Hopping onto Magic Express from Airport

[jpurnell]

A thought. The family of five are flying down via Southwest and plan on going to the beach a day early before we go to the Contemporary. If I understand the Magic Express, I could rent a car for a day, come back to the airport, and then take the Express to the hotel. If I understand this, one has to get their bags anyway from Southwest, all I have to do is call Disney to get the tags. Any thoughts if my thinking is correct.

 

[CarolA]

I would call Disney. Right now you would NOT pick up your bags even if you fly SW. If you fly SW home then you have to deal with your luggage, but all luggage on the flight down is returned to Disney.

You need a reservation... you can't just hop on at the airport. So just call them and tell them your time and I guess that would work.

 

[jpurnell]

So if one flys down to Orlando, and they have made a reservation for the Magic Express, to and fro, is it Disney that picks up the bags or can I just tell them I am flying down on Southwest arriving at 1:30, going to the Contemporary and just go the pick-up, even though I flew in a day early, rented a car, went to the beach, came back the next day to the airport, dropped off the car?

I guess the key question is can one use the Magic Express even if they arrive a day early? Personally if I pick up my luggage and transport it, why not?

 

[goofy4tink]

It isn't just a case of 'jumping on at the airport'. You have to make a reservation at least 10 days before you arrive. Then, your luggage gets handled seperately from other luggage. Those special tags they send you, in advance, tell the baggage handlers that those bags go into a special truck..only for WDW. Then, you get off the plane, check-in with Disney CM and get on the bus and off you go. I think there would be an issue if you reserved a spot, then didn't show up until later that day or the next day. Disney knows who is coming in when and on what flights. That's how they are going to be able to disburse the buses on a schedule. Who knows what they would do with your luggage if you don't check in with the Disney CM after your flight. It could just sit there, until someone finally shows up. And since they aren't in the luggage storage business, that's not an option I would like.

I would think that if you want to go to the beach before you hit WDW, then you need to rent a car, handle your own luggage and check-in at the Contemporary when the time comes.

 

[goofy4tink]

So if one flys down to Orlando, and they have made a reservation for the Magic Express, to and fro, is it Disney that picks up the bags or can I just tell them I am flying down on Southwest arriving at 1:30, going to the Contemporary and just go the pick-up, even though I flew in a day early, rented a car, went to the beach, came back the next day to the airport, dropped off the car?

I guess the key question is can one use the Magic Express even if they arrive a day early? Personally if I pick up my luggage and transport it, why not?

Because that's the point of DME...you don't have to lug your stuff around!! You say good-by to your luggage at your departure airport and don't see it again until you get to your resort room. The whole purpose of DME is to get off your flight, get on the bus and go directly to your resort. Of couse it isn't going to work for everyone. There are a lot of people who don't want to be 'car-less' or don't want to chance a longish wait for the bus to leave so book a towncar service. But, Disney isn't running a 'personalized transfer service'. So, no you can't use it if you arrive a day early. The transfer is tied into your flight details. As far as you picking up your luggage, you can't. It never makes it to the baggage claim area. It goes directly from the plane onto a truck bound for DisneyWorld.

 

[clkelley]

I think you could do it, but you would have to give Disney a flight number and time of the day you actually want to use the service.

Here is how I would do it.

Hypothetical:

If you are arriving on SW 1478 at 1pm on April 24th, just tell Disney you are arriving at SW 1478 at 1pm on April 25th.

DON'T put your Magic Express tags on your luggage when you check them to arrive.

When you land, claim your bags, get your rental car, and go about your merry way. When you get back to the airport the next day and drop off the car, check into the Magical Express area with bags in hand. The driver will store them on the bus and off you go. No matter how convenient, there will still be travelers that insist on carry-on luggage only, so showing up with your bags at the bus will not be an issue.

When it's time to leave, either check your bags with your resort (if SW is added), or show up at your Magical Express area and head back to the airport. I don't think it will be a big deal.

Carol

 

[jpurnell]

That is my kind of thinking. I just don't see how Disney could restrict this if I am using the service for the resorts. If I am to check in on the 16th of June, fly down on the 15th, I would have them reserve seats for the 16th. To them what would be the big deal except I would have to retrieve the baggage and take it the bus on the 16th. Besides isn't this suppossed to be a service for guests staying on the Disney Resorts?

