Magical Express fears

[hauntedcity]

"Free" is very had to pass up, but I have an uneasy feeling about Magical Express. I've heard that Mears will be running the Magical Express busses. The last time I rode with Mears, I was stuck sitting around at the airport for almost 2 hours (while many families arrived after and boarded before we did) before a bus would take us to our Disney hotel. At that point, I made a sacred vow to never ride with Mears again.

So, what do all you folks think? Are all of Mears' problems going to be passed along to the Magical Express? I'll be arriving early afternoon on the Sunday of a Star Wars Weekend, and that will be my only chance for the special activities. Consequently, I want to get to the parks ASAP and wouldn't look kindly so sitting around the Orlando Airport for a long while.

Doug

 

[DebbieB]

What weekend are you going? If it's later in May, you could see what the initial resports are and then make a decision. If your other choice is a rental car, I would put one on hold. If your other choice is a town car, you could book that last minute.

 

[goofy4tink]

Mears is driving the buses but that's it. ME is being run by Disney, not Mears. The buses will be dibursed according to who is getting off the planes at that particular time. It looks like all the Epcot resorts will be covered on one route, all the MK resorts on another and so on. So, say you have one bus that they have put all the folks (bus holds about 57) going to GF, Polynesian and Contemporary. It will then be just like a park bus...only makes those 3 stops. No one will be rummaging around, trying to get their baggage off, since it will be on an entirely different vehicle. This should be a pretty efficient service. No stops around the airport, no stopping at off-site hotels, no waiting an extra 40 minutes so the bus can be full. They know exactly who is coming in and when they are arriving and where they are going to from the airport. This is why we have to reserve it 10 days beforehand.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

"Free" is very had to pass up, but I have an uneasy feeling about Magical Express. I've heard that Mears will be running the Magical Express busses. The last time I rode with Mears, I was stuck sitting around at the airport for almost 2 hours (while many families arrived after and boarded before we did) before a bus would take us to our Disney hotel. At that point, I made a sacred vow to never ride with Mears again.

So, what do all you folks think? Are all of Mears' problems going to be passed along to the Magical Express? I'll be arriving early afternoon on the Sunday of a Star Wars Weekend, and that will be my only chance for the special activities. Consequently, I want to get to the parks ASAP and wouldn't look kindly so sitting around the Orlando Airport for a long while.

Doug

Magical Express should be far superior to the current Mears service. For one thing, you can head to your Magical Express coach without having to wait for your luggage. And because the luggage will be on luggage trucks, not in your motor coach, the whole service (including the stops at the hotels) should be faster.

For more thoughts from more people, see the thread, "Mears Shuttle questions for the new Magical Express....." at http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=710918

However, no matter how well Magical Express is run, it's still a shared service. There's always a chance that you'll get to the motor coach departure area right after a coach to your hotel departed. And, although each coach will only go to 3 or 4 Disney hotels, you could be the last stop.

 

[TDC Nala]

If your luggage is in a separate vehicle, what do you do with carryon luggage? Haul it onto the bus? Is the bus too small to hold carryon luggage?

 

[localdriver]

If your luggage is in a separate vehicle, what do you do with carryon luggage? Haul it onto the bus? Is the bus too small to hold carryon luggage?

Carry on's will be loaded under the bus in the luggage bays.
Small items may be carried onboard and stored in the overhead bins or under your seat.

The coaches are 45' 57 passenger "state of the art" VanHool motorcoaches.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

If your luggage is in a separate vehicle, what do you do with carryon luggage? Haul it onto the bus? Is the bus too small to hold carryon luggage?

I'm sure that they've given thought to carry-ons. The "bus" will not be "too small" for carry-ons Magical Express will use big, modern motor coaches.

For personal items, it should be a simple matter of carrying the items onto the bus.

For actual luggage, such a 20" rollaboards, it remains to be seen if there will be luggage racks on the coach (such as on a Hertz shuttle) for whether all luggage will go into the coach's luggage hold.

