Magical Express question

[mickeys friend]

Does Magical Express still pick you up from your resort about 3 hours before your flight? I know it makes it really hard for the early morning flights with little children and teenagers.

 

[vicki_c]

Answered on your other thread. Yes.

 

[Jedimike]

Your default pick up time is 3 hours before your flight, but you can choose to request a pickup that is a different time, either earlier or later than the 3 hours time point.

 

[maxiesmom]

Yes they do. And you still need to be at the bus stop, ready to go, 15 minutes before your pick up time.

While I know it is tempting, I wouldn't ask for a later pick up time. Some of the worst security lines I have been in have been at MCO in the wee hours of the morning. I'd rather deal with kids that are cranky from having gotten up so early then kids that are cranky we are hanging out in the airport all day because we missed our flight.

 

[Sugardimples]

There's a good reason for the pick up time. YOU NEED that time. By the time you factor in the drive to the airport, getting through security, gettinga drink after security, stopping for everyone to potty, and finding the gate, you will find that you are right on time for your flight.

If your family can't get up and moving that early, maybe you should consider a later flight.

 

[pigletto]

We had a flight out at 7am last week. There was no way I was going to be at the ME bus stop at 4 So we rented a car.

We ended up using Expedia for an airport hotel the night before. It was decent, and it only cost about 70 dollars all in. Then we were literally 3 minutes away, dropped off the rental car and were in the airport for 5:15 or so.

Not sure if that works for you but thought I would mention it because it turned out to make the whole early flight thing a little easier.

 

[Mkebound]

I agree that 3 hours before is too early.

You could rent a car and drive

You could hire and schdule a private car service

Use a Taxi

Check out of your hotel a day early and stay the last night in a hotel near the airport.

 

[raraavis]

i didn't know i could request a later time! that is good to know. it's just me and my fiance, and our flight is at 10:20, which means we would need to be at the DME line by 7am right? we are doing MK evening EMH the night before and would love an extra hour of sleep. do you experts really think if we have a new pick up time of 8am, we would be cutting it too close?? we don't have kids to worry about getting ready; we would just be getting up, checking out, grabbing breakfast at the food court at POP, then heading to the DME. we don't do anything at the airport besides go through security.

is an 8am DME pickup doable with a 10:20am flight? or is it too risky?? TIA!

 

[ellone]

is an 8am DME pickup doable with a 10:20am flight? or is it too risky?? TIA!

Too risky. Others can chime in, but I've had experiences where the Magical Express buses are running late.

For example 2 visits ago we had a 3 pm pick up. We get to the waiting area and no bus until 3:20, BUT it wasn't the 3 pm bus so they didn't let us on! We didn't get picked up until closer to 4 and we had a lot of irate people on the bus because by the time we got to the airport some people's flights were leaving in 20 minutes - no way to check in and get through security.

 

[SaraJayne]

i didn't know i could request a later time! that is good to know. it's just me and my fiance, and our flight is at 10:20, which means we would need to be at the DME line by 7am right? we are doing MK evening EMH the night before and would love an extra hour of sleep. do you experts really think if we have a new pick up time of 8am, we would be cutting it too close?? we don't have kids to worry about getting ready; we would just be getting up, checking out, grabbing breakfast at the food court at POP, then heading to the DME. we don't do anything at the airport besides go through security.

is an 8am DME pickup doable with a 10:20am flight? or is it too risky?? TIA!

Yes, much too late. An 8am pick up time, if everything goes perfectly, would get you to the airport around 9:45-10am.

You need the entire three hours to make it in time to MCO. The buses stop at other resorts and load people and luggage, there is traffic to contend with and security at MCO is horrendous on a good day.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. I agree that 3 hours before is too early.
2. Check out of your hotel a day early and stay the last night in a hotel near the airport.

1. I beg to differ.
2. You can still use Magical Express back to the airport.

1a. Use the time waiting at the airport for your last meal, which you decided not to eat at Disney in the one several hours before boarding the DME bus, in order to get in another ride at the park or another hour of sleep at your resort.
1b. However you can always get upon request a bus earlier than 3 hours before your flight.
1b1. Deadline for such request is morning of the day before the day you check out.
1c. So many people have reported on The DIS about having to run for their plane that I 'orta' do a lot more to you than just beg to differ.

 

[raraavis]

Too risky. Others can chime in, but I've had experiences where the Magical Express buses are running late.

For example 2 visits ago we had a 3 pm pick up. We get to the waiting area and no bus until 3:20, BUT it wasn't the 3 pm bus so they didn't let us on! We didn't get picked up until closer to 4 and we had a lot of irate people on the bus because by the time we got to the airport some people's flights were leaving in 20 minutes - no way to check in and get through security.

