Magical Express - Manchester to Orlando on Virgin

[baldkev]

Hello

Anyone got any experience of using DME to get from Orlando Airport to Disney All Star Sports Resort?

I've seen a list of airlines where DME will automatically collect your luggage for you at Orlando Airport but Virgin is not on the list. Does this mean that we just collect our own luggage and make our way to the bus?

This will be our first time using DME, previously we've hired a car.

Cheers

Kev

 

[gemmybear83]

Hi I've not used it to All Stars but have used it for other resorts, and it all works out the same.

You have to collect your bags after security, then you can choose to either take them on the monorail with you and take them on the ME bus or put them back on the system before you get on the monorail and when you check in for ME give them the codes Virgin but on your tags when you checked in (the stickers usually put on the back of your passport) and they will retrive your cases and your meant to get them within 4 hours.

Disney don't send out the yellow ME tags to UK travellers anymore, but to be honest we have always collected our bags and taken them with us as I don't fancy them turning up in the middle of the night! The drivers are happy to take your cases and we have noticed plenty of other people (including Americans) do it this way too

 

[disney_princess_85]

Yes, you have to carry your luggage to the bus yourself. It will be stored in the luggage hold and you will collect it when you get off the bus at your resort. It's really easy, you'll have no problems.

ETA: Just read Gemma's post- I'm pretty sure I read that DME doesn't offer the luggage service for international visitors anymore.

 

[gemmybear83]

Yes, you have to carry your luggage to the bus yourself. It will be stored in the luggage hold and you will collect it when you get off the bus at your resort. It's really easy, you'll have no problems.

ETA: Just read Gemma's post- I'm pretty sure I read that DME doesn't offer the luggage service for international visitors anymore.

I think it does (unless it has changed very recently), I know they stopped sending the yellow tags and ME pack out but they will collect and deliver your cases as long as you give them the code that was put on the airline tag when you checked in - at least thats what I have read on here?!

 

[disney_princess_85]

I think it does (unless it has changed very recently), I know they stopped sending the yellow tags and ME pack out but they will collect and deliver your cases as long as you give them the code that was put on the airline tag when you checked in - at least thats what I have read on here?!

I read that too but I'm sure I read something about it changing. Hopefully someone who knows 100% will come along soon!

 

[gemmybear83]

I read that too but I'm sure I read something about it changing. Hopefully someone who knows 100% will come along soon!

Whoops!!!

 

[wideeyes]

I booked in December for our January trip and the email confirmation said that that they would collect the bags if we gave our luggage receipts, however I took our bags with us. The only thing that is a pain with taking our own bags is making sure we have a couple of $ to tip the driver for loading and unloading our bags.

 

[fuse04]

We have used DME several times and think it is very efficient. We prefre t take our packs and unpack as sons as we get into the room rather than wait a few hours.

 

[baldkev]

Thanks for all the help!

52 sleeps until we go!

Kev

 

[PaulaSB12]

You don't get the yellow tags any more, but you don't have to collect the luggage. Just give them the luggage slips they give you when you check in your luggage. I did and 2 hours later the luggage arrived I also got a phone call to make sure it was all there.

 

[2Tiggies]

We went VA from Manchester and were told they would collect our bags for us if we took our baggage tags to the ME checkin desk.

When you get off the plane at MCO you clear customs, then collect your bags. Follow the signs for a little way and you get to another conveyer belt which is staffed, at the foot of an escalator taking you up to ground level. You have to take the monorail at the top of the escalator to the other terminal to DME. They give you the option of popping your luggage on the conveyor belt or taking it with you. I always drop mine off as I go alone with my little girl and I cannot pull two full size cases plus hand luggage and get it up the escalator. However, if you are anxious to get to your resort and want to take your bags with you on ME, and you can manage your own bags I would suggest you take them with you.

you then take the monorail to the other terminal where you either take your tags to the ME check in with your Disney resort confirmation/vouchers or reservation no. This is if you want them to collect your bags. They will direct you to which lane to enter on the "Red Carpet" and you queue there for ME.

