Help me understand how to use Magical Express

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

We are first time flyers. Can someone PLEASE walk me thru the whole process of how this works and what we have to do when we first arrive and we leave to go home. I just want to make sure our luggage don't get lost, etc. LOL.

TIA!!!!

 

[dudspizza]

We are first time flyers. Can someone PLEASE walk me thru the whole process of how this works and what we have to do when we first arrive and we leave to go home. I just want to make sure our luggage don't get lost, etc. LOL.

TIA!!!!

It is very easy.

You will get a packet in the mail before you leave. You will put the YELLOW tags on your bags. http://www.offtoneverland.com/images/wdw/transportation/dme_tag.jpg

When you arrive at MCO, simply go to the DME desk and check in. You will be put on a bus and off you go to your resort. Your luggage will be transported on a separate truck and delivered to your room up to 3 hours after you check in. Toss a change of clothes in your carry on just in case.

When you leave, you can use RAC (Resort Airline Check In) if you are on a participating airline. See this thread for that info. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=944813

If you are not on a participating airline, you simply take the bags with you on the motorcoach (actually under the bus). You check in at the airport like normal. No yellow tags are needed.

Hope this helps.

Duds

 

[Missytara]

It is the greatest thing in the world to let someone else do the driving and taking care of your luggage. To me, this is what Disney does to make a real vacation. You take the luggage to the airport and don't have to handle it again until you arrive at home. They drive you right to your resort and take you back to the airport; and if you are using a participating airline, you can check your bags right at your resort.

To me, to pay a little bit more on AirTran than on Southwest is worth it, just so I can check my bags right at POR.

 

[seashoreCM]

Magical Express hot line number: toll free 866-599-0951

The first thing to do is make a reservation, preferably at least 14 days in advance although shorter notice (not the day-of) has been handled if your vacation was planned on shorter notice.

If you booked through a travel agency then they have to make the reservation for you. Keep prodding them until you have a written confirmation.

Going to Disney, the procedures are the same regardless of your airline.

It is possible to claim your bags without yellow Magical Express tags at the carousel and bring them to the Magical Express welcoming area (B* side lowest level, away from the Hyatt hotel) but it is more exciting to let Magical Express do it (arrivals before 10 PM). The yellow baggage tags in your Magical Express package expedite this although they are not absolutely mandatory. Guests arriving the night before and staying near the airport also make their Magical Express reservation for the actual check in date; they do not use the yellow tags and they have to claim their baggage themselves.

Should you have problems with the reservation for going home, it is better to wait until you get there before discussing or fixing that. Then resolve it as quickly as possible; changes or corrections can be made up to the day before check out at which time you should have or get a written confirmation for Magical Express back to the airport.

You need to be ready at the Magical Express platform ready to go home 15 minutes in advance of your bus time. Bringing your baggage to the bus works for all airlines and is required for guests not flying out immediately, for international guests and for all guests during some early morning hours. If your airline allows baggage checking at your resort, don't do it if you are running close to your bus time back to the airport; standing in that line does not count as punctual.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/magicx.htm

Magical Express serves only Orlando International Airport and Disney's resort's guests. Resorts specifically not inccluded at this time are those on Hotel Plaza Blvd. past Downtown Disney, Shades of Green, Fairfield's Bonnet Creek, Swan, and Dolphin.

* When you get off the tram and exit security, regardless of your airline, you will come out into the open sort-of halfway between the A side and the B side.

 

[goofy4tink]

You need to make a reservation for DME to begin with. You can do this by calling whomever you booked your resort reservation with. They will ask you for all your flight info.
Then, hopefully, about a month before you depart and head to WDW, you will get an info packet from DME. In it will be a yellow luggage tag for each person on the reservation, vouchers for the bus ride, and directions and info about DME.
When you are packed and ready to leave, just put a yellow tag on your checked bags..one per person. If you think you will need more than that one pp, just call DME and ask them to send you out more..usually thats easy to do. Then, say goodby to your checked luggage at your home airport.
When you get to MCO, you will take the tram from your gate area to the main terminal. You arrive on level 3..there are two sides to MCO, Side A and Side B. The two sides are joined in the middle by a big open area. Get off that tram and head to Side B...you will easily see it overhead off to one side. Go down to level 1.....baggage claim is located on level 2. I always take the escalator down to level 2 and then head to an elevator down to level 1. It is very easy to do....pretty clear and direct. When you get to level 1, you will see signage pointing you in the direction of the DME checkin area. It is all the way down at the end of the building...past the car rental companies and Mears.
When you get to the DME checkin area, you will either be told to just head to the bus lines, or you may have to wait in line to go to the counter. Doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to this though. Then, you will have your vouchers scanned...be sure to keep that info packet with you...and you will be directed to the proper bus line. Onto the bus and off you go.
You can expect your checked bags to get to you 4-5 hrs after you checkin at the resort. Some have gotten their bags sooner, but I always figure on 4 hrs. Be sure to pack a carryon bag with anything you may need for the first 6 hrs. of your day.

For your return home....the day before you leave, you will get a notice telling you what time your bus pickup is the next day. This is the time the bus leaves, so be sure to be at the stop, ready to leave, about 15-20 mins before the stated time. If you are flying home on one of the 'paricipating' airlines, you will be able to use the RAC desk to check your bags, right at the resort, and get your boarding passes issued. Then, when you get to MCO you just head right to security.
But if you aren't flying one of those airlines, you just take your checked bags with you, to the DME bus stop and they will be put underneath the bus. You can leave any bags with Bell Services that morning if you are leaving later in the day....then you can retrieve them before heading to the DME bus stop to go home.
Hope this helps...if you have any other questions or concerns, just ask!!

 

[Hollyster2]

My travel agent says we don't need to make a reservation with Magical Express. Just to check in at the Kiosk. What do you think?

 

[kristenrice]

My travel agent says we don't need to make a reservation with Magical Express. Just to check in at the Kiosk. What do you think?

Your travel agent is wrong.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My travel agent says we don't need to make a reservation with Magical Express. Just to check in at the Kiosk. What do you think?

Reinforcing the above response your travel agent is wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong !!!!! Disney's contract with the airport strictly prohibits them from accepting walk-up passengers, period. Guests without reservations will be directed to the Mears counter or the taxi stand. Either way, you pay.

PLEASE trust us, not your TA!

 

[goofy4tink]

My travel agent says we don't need to make a reservation with Magical Express. Just to check in at the Kiosk. What do you think?

You MUST have a reservation to get on that bus. Your TA is very wrong. That agent needs to call Disney and make a reservation right now. Disney is not allowed, by contract with MCO, to accept any passengers without an existing reservation. They would be in deep doodoo if they accepted you without a reservation.

 

[Minnie824]

So, just to clarify, do we need to check in at the counter or not upon arrival to MCO? I know in the past we have, but I'm reading some trip reports where people are saying they don't have to. Can anyone clarify that for me? Thanks.

 

[Alesia]

My travel agent says we don't need to make a reservation with Magical Express. Just to check in at the Kiosk. What do you think?

I think I'd get a new travel agent.