Magical Express for departure only

[sunny4]

Hello - We are driving up to Disney from Siesta Key on March 22, and will be flying out of Orlando on March 24. We won't need Magical Express for arrival, but we will for departure. Do I need to do something ahead of time, or should we wait till we get there? We are leaving for Siesta Key on March 9, so I'm nervous if I may be too late to get what I need already. Thanks!

 

[figment_jii]

Hello - We are driving up to Disney from Siesta Key on March 22, and will be flying out of Orlando on March 24. We won't need Magical Express for arrival, but we will for departure. Do I need to do something ahead of time, or should we wait till we get there? We are leaving for Siesta Key on March 9, so I'm nervous if I may be too late to get what I need already. Thanks!

I don't know if you have to call, but I would call and let Disney know your departure information. You won't need anything in advance (no tags or anything like that), but at least then it's in the system. When you get there, I would verify that it's all in place for your departure. Then just before you leave, they'll drop off the boarding pass and information.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

YES You need to call CS and arrange for the DME to take you to the airport. You need to call so they know to arrange for a bus to pick you up.

 

[goofy4tink]

You 'can' wait until you get to your WDW resort, but you don't have a ton of time. You need to give them at least 24 hrs notice....you're only there for 2 nights, so I would be worried that something would get messed up. I would call DME now, before you leave and have them add the ride back to the airport for you.

 

[sunny4]

Wow - that was quick - thanks everyone!
We are renting DVC points, so I was hoping to avoid making the owner make an extra call, but it sounds like it would probably be a good idea. Thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

Regardless of how or when you reserve Magical Express back to the airport, you need to get the confirmation paper on the morning of the day before the day you will depart. Normally this is delivered to your room that morning but if not then you need to go down to the front desk and (make last minute changes or even make the reservation itself and) get the confirmation before heading for the parks.

Inspect the paper. A bus time much less than 3 hours before your plane is a DME goof you need to fix, not bonus park time.

 

[sam_gordon]

Wow - that was quick - thanks everyone!
We are renting DVC points, so I was hoping to avoid making the owner make an extra call, but it sounds like it would probably be a good idea. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure the person you're renting the DVC points has to make the reservation for you (or you wait until you're checked in, but as goofy4tink said, that might bring on problems of its own).

 

[stitchlovestink]

You 'can' wait until you get to your WDW resort, but you don't have a ton of time. You need to give them at least 24 hrs notice....you're only there for 2 nights, so I would be worried that something would get messed up. I would call DME now, before you leave and have them add the ride back to the airport for you.

Actually, that's not true...
I woke up at 7:30am the day of my departure (1/23) and realized in all the chaos of getting DD set up for her stay for her college program as a CM that I forgot to schedule my ME pickup!!!! ACK!!!
I went to the front desk at the hotel and they called DME. DME said it wasn't a big deal at all since my flight was later in the day. Now if my flight had been at noon or sooner, I would've been on my own to get a cab or such. But DME couldn't have been nicer! Now mind you, I AM NOT recommending doing this BUT if you happen to have a situation....Well, then I say try talking to DME because the 24hr notice is not a hard & fast rule.

 

[goofy4tink]

Actually, that's not true...
I woke up at 7:30am the day of my departure (1/23) and realized in all the chaos of getting DD set up for her stay for her college program as a CM that I forgot to schedule my ME pickup!!!! ACK!!!
I went to the front desk at the hotel and they called DME. DME said it wasn't a big deal at all since my flight was later in the day. Now if my flight had been at noon or sooner, I would've been on my own to get a cab or such. But DME couldn't have been nicer! Now mind you, I AM NOT recommending doing this BUT if you happen to have a situation....Well, then I say try talking to DME because the 24hr notice is not a hard & fast rule.

Yep, that's true. Not hard and fast but, it's always better to do it as soon as you can. Way less chance of something messing up.

 

[seashoreCM]

Every once in awhile someone needs to make literally a last minute change, for example a flight gets changed. If it's after the morning of the day before the day you will leave, they will still do their best but it is possible you would have to take a non-optimum bus for example one leaving 4-1/2 hours before your flight.

Once you get your confirmation sheet (with bus departure time on it), you're golden (or home free, no pun intended). You're better off getting that as soon as possible even if you have to come back to your resort in the afternoon to get it. Relying on word of mouth at the bus platform is where mess ups happen (some have appeared in trip reports here).

Bus vouchers without date and time are themselves not sufficient to guarantee you seating on the DME bus.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Yep, that's true. Not hard and fast but, it's always better to do it as soon as you can. Way less chance of something messing up.

TOTALLY agree!!!
And why I have remembered to already schedule DME arrival/pick up for my visit to my daughter next month!! LOL!
Also wanted to add if you do have to do this last minute, I had to go to Bell Services and get a hand written voucher (it was on ME letterhead) that had all my info including my confirmation # to give to the ME bus driver. I would not attempt to go to the ME bus stop with just the confirmation #.
I would much prefer to call sooner rather than later, BUT if you forget....all hope is not lost!