If you want to take your own bags, you wait at the carousel for them before checking in at ME counter and then take the with you to do so. To be honest, we take ours ourselves. BUT ... the reason I said to take your own bags with you if you can manage them from the arrival terminal is that they take anything up to 40 minutes to arrive at the other one so you could probably get an earlier bus if you had them with you via the monorail.

By the way, we stayed at ASM last time and *** was the first stop. Easy Peasy!!

I seriously don't mind tipping the driver as a few dollars to make life easier on a ££multi-k holiday is worth it for me. I am tired and crabbit when I land in my winter coat in 35 degree heat and I will pay for whatever helps!! Also the ME drivers have always been great and I enjoy the unwind on the bus on the way there.

RE. new policy, I was told by Disney UK when booking for our upcoming trip that they will no longer be collecting the international travellers' bags but we still get to use the ME so you may want to check with whoever you booked through and confirm this if it is an issue.

Feel free to ask for any more info.

 

[2Tiggies]

I don't know how the *** ended up on my post, but it is *** for All Star Sports. Strange!

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

DME = totally fab!

 

[torsie24]

We love DME and will be using it again for our next trip. Really easy and takes all the stress out of arriving. We kept our bags with us as we were getting into MCO at about 6pm so weren't at AKL until after 8pm so we wanted to unpack and get to sleep ASAP.

 

[fuse04]

We love DME and will be using it again for our next trip. Really easy and takes all the stress out of arriving. We kept our bags with us as we were getting into MCO at about 6pm so weren't at AKL until after 8pm so we wanted to unpack and get to sleep ASAP.

All being well we usually get to resort about 5 ish mybe 5:30, unpack, food, then try and get ut to a park in the evening; will be taking it wasy this time;

 

[baldkev]

We hope to get to resort for around 5.30pm. We've there for 21 nights and as we've booked to have breakfast at the Crystal Palace on our last morning we can't get to a park on our first night. We've decided to go to Downtown Disney for tea and have a relatively early night ready for a nice early start the next day.

Thanks for all the help with DME.

Kev

 

[2Tiggies]

We hope to get to resort for around 5.30pm. We've there for 21 nights and as we've booked to have breakfast at the Crystal Palace on our last morning we can't get to a park on our first night. We've decided to go to Downtown Disney for tea and have a relatively early night ready for a nice early start the next day.

Thanks for all the help with DME.

Kev

Hi Baldkev

I see you are in Manchester so assume you are on the 10.25 flight. It often arrives early and last year we were at our resort by 4.30 pm despite me getting lost after going to get refreshments and waiting 45 minutes for our bags to get to the second terminal. I say you will easily be at your resort by 5.30. We also do DTD on arrival night and parks on departure day. We try and stay up as late as possible and even waking at 5 am feels like a long lie in bed the next day with the extra 5 hours.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I emailed disney and got the following answer about do you have to collect your luggage

Disney's Magical Express is available to all Disney Resort Guests,
including guests traveling from an international location. If Orlando
(MCO) will be your first port of entry into the United States, you will
follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim your
luggage upon disembarking the airplane (luggage is not transferred to
baggage claim at this point). Once you have completed this process, you
will proceed to the main terminal building where the Disney Welcome
Center is located on the B side of the airport on Level One.

If Orlando is not your first point of entry into the United States, then
you will have already completed the customs process.

You may either collect your luggage at Baggage Claim and it will travel
with you on the motorcoach to your Disney Resort, or you may choose to
have Disney?s Magical Express collect your luggage and deliver it to
your room.

To have your luggage delivered to your room, at the Disney Welcome
Center, you will be asked for your airline baggage claim checks and a
brief description of your luggage. They will then claim your luggage on
your behalf. It may take up to three (3) hours after you check in to
your Resort hotel for your luggage to be delivered to your room. You do
not need to be in your room to receive your luggage. Please pack any
valuables, medications or anything you need immediately upon your
arrival in Orlando in a carry-on bag.