Magical Express - Late Arrival

[Gnmack]

We are heading to WDW in October for a Family Vacation. My brother is meeting us there and is flying in from London. His flight arrives at 11:35pm. I am wondering if anyone has used the Magical Express when arriving this late.

I understand it takes several hours for luggage to be delivered so I assume it would be the next day when he gets his luggage? What would be his best option to insure he has his bag for the morning? Would he have time to claim his own bags and still get on the ME at that hour or would he be better off claiming his luggage and then getting a cab to the resort?

Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

We are heading to WDW in October for a Family Vacation. My brother is meeting us there and is flying in from London. His flight arrives at 11:35pm. I am wondering if anyone has used the Magical Express when arriving this late.

I understand it takes several hours for luggage to be delivered so I assume it would be the next day when he gets his luggage? What would be his best option to insure he has his bag for the morning? Would he have time to claim his own bags and still get on the ME at that hour or would he be better off claiming his luggage and then getting a cab to the resort?

Thanks

If your flight arrives after 10:00pm, you have to pickup your luggage in baggage claim, it's not an option to have it delivered. You then take it to the bus.

 

[maxiesmom]

He will have to pick up his own bags at the airport. Disney stops grabbing them at 10pm.

Honestly, I think he would be better off taking a cab than DME. The one time we used it at 11pm it was not an enjoyable experience. It was 1am by the time we were at our resort's check in desk. If we ever do another late flight in to MCO I'm either getting a cab or setting up a towncar.

 

[Gnmack]

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the cut off for baggage collection at 10pm. I'll pass this on to my brother.

Thanks

 

[CleveRocks]

He will have to pick up his own bags at the airport. Disney stops grabbing them at 10pm.

Honestly, I think he would be better off taking a cab than DME. The one time we used it at 11pm it was not an enjoyable experience. It was 1am by the time we were at our resort's check in desk. If we ever do another late flight in to MCO I'm either getting a cab or setting up a towncar.

And I had the opposite experience. Since there were so few travelers around, they quickly gathered us together and put us on a Mears van and we were whisked away. We got to Contemporary 64 minutes after stepping off the airplane, which is a mighty good time (this includes walking through the terminal, taking the monorail to the main terminal, etc.). And we weren't even the first drop-off!

Actually, I had another good experience with a late-night flight back in 2006, now that I think about it. The timing of that one was slightly better, it was 57 minutes from airplane exit to Port Orleans French Quarter. [And yes, I time these things and I write them down for exactly this reason, always have.]

So I'm not saying you didn't have a bad time of it, I'm just saying that your experience isn't the only way it can go. Just because it happened to you once doesn't mean it typically happens that way. What I mean is, there are some people who've had an atypical but terrible experience with a Noon arrival, doesn't mean they should avoid DME the next time their flight arrives at Noon.

 

[maxiesmom]

So I'm not saying you didn't have a bad time of it, I'm just saying that your experience isn't the only way it can go. Just because it happened to you once doesn't mean it typically happens that way. What I mean is, there are some people who've had an atypical but terrible experience with a Noon arrival, doesn't mean they should avoid DME the next time their flight arrives at Noon.

Well, maybe I would think that way IF that had been the only experience I had had using DME. I've used them many times, but the was the only time I used them late at night, and the only bad experience like that I have had. So out of 8 or so times on DME the only trip that took so long was the one late at night. Makes sense to me to avoid using them late at night.

 

[CleveRocks]

Well, maybe I would think that way IF that had been the only experience I had had using DME. I've used them many times, but the was the only time I used them late at night, and the only bad experience like that I have had. So out of 8 or so times on DME the only trip that took so long was the one late at night. Makes sense to me to avoid using them late at night.

I hear you, and while I'm not trying to be argumentative, you're not applying sound logic to the case.

If you had 8 children, 7 boys and 1 girl, and the girl was the only left-handed one, would you rightfully conclude that all girls are left-handed?

If you had 8 dinners at a particular restaurant, 7 of them meat entrees and 1 of them a pasta entree and the pasta entree was served to you not as hot as it should be, would you rightfully conclude that the restaurant can't be trusted to serve their pasta at the proper temperature?

Same thing, trust me.

 

[Jestocost]

Well, maybe I would think that way IF that had been the only experience I had had using DME. I've used them many times, but the was the only time I used them late at night, and the only bad experience like that I have had. So out of 8 or so times on DME the only trip that took so long was the one late at night. Makes sense to me to avoid using them late at night.

As noted, a sample of one is no basis for a decision.

We've arrived after 10 p.m. once and had a private motor coach to the Poly. I would never assume that would be the norm for a late arrival.

 

[maxiesmom]

As noted, a sample of one is no basis for a decision.

We've arrived after 10 p.m. once and had a private motor coach to the Poly. I would never assume that would be the norm for a late arrival.[/QUOTE
]
I can base my decision on my experiences how I see fit, thank you very much! I'm not claiming I've done an in-depth study on late buses compared to early buses. Just that out of many times using DME the one really bad trip was at night. And yes, that is enough to make me leery of using DME late at night. Ymmv.

Ant is a sample of 2 actually. We stayed at CSR this past March, and some of the family flew in later than the rest of us. They were the 4th stop on the Magical Express that night. They landed around 10:30 and it was almost midnight when they got to our rooms. So not horrible, but not the best either.

For me, if you have to stop and get your bags anyway, it makes sense to pay for a car and be immediately on the way to the resort. Instead of having to wait for a bus and then finding out if you will be the first stop or the last stop. With a car you have the peace of mind knowing you are the first and only stop. I'd rather have that, then play the odds with the ME buses.

