Magic express or dropped off? Nov. 10 th to AoA

[ammag]

Renting a car and driving up from Miami on Nov. 10th. Had planned on returning car at airport and walking over to the magic express to get to AoA. However I have read online it can take an hour and ahalf or more to actually get to the hotel. Think this is true?

Are we better off just being dropped off by my husband at the hotel from miami so we can get settled then he takes a cab or Magic exp. back alone? He doesn't mind. The trip is short, we might not get to the airport til 5pm that day, we leave Thursday. Two park days one hotel/Ohana day.

 

[pfalcioni]

Why not just keep the rental car during your WDW stay? Or, if that's not an option, why not drop it off at the Car Care Center on WDW property. They have a free shuttle service to any WDW resort.

Another thing I'm unsure of is if they'll allow you to use ME if you don't have a flight coming in to MCO.

 

[Sunnywho]

It can take awhile to use ME. There can be a line so that you have to wait for more than one bus to come and go. Then you might make a stop to drop off at a different resort. Once we sat at the Caribbean Beach resort for 20 minutes with no explanation before continuing on to our resort. The up side is that ME shows a Disney show/commericial that my kids like. But yeah getting dropped off at the hotel would make for a nicer experience.

 

[OKW Lover]

Several points to make for the OP:

• ME typically takes <90 minutes from the time a plane lands till the guest gets to their resort. Many people report it being less than 60 minutes. In your case where you are just returning a car this will be even less.
• If you do go this route, it would make a lot of sense to drop the family and luggage off at your WDW resort before returning the car. It will minimize wrestling with the luggage and the rest of the party can begin enjoying WDW quicker.
• There are several car rental companies with offices at WDW. I'd check with whoever you are renting from to see if its one of them. Check your rates though to be sure its still good. You'll find some good info on this thread.

 

[Overexcited]

Why not just keep the rental car during your WDW stay? Or, if that's not an option, why not drop it off at the Car Care Center on WDW property. They have a free shuttle service to any WDW resort.

Another thing I'm unsure of is if they'll allow you to use ME if you don't have a flight coming in to MCO.

Agree, I believe ME is for guests arriving at by plane. May want to call on that one.

 

[OKW Lover]

Agree, I believe ME is for guests arriving at by plane. May want to call on that one.

ME doesn't care how you got to the airport. They take anybody that has a WDW resort reservation whether they arrived by plane, bus, walked.

 

[wdwrich]

ME doesn't care how you got to the airport. They take anybody that has a WDW resort reservation whether they arrived by plane, bus, walked.

Yup!

 

[jcemom]

With one exception, we have always been checking into our resort less than one hour from the time we stepped off the plane. (We had one driver who got lost and that was a bit of a mess.)

 

[Overexcited]

ME doesn't care how you got to the airport. They take anybody that has a WDW resort reservation whether they arrived by plane, bus, walked.

Good to know! They always ask for the airline info so I did not realize.
I do think the suggestion of returning at Disney is a better way though.

 

[Luvchefmic]

ok let me understand this I am a local I have a POP ressie and I miss taking DME from when I lived in NY SO just for the heck of it I get dropped off at MCO and for memory lane and the joy of it I can take DME to POP ??

To OP personally I would rent a car that can be dropped off at Care Center or nearby that will bring you to your resort

 

[wdwrich]

ok let me understand this I am a local I have a POP ressie and I miss taking DME from when I lived in NY SO just for the heck of it I get dropped off at MCO and for memory lane and the joy of it I can take DME to POP ??

Yes! As long as you have a reservation at a Disney resort at WDW, you and your party are entitled to a ride from MCO to WDW, and a ride from WDW to MCO on DME. (I would still reserve it ahead of time.)

 

[Luvchefmic]

Yes! As long as you have a reservation at a Disney resort at WDW, you and your party are entitled to a ride from MCO to WDW, and a ride from WDW to MCO on DME. (I would still reserve it ahead of time.)

Incredible I had NO idea...don't think I would BUT sometimes seeing those buses
(sigh) I long to because to me that says "Start of Vacation"

 

[luvgoing2disney]

i generally calculate that 90 minutes after landing I will be walking on Main Street. That may be off either way a few minutes, but it's a good rule of thumb for us.

 

[Marblies]

i generally calculate that 90 minutes after landing I will be walking on Main Street. That may be off either way a few minutes, but it's a good rule of thumb for us.

Do you stay at a monorail resort? That is super fast!

 

[bek]

Lots of the rental car companies have outlets near Downtown Disney. I'm not sure which company my DIL uses, but she has dropped off and picked up at the Hilton near DTD. There are buses from DTD to all the resorts.

 

[OKW Lover]

Lots of the rental car companies have outlets near Downtown Disney. I'm not sure which company my DIL uses, but she has dropped off and picked up at the Hilton near DTD. There are buses from DTD to all the resorts.

That would be Avis

 

[mieshie75]

Wow I didn't realize that the ME was that quick. I told my daughter that on our oct trip we are staying at the CBR and our flight lands at9:15 I said we wouldn't get to HS till 11:30 or 12 ish. Am I that far off?

 

[Alesia]

Wow I didn't realize that the ME was that quick. I told my daughter that on our oct trip we are staying at the CBR and our flight lands at9:15 I said we wouldn't get to HS till 11:30 or 12 ish. Am I that far off?

Two hours after stepping off the plane is a worst case scenario. Typically it's more like 70 to 90 minutes.

 

[Overexcited]

Wow I didn't realize that the ME was that quick. I told my daughter that on our oct trip we are staying at the CBR and our flight lands at9:15 I said we wouldn't get to HS till 11:30 or 12 ish. Am I that far off?

I have had times I walked right in the bus and times I waited. Look at it this way, if you are early it is a bonus! Have fun!

 

[katiee37]

Timing really depends on A. if you forget that DME picks up in Terminal B and you arrive in A... B.if you're the first resort or last resort dropped off on the route... C. how many people get off before you and ...D. whether you store luggage underneath.
I've never had a problem at check-in so usually once I'm off DME I'm in my room, drop everything, and head out. 90 minutes sounds about right from the time I got off the plane to the time I entered AK (our traditional arrival day park).