How is magical express working at DVC?

[SEC]

Has anyone used magical express to a DVC resort? We are going to WLV in October and my husband is reluctant to use magical express since he wants to see his luggage when we get off the plane. Is it working well? We always take the Mears shuttle anyway. Is there an option to just put your luggage on the shuttle, but not do Magical Express?

 

[RobDoc]

We used it in early May and had a positive experience with the service.

If you wish to handle your own luggage, just leave the yellow Disney tags at home (you will still need to pre-register for the service), collect you own bags and you can still ride the DME bus. ANy bags you have with you will be stowed under the bus you ride on and you'll just gather them upom arrival at your resort. (They handle the carry-on bags in this fashion already.)

On the return trip, it works the same way. Our airline was not a participant- so we had to check them ourselves at MCO.

We found the arrival service very convenient. Our bags were delivered to our room (it took almost 4 hours), but we had everything we needed upon arrival in our carry-on bags- so there was no inconvenience having to wait.

By October, I expect that the initial challenges will be smoothed out and the service will be running very smoothly, but there would be no problem to handle your own bags if you wish and still take advantage of the free transportation.

Enjoy!

 

[SEC]

Thank you so much for the response. I am looking forward to using the money I would have spent for the shuttle on Disney items instead!

 

[keishashadow]

We used it in early May and had a positive experience with the service.

If you wish to handle your own luggage, just leave the yellow Disney tags at home (you will still need to pre-register for the service), collect you own bags and you can still ride the DME bus. ANy bags you have with you will be stowed under the bus you ride on and you'll just gather them upom arrival at your resort. (They handle the carry-on bags in this fashion already.)

On the return trip, it works the same way. Our airline was not a participant- so we had to check them ourselves at MCO.

We found the arrival service very convenient. Our bags were delivered to our room (it took almost 4 hours), but we had everything we needed upon arrival in our carry-on bags- so there was no inconvenience having to wait.

By October, I expect that the initial challenges will be smoothed out and the service will be running very smoothly, but there would be no problem to handle your own bags if you wish and still take advantage of the free transportation.

Enjoy!

Curious, what time of day did you arrive & how long did you have to wait before the bus left the terminal? I've heard horror stories of vacationers waiting hours for the bus to fill up before they depart, then getting a grand tour of many different resorts before being deposited at their hotel.

I don't really care how long it would take to deliver my luggage to the assigned room, but would hate to waste several hours of vacation time when we could drive in under an hour. Thanks.

 

[RobDoc]

We arrived about 8:30pm, buit the buses depart about every 15 minutes and have no more than 4 stops - all at WDW resorts. The total time shouldn't be more than about 45 minutes from MCO.

Enjoy!

 

[keishashadow]

We arrived about 8:30pm, buit the buses depart about every 15 minutes and have no more than 4 stops - all at WDW resorts. The total time shouldn't be more than about 45 minutes from MCO.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the quick response. Seems like speedy service to me (and the price is right). Guess we could always rent a car on site.

 

[DIZZNY]

I used ME on my trip to SSR on May 24th arriving at about 1:15 pm. I waited about 10-15 minutes to board the bus then another 20-25 minutes to leave. I and another family were the only ones in the SSR line and they put us into the Pop Century bus. The bus driver did not have a clue where SSR was and the supervisor? had to take him through the directions on the map about 4 times. His lack of confidence may have caused the delay more than anything, I am not sure. We made it to the resort by about 2:15- 2:30.

As a sidenote, he also kept dropping his microphone and fumbling for it at his side, often looking down and veering, slightly, toward the ditch. Veering enough for those of us in the front seats to get a little nervous. It all worked out, we stayed on the road and he did not get lost.

I met my family the next day at Ft. Wilderness - my husband and kids drove 1/2 way across the country with the camper - I flew due to my work schedule. I used ME on the way back. ME sent a taxi for me ($57 - I, of course, did not have to pay) rather than a bus and I had a very comfortable, safe, and expedient ride back to the airport. BTW, we passed two ME buses along the way.

Overall, about an A- experience and plan to use it again in October.