It is just my opinion, based on my own experiences. Which is what I thought we did here.

 

[CleveRocks]

It is just my opinion, based on my own experiences. Which is what I thought we did here.

I never said you shouldn't do what you want, or that you shouldn't share your experiences. We're all entitled to our opinions and feelings.

But what I thought you were saying was that you concluded from your sample of experiences that late night DME takes longer than other times of the day.

I'm not saying you shouldn't use a car service. I was simply commenting on the logical conclusions.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ant is a sample of 2 actually. We stayed at CSR this past March, and some of the family flew in later than the rest of us. They were the 4th stop on the Magical Express that night. They landed around 10:30 and it was almost midnight when they got to our rooms. So not horrible, but not the best either.

Ninety minutes. Right in the typical (70 to 90 minute) average time from plane to resort throughout the day, all resorts, year round . Sure, it's the higher end - but it's in the typical range.

 

[maxiesmom]

I never said you shouldn't do what you want, or that you shouldn't share your experiences. We're all entitled to our opinions and feelings.

But what I thought you were saying was that you concluded from your sample of experiences that late night DME takes longer than other times of the day.

I'm not saying you shouldn't use a car service. I was simply commenting on the logical conclusions.

Maybe to you one bad experience isn't enough to make you rethink how you do something. For me it is. You seem to be saying that is somehow wrong. I never said I could back up my conclusion with scientific data.

Maybe bad experiences are mathematically unlikely to happen to you, but when they do, they stick with you. I've also been unlucky enough to have been downgraded not once but twice at WDW. So I am well aware that negative experiences are not so rare. It makes perfect logic to me to take what steps I can to not have repeat my negative experiences.

 

[goofy4tink]

Knock it off kids!!! Geez Louise....he's touching me mom, she won't stop breathing on me mom!!! Beginning to sound like a family trip of 6 hrs in the car with my brothers!!

Someone asks for experiences with later arrivals and using DME. If someone has just one bad experience doing this, that is going to color how they think of the same situation down the road. Nothing hard to understand about that.
If the only time I had used DME was the one time it took me 20 mins to get through the checkin line (due to PopWarner families all arriving together!!!), I would probably think that this was the 'norm' and avoid it in the future!!!

After many, many DME experiences, I find that no two are the same. There are times that I walk to the bus line and then have to wait almost 20 mins for the bus to arrive, but other times I get right onto the bus and off we go. Every time is a bit different.

What would I do if I were arriving late at night?? That's a hard one. Yes, you have to get your own luggage, and then you could face a longish wait for the bus to get there. And then, the bus may have 20 people on it, going to 4 different resorts. OR, the bus could arrive just as you get there, and there are only 4 other people, all going to your resort. Just no way of knowing what the situation will be. This might be one of those times that I used a car service. That late at night, it would be nice to go directly to the resort....fairly quickly.

But, can we try to keep in mind that people have had different experiences. No one has said that it's always going to be the way they experienced it.

 

[CleveRocks]

Maybe to you one bad experience isn't enough to make you rethink how you do something. For me it is. You seem to be saying that is somehow wrong. I never said I could back up my conclusion with scientific data.

Maybe bad experiences are mathematically unlikely to happen to you, but when they do, they stick with you. I've also been unlucky enough to have been downgraded not once but twice at WDW. So I am well aware that negative experiences are not so rare. It makes perfect logic to me to take what steps I can to not have repeat my negative experiences.

When you explain it that way, NOW I know exactly where you're coming from. Thanks!

 

[CleveRocks]

It's okay, Mom, we're playing nice!

 

[Hannathy]

At that time of night I'm probably not going to do anything but get settled and go to bed so for my dime I'd rather get ME and sit back and relax knowing they know where to take me and I don't have to worry about a thing, maybe even take a nap! And save my money for buying mini donuts, turkey legs, and the sugared nuts!!! and maybe a Dole whip.

 

[dzorn]

OT but if he was flying in from London he would have to get his own bags for customs anyway wouldn't he reguardless of the time of day.

Denise in MI

 

[Gnmack]

Thanks again. I hadn't even considered my brother having to clear customs. I was more concerned with him finding the fastest route to the hotel since we have an early start scheduled for the next morning.

We are staying at the CR so I believe that it is one of the first drop offs on that partcular route. I'll pass on all the info to him and he can decide which he is most comfortable with.

Thanks

 

[CleveRocks]

We are staying at the CR so I believe that it is one of the first drop offs on that partcular route. I'll pass on all the info to him and he can decide which he is most comfortable with.

Thanks

But there's no such thing as a pre-set order of drop-offs, and there's no such thing as a particular route. They group resorts together on a bus depending on who is going where at the same time. Sure, it makes sense that Grand Flordian, Polynesian and Wilderness Lodge would be grouped together with Contemporary, but if there aren't people going to those other resorts, then CR will be lumped in with some others. For example, when I just stayed at CR two months ago, we were the second stop after Port Orleans French Quarter. In other words, you absolutely can't count on a certain route or a certain order.

 

[goofy4tink]

But there's no such thing as a pre-set order of drop-offs, and there's no such thing as a particular route. They group resorts together on a bus depending on who is going where at the same time. Sure, it makes sense that Grand Flordian, Polynesian and Wilderness Lodge would be grouped together with Contemporary, but if there aren't people going to those other resorts, then CR will be lumped in with some others. For example, when I just stayed at CR two months ago, we were the second stop after Port Orleans French Quarter. In other words, you absolutely can't count on a certain route or a certain order.

Absolutely true...there is no 100% sure way to know which order you will be dropped off in.