How long of a ride on Magic Express?

[WDWNana]

We will be arriving at Orlando airport on a Saturday later this month around noon time. We are wondering what time we would get to the Grand Floridian via Magic Express?

I have heard ME makes "many" stops and to anticipate as much as a couple of hours.

Assuming the above is true, is it fair to assume that you will have to leave WDW early to get to the airport on time for the flight home? Our experience with transportion that makes many stops is you end up sitting and waiting for some time at the airport before your flight leaves for home, of which you could have actually spent more time at the park and gotten your own transportation to the airport.

Would you "experienced" disney travelers shed some light on what to expect from Magic Express?

Thanks!!!
Julie

 

[kaytieeldr]

Don't know where you've been reading but..

The average trip, from checkin at the Welcome Center (or getting off the plane, depending on the experience of who's reporting) to debarking at your resort, is 70 minutes.

Each bus stops at no more than FOUR resorts, total - usually fewer.

I thought this was in the DME information online, but Guests are picked up 2.75 to 3 hours before their flights for the return to the airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's hard to believe there is still so much misinformation out there. Anyway....the 'average' time, from deplaning to resort checkin, is about 70 minutes. It may take a bit less time or a bit more depending on which stop you are. There are usually about 3 stops...at least that has been my experience after using DME about 4-5 times now.
As far as returning to MCO, DME has you at the bus stop about 2 3/4-3 hrs before your flight departure time. If you used a towncar service it would pick you up about 2-2 1/2 hrs before your flight, so you are only using up an addtl 45 mins or so by using DME. You can never tell just how crazy MCO security is going to be, so you are better off leaving WDW a bit early.

It may take up to 3 hrs before your checked luggage gets to your resort if you use that 'perk' of DME. But, if you have packed your carryon bag with a change of clothes and a swim suit, you should be good to go as soon as you checkin. Head off to the pool or the parks and you will find your checked luggage in your room when you return.

 

[Carrieberry]

The above is correct. You have no choice on the return trip about what time they pick you up. They just tell you the time to be out front and thats it. It is about 2.5 -3 hours before your departure time. Our bus dropped us first on arrival, so it took about and hour and half after arrival, with about 45 minutes to an hour of that both in loading and waiting to load the bus at MCO.

 

[CleveRocks]

We will be arriving at Orlando airport on a Saturday later this month around noon time. We are wondering what time we would get to the Grand Floridian via Magic Express?

I have heard ME makes "many" stops and to anticipate as much as a couple of hours.

Assuming the above is true, is it fair to assume that you will have to leave WDW early to get to the airport on time for the flight home? Our experience with transportion that makes many stops is you end up sitting and waiting for some time at the airport before your flight leaves for home, of which you could have actually spent more time at the park and gotten your own transportation to the airport.

Would you "experienced" disney travelers shed some light on what to expect from Magic Express?

Thanks!!!
Julie

My experience in taking DME to my resort ... the first time it was 63 minutes from walking off airplane to being dropped-off at the resort, the second time it was 56 minutes.

DME makes a max of 4 stops. From what we read, 4 is pretty unusual, 3 is pretty common. Both times when I took it to the resort, the bus went to a total of 3 resorts. Both times when I took it back TO the airport, we were the one and only stop (NOT the same resort both times).

DME schedules pick-ups to go back to the airport around 2.75-to-3 hours prior to your flight time. I like that. If I was taking a car service or taxi, I'd schedule them to pick me up about 2.5 hours prior to flight time. I'd rather possibly wait around for a little while rather than stress over whether I'll be on-time. To me, that 15 or 30 minutes' difference isn't enough for me to decide to pay $120 or so for rides versus taking free ones. And I don't mind riding buses versus being in a private vehicle.

I can relax waiting at the airport gate for 45 minutes or an hour.

I can't relax if I'm cutting it close and I'm hoping the Toyota in front of us runs the yellow light so we can get through, too.

 

[Gerweniel]

The 2 times we have used ME, we we had landed approximately 10:15-10:30am in MCO and were checked in our resort and in the parks by 12:30. On the way home, it was a 3 hour window both times.

CBR was the first bus stop in Dec 2005 and in Oct 2006 when staying at POR, we stopped at 3 of the Vacation Club resorts (which were beautiful btw)
prior to arriving at POR.

Our luggage arrived promptly and without incident both times, however we carry our swim suits, change of clothes and toiletries with us as carry on, just in case.

We really enjoy ME and think it is a great feature of buying a package.

Have fun!

 

[CleveRocks]

We really enjoy ME and think it is a great feature of buying a package.

Just for clarification for others, you don't need to book a package to get DME. You only need to be a registered guest at a Disney owned-and-operated resort, so room-only folks get it just the same.