Magical Express back to MCO

[mdteacher]

I am flying with my daughter in late April - well past spring break. I'd like to take advantage of ME, but I am paranoid about missing the flight home, or envision us sprinting through the airport. Do the buses leave early enough to get travelers to MCO early enough? We will be flying SW and I will have purchased the early reserved seating.

Thanks so much! I am trying not to let worrying become a hobby.

 

[dudspizza]

I am flying with my daughter in late April - well past spring break. I'd like to take advantage of ME, but I am paranoid about missing the flight home, or envision us sprinting through the airport. Do the buses leave early enough to get travelers to MCO early enough? We will be flying SW and I will have purchased the early reserved seating.

Thanks so much! I am trying not to let worrying become a hobby.

You will have plenty of time. Your departure from your resort will be about 3 hours before flight, getting you there with plenty of time.

Duds

 

[Tozzie]

I am flying with my daughter in late April - well past spring break. I'd like to take advantage of ME, but I am paranoid about missing the flight home, or envision us sprinting through the airport. Do the buses leave early enough to get travelers to MCO early enough? We will be flying SW and I will have purchased the early reserved seating.

Thanks so much! I am trying not to let worrying become a hobby.

Don't worry you will have plenty of time, in fact many people complain 3 hours is too early to be picked up, I think it is good in case of any unforseen issues that should arise, you will still have time. It is a great service in my opinion and I am using it for about the 8th time this week.

 

[seashoreCM]

You can request and will always succeed in getting a Magical Express bus back to the airport more than the 3 hours in advance. If they need a flight number then you can name a flight (any airline) leaving half an hour before yours, and this will result in a Magical Express bus time half an hour earlier (about 3-1/2 hours in advance of your real flight home).

You need to do this at least a day in advance of leaving Disney.

Things are less confusing and there is a lesser chance of something going wrong if you wait until you arrive in Orlando (or at WDW) to make changes or corrections to your Magical Express arrangements going home.

 

[Macduffy]

Remember you need your ME voucher or letter they leave you at your door to get on the ME bus! When we were picked up 4 families/groups forgot theirs and we had to wait about 30 minutes while they went back in and spoke to Guest Services....ahhhh

 

[beccasmom]

We've never had a problem. In fact, if we are early we sometimes take an earlier ME bus back to MCO (obviously, only if they have enough space and this does not compromise someone else's trip). We once had a 7:00 a.m. pickup and were quite early because we had used RAC. We ended up taking the 6:15 bus to MCO (which was virtually empty) and had enough time for a leisurely breakfast before we headed to our gate.

 

[Delilah1310]

Is there an end time? What if I had a flight at 7:30 or 8 pm ... can I still get a bus back to MCO at 4:30 or 5 pm?
thanks.

 

[dburg30]

Is there an end time? What if I had a flight at 7:30 or 8 pm ... can I still get a bus back to MCO at 4:30 or 5 pm?
thanks.

DME runs 24/7. Yes, they will get you on a bus and back to MCO with pickup being approx 3 hours before your flight, but again, they will leave a packet on your door the day before telling you when your bus LEAVES. You will want to be at the bus stop with everything you need ready to leave about 15 minutes before that time. They wont wait on you if you are late.

 

[Lewisc]

DME doesn't really run 24/7. Buses are scheduled, as necessary, to accomodate resort guests with reservations on flights arriving to, and departing from, MCO.

Some nights the last flights out of MCO leave around 8p That suggests the last pickup will be around 5p. Guests who think DME is 24/7 might think they can show up for a 5:30p bus and hope they'll be allowed to take that bus.

DME will accomodate you if your flight is delayed, not matter how late.

 

[cranbiz]

I will mention this as it has happened more times than I can count.

Plan well if you go out to play in the parks on your departure day. Disney transport will not deviate from published routes because your ME bus is leaving in 15 minutes and you are at a park.

Meaning if you go to AK and are staying at BW the published route is SW/DO/YC/BC/BW. We will not start at BW first because you did not plan properly. I will have a bus full of guests that will be inconvenienced because of your lack of planning.

It's the same for a resort with multiple stops like CSR. Most park buses start at bus stop 2. We are not going to start at bus stop 1 if you are not the only guest on board.

If by chance, you are the only guests on the bus, it MAY happen, if you are not the only guests on the bus, it WON'T happen.

If you play and are running late for your ME pickup, take a taxi to your resort.

 

[Lewisc]

Good point. A taxi from the AK to BW is going to be a lot less expensive then a taxi from BW to MCO.

You might ask the driver if it makes sense to get off at an alternate stop and walk fast to the DME stop. I don't remember the bus stops at CSR. I don't know how long a walk it is from bus stop 2 to the main building.

I will mention this as it has happened more times than I can count.

Plan well if you go out to play in the parks on your departure day. Disney transport will not deviate from published routes because your ME bus is leaving in 15 minutes and you are at a park.

Meaning if you go to AK and are staying at BW the published route is SW/DO/YC/BC/BW. We will not start at BW first because you did not plan properly. I will have a bus full of guests that will be inconvenienced because of your lack of planning.

It's the same for a resort with multiple stops like CSR. Most park buses start at bus stop 2. We are not going to start at bus stop 1 if you are not the only guest on board.

If by chance, you are the only guests on the bus, it MAY happen, if you are not the only guests on the bus, it WON'T happen.

If you play and are running late for your ME pickup, take a taxi to your resort.

 

[MOmousefan]

This past Sept I used ME both ways. I too was concerned about returning to MCO from POP. However, things couldn't have smoother. The day before checkout there was a bag hanging on my door with instructions for RAC. I left my carryon, checked bag, and a Disney bag with a xmas ornament at bell service and went to the MK for the morning. Upon my return at the reccomended time I recieved my carryon and bag. They had also printed out my boarding pass, so at MCO I proceeded directly to the gate. Yes, you will get there early, but I prefer that to being a last minute arrival.
For me, DME was a success.

 

[seashoreCM]

Remember you need your ME voucher or letter they leave you at your door to get on the ME bus! When we were picked up 4 families/groups forgot theirs and we had to wait about 30 minutes while they went back in and spoke to Guest Services....ahhhh

This is an aberration that can cause others to miss their planes. Ergo it is worth writing a comment or complaint about.

Better would be to take these families on board, depart promptly, and ask questions en route or later, while doing extraordinary behind the scenes maneuvers to be sure that everyone directly or indirectly affected was accommodated, and assessing anyone who was found to have used the service improperly the added costs.