Magