Magical Express Any downsides?

[Tinks73]

Hi, we will be using Magical Express for the first time in Sept, normally use free transfer coach, this is also first time we've booked with Disney direct, usually book through Virgin but trying a different approach this time. Has anyone had any probs with ME?

 

[General Panic]

No never had any issues , used it many times and it's always been well organised.

We did once let them collect our luggage as we had an early arrival and it worked great. did take a few hours to get the bags to the room but as we were there around 4 it was not a problem.

recently though we just collect our own bags and take them to the rooms with us so we get unpacked and to bed sharpish.

 

[tinks_1989]

I love magic express. The little video of the characters on their holiday staying at grand Floridian of course. We have always been the first drop when we have used it. We have never had a problem 1 month today an we will be on the ME

 

[Shazzie B]

We land about 10am (internal flight after week in New York) and will be using ME. I planned to let ME handle luggage so we could just check in at OKW, (hopefully leave our flight bags) and go to MK for the afternoon - probably back to hotel about 8pm after 6pm dinner at Crystal Palace.

My thoughts were that letting ME handle bags would speed things up (if ME tags can be delivered to my brother's address in US). Would this be right? Does it save a lot of time, I'm trying to weigh up more time in MK on 1st day with how much I'll worry that bags arrive OK

 

[chmurf]

Would this be right? Does it save a lot of time,

for the tag, you'll probably need to solve this with the DME, try to call them

saving time ?
pros : you don't have to wait for your bags at baggage claim in Orlando. You'll probably save 15 to 20 minutes, that's about the time you'll wait for your DME to depart. IMO it doesn't make much of a difference since you'll probably end up on the same bus anyway.

cons : you'll get your bags late, or when you come back from the parks, so you'll need to have everything ready, in your carry ons, for your first park day, plus you might worry about your bags (don't worry though, DME is quite reliable)

I'm trying to weigh up more time in MK on 1st day with how much I'll worry that bags arrive OK

If you do online check in 10 days in advance, specify that you'll be arriving early. You can choose the time of your earliest arrival. It can be 8am even though the check in time is supposed to be 3pm
We've done that 2 times in october and november, both at POP and CBR and our rooms were ready at 8am when we arrived at the hotel.

If your room is ready, just drop your baggage there, and off you go to the parks
if it's not ready, drop your bags at baggage services. You'll probably have to go to baggage services anyway, because you probably won't take your carry-ons with you to MK
So unless you don't have any carry on, it won't save you time to have your baggage picked up by DME vs getting them yourself.
In your situation, the only benefit I can see is not to have to haul your bags through MCO from baggage claim to DME counter, and from the hotel bus stop to the lobby then to your room. But you'll probably won't save time at all

 

[Tinks73]

Thanks everyone, we arrive 5.30pm ish at MCO and generally just go grab food and then collapse in hotel room as we have a small person with us (age 6) who is generally really tired after 9hr flight etc, how long does it roughly take for us to be reunited with our bags at hotel?

 

[Disneygirl NY]

The only negative we have with ME is that you need to be back at your resort to head to the airport on departure day 3 hours before your flight. We've used a car service the last few times just to give ourselves a little more time the last day. We leave 2 hours before and never had a problem, but we also don't usually go during the busiest times.

 

[chmurf]

how long does it roughly take for us to be reunited with our bags at hotel?

DME will try to deliver your bags to your room 3 hours after you land in Orlando (that's their average delivery time) but waits up to 5hrs are not unheard of (even though some guests do get their bags much sooner than the 3 hours mark)

 

[Shazzie B]

If you do online check in 10 days in advance, specify that you'll be arriving early. You can choose the time of your earliest arrival. It can be 8am even though the check in time is supposed to be 3pm
We've done that 2 times in october and november, both at POP and CBR and our rooms were ready at 8am when we arrived at the hotel.

Great tip; Thanks

Don't think we'll bother with ME tags (they are OK to post to any address in USA); might have been worth it when kids were small - I held two hands whilst DH sorted bags etc. through airport, but they'll be 20 & 18 when we go

 

[Elise79]

Thanks everyone, we arrive 5.30pm ish at MCO and generally just go grab food and then collapse in hotel room as we have a small person with us (age 6) who is generally really tired after 9hr flight etc, how long does it roughly take for us to be reunited with our bags at hotel?

Your best bet is to collect your bags at the airport and they will travel on the coach with you. You get them when you get off the coach and at the resort bell services will be around if you need them to help.

We always take the cases as we can then get unpacked straight away. And as we land at 5pm and it can be up to 4 hours after you check in to your resort before getting your bags which means potentially our bags might not arrive till 11pm (average check in time at the resort is 7pm usually takes 2 hours from landing till check in at resort) and we would be long asleep and unpacked by then.

 

[15isto2]

Only problem I have had with DME is one time when my room was changed and they delivered my bags to the original room! I wakened silly early as normal on my first day but they could not retreive my bags untill later in the day as someone else was in my original room. They did give me a razor and toothbursh etc but as I normallu use an electric one I cut my face to shreds!!

 

[Tinks73]

Your best bet is to collect your bags at the airport and they will travel on the coach with you. You get them when you get off the coach and at the resort bell services will be around if you need them to help.

We always take the cases as we can then get unpacked straight away. And as we land at 5pm and it can be up to 4 hours after you check in to your resort before getting your bags which means potentially our bags might not arrive till 11pm (average check in time at the resort is 7pm usually takes 2 hours from landing till check in at resort) and we would be long asleep and unpacked by then.

Brilliant thanks Elise79, will probably do that, so excited °o°