Magical Express if not flying?

[familygoboston]

I have a question about the DME...we have reservations at BLT but I'll be driving a rental car from the west coast over to MCO to drop it off. Can I take the Magical Express Bus from the airport to the Contemporary? We would be carrying on our own carry on size roller bags, so we would not need the luggage service.

Has anyone done this? Any knowledge about how to go about 'signing up", or do you just catch the bus at the time you are there?
TIA!

 

[sam_gordon]

I have a question about the DME...we have reservations at BLT but I'll be driving a rental car from the west coast over to MCO to drop it off. Can I take the Magical Express Bus from the airport to the Contemporary? We would be carrying on our own carry on size roller bags, so we would not need the luggage service.

Has anyone done this? Any knowledge about how to go about 'signing up", or do you just catch the bus at the time you are there?
TIA!

Call ME and sign up. I don't remember if they ask for an arrival time, but you can give them that. No, a flight is not necessary to use ME in either direction. A reservation with ME AND your name on a reservation at a Disney resort IS required.

NOTE: If you are renting points to stay at BLT, the owner you're renting from will need to arrange your ME transportation.

ETA: Are you the same 'Familygoboston' from Cruise Critic?

 

[familygoboston]

Call ME and sign up. I don't remember if they ask for an arrival time, but you can give them that. No, a flight is not necessary to use ME in either direction. A reservation with ME AND your name on a reservation at a Disney resort IS required.

NOTE: If you are renting points to stay at BLT, the owner you're renting from will need to arrange your ME transportation.

ETA: Are you the same 'Familygoboston' from Cruise Critic?

Ha ha! Yes...the same! No cruise this time...headed to my folks for a few days then over the BLT Do you use the same screen name as here?

I did pay the "rack" rates through my TA, rather than rent points this go around (what can I say, I needed it to be refundable) so I should be able to make a reservation ME and I have their # (or my TA may call for me). Now I just have to sort out the timing. Have you had any experiences with getting on an earlier or later bus if your timing is off? I mean I know how long it takes to drive, but one can never tell with traffic etc!

 

[familygoboston]

I'm not fussy about who I rent from, and Alamo and National seem to have a drop off at the Car Care Center. If I rent from one of those two agencies on the west coast it appears I can return at the car care center and take a shuttle to the Contemporary. If I drive another 1/2 East to the airport, I'd have to come back west that 1/2 hour on the ME, so in my case (rental car from west coast to Contemporary) it seems much more convenient to use one of the "official" rental agencies and drive to the Car Care Center.

Still researching, but this seems the best option right now.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If you use Alamo I would highly suggest signing up for their Insiders program. It FREE and they offer their Insiders members better discounts than the general public.

The car care center is a convient option and the route i would take.

 

[sam_gordon]

Ha ha! Yes...the same! No cruise this time...headed to my folks for a few days then over the BLT Do you use the same screen name as here?

Over there I'm S.A.M.J.R. I swear I'm not stalking you, I vaguely remember reading a review(?) from you. Somehow your name just stuck in my head. When I saw it here, I was like "I know that name from CC I think." Had to do a search to confirm.

I did pay the "rack" rates through my TA, rather than rent points this go around (what can I say, I needed it to be refundable) so I should be able to make a reservation ME and I have their # (or my TA may call for me). Now I just have to sort out the timing. Have you had any experiences with getting on an earlier or later bus if your timing is off? I mean I know how long it takes to drive, but one can never tell with traffic etc!

I've only flown in, but I wouldn't worry too much about timing. They have flights delayed all the time they'd have to allow for.

I'm not fussy about who I rent from, and Alamo and National seem to have a drop off at the Car Care Center. If I rent from one of those two agencies on the west coast it appears I can return at the car care center and take a shuttle to the Contemporary. If I drive another 1/2 East to the airport, I'd have to come back west that 1/2 hour on the ME, so in my case (rental car from west coast to Contemporary) it seems much more convenient to use one of the "official" rental agencies and drive to the Car Care Center.

Still researching, but this seems the best option right now.

I have rented at MCO and returned to the Car Care Center a couple times now (spent a couple days at my parents before checking in on site). I don't know why it would cost any more to return to the CCC, IMO, that would be the way to do it.

We stayed at BLT in June 2011 (rented points). There's a thread in the DVC area that shows a layout of the resort & pictures from individual rooms. Here you go: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2257082. VERY helpful when picking out room types to request.

 

[familygoboston]

If you use Alamo I would highly suggest signing up for their Insiders program. It FREE and they offer their Insiders members better discounts than the general public.

The car care center is a convient option and the route i would take.

Thanks Shelly, I will do that!!

Over there I'm S.A.M.J.R. I swear I'm not stalking you, I vaguely remember reading a review(?) from you. Somehow your name just stuck in my head. When I saw it here, I was like "I know that name from CC I think." Had to do a search to confirm.


I've only flown in, but I wouldn't worry too much about timing. They have flights delayed all the time they'd have to allow for.