I hope Magical Express passengers will minimize their carry-on luggage. After all, why bother? It's more convenent to check luggage at your home airport, knowing that you won't have to bother with that luggage again until you get to your room. Besides, a 20" rollaboard doesn't hold very much if someone is vacationing for more than a couple of days.

 

[Lewisc]

Previous poster indicated that carryon bags will go under the bus. Assume you grab an early flight and you're lucky enough to get an early room. When will you get your luggage? It's possible Disney will be waiting until closer to checkin time to ship the luggage and deliver it.

I'd assume I might not see my luggage until almost dinner time. I'd make sure I'd bring bathing suits, sun tan lotion, change of clothing for dinner and the like. I don't normally bother bringing a 20" roller bag but I might with ME.

I'm sure that they've given thought to carry-ons. The "bus" will not be "too small" for carry-ons Magical Express will use big, modern motor coaches.

For personal items, it should be a simple matter of carrying the items onto the bus.

For actual luggage, such a 20" rollaboards, it remains to be seen if there will be luggage racks on the coach (such as on a Hertz shuttle) for whether all luggage will go into the coach's luggage hold.

I hope Magical Express passengers will minimize their carry-on luggage. After all, why bother? It's more convenent to check luggage at your home airport, knowing that you won't have to bother with that luggage again until you get to your room. Besides, a 20" rollaboard doesn't hold very much if someone is vacationing for more than a couple of days.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

The biggest problem with this new service is not that the details have not been released to cast members, but rather the cast members don't read the information, or don't pay close attention to it. Many cast members (and consequently guests) think that this is just a Mears Shuttle with a Disney painted bus. FAR from it.

With the Mears Shuttle, you have to wait for your bags, and then head to the check in area. With DME, you head straight to the check in area. Check in will take on average 90 seconds, and you'll be directed to the boarding area.

With the Mears Shuttle, people can just walk up to the shuttle and get a walk in reservation. With DME, you MUST have a reservation 10 days out. This way, DME will know approximatly when people will be arriving, and where they are going. With DME, they will know that no more guests for a certain route will be arriving anytime soon, so they can dispatch the bus earlier without waiting for it to fill up.

With the Mears Shuttle, the driver has to load and unload a lot of luggage. With DME, just carry on items & strollers.

With the Mears Shuttle, the bus will make up to 4 stops at the airport. With DME, the bus will only have ONE pickup location at the airport.

With the Mears Shuttle, the bus will stop at a few offsite resorts, and then a few onsite resorts. Who knows where they will go. With DME, there will be 5 routes, 4 with three stops, and 1 with four stops. I don't know the exact routing just yet, but for the most part, the resorts will be lumped together based on proximity. (ie: All three All-Stars on one route, the MK resorts on another route, ETC)

With DME, the resorts will be sent a message letting them know you will be arriving. This way, they can prepare for a shuttle dump, and staff the front desk better. (ie: CMs take thier break before the shuttle arrives)

With DME and selected airlines, you can check your bags and recieve boarding passes right at your resort. DME will pick you up approximatly 2hrs 45 mins prior to your boarding time (give or take). This is no longer than if you were taking any other form of transportation. Orlando International Airport recommends that you arrive to the airport 2hrs prior to flight time. And it could potentially take 45 minutes to get to OIA from a MK resort.



So let's summarize this comparison:

Not waiting for bags saves you time.
Having a reservation, and knowing when best to dispatch the buses saves you time.
Only making one stop at the airport saves you time.
On average, you will probably only have one other stop before reaching your resort, which saves you time.

Sounds a heck of a lot better than the Mears Shuttle to me

In regards to the bags being delivered, it's the same deal. Disney will know whos bags will be arriving and when, so they will best be able to coordinate how that will run.

 

[home brewer]

My TA at AAA thought that with certain airlines you may need to get your luggage to a drop off point prior to getting on the bus. Is this true or do they handle all luggage, from all airlines, going into the resorts (provided you made your reservation). I'm flying in on AirTran and I'd like to be sure my luggage doesn't get left on a baggage carousel.

