Magical Exprees or Town Car Service?

[DebbieB]

How about another choice - rent a car. I paid $104 with National for 6 days last month, incl tax. Got a brand new Chevy Impala sport model. Had airport transportation plus the car all week for grocery shopping, outlets, some park transportation. Loved it!

 

[goofy4tink]

The car service ride costs $100.00 to Disney. If you want to stop for groceries there is no extra charge. So the grocery stop is free. People do not get in a car service vehicle because they are expecting a free ride or a grocery stop. They call and pay, good green cash, for a car service for transportation to Disney, because they don't want to ride the Disney ME busses. Period.

Your driver was out having a smoke and you are looking for him to take you to the parks. I don't call that a very reputable driver. He didn't pick you up on time or wasn't waiting at the door for you. Sorry you weren't dealing with the typical car service company. If it is mentioned so much on the boards than surely you won't mind letting us know the name of the company and maybe more of us will stop calling that company for service.

There are more passengers landing OIA between 1600 and 0200, than 1000 and 1559. They will get to the parks starting after 1800. Why would you blow a whole days hopper pass by going to the MK for 3 or 4 hours (less than a half a day) in the summertime?

No one is disputing 'why' people take a towncar service. I don't think this discussion has anything to do with the time someone gets to the parks. If people have a package that includes their park media, then they're most likely heading to a park the night they arrive. However, I simply don't care. I can speak only for myself.....
As to the companies I have used...let's see. Used Tiffany Towncar the very first time based on some other on-line discussion sites. Our drivers name was Don and he was incredible. Our flight was very late, but he was still there, with a happy face, and asked if we still needed a grocery stop. We did, and he asked if we could make do with a little convenience store on the way from Sanford to POR. No problem..it was just what we needed. This was back in '01. Sadly, I understand Don is no longer driving.
We used Tiffany several times after that, with mediocre service, and downright rude office staff. So, switched to Fl Tours...a board sponsor. This is where we had to go in search of our driver at the airport. No driver standing at the bottom of the stairs, holding our name up on a board. Our flight was right on the nose as far as arrival time goes...so, no excuse for not being there. Then, it took 15 minutes for him to drive his car around. Grocery stop?? Nope, didn't happen. You see, it was Thanksgiving morning. I had asked when I made the reservation if a stop would be offered since it was T-day when we arrived. It would be no problem at all, there would be several stores open. Our flight was right on time, as I said. When we asked about the grocery stop, we were told, and I quote,.."Oh, there aren't any stores open now..it's Thanksgiving. People want to be home with their families, not working." I asked if possibley just a little convenience store was possible. NO, nothing is open mam. It was 10:50 in the morning for crying out loud. We knew there was a store that would be open, but this driver was just not going out of his way, no matter what we had been told when we made our reservation. And yes, I did send off an email when we got home to let the office know we were not completely satisfied with our service. This was the same trip that we had to go in search of the driver at BW in order to get back to the airport.
I'm not sure where you saw I needed a driver to take me to the parks...I use the Disney buses..quite happily I might add. All I can say is that if I am paying $100, I want some decent service. But, so far the last few times I have used towncars, that hasn't happened.

I think that both Tiffany Towncar and FL Tours are reputable companies, but I still had les than stellar experiences with them. I will say that I am trying a third towncar service in Dec since DME doesn't go to the S/D. I'm hoping this company proves me wrong in my fears.

I have to say I'm kinda likeing the whole car rental thing. We did that for our last day/night at WDW. Found it quite pleasant to have that option. May be doing that more and more in the future..especially if I want to drive over to Tampa to visit the ds.

 

[puffkin]

We have been using a Towncar w/ grocery stop for several years before ME. Here are our experiences:

Towncar before ME: We usually only travelled with just the 2 of us so a towncar was convenient. We enjoyed the door to door service and the grocery stop. We mainly bought water, case of soda, and a few snacks/b-fast items for the room. With just 2 people, luggage wasn't too much of an issue.

