club and I wanted to know if I have to look for a Boaardwalk Area bus?

Approximately how long will it be if we get in at 1pm before we are at our hotel?

I am tyring to plan at what time we can get to the parks.
Is 3:00pm a good guess?

CSBM

 

[dudspizza]

Just returned 2 days ago.... I noticed absolutely no difference. I agree that that luggage delivery change after 10pm will be the biggest noticable issue.

Duds

 

[goofy4tink]

We have never used ME in our past experience with Disney.
We are planning are to use it this trip at the end of May.

How long will I have to wait and do they have specific buses to certain resort areas?

We are staying at Beach Club and I wanted to know if I have to look for a Boaardwalk Area bus?

Approximately how long will it be if we get in at 1pm before we are at our hotel?

I am tyring to plan at what time we can get to the parks.
Is 3:00pm a good guess?

CSBM

You will be directed to the appropriate bus line. When headed to BC, you will most likely have YC (always), BW, and CBR on your route. The bus will 'usually' stop at YC, then BC, then BW and then on to CBR. BUT...that can change. I've been on that route about 5 times and that's how it's gone.
What time will you get to BC??? If you land, ontime, at 1pm, you should be at BC by 2-2:15. I have had an average of 70 mins from deplaning to resort checkin..in about 8 rides with DME....some as short as 50 mins, one at 85 mins.