Kip

 

[tikkipoo]

For going TO the resort, you will get special luggage tags before you leave that will identify your luggage as going to Disney. You won't have to get your luggage at the airport. I don't think you'll be able to do that same going back. You will have to check your luggage at the airport.

My question is about after we get to the resort. Will our luggage be put into our rooms? I guess what the question is if we get there, check in and decide to go to Epcot of the rest of the day, will our luggage be waiting for us in our room when we get back?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

My TA at AAA thought that with certain airlines you may need to get your luggage to a drop off point prior to getting on the bus. Is this true or do they handle all luggage, from all airlines, going into the resorts (provided you made your reservation). I'm flying in on AirTran and I'd like to be sure my luggage doesn't get left on a baggage carousel.

Kip

Part of the 90 second check in process for DME is questioning about the luggage tags and whatnot. If the guest did not use the tags, DME representatives will go claim the luggage on the carousel and forward them to the B.A.G.S. transfer people.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

My question is about after we get to the resort. Will our luggage be put into our rooms? I guess what the question is if we get there, check in and decide to go to Epcot of the rest of the day, will our luggage be waiting for us in our room when we get back?

From what I am to understand, YES, it will be in your room. Bell services is pre-tipped for this.

 

[CarolA]

I think if you are not going May 5th that the thing to do is take a DEEP BREATH and wait. We will all have a much better idea around mid May and in the mean time with the exception of the few poeple on this board who work for Disney we are all just guessing!

If you are truly paniced, book a rental car or town car and cancel once you hear the reports if you think you can live with ME.

(Am I the only person who is getting annoyed by the What if therads on Magical Express?)

 

[Bill From PA]

Tyler,

My apologies if you've addressed this elsewhere, but what happens to your luggage if you're tagged for the service but on arrival at MCO you get your body to WDW by other means (taxi, TC, rental)? Your bags never go on the carousel. Are they sent along to your resort automatically?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Tyler,

My apologies if you've addressed this elsewhere, but what happens to your luggage if you're tagged for the service but on arrival at MCO you get your body to WDW by other means (taxi, TC, rental)? Your bags never go on the carousel. Are they sent along to your resort automatically?

Thanks,
Bill From PA

My understanding (and I'm not 100% on this) is that if you do not check in, your bags remain at the airport. The reason being, your flight may have been delayed, canceled, re-routed... you might have had a last minute family or medical emergency, and your bags made the flight, but you're returning home... etc...

Once you check in (a 90 second process), you will be sent off to board the shuttle. At this point, I'm not sure how the rest of the process will go... whether or not you'll be allowed to sneak off to a towncar or be forced to board the motorcoach, I do not know.

So at the very least, you will need to check in for DME.

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

Tyler,

I am arriving at the airport and going with extended family in a rented van to a wedding. After, going back to airport to turn van in then go to SSR.

1. Is it going to be possible for me to make arrangments not directly linked with my arrival flight time, but later in the day?

2. SSR included in DME?

TIA

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I don't know details of the stranger arrangements, but my initial GUESS is that you would not qualify for DME.

 

[hauntedcity]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I somehow missed the previous threads on this subject (I frequently get lazy and only look at the first page of posts... ).

It's comforting to know that Mears isn't involved beyond the rolling wheels part of this -- that Disney is handling the planning, scheduling, and bag transportation. If you ask me, Disney should make the slogan "Magical Express: We're Not Mears!"

(And by the way, no disrespect meant to Mears fans. I realize some folks have used them for years with no problems. I'm just not one of those lucky folks. )

Doug

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It's comforting to know that Mears isn't involved beyond the rolling wheels part of this -- that Disney is handling the planning, scheduling, and bag transportation.

Actually, Disney is using Baggage Airline Guest Services Inc. ("BAGS, Inc.") for the resort airline check-in and luggage transfer.

There's nothing wrong with outsourcing to qualified subcontractors (including Mears), as long as Disney controls the overall guest experience.