Magic Express to Resorts....

[MinnieMommy07]

Never really got all of the details on the ME coach buses... just a few questions...

What times do they run?

Is there a best time to land in Orlando and be shuttled off right away? We really wouldn't want to land and wait an hour and a half for our coach to load... if it makes a difference we'd probably (if we don't change again... ) be staying at GF.

I know that MCO is a really great airport and lots of photo opportunities... so if we do have to wait, what do you recommend we do until load up time?

Do they announce the load up time and let you wander about until then?


Thanks!

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

The buses leave MCO regularly. From the time your flight arrives at the gate until the time you are walking into your resort is is almost always between 60-90 minutes.

There will be no photo ops while you have your (usually brief) wait for the bus. You will be in the line for the bus going to your resort.

 

[ancestry]

When we have had to wait in the past (usually very briefly) we always waited on the bus itself. No one "calls" to load up and you really don't have a chance to wander around after checking in. Once checking in at the DME area you will be directed into a line for the resort that you are going to. If there is any waiting involved you will either wait in a line or on the bus itself.

 

[MinnieMommy07]

In each of the cases.... what does "brief" actually mean?

 

[seashoreCM]

On your way from the airplane gate through the satellite corridors to the tram to the main terminal to the food court to the welcoming area you can take advantage of photo ops. No hurry except after 10 PM when you also have to trek over to the baggage carousels.

(They don't permit pictures in the vicinity of the security checkpoint.)

Folks have reported buses leaving for any particular resort about every 30 minutes, more often when its really busy and maybe every 45 minutes late in the evening.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/magicx.htm

 

[swmmom]

Most of our wait times have been on the bus - about 15- 20 minutes. The most that we have ever waited in line before boarding a bus has also been about 15-20 minutes. Usually we don't wait more than 5-10 minutes in line.

 

[backyardponder]

Remember, the Mouse's main objective is to get you to WDW as quickly as possible so you can start spending your money. I've never waited more than 20 minutes in line and 5 minutes once on the bus.

 

[Megan07]

Ive never waited more than 5 minutes in line. I landed around 5pm in March during spring break and in June around 4 I believe.

In march during spring break, we saw the bus leaving as we were walking into the line. We had to wait about 30 minutes but we didnt care-it was nice to just sit in a/c and make some phone calls!

Now Last year when we got there around 4pm in June we were the only ones in line, walked onto the bus, and the bus left 5 minutes later. It's kind of hit or miss, but you don't feel like your waiting long at all.

They like to get you moving and onto property.

 

[goofy4tink]

Here's a 'general' breakdown of my times using DME...from gate to resort.
15 mins from airline gate down to DME checkin counter.
10 mins (tops) in line at DME counter
5 mins at counter
1 min to walk to bus line..if that
10 mins in line for the bus
10 mins wait on the bus
30 mins to WDW

Now...there are a lot of variables here. I have had times as short as 50 mins..from gate to resort. BUT...I've also had one time that was 90 mins, but there were extenuating circumstances there that I never ran into before, or after.
Most of the time it is going to take an average of about 70 mins from the gate to your resort.

The only time your arrival might make a difference is if you arrive very early in the day (before 9am) or late at night (after 10pm). The buses don't run quite as frequently at those times it would seem.
But....the busier it is, the more buses are running.

 

[disneyag]

Usually, we don't stand in line waiting for a bus more than 5 minutes. Then, we might wait on a bus another 10-15. Each time we've used DME, we've walked into the hotel lobby about 75 minutes after walking off the jetway from our flight. (In the years before DME, we always took a towncar service to our hotel and it took about the same amount of time, considering we always had to wait at the luggage carousel.)

 

[~Piglet~]

Can I ask about ME buses from Resort back to the Airport - do they run throughout the day? My family are booked onto ME back to MCO but they have an evening flight, will they be able to catch a bus late afternoon?

 

[goofy4tink]

Can I ask about ME buses from Resort back to the Airport - do they run throughout the day? My family are booked onto ME back to MCO but they have an evening flight, will they be able to catch a bus late afternoon?

They will be given a pickup time of about 3 hrs prior to their flight. If their flight departs at, say, 8pm, they will get a pickup time of about 5pm. They will not be allowed to choose which bus they want. There are a lot of times that there is no extra room on the bus for those not expected on that bus. And, it is entirely at the driver's discretion as to whether or not they allow people to board a bus that they weren't reserved on.

 

[~Piglet~]

Thanks, that's good to know, they can check-in their baggage in the morning at DTD, relax for a few hours and then catch the bus at their designated time in the afternoon

 

[2Tiggies]

Most of our wait times have been on the bus - about 15- 20 minutes. The most that we have ever waited in line before boarding a bus has also been about 15-20 minutes. Usually we don't wait more than 5-10 minutes in line.

I have also found this to be true.