 

[clkelley]

I'm doing something similar for my trip home in December. I'm actually checking out of my resort on Dec 7th. My flight is 5:30 am on December 8th. I'll sleep in till late check out time (1pm), take my bags to Magical Express desk. (I'm flying Delta), then off to the parks, then Pleasure Island till closing. By the time I get back to the resort at 2 something am, I'll have just enough time for a quick shower at the pool house and my Magical Express bus will arrive approximately 3:15 am to take me to the airport.

 

[Amberle3]

Where are you renting the car from?

If you're renting from Alamo or National then why not just rent the car as planned on the 15th, check into the Contemporary on your own on the 16th and return the car to the Car Care Center at WDW. That way you don't have to go all the way back to the airport. You can arrange for ME for the return trip back from the resort to the airport.

 

[jpurnell]

Car Care Center. Hey that would work, where is this at WDW, by the transportation hub? So if I rent from either of these two places I can choose WDW as my drop-off. This could work

 

[DebbieB]

I'm doing something similar for my trip home in December. I'm actually checking out of my resort on Dec 7th. My flight is 5:30 am on December 8th. I'll sleep in till late check out time (1pm), take my bags to Magical Express desk. (I'm flying Delta), then off to the parks, then Pleasure Island till closing. By the time I get back to the resort at 2 something am, I'll have just enough time for a quick shower at the pool house and my Magical Express bus will arrive approximately 3:15 am to take me to the airport.

Are you sure they will do that? It maybe a security issue to have bags sitting around overnight. Usually the airlines do not accept bags more than 4 hours ahead.

 

[Lewisc]

Are you sure they will do that? It maybe a security issue to have bags sitting around overnight. Usually the airlines do not accept bags more than 4 hours ahead.

I think ME has a 12 hour rule but they'll have to make an exception in this case because the check-in desk in the resort closes around 2:00p.

 

[jpurnell]

Ok I took care of my thought of dropping off at the airport. I'll rent from Alamo, and then drop off at the Car Care Center and then I assume I can then take the Magic Express to the airport when we fly home. But what do you mean the check in desk closes at 2:00? Do you mean that your bags have to be checked in by 2:00? We plan on leaving to go the airport around 3:00.

 

[clkelley]

If the ME desk won't take my bags, then I'll store them with Luggage Services and pick them up and take them on the bus myself. I'm not worried about it. I've done it before with Mears.

However, I'm pretty sure the luggage checkin folks at the resorts are going to take luggage the day before for folks with early flights. If they don't than anyone with a flight before 10 am won't be able to utilize the resort check-in.

Carol

 

[clkelley]

You might want to double check on the one way Magic Express. I don't know if they will offer the service one-way.

Didn't you say you were flying Southwest?? Well until SW starts participating in the resort check-in, you'll just have to store your luggage with Luggage Services anyway, and take your luggage on the bus yourself.

If they do start participating, then anytime 8am?? - 2pm you can take your luggage to the resort checkin desk and check the luggage and get your boarding pass for your flight. You will also be given a time to report back for your Magic Express Bus. So even if your bus doesn't depart till later in the afternoon, you can check your luggage and get your boarding pass and enjoy your time at WDW.

Carol

 

[Amberle3]

You might want to double check on the one way Magic Express. I don't know if they will offer the service one-way.

They definitely do one-way, I'm already booked on it for July. We're doing the cruise beforehand and renting a car so we didn't need transportation from the airport. They said it was no problem to do it for the return only. Faxed me back a nice confirmation with the ME added to the booking.

 

[clkelley]

Oh that's cool!

Carol

 

[jenelope]

clkelley, I'd be more concerned about your plans to take a shower at the pool house at 2:00 AM. Aren't those locked after a certain hour? If you check out earlier in the day, your keycard won't unlock the pool house.

 

[clkelley]

I've done this before. When I get back from PI, I stop by the Outpost to retrieve my necessities bag, and I double check with the front desk staff to make sure my card works. I then walk over to the nearest loop and take my shower.

Carol