Towncar during ME: Our first trip when ME was available, we chose a towncar (well, it was actually a luxury van). There were 6 people in our party that trip and we were staying DVC. ME was still fairly new and did not seem to have the kinks completely worked out yet. Plus, we had first timers with us and also needed quite a few groceries so the grocery stop was nice. Transporting that much luggage though was a pain though.

Rental car during ME: We made another trip during ME service, but this time we planned to do somethings offsite, so we rented a car for the trip. I don't necessarily like driving to the parks (even with the car we used the busses a lot) but it was nice to have, especially to get from resort to resort.

Used ME and Grocery Service: Our last trip was an extremely budget trip so we used ME and the grocery service (Garden Grocer). We had a minimal wait for ME at the airport. It was GREAT not having to deal with the luggage. Our bags were in our room approx. 2-3 hours after arriving in Orlando. The groceries were delivered directly to our room that evening while we were in the MK (we didn't order any cold items). The return trip took a little while, but it wasn't bad at all.

In summary, I would do any of the 3 scenarios above again...depending on the circumstances. However we were pleasantly surprised at how nice ME was and not handling our bags was a HUGE plus.

 

[Laurajean1014]

We use a town car service.

We never did warm up to the MEARS way of deploying guests and think the ME buses carry too many people for us to feel like we'll get to the hotel with out a wait or problems (who's bag is who's, etc.).

It's a great option, but not one my family would use.

 

[CleveRocks]

We use a town car service.

We never did warm up to the MEARS way of deploying guests and think the ME buses carry too many people for us to feel like we'll get to the hotel with out a wait or problems (who's bag is who's, etc.).

It's a great option, but not one my family would use.

Just want to gently clarify a few points ....

Mears is the subcontractor that supplies the buses and drivers. But DISNEY does the planning and dispatching. DME is run very differently than the old Mears to WDW resorts shuttle was. For DME, Disney is the brains, Mears is just the muscle, if you know what I mean.

As far as who's bag is whose, the DME luggage is transported by separate trucks. The DME luggage that is automatically delivered from MCO to your resort room is not on your DME bus, so there's nothing to sort through upon arrival at your resort. Once you check your luggage at your home airport, you don't see it again until it's inside your resort room (and you don't have to be in your room to wait for it, it will "magically" appear inside whether you're there or not).

The DME luggage tags have barcodes, and those barcodes are reportedly scanned at least 5 separate times along the luggage's route, and the trucks that transport the sorted luggage are tracked by GPS (so that Disney should know exactly where your luggage is at all times). To me, that's one of the GREAT things about DME, the automatic luggage delivery service.

Of course, private transportation is just that, private. There's no mistaking the fact that if you pay for a car service you won't be in a vehicle with dozens of other people, and that you won't have the possibility of making other stops along the way.

Again, I'm not arguing at all, I just wanted to clear up a few possible misconceptions.

 

[Edd]

Just to let you know. Mears owns the busses and does the dispatching, like the dispatching is a big deal. Mears has three fleets of busses it has to coordinate. Cruise, magic and reular busses. It is Disney employees who work with you until you board the bus. Mears employs the drivers.

 

[Lewisc]

Eric, and others on this thread, have already said Mears owns the buses and supplies the drivers. Mears used to wait until the buses were full before they were dispatched. DME seems to dispatches the buses within 20 minutes even if they're half empty. You're right, it doesn't matter if a Mears employee is doing the actual dispatching following Disney's rules or if a Disney employee is doing the actual dispatching. The point is Disney's rules, no more than 4 resorts and no excessive holding of buses, are being followed.

Just to let you know. Mears owns the busses and does the dispatching, like the dispatching is a big deal. Mears has three fleets of busses it has to coordinate. Cruise, magic and reular busses. It is Disney employees who work with you until you board the bus. Mears employs the drivers.

 

[BiggFam8]

For us, we are using the ME to get to and from the resort and then, on our arrival day, we are renting a compact car ($20.00 from Alamo) at either the Swan or the Disney Car Care Center and getting all errands run then (groceries, etc.). It's the best $20.00 spent! Cheaper than the Town car, Mears or a cab!

