magical express question...

[rsjj]

i have a question regarding the magical express...i understand it's included in your package...but can you pls see if this is do-able?

we will be flying into mco on a monday staying at a hotel by universal. we will rent a car (from mco) to do universal for couple days. then we will be staying at a disney resort the rest of the time. we will return our car rental to mco on the second day that we will be at the disney resort. now my question is...can i ride the magical express to take me back to our disney resort from the airport, after i drop off our car rental? even if that is not our "check-in" date? b/c we've already had checked in (at our disney resort) 2 days before.

thanx in advance for your time!

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes, you can do that.

 

[rsjj]

Thank you! Do I need to contact Disney to reserve a spot for myself? Or just show then our card key/magic band thing?

 

[kaytieeldr]

You NEED to have a reservation for Magical Express. Disney's contract with MCO requires it. Not that they won't have room for you, just that DME can't take walk up business.

 

[pooh4evr]

Would it be possible for you to return the car to the Disney Car Care Center? It would probably be a lot faster. There's no telling how long you could be tied up with Magical Express. Waiting, for a bus, then the ride, in all it could take you a couple of hours.

 

[goofy4tink]

Would it be possible for you to return the car to the Disney Car Care Center? It would probably be a lot faster. There's no telling how long you could be tied up with Magical Express. Waiting, for a bus, then the ride, in all it could take you a couple of hours.

Excellent points!!! If the OP is renting through Alamo/National, it would make sense to drop the car off on-site, at either the CCC or the Dolphin. That would alleviate all that wait time....the 30 min drive back to the airport, waiting for the DME bus to get there, waiting for it to depart, riding to multiple resorts. It could easily add up to 90+ mins.
There are other car rental companies that have counters in the DTD area resorts. For instance, Budget is at the Doubletree. They will often shuttle you back to your resort.

 

[rsjj]

thanx for all your help, everyone! one more question...do any of you know if dollar has an office/counter in/near wdw? and what is disney car care center?

again, thank you for taking the time!!

 

[englanddg]

You NEED to have a reservation for Magical Express. Disney's contract with MCO requires it. Not that they won't have room for you, just that DME can't take walk up business.

This may have been pointed out, but that reservation is automatic when you book with Disney. The issue is how long it takes to find it.

Best case under the current system? Have your magic bands out and ready.

 

[englanddg]

i have a question regarding the magical express...i understand it's included in your package...but can you pls see if this is do-able?

we will be flying into mco on a monday staying at a hotel by universal. we will rent a car (from mco) to do universal for couple days. then we will be staying at a disney resort the rest of the time. we will return our car rental to mco on the second day that we will be at the disney resort. now my question is...can i ride the magical express to take me back to our disney resort from the airport, after i drop off our car rental? even if that is not our "check-in" date? b/c we've already had checked in (at our disney resort) 2 days before.

thanx in advance for your time!

The short answer is yes.

 

[englanddg]

Excellent points!!! If the OP is renting through Alamo/National, it would make sense to drop the car off on-site, at either the CCC or the Dolphin. That would alleviate all that wait time....the 30 min drive back to the airport, waiting for the DME bus to get there, waiting for it to depart, riding to multiple resorts. It could easily add up to 90+ mins.
There are other car rental companies that have counters in the DTD area resorts. For instance, Budget is at the Doubletree. They will often shuttle you back to your resort.

^^ this

Though, doing a split stay between Uni and Disney, I'd just take a taxi.

 

[goofy4tink]

This may have been pointed out, but that reservation is automatic when you book with Disney. The issue is how long it takes to find it.

Best case under the current system? Have your magic bands out and ready.

When you say 'automatic', what do you mean? If you don't tell the person booking your resort reservation that you want to add DME, it won't be added. And according to the contract with MCO, DME isn't supposed to allow anyone on a bus that does not have an existing reservation with DME. But DME does, in fact, have to be added to your reservation.

 

[Starshine]

thanx for all your help, everyone! one more question...do any of you know if dollar has an office/counter in/near wdw?

Dollar has a counter in the Wyndham Resort at Downtown Disney. It's an easy walk to/from the Marketplace.

