Magical Express and also renting a car

[Ragtime Gal]

I have a child with a disability and would like to get her to the resort quickly with a minimum of walking/waiting/carrying, so we planned to take Magical Express. However, we also need to rent a car. The plan was going to be for my husband to rent the car and meet us at the resort.

Member Services is telling me that every member of the party must use Magical Express and if one member is renting a car then the rest of us can't use it. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me, because what if we were coming in on different flights?

Can anyone help me with this?

Thanks!

 

[Starr W.]

We usually do ME, but for Thanksgiving we are renting a car.

Using Alamo, I just completed their online check in(including CC#). All I have to do is print off the contract at home, when I get to MCO just go to the Alamo lot, go to the correct section (full size) hop in the one I want and drive off.

We used Alamo at PBI and used the kiosk check in and it is a big timesaver.

 

[PEANUT1]

I agree that this doesn't make sense.

Also, renting a car might be quicker than ME depending on when you go. We waited almost an hour for our bus this past May. It was not a really busy time at disney so I am not sure why it took so long.We decided this would be our first and last ME experience.

 

[DotF]

Check L&M (maybe LM) and Avis - they are located at the airport.
Preferred members at Avis go straight to the garage, line up for key (usually 0, 1 or 2 people ahead). As a preferred member, your info is in the database so you show your license, get your key and go to the car.
This is faster than waiting for ME to load and leave.
Sign up online as a AVIS preferred member and enter your reservation on line.

 

[bookswin]

I think that MS person is wrong. Try calling back.

If that is indeed DVC policy, your husband could rent a car onsite.

I agree with the above post that driving yourself, even after waiting to get the rental car, is likely to be faster in the end. While your husband is getting the car, you and your daughter could find a cafe spot in the airport and rest.

Speed of DME is unpredictable.

 

[eporter66]

We usually do ME, but for Thanksgiving we are renting a car.

Using Alamo, I just completed their online check in(including CC#). All I have to do is print off the contract at home, when I get to MCO just go to the Alamo lot, go to the correct section (full size) hop in the one I want and drive off.

We used Alamo at PBI and used the kiosk check in and it is a big timesaver.

That is great! Are the Alamo rates comparable to the others? If that is the system, I will definitely try Alamo next trip. We have not had bad experiences with renting a car, but that is great customer service!

We have rented a car the last 4-5 times. My only concern was how much the rates had gone up with gas prices etc... But - I love having our own car on property.

 

[Figment2]

Last May on our trip, my friend rented a car (she had some errands to run) and I booked ME. It was no problem and it worked out great. She took the luggage and I checked us in when I got to the resort.

Cyn

 

[I'mNoPrince]

1st some in the Party can take ME while others get a Car they just all havce to be listed on the ME ressie ten just check in whos going on the BUs.

But another Option that we use is Take ME and then rent a CAr on-sight. I use Dollar that right across from DTD marketplace Bus stop. i set it up for a 4pm Pick-up si we can hit the Parks a bit and then get the car when we know the Room will be ready.

On the return there is the Hess station for a Quick fillup before returning and if going to a Park instead of going to the DTD stop walk over to SSR and ride from there.

I think this is the fastest and easiest way to Hit the Bricks running with no delays.If you do a Car it takes time for baggage and to get the rental plus you have to drive as well.It all evens out when we did a split the one time.

We have done this the Past 4 to 6 trips with no problems at all.

 

[Starr W.]

That is great! Are the Alamo rates comparable to the others? If that is the system, I will definitely try Alamo next trip. We have not had bad experiences with renting a car, but that is great customer service!

We have rented a car the last 4-5 times. My only concern was how much the rates had gone up with gas prices etc... But - I love having our own car on property.

Are you a Costco member? They have some really good discounts. I have a full size car for Thanksgiving for a week for $218. I saved over $50 bucks on our Easter rental at West Palm. It paid for the membership with just that rental, even if I didn't go to the store.

The Kiosk was great at PBI, the looks of the people in line were priceless. Took me about 5 minutes, and I was "lets find the shuttle to the lot".

 

[WEDman]

We take the ME from the airport then rent on site. You can rent from Alamo or National and pick-up/drop off at the WDW Car Care Center or the Dolphin Hotel. They will send a courtesy van to pick you up and take you back to your hotel. You just call one day ahead and tell them what time and where to pick you up. This works great when you are arriving late and don't wish to go through the hassle renting at the airport. You can also save $ by renting for less days. Check Mousesavers.com for deals from Alamo & National. When you are asked to enter the location on the rental companies website just click on the 'find location' button, click on USA, then Florida, then Orlando and the list of locations will show WDW Car Care Center and Dolphin Hotel. We pick-up at the WDW CCC and drop off at the Dolphin then walk to Epcot.
BTW, we have booked the ME then sent DW, DD & grandkids on the ME while I rented a car at the airport. No problems.
Hope this helps.

