For those of you who have used . . .

[WINTER]

Disney's magical express, how exactly does it work? and, does it work well?

 

[meb]

you like put these stickers they mail u on ur luggage check it in the bring it to ur room u dont even have to be in there. and then u go talk to some dude I dont know my mom did it and like checked in got on ur bus and went to ur hotel. Works good saves you money for a van, cab, or whatever u get.

 

[CleveRocks]

Allow me to translate for people over 10 years old ....

DME is FREE round-trip transportation between Orlando's airport (MCO) and your WDW resort. About 3 weeks before you leave you'll receive special DME luggage tags (sticky paper) to put on your checked luggage. Once you check it in at your home airport, you won't see your checked luggage again until it "magically appears" in your WDW resort room.

When you land at MCO, skip baggage claim -- remember, your bags will be delivered to your room (you put on those special luggage tags to tell employees behind the scenes at MCO to pull that luggage and ship it to Disney). Go directly to the DME Welcome Center and check in. They'll tell you which bus queue to get in. You'll ride a very comfy bus to your WDW resort -- there may be people on there from up to 3 other resorts, as well.

Probably 2-4 hours after you land, your luggage will "magically appear" in your resort room, whether you're there or not. Because it won't be there immediately, you need to pack essentials in your carry-on, in case the luggage is delayed by the airline or by DME. Don't screw yourself by HAVING to wait for your luggage and be frustrated that it's arriving late and you're getting a late start to your vacation.

On the day you return home, you also get a free ride back to MCO from your resort. Most people have to get their own luggage to the DME bus, and then handle it once back at MCO as well. Some people, those who are flying on the short list of "participating airlines," get their luggage handled for them just like on the in-bound trip, just in reverse (they check in their luggage at their resort and won't see it again until it's on their home airport's baggage claim carousel, plus they get to receive their actual airline boarding passes at their resort, which saves time at the airport later in the day).

The short version: DME is a FREE bus ride airport to WDW hotel, luggage delivered to your room, a free bus ride back to the airport, luggage may or may not be handled for you based on which airline you use.

-- Eric

 

[CleveRocks]

You also asked does it work well. I loved it. Free appeals to me. I have better things to do with $120 then pay it to someone to drive me when I can get another ride for free. Sure, I'm sharing the ride with a lot of other people and may have to stop at their place before mine, I'm OK with that. Of course, when I took DME my resort was the first stop made after the airport, and on the way back we were the only stop.

DME is guarnteed to last only through December of 2006. I won't be back before then, but if I did go back I would absolutely use DME again, I wouldn't even think twice about it. But I think if I had to pay for DME, since I'd have to open up my wallet already I'd probably spring for the extra expense of towncar service just for the personalized and private nature of it.

While DME is free, the only way I'd pay for a private ride would be if it was my honeymoon or 20th anniversary or something like that that I'm trying VERY hard to make the entire vacation romantic and extra special.

-- Eric