 

[disney1313131313]

What fun! I can't wait for the next post. We are using ME for our next trip because 1. I HATE to drive (I am a stay at home mom who drives all the time-no driving is the BEST part of WDW for me and 2. IT'S FREE!!! (my status=minimum money). So I am just an interested by-stander here, but it's great-debate on!

 

[Edd]

The rule has always been 15 minutes loading and the bus is gone. During the early morning and the late evening when the ridership is lowest, the busses will hold off leaving a few more minutes. A lot depends on whether there are any busses in the airport to replace the bus leaving and the passengers that need to be transferred.

The DME is projected to move to the other side of the terminal (B side) by the middle of September. When they move the DME will be allotted six spaces to load busses. They currently are allowed three to load in. They will be located underneath U.S. Air, Spirit and Northwest airlines side of the terminal on the commercial floor (level 1).

 

[Edd]

Lewis,

The busses on the park are quite different than from the airport. The rides are 10 - 15 minutes, not 30 - 60 minutes as in ME. The biggest thing is that you have not been traveling, in many cases, most of the day, sometimes getting to the airport at 0600 to catch a 0900 flight which lands Orlando sometime in the afternoon. Many passengers have left their home 6 - 10 hours before landing Orlando. I know, many have not and can find direct flights. By the time they arrive Orlando they are looking for the fast, easiest, most peaceful way to get to the parks, after all the days frustration. The crowds at the Disney Welcome Center does not help that throbbing headache.

There are many passengers on the Disney property busses riding for only 5 minutes. During park closing. the busses may get overcrowded, but Disney doesn't stop it so it must be okay. It shouldn't be to hard for Disney to make a directive to their drivers to only load the seat capacity. When the busses are available at Disney the mindset has changed, a family is much more relaxed and riding Disney busses becomes no problem.

I have traveled the Disney busses many, many times and don't recall the scenario of crowded busses. I guess it happens and I have picked the wrong times to see that. Many times they have been full, but not overfull. At night it may get hairy close to the times when the busse line shuts down.

P.S. I will get your grocery list prices in the next week. I have to make a special trip to that area to get them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

By the time they arrive Orlando they are looking for the fast, easiest, most peaceful way to get to the parks, after all the days frustration. The crowds at the Disney Welcome Center does not help that throbbing headache.

Yeah, okay. The disorganized, uncontrolled and pushy crowds around the baggage carousels are MUCH more conducive to a peaceful start to one's vacation...

Here is the list of prices for one of the stores Walmart. I will get the other two in the next few days.

Okay, I'll keep track:

WalMart: $30.09 (before tax [given that 51 weeks a year are NOT tax holidays in Florida])

 

[Edd]

The total for Walmart is 27.65. I, not being very domesticated, thought the big jugs of milk were 1/2 gals and doubled the price to make a gallon figure. Milk a gallon was $2.44 for a brand name.

The total for Garden Grocer is 38.59 because I gave them the price of Bud at the Walmart for comparison purposes. With the $10.00 charge for delivery, total 48.59, the difference in those two stores is $20.94.

There is no tax holiday on any of those items and I didn't figure state tax on any of the other items. Most groceries are not taxable anyway.

 

[CarolA]

Yeah, okay. The disorganized, uncontrolled and pushy crowds around the baggage carousels are MUCH more conducive to a peaceful start to one's vacation...

OT, but WHY do folks believe that pushing up to the front with a family of 10 will make thier luggage come faster... It's a little known fact that your placement at the carousel has NO impact on when your luggage comes out.... (It always seems to me that the folks who have gotten right up by the place where the luggage comes out tend to wait just as long as I do and I am about 10 feet back. I push up when I see the hot pink luggage (It's about the color of the bouncing guy, hard to miss and there is not a businessman out there who is going to think it's HIS black rollerboard and take it home.)

 

[Edd]

What about the uncontrolled, disorganized and unruly crowds around the luggage carousels? I have never seen that.

 

[goofy4tink]

What about the uncontrolled, disorganized and unruly crowds around the luggage carousels? I have never seen that. t.