Yes, much too late. An 8am pick up time, if everything goes perfectly, would get you to the airport around 9:45-10am.

You need the entire three hours to make it in time to MCO. The buses stop at other resorts and load people and luggage, there is traffic to contend with and security at MCO is horrendous on a good day.

thanks for the input! i was leaning toward it being too risky but just have no experience with the DME. i'd rather be super tired on the trip home than miss the plane! thank you!!!

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree that 3 hours before is too early.

You could rent a car and drive

You could hire and schdule a private car service

Use a Taxi

Check out of your hotel a day early and stay the last night in a hotel near the airport.

All you gain by using a car service is 30 minutes. For most people, that small amount of time is not worth the cost of a car or taxi.

 

[crashbb]

Your default pick up time is 3 hours before your flight, but you can choose to request a pickup that is a different time, either earlier or later than the 3 hours time point.

Every thing that I've read and been told says that you CANNOT choose a time later than the three hour point without lying. In other words, without making up a flight time after your flight - so that the pick up time is three hours before that flight and 2 hours (or whatever) before your actual flight.

Has anyone been able to reduce the pick-up time to less than three hours (not including those who end up with 2hrs 45min or so) without changing their reported flight time?

 

[Woth2982]

i didn't know i could request a later time! that is good to know. it's just me and my fiance, and our flight is at 10:20, which means we would need to be at the DME line by 7am right? we are doing MK evening EMH the night before and would love an extra hour of sleep. do you experts really think if we have a new pick up time of 8am, we would be cutting it too close?? we don't have kids to worry about getting ready; we would just be getting up, checking out, grabbing breakfast at the food court at POP, then heading to the DME. we don't do anything at the airport besides go through security.

is an 8am DME pickup doable with a 10:20am flight? or is it too risky?? TIA!

One time our ME bus never showed! My friend and I sat there waiting for over an hour and a half. After waiting a half hour I went to check on the bus and they confirmed it WAS there but it left 20 mins before our pick up time! So we missed it by 5 minutes. But there was another bus on its way so we did get picked up 2 hours before the flight verses three and had no issues. I was holding my breath the whole time though!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I wouldn't recommend a later time. If the planets align, yeah, you might get away with it. However, I can tell you that the WORST security lines I've encountered have been at the Orlando airport. They were even worse than going through customs in Jamaica, which was pretty darn bad. Now, you might get lucky and breeze through--the worst was when we were travelling in July. But to me, the extra hour of sleep wouldn't be worth the stress of waiting in the security lines and fretting about missing your flight. Better to sleep on the plane.

 

[pigletto]

Another small plus for being tired when you get on the plane..
If you are a nervous flyer (like me), I found it was simple to get to sleep. I fell asleep not long after we were in the air and woke up for our descent. It was perfect!

 

[raraavis]

I wouldn't recommend a later time. If the planets align, yeah, you might get away with it. However, I can tell you that the WORST security lines I've encountered have been at the Orlando airport. They were even worse than going through customs in Jamaica, which was pretty darn bad. Now, you might get lucky and breeze through--the worst was when we were travelling in July. But to me, the extra hour of sleep wouldn't be worth the stress of waiting in the security lines and fretting about missing your flight. Better to sleep on the plane.

thanks; i'd rather not stress about trying to make the flight!

 

[DOREEN1779]

Our flight was at 10:53AM on a Tuesday in August. ME picked us up promptly at 7:50AM. We were the first pick up but not the last. The bus stopped at 4 other resorts. We did not enter the 1st airport terminal until 9:20. Of course we were the last terminal. The security lines were not too bad but my husband did get pulled out for a pat down so we were detained another 20 minutes. ( the wand kept picking up something on his cargo shorts and my husband works in protective services so it may have been residue or my husbands reaction that raised the red flags- too much knowledge of their equipment and protocal). In a weird way, it was kind of reassuring that the machines are working and the TSA agents can spot something unusual. So after we passed through security, and got to our gate it was about 10:10AM. Just enough time to take the kids to the bathroom and buy some snacks. Boarding started at about 10:25. So while three hours may seem like a long time and overkill, it really isn't. One or two hiccups can really set you back.

 

[mountdew1]

I wouldn't request a later pick up time. All you need is for there to be 3 other resort stops (figure 5-10 minutes per), plus the 30-40 minute travel time, suddenly you are at MCO only 1 hr early. That early in the AM I don't think you can check luggage at the hotel, so if you need to check you would need to wait in that line (another 15 minutes easy) plus TSA (ever seen the signs at MCO that say 45 mins from this point? They have them for a reason.....) and suddenly that extra hour at the resort to sleep in lets you spend 5 hours sleeping at MCO until they can get you on a later flight.