Magic Express - From Canada

[switch15foot]

Hi,

Quick question regarding Disney Magic Express and international flights.

I'm coming from Toronto, Canada and plan on using the Magic Express.

from my understanding, I pick up my luggage myself as I have to go through some form of inspection as an international person (it's also my first flight). Than I head over to the Magic Express and board it and store my luggage underneath. I ideally would like to not have Magic Express drop of my luggage seeing that I already have picked it up once.

Any experiences or additional explanations would be much appreciated. I'm getting very excited for my trip and nervous at the same time. The day we arrive we'll be doing MVMCP, another reason I want to understand the process so that I'm not wasting any time.

Thanks

 

[seashoreCM]

You can use the yellow Magical Express tags in the same manner as for U.S. residents, namely put them on your baggage before leaving home for Disney.

You will probably clear customs in Toronto. There you will have to get your baggage, have it inspected, and then you put it on another conveyor belt or an agent takes it from you for your connecting (or starting) flight. (I'm not precisely sure).

It is possible you have to clear or reclear customs in Orlando and the procedure is roughly the same as in the preceding paragraph.

If you arrive in Orlando before 10 PM, the baggage is delivered to your room regardless of airline you flew in on. After 10 PM everyone (U.S. and non-U.S., yellow tag or no yellow tag) must get baggage from the carousel and bring it to the DME bus.

Added choice for those clearing customs in Orlando: Carry your bags right out of the customs station and onto the airport tram and then down to the DME area.

For those carrying baggage to the bus, you would tip the bus driver upon arrival at your resort and tip the bellhop upon getting bags out of storage if your room was not ready sooner, and tip the bellhop at your room if he brings it up. For baggage delivered to your room automagically, you don't have to wait in your room for the purpose of tipping the bellhop.

 

[sam_gordon]

You can use the yellow Magical Express tags in the same manner as for U.S. residents, namely put them on your baggage before leaving home for Disney.

You will probably clear customs in Toronto. You will have to get your baggage, have it inspected, and then you put it on another conveyor belt or an agent takes it from you for your connecting (or starting) flight. (I'm not precisely sure).

It is possible you have to clear or reclear customs in Orlando and the procedure is roughly the same as in the preceding paragraph.

If you arrive in Orlando before 10 PM, the baggage is delivered to your room regardless of airline you flew in on. After 10 PM everyone (U.S. and non-U.S.) must get baggage from the carousel and bring it to the DME bus.

This doesn't make sense to me (granted, I don't travel internationally that much). First, you wouldn't clear customs in Toronto, it would have to be at a US airport, right? So, assuming you have a connecting flight, you get off the connecting flight, clear customs, hand the luggage back to the airline to get you to Orlando, and then it's in the ME que (providing you have the yellow tags).

However, if you are direct to Orlando from Toronto, I'd assume you collect your bags there, clear customs, then take the bags with you to ME, stow them below the bus (actually have the driver do it), get the bags from the driver at your resort, and check in.

 

[Hopefully]

This doesn't make sense to me (granted, I don't travel internationally that much). First, you wouldn't clear customs in Toronto, it would have to be at a US airport, right? So, assuming you have a connecting flight, you get off the connecting flight, clear customs, hand the luggage back to the airline to get you to Orlando, and then it's in the ME que (providing you have the yellow tags).

However, if you are direct to Orlando from Toronto, I'd assume you collect your bags there, clear customs, then take the bags with you to ME, stow them below the bus (actually have the driver do it), get the bags from the driver at your resort, and check in.

Many times you do clear customs in your city of departure, and Toronto is one of them, I believe. We cleared US Customs in Victoria, BC and in Aruba on trips in the past.

 

[jenkh]

You will clear customs in Toronto. (From Toronto, done it a few times )

So use your yellow baggage tags and head straight to the Magical Express desk. They will deliever you bags to your resort

 

[clkelley]

Even if you DO clear customs in Orlando, you can still have DME take care of your bags. You pick up your bags at the customs terminal and go through the inspection station. After the inspection station there is a 2nd carousel that YOU PLACE YOUR BAGS on. Your bags are then carried to the main terminal. Once they reach the main terminal, THERE is where the yellow tagged baggage is found and whisked away behind the scenes.

So as a bonus, if you have any extra yellow tags, you can even place them on your emergency carryon and pare down to the bare minimum items, and have your carryon magically whisked to your room also!!

Or the opposite is true. If you have a checked bag that you really want to carry with you, then you can carry that one and place the rest on the 2nd carousel with yellow tags.!!!!

 

[sam_gordon]

Many times you do clear customs in your city of departure, and Toronto is one of them, I believe. We cleared US Customs in Victoria, BC and in Aruba on trips in the past.

I apologize. Mea culpa

 

[bookbabe626]

Seconding the info that you will clear customs in Toronto. (This is also true for Canadians travelling through T.O. on a connecting flight from elsewhere in Canada and heading to the US.)

