Magical Express Questions

[PookaJean]

Can someone ride on the magical express from a Disney resort to pick up family members from the airport that are taking the magical express to their resort?

 

[momof2minnies]

If they are staying at a Disney resort they can just get on and meet you there- not really sure of the answer to your question.

 

[1971DBday]

Can someone ride on the magical express from a Disney resort to pick up family members from the airport that are taking the magical express to their resort?

You can call them and ask, but probably not. You need a ticket from Magical Express to get on and they are scheduling buses based on actual need of people making their flights. I'm not sure why you would want to waste your time doing this either. This would suck up at least 4-5 hours of your time (and I'm being conservative). We have lots of family meeting us in WDW and I will be either playing at the parks or relaxing at the resort waiting for them!

 

[PookaJean]

I know all of the reasons not to do this but my SIL wants to do it to pick up her parents. I didn't think you could but she says she asked already and said she can. Has anybody here tried this?

 

[*Fantasia*]

I know all of the reasons not to do this but my SIL wants to do it to pick up her parents. I didn't think you could but she says she asked already and said she can. Has anybody here tried this?

Your SIL already asked Disney if her parents can use the DME? And they said to her they can? If so, then they are good to go. They just need to find out how to get on the bus without getting questioned.

 

[PookaJean]

My SIL parents already have Magical express reservations to take them to their resort. My SIL wants to take the Magical Express to the airport to pick them up. My SIL is also staying at a Disney resort but is driving in a motorhome and staying at FW.

 

[Lynne M]

I'm not sure who she spoke with, but you can't just hop on a DME bus at your resort. You need a voucher, for a certain date, which they will scan before you can board.

I suppose she could call DME for a reservation and give them fake flight info, but I don't know how she'd get around the fact that they'll schedule it for her check-out day.

I'm sure you've explained all this to her, and how easy it'll be for her parents to find the buses at the airport. If she's that concerned about her parents' ability to get around on their own, has she considered just renting a car for the day and going to the airport to pick them up?

 

[Paradise18]

I would suggest calling DME and asking the question, but my initial thought is that it wouldn't be allowed.

I know it would be an additional expense, but can they take a cab?

Using the DME is quite easy if you are not picking up yoyr own luggage and we have always found the info provided in our package user friendly. The airport staff would also be able to steer her parents in the right direction as well. Is it that your SIL is concerned her parents will get lost in the airport?

 

[CleveRocks]

She can do it.

My explanation below is complicated, yes, but it's 100% accurate.

Every Disney resort guest is entitled to one ride from the airport to their own resort on or after their check-in day, and is entitled to one ride from their own resort to the airport on or before their check-out day. There is NO RULE stating the rides must be done ON your check-in day and ON your check-out day. It's a faulty assumption to say the rides must be done on those days.

Since she is driving to and from Disney herself, she will not need the DME rides on her own check-in day and her own check-out day. She won't be using them up, so she still has them coming to her.

There is absolutely no restriction that the rides be done in conjunction with flights. If you want to use your one flight from your resort to the airport, there is no need to make up fake flight information. You can want to go to the airport to get a rental car. You can want to go to the airport for take-out breakfast. You aren't limited to getting a ride to the airport only to catch a flight.

She must speak with DME directly (866-599-0951), because the main reservations folks at 407-W-DISNEY won't understand and will just tell her she can't do it.

But following Disney's own rules, she will certianly be able to do it, as long as she makes the proper reservations and deals with the cast members (of DME) who know how to hook her up.

If you post this same question on the Transportation forum, you'll get a dozen answers similar to mine. DME has very specific rules that don't always jibe with common sense, but there are those of us who hang out on the Transportation forum who understand all the dumb little details.

 

[vicki_c]

But will they then be able to ride ME again on their real departure day (unless it's not needed and I missed that in my skimming of the posts)?

And what about riding BACK to WDW after meeting up with the family members? Hasn't the OP's SIL already used up her one ride to WDW from the airport at that point (again, unless I've missed some of the nuances, I admit I didn't read that closely this morning).

 

[TDC Nala]

But will they then be able to ride ME again on their real departure day (unless it's not needed and I missed that in my skimming of the posts)?

She is driving to and from WDW in a motorhome and staying at Fort Wilderness. She does not want to take the motorhome to the airport to pick up her parents. She wants to go to the airport on DME, meet her parents, and then ride back with them on DME.

She will have to arrange this with DME directly (definitely not through the Disney room reservation line).

 

[PookaJean]

Thanks everyone for the help. I guess she knew the right answer. I'm shocked!

 

[jojomoore]

This does not answer your question directly, but in 2010 be were staying at BCV and had not flown into WDW but drove. My niece became ill and after a couple of days we decided that it was best for her to return home so her grandmother flew into to orlando to get her. My husband and my niece took Magical express to the airport and my husband, after seeing my neice off, took magical express back to resort. The concierge desk at BC and AKL have always been very accomodating.

 

[mlittig]

With the round trip travel in and out of the airport, it seems like you would lose one whole day