I have rented at MCO and returned to the Car Care Center a couple times now (spent a couple days at my parents before checking in on site). I don't know why it would cost any more to return to the CCC, IMO, that would be the way to do it.

We stayed at BLT in June 2011 (rented points). There's a thread in the DVC area that shows a layout of the resort & pictures from individual rooms. Here you go: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2257082. VERY helpful when picking out room types to request.

Yes, I've seen you there too! And no, I didn't think you were stalking It's a pretty distinctive screen name, unlike, say... Luvcruz, crooslov, Cruuzer I can never figure out who is who with those! I did a big Oasis photo review that got a lot eyeballs, maybe that was it! Plus I never hold back my opinion!

Thanks for the info...there was not enough of a price diff between MCO and the CCC for me to waste an hour of my life driving up and down Rt 4. So thats the way I will go.

Did you like BLT? It's our first stay there and a mega splurge going during school vacation week! We usually stay at the Epcot Resort Villas (YC, BC, BW) so we can walk into Epcot to dine, but the girls (who are teens) really want to see the New Fantasyland and eat at Be Our Guest and ride the monorail- so BLT it is!! We had a chance to get a special rate for Wilderness Lodge recently, but we passed, it's only 3 nights and we won't have the "kids" with us for much longer, so we decided to do something special!!

Thanks for the website, I will check out the room plans, so I can make a good request! I do like renting points; it's an affordable way to get these villas, but the cancellations are tricky, and my FIL was very sick (just passed last month so the trip is now on) and I couldn't take the chance of renting someones points. I guess I could see if I could do it now, but my TA worked hard ( I booked through the TA because we were in the Galapagos when the ADR's came out and Bless her, she woke up at dawn(!!)...on Saturday(!!) to book them for us)...I cannot risk that relationship for a couple of bucks

Ok, so I'm wayyyy of topic.. but thanks for the answers- See you on the CC boards!!!!

 

[sam_gordon]

We *LOVED* BLT. It was our first experience with DVC, and I don't see us going to a "normal" resort as long as the kids are with us (three of them, so 5 total). So, big thumbs up to DVC. We requested "North side lake view" and had great views of MK fireworks every night.

We had a late flight out our last day and spent the day at the BLT pool... the kids LOVED the slide. Although the pool (IMO) is a little on the small side, the kids stayed entertained for 4-5 hours.

There were some monorail problems while we were there and I'd say that was the only downside of staying there.

 

[familygoboston]

We *LOVED* BLT. It was our first experience with DVC, and I don't see us going to a "normal" resort as long as the kids are with us (three of them, so 5 total). So, big thumbs up to DVC. We requested "North side lake view" and had great views of MK fireworks every night.

We had a late flight out our last day and spent the day at the BLT pool... the kids LOVED the slide. Although the pool (IMO) is a little on the small side, the kids stayed entertained for 4-5 hours.

There were some monorail problems while we were there and I'd say that was the only downside of staying there.

Great Sam! Yeah, we've been doing the studios with 4 of us for a while now, and really it hands down beats "a room" because of the kitchenette. We did stay at the Wilderness Cabins once with my folks when we had 6 and that was great too! A little off the beaten path, but roomy for a fam!

I checked out your link..thanks, that is GREAT! I know I have seen it on the BLT thread (I think!) but I really took the time to figure it out today and based on the photos and your advice, we will ask for an even # room (outer) on the N side; 6 floor to 10th, hoping to be close enough to use stairs to the sky bridge, but high enough to still get a peek at the castle and fireworks. I highlighted all the rooms we'd prefer in our "view" category- it's a hellacious week with vacations and we are checking in late in the week, so we will see if there is any magic left for us or not

 

[sam_gordon]

I wish you luck. Our youngest was 5 then, so MK was still a big deal. SWW was a big hit for DS (then 7). Everyone liked watching the nightly fireworks (when we could get back for them).

 

[goofy4tink]

Ah, you two having a nice chat???? Too funny!!! It's a small world you know!

 

[OKW Lover]

Just wanted to point out that there are other car rental companies on Disney property besides Alamo/National. Check this thread for info on locations for the other companies - you may find a better deal.

 

[familygoboston]

Ah, you two having a nice chat???? Too funny!!! It's a small world you know!

Sorry Tink...knew I was getting But everyone is so knowledgeable it's easy to get on tangents!!

Just wanted to point out that there are other car rental companies on Disney property besides Alamo/National. Check this thread for info on locations for the other companies - you may find a better deal.

Thanks!! I did book Alamo, because the price was right, and it's getting close, but I am going to do a bit more digging, as it's not a pre paid reservation. It's only a one day rental because on the West Coast, I've got my parents car, so I don't qualify for as many "deals", especially with the separate p/u and d/o locations. I did look into the alternate locations, and didn't see any on the the thread that mentioned Contemporary. So CCC seems to be one of the closer ones anyway.