You check in at the airline desk (expect a line) in whichever terminal (Air Canada - T1, WestJet - T3) where they will give you your boarding passes and tag your luggage with the airline's baggage claim tags. Then, you haul your baggage through US customs (expect a line) and dump it on a conveyor once you're done. Then, you'll pass through the security check (expect a line) and into the section of the terminal with all the gates.

You can use the yellow DME tags if you want your luggage to be delivered to your room automatically (provided you're arriving in MCO prior to 10pm). Just put those on each suitcase before putting it on the conveyor (doing it at home before you leave is fine). Your bags will appear in your room about three hours after you check in. (You don't need to wait for them...you can head off to the parks or whatever.)

If you are arriving after 10pm, or if you need your luggage sooner for some reason, you don't have to use the DME tags. Instead, collect your luggage at the baggage claim in MCO and take it with you to the DME bus.

On the return trip, you will not be able to use the airline check-in at the hotel, even if you are flying on one of the participating airlines...that only works for domestic flights within the US. Just hop back on the ME bus at your pickup time (usually at least 3 hrs before your flight) and then do all your check-in, etc. at the airport.

You won't clear Canada customs until you return to Toronto.

 

[switch15foot]

Seconding the info that you will clear customs in Toronto. (This is also true for Canadians travelling through T.O. on a connecting flight from elsewhere in Canada and heading to the US.)

You check in at the airline desk (expect a line) in whichever terminal (Air Canada - T1, WestJet - T3) where they will give you your boarding passes and tag your luggage with the airline's baggage claim tags. Then, you haul your baggage through US customs (expect a line) and dump it on a conveyor once you're done. Then, you'll pass through the security check (expect a line) and into the section of the terminal with all the gates.

You can use the yellow DME tags if you want your luggage to be delivered to your room automatically (provided you're arriving in MCO prior to 10pm). Just put those on each suitcase before putting it on the conveyor (doing it at home before you leave is fine). Your bags will appear in your room about three hours after you check in. (You don't need to wait for them...you can head off to the parks or whatever.)

If you are arriving after 10pm, or if you need your luggage sooner for some reason, you don't have to use the DME tags. Instead, collect your luggage at the baggage claim in MCO and take it with you to the DME bus.

On the return trip, you will not be able to use the airline check-in at the hotel, even if you are flying on one of the participating airlines...that only works for domestic flights within the US. Just hop back on the ME bus at your pickup time (usually at least 3 hrs before your flight) and then do all your check-in, etc. at the airport.

You won't clear Canada customs until you return to Toronto.

thanks for the info, nervous about first flight and want to make sure that I know what I'm doing.

I'm flying direct from Toronto to MCO on Westjet and arrive before 10pm.

any recommendations on whether or not to utilize ME in terms of them taking care of the luggage.

from my understanding originally, I assumed that I won't clear US customs until I arrived at MCO and went through whatever process I needed to go through, making it silly to pick up bags, go through customs and not bothering to take them to ME.

thanks for all the help, the DIS rocks

personal experience with computers, external hard drives and DSLRs at airports, would also be much appreciated

 

[crashbb]

Seconding the info that you will clear customs in Toronto. (This is also true for Canadians travelling through T.O. on a connecting flight from elsewhere in Canada and heading to the US.)

You check in at the airline desk (expect a line) in whichever terminal (Air Canada - T1, WestJet - T3) where they will give you your boarding passes and tag your luggage with the airline's baggage claim tags. Then, you haul your baggage through US customs (expect a line) and dump it on a conveyor once you're done. Then, you'll pass through the security check (expect a line) and into the section of the terminal with all the gates.

You can use the yellow DME tags if you want your luggage to be delivered to your room automatically (provided you're arriving in MCO prior to 10pm). Just put those on each suitcase before putting it on the conveyor (doing it at home before you leave is fine). Your bags will appear in your room about three hours after you check in. (You don't need to wait for them...you can head off to the parks or whatever.)

If you are arriving after 10pm, or if you need your luggage sooner for some reason, you don't have to use the DME tags. Instead, collect your luggage at the baggage claim in MCO and take it with you to the DME bus.

On the return trip, you will not be able to use the airline check-in at the hotel, even if you are flying on one of the participating airlines...that only works for domestic flights within the US. Just hop back on the ME bus at your pickup time (usually at least 3 hrs before your flight) and then do all your check-in, etc. at the airport.

You won't clear Canada customs until you return to Toronto.

The only thing I would add is that we were picked up FOUR hours (not three) before the flight since it was considered "international". Even though the airline suggested check-in time for our flight was the same as for those flying within the US. Perhaps they've changed this though (it would make sense if they did).

 

[clkelley]

thanks for the info, nervous about first flight and want to make sure that I know what I'm doing.