 

[englanddg]

When you say 'automatic', what do you mean? If you don't tell the person booking your resort reservation that you want to add DME, it won't be added. And according to the contract with MCO, DME isn't supposed to allow anyone on a bus that does not have an existing reservation with DME. But DME does, in fact, have to be added to your reservation.

When you book a package deal, DME is automatically added, or at least has been in the past. You have to decline it.

Ive never had to specify that I want it.

 

[rsjj]

Thank you, everyone for all your help!

Dollar has an office


Dollar has a counter in the Wyndham Resort at Downtown Disney. It's an easy walk to/from the Marketplace.

Ok...is the marketplace in downtown disney? I understand there is an entire disney transportation system w/in wdw...is there one that takes you from your resort to marketplace or downtown disney? So I can just reserve a car from there (Wyndham) and go pick it up? They have a lot full of cars located there on site?

 

[Starshine]

Yes, the Marketplace is in Downtown Disney. There will be busses from all the Disney Resorts to Downtown Disney. If you look at this map, the Marketplace area is on the left hand side. At the far left you can see the walkway that takes you over to the Wyndham.

Since it's just a small counter in the hotel they don't have a huge amount of cars. We've never picked up there only dropped off so I didn't really pay attention to how many there were. When you are on Dollar's website you should choose "LAKE BUENA VISTA - WYNDHAM RESORT, FL DLE" as the pickup and/or dropoff depending on which you need. Hope that helps!

 

[bumbershoot]

thanx for all your help, everyone! one more question...do any of you know if dollar has an office/counter in/near wdw? and what is disney car care center?

again, thank you for taking the time!!

Full description of CCC here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/car-care-center/ (googled "car care center orlando")

Otherwise known as the place to rent/return with Alamo and National. If you want to use either of those companies from MCO, price it out to compare between returning to MCO vs CCC. Some only ever experience the same basic costs, some find it cheaper to deal with CCC. I've seen it higher or the same, personally. Price it out, see if it makes sense. You return by driving the car there (it's right near MK) and then tell them where you want to go (on property). They add you to a list and soon enough they'll dispatch a shuttle for you. If you're going to MK, you are dropped at the Ticket and Transportation Center, where you then take monorail or boat to MK.

This may have been pointed out, but that reservation is automatic when you book with Disney. The issue is how long it takes to find it.

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When you book a package deal, DME is automatically added, or at least has been in the past. You have to decline it.

Ive never had to specify that I want it.

You have to tell them your flight info, so you do have to arrange it. If you book with air then that might be the difference, but Disney doesn't automatically know your flight info unless they are arranging it, so you do have to set it up.

 

[englanddg]

Full description of CCC here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/car-care-center/ (googled "car care center orlando")

Otherwise known as the place to rent/return with Alamo and National. If you want to use either of those companies from MCO, price it out to compare between returning to MCO vs CCC. Some only ever experience the same basic costs, some find it cheaper to deal with CCC. I've seen it higher or the same, personally. Price it out, see if it makes sense. You return by driving the car there (it's right near MK) and then tell them where you want to go (on property). They add you to a list and soon enough they'll dispatch a shuttle for you. If you're going to MK, you are dropped at the Ticket and Transportation Center, where you then take monorail or boat to MK.



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You have to tell them your flight info, so you do have to arrange it. If you book with air then that might be the difference, but Disney doesn't automatically know your flight info unless they are arranging it, so you do have to set it up.

Ive done it without setting up my arrival flights before on my 2011 and 2012 trips. Heck, for 2012 there was no arrival flight because I was already in Orlando. I just took a taxi to MCO and checked into DME at the counter on no particular schedule. I just showed up. I have always told them departure though. So, maybe that is it?

I have never booked flights through Disney Travel Company.

That said, perhaps you are right and it just came up in conversation while booking. But, even for the most recent trip (this year) I didnt have to specify I wanted DME, it was assumed, and I didnt book the flights until weeks after the initial booking. As usual...

And, on this coming trip I have no arrival flight either (I will already be in Orlando).

DCL and DLR were different, though those cost money (above and beyond booking) for transit.