I gotta disagree with that one! I have never seen so many people, shoving and pushing, to get up front in my life. It's worse than boarding SW or trying to get on EE! I've had men shove in front of me, saying 'Oh, I just have the one bag coming, it won't take but a minute.'..ah, how does he know exactly when his bag is coming along?! Or the family of 8 who ALL have to hover there, or the little kids who are allowed to start crawling around on the edge of the belt area, or those who just take their bags off, put them on my feet, while waiting for the other bags to come along. I hate having to wait for my bags, especially at MCO. It just seems that those airports that cater to a large number of 'pleasure' travelers, seem to have that same chaos at the baggage carousel..the whole 'me first,then you cause I'm in a hurry to get on with my vacation' mentality. That alone is enough to make me run screaming to the DME counter!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

May I suggest a middle ground regarding the baggage claim at Orlando?

I don't think it's right to paint a picture of continuous pushing and shoving, nor is it fair to say it's a calm, quick, pleasant experience either. (I'm not saying that anyone in this thread has gone to either of those extremes.)

The bad news at MCO is that the primarily tourist clientele at MCO tends to have more luggage and less experience with air travel than at typical airports, so baggage claim at Orlando tends to be more hectic than at airports that primarily serve business travelers. The good news is that the conveyor belts at MCO are long, so it's pretty easy to get away from the people crowding around the opening where the bags first come out.

I never like baggage claim at any airport. The best part of Magical Express is being able to skip baggage claim entirely.

 

[goofy4tink]

May I suggest a middle ground regarding the baggage claim at Orlando?

I don't think it's right to paint a picture of continuous pushing and shoving, nor is it fair to say it's a calm, quick, pleasant experience either. (I'm not saying that anyone in this thread has gone to either of those extremes.)

The bad news at MCO is that the primarily tourist clientele at MCO tends to have more luggage and less experience with air travel than at typical airports, so baggage claim at Orlando tends to be more hectic than at airports that primarily serve business travelers. The good news is that the conveyor belts at MCO are long, so it's pretty easy to get away from the people crowding around the opening where the bags first come out.

I never like baggage claim at any airport. The best part of Magical Express is being able to skip baggage claim entirely.

Absolutely!!! You must have been there to see me, scurrying down the belt to find a less congested, less traveled area. Sure, I had to wait about 45 seconds longer for my bags. But, with DME that's no longer an issue.

 

[CarolA]

I never like baggage claim at any airport. The best part of Magical Express is being able to skip baggage claim entirely.

I am with you there. Actually the worst is Nashville where I used to live. We didn't have lots of kids, but by the time you wait an HOUR (and I timed it more then once) for the luggage everyone is grouchy. I never figured out what they do with the luggage. It's not that big an airport. (The DL agent working the baggage office would encourage us to complain! You know it's bad then!)

 

[kaytieeldr]

The total for Walmart is 27.65. I, not being very domesticated, thought the big jugs of milk were 1/2 gals and doubled the price to make a gallon figure. Milk a gallon was $2.44 for a brand name.

The total for Garden Grocer is 38.59 because I gave them the price of Bud at the Walmart for comparison purposes. With the $10.00 charge for delivery, total 48.59, the difference in those two stores is $20.94.

The (lower than my estimate, thanks for checking the beer price) total for Garden Grocer is $48.59 ($38.59 + $10 delivery).
The corrected total for WalMart, based on the topic and conversation of this thread, is $147.65 ($27.65 + $100 + $20 "mandatory tip").

What about the uncontrolled, disorganized and unruly crowds around the luggage carousels? I have never seen that..

Standard airport behavior? I've been a foot away from the carousel and people squeeze in front of me constantly, never mind that nothing's even started moving yet.

The bad news at MCO is that the primarily tourist clientele at MCO tends to have more luggage and less experience with air travel than at typical airports, so baggage claim at Orlando tends to be more hectic than at airports that primarily serve business travelers.

How about more 'middle' ground? I fly to Las Vegas about as often as I do to Orlando. Aside from conventions, Las Vegas, too, is primarily a tourist destination - yet I NEVER see the kind of behavior and pushiness in the LAS luggage area that I do in Orlando.

I never like baggage claim at any airport. The best part of Magical Express is being able to skip baggage claim entirely.

Amen! When are 'my' other airports gonna institute a similar baggage handling system?