Magic Express question

[Jrits]

I know it's not an exact science but how many hours prior to your flight home does WDW have you meet at the front of the hotel for ME pickup to the airport? 2 hours? 3 hours? More?

 

[kmchisholm]

Don't remember exact details, but want to say 3 - ie for my 12:30ish flights I'm usually tearfully out the door around 9:15.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I know it's not an exact science but how many hours prior to your flight home does WDW have you meet at the front of the hotel for ME pickup to the airport? 2 hours? 3 hours? More?

You will get a notice in your room on your last night for the time to be outside waiting. It is typically 3 hours prior to your flight time.

 

[Alesia]

It is pretty much an exact science: for domestic flights, it 3 hours (plus or minus 15 minutes) before your flight. For international flights, it 4 hours (plus or minus 15 minutes) before your flight. They will assign an exact time and leave in in the information packet on your door the night before you check out.

Keep in mind that the time they assign you is the time your bus is scheduled to leave - you need to be ready and waiting 15 minutes before that. The bus will leave you if you're not there when it's time to go.

 

[Gracie09]

You can always go on an earlier bus . For example last time I went I had a time 2 1/2 hours before my flight. I thought it would be cutting it too close so I called an got on an earlier bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

You can always go on an earlier bus . For example last time I went I had a time 2 1/2 hours before my flight. I thought it would be cutting it too close so I called an got on an earlier bus.

A time much less than 3 hours before your flight is a goof on the scheduler's part. You need to get it corrected no later than morning of the day before the day you will leave.

You can also request an earlier bus on or before the abovementioned deadline; such a request is always granted. Be sure to pick up the new confirmation page as soon as possible and verify that the desired change is there.

You may or may not be able to get on a different bus than the one named on your confirmation page. Depends on how many other guests are scheduled on that bus.

 

[goofy4tink]

3 hrs prior to flight is the norm....you may get a time that is 15 mins earlier or 15 mins later than that 3 hr mark.
As far as just getting on an earlier bus? Maybe. But, the bus may be full, or be full by the time it heads to MCO. It may not look full to you, but it may be making two more stops which could fill it up.
So, the driver may allow you to get on an earlier bus, but they may not. Plan accordingly.

 

[smallblackstars]

For us it is 4 hours before our flight. This year we are hoping to get on an earlier ME so we can get something to eat with friends at the airport, really hoping there will be free space for us on an earlier coach!

 

[seashoreCM]

Don't just hope. Even those with 4 hour lead times (foreign and charter guests) can schedule earlier Magical Express buses.

 

[Alesia]

For us it is 4 hours before our flight. This year we are hoping to get on an earlier ME so we can get something to eat with friends at the airport, really hoping there will be free space for us on an earlier coach!

Just call and ask for an earlier bus.

 

[ncc1701]

For us it is 4 hours before our flight. This year we are hoping to get on an earlier ME so we can get something to eat with friends at the airport, really hoping there will be free space for us on an earlier coach!

Just call and ask for a bus more than 4 hours ahead. We had one trip where we only had enough time to wolf down a sandwich at a fastfood joint (security took a long time ). The last two trips we called and got an earlier pickup .

 

[helenk]

I generally travel by myself and I have this super fear of missing my bus back to the airport. I am usually at the ME bus stop really early, I'll eat my lunch or just sit outside and read my book. On more than one occasion a CM has offered to get me on an earlier bus. I have always politely declined though, I would rather sit at the resort than at the airport. I need to have my Disney fix for as long as possible.

 

[seashoreCM]

I generally travel by myself and I have this super fear of missing my bus back to the airport. I am usually at the ME bus stop really early, I'll eat my lunch or just sit outside and read my book. On more than one occasion a CM has offered to get me on an earlier bus. I have always politely declined though, I would rather sit at the resort than at the airport. I need to have my Disney fix for as long as possible.

If you are at the platform early and there is room on an earlier bus, then it is a good idea to take it. You never know if there might be a glitch with your assigned bus.

 

[helenk]

If you are at the platform early and there is room on an earlier bus, then it is a good idea to take it. You never know if there might be a glitch with your assigned bus.

So far, knock on wood I have never had an issue with an ME bus, in all of my trips one bus was a bit late, maybe 15-20 minutes but other than that I've been quite lucky.

 

[Lewisc]

You can always go on an earlier bus . For example last time I went I had a time 2 1/2 hours before my flight. I thought it would be cutting it too close so I called an got on an earlier bus.

DME runs 2 buses an hour, scheduled pick up time is between 3:15 before your flight and 2:46 minutes before your flight.

I think DME uses your flight number to obtain the scheduled time, is it possible your flight time had changed slightly?