 

[iluveeyore]

We used Alamo last trip in June - picked up the car at the airport - DH and DS got the luggage while DD and I got some food for all of us at the McDonalds at MCO - we went across to the Alamo lot after using the kiosk to check in at the airport, went to the full-size row, picked out our car and off we went. We returned it at the end of our first week to the Car Care Centre and then took ME back to the airport at the end of our trip. Worked great! I used the Walmart code found on Mousesavers.com for 20% off and a free extra driver, but the week before we left Alamo.com had some last minute specials, and I actually got a full-size for the week for $148.00! Plus the Walmart code got me the free extra driver (Walmart code is for any one, even though I work at Walmart!). So it might be easier for you to do it that way, since you can leave right away from the airport, and then on the way back, ME has a set time to pick you up so you won't have any extra waiting time to get back (will save gas as well if you don't return car to the airport).
Have a great trip whatever you decide!

 

[MEK]

I think you can split your party with regards to ME. My DS, his friend, and I rode ME back to the airport while my DH and DS 2 returned the rental car.

 

[CarolA]

I think that MS person is wrong. Try calling back.

If that is indeed DVC policy, your husband could rent a car onsite.

I agree with the above post that driving yourself, even after waiting to get the rental car, is likely to be faster in the end. While your husband is getting the car, you and your daughter could find a cafe spot in the airport and rest.

Speed of DME is unpredictable.

DME's FAQs are pretty clear. The CM is quoting you the program rules as found on the FAQ page on Disney.com so I don't think he/she is wrong.

THey say that you need to participate in ME to have the luggage transfer. (This is an ONGOING debate on the transportation board! ) That said several posters there have reported that if at least ONE member of your party gets on the bus your luggage will be transported.

 

[mikesmom]

In my experience ME is a lot slower than renting a car. I've done both. As a previous poster mentioned, you can do an Internet pre-pay with alamo, print out the contract, get off the plane, get your luggage and walk directly outside and into a car. No lines, no hassle. And Alamo is pretty cheap. In Feb I took ME as DH was flying in am later flight. ME took WAY longer to get me to VWL.

 

[bookwormde]

Ragtime gal

I am taking DME and getting an offsite car the next morning (they pick you up), to eliminate 1 day’s rental and to get a better price than from the airport of onsite. Doing the reverse when leaving.

I confirmed when I did my DME that bags follow the person (you can not request they go anywhere else) but if you do not need more than 4 tags for all of your luggage then you should be fine from a practical sense (or your husband can pick up his own and bring them with the rental car). Call back and check, lots of groups come in “split up” so I do not think everyone has to do DME, it is just a luggage issue.

bookwormde

 

[MinnieGi]

This past Nov. my DH did rent a car at the airport while the kids and I and our luggage took the ME bus. No one questioned it.

We simply did it to save on car rental. We usually had always rented a mini-van but to save on $ DH booked a sedan but didn't think our luggage would fit and that is why the kids and I took the bus. It worked well our luggage and the kids and I got on the bus and were off to Disney. The kids were excited about their first Disney bus ride to begin our trip! We had planned to do the same in reverse but DH bargained a mini-van from the rental company for just a little more than the sedan he had rented and it was alot less than the prices we had seen before we went down.

 

[dizplanner]

One of our trips we split up. In our case, my husband and I rented the car and our teens rode the bus along with SIL and her family. We let ME transport the luggage, but since we just checked four suitcases, we just used the kids tags to be safe.

In our case (Alamo using the *********** so went to booth in garage - this was in 2006) and not waiting for any luggage, we did get to OKW before the bus. However they showed up before we were finished checking in and there was no line at checkin. So the bus was just behind us and we didn't wait for any luggage and didn't have a slow counter.

I've used ME several times since and I think sometimes the wait for the bus is longer than they had that trip. So I think it can go either way as to which is faster. If your child is not good about waiting in lines, you may just want to go with the car - you typically get through the checkin quickly, but than have to wait for your bus to board.

 

[Starr W.]

THey say that you need to participate in ME to have the luggage transfer. (This is an ONGOING debate on the transportation board! )

WOW an ongoing debate on the transportaion board!