I'm flying direct from Toronto to MCO on Westjet and arrive before 10pm.

any recommendations on whether or not to utilize ME in terms of them taking care of the luggage.

from my understanding originally, I assumed that I won't clear US customs until I arrived at MCO and went through whatever process I needed to go through, making it silly to pick up bags, go through customs and not bothering to take them to ME.

I would most definitely let DME take care of the luggage with the yellow tags. For one, from what I understand, it is quite a hike from the international terminal to Level 1 Side B where DME is. No sense in dragging your luggage all the way if you don't have to. If you clear customs in Toronto, no sense in waiting all that time at regular baggage claim. Adds at least 30 minutes to your time in the airport.

thanks for all the help, the DIS rocks

personal experience with computers, external hard drives and DSLRs at airports, would also be much appreciated

Computers and external hard drives will simply have to be taken out of their case and placed in a seperate bin to run through the security scanners. The camera can just stay in the bag and will run through the scanner

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

If you are flying Air Canada or WestJet you will clear US Customs in Toronto. In fact the last two years in December 2008 and December 2009 we had flown both those Airlines from Toronto - Orlando and I happen to see other guests in line with the yellow Magical Express luggage tags.

 

[switch15foot]

If you are flying Air Canada or WestJet you will clear US Customs in Toronto. In fact the last two years in December 2008 and December 2009 we had flown both those Airlines from Toronto - Orlando and I happen to see other guests in line with the yellow Magical Express luggage tags.

Go Leafs Go

Would you recommend using ME?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Go Leafs Go

Would you recommend using ME?

Honestly we have never used Magical Express because everytime we have flown to Orlando we always rent a car, so I don't have any experience with them. Although most of the reviews I read of them have been positive.

 

[Gary M]

I have flown in and out of Montreal several times and always clear US customs in Montreal for the return trip.

 

[switch15foot]

Honestly we have never used Magical Express because everytime we have flown to Orlando we always rent a car, so I don't have any experience with them. Although most of the reviews I read of them have been positive.

we originally planned on renting a car, but i wasn't sure what insurance to get and if i need to get the insurance offered by the rental company, the rental becomes to expensive and doesn't seem worth it

any advice when it comes to rental cars

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

we originally planned on renting a car, but i wasn't sure what insurance to get and if i need to get the insurance offered by the rental company, the rental becomes to expensive and doesn't seem worth it

any advice when it comes to rental cars

We always rent with Avis because their service has been great and we also have an Avis Wizzard card, so we can bypass the check-in line inside the terminal and go right to the parking garage to pick up our keys.

 

[Applemomma]

I'll give you my experience since we just did this this week (sad to be home but happy to be planning my next trip).

We left Canada out of Halifax, connecting through Newark. We precleared customs in Halifax so didn't have to collect our bags and do anything but wait for our next flight in Newark. We had the DME tags on and had absolutely no issues getting our luggage. In fact it was in our room 15 minutes after arrival at AKL! It was so nice to just walk through the airport, get on a bus and let Mickey do the driving after a long day of travel. On the return trip we weren't able to use the resorts airline bag check or print our boarding passes because our final destination wasn't within the States but DME was still too easy. The motor coach driver just stowed our bags underneath for us (and other people as well...we weren't the only ones!) and we checked in and printed boarding passes right at the Continental counter....took less then 15 minutes from the end of the line to bags on the scales and passes printed.

I'll definitely use DME again!

We did rent a car from the Budget office at the DoubleTree Resort near Downtown Disney since we had rented a scooter for my mom. It was $187 US for the week and only a short walk from the DTD buses. They do a hotel pickup service but not after 1:00 and through the week they close at 6:00 so you have to time it right. There was zero upselling, in fact we did most of the information via cell phone on the walk to the DoubleTree since I needing directions and she was hoping to get to the bank by 6:00 . I purchased a rental car rider on my own insurance ($20 - good for six months). We drove everywhere on property (up to 3 parks in one day!) and only used $16 in gas for the week! Drop off on our last day was simple but beware if you're trying to get back to your resort from DTD first thing in the morning. There isn't always a direct bus and the confusion to get us back to WL (we did a splitstay) was the worst hour of the week and reduced me to tears .... leason learned.

 

[mountain man]

I have flown several times to Orlando and used Magical Express. There are 2 possible situations.

If you have an early morning flight you may have to clear customs in Orlando. US customs at the Toronto Airport opens at around 5 in the morning. If your flight starts checking in before that time you will not clear customs in Toronto you will have to do it in Orlando. In which case case you will have get your bags from the carousel when you land, clear customs at which point you can put your bags back on a luggage conveyor to be delivered by magical express. There is usually a staff member there to hand your bags to.

The normal situation is that you clear customs in Toronto, and put the magical express tags on your bags. When you land in Orlando you can go straight to the magical express area and board your bus. Magically your bags will appear in your room later.

I think the confusing customs situation is due to the fact that the US customs staff are bused in from Buffalo every day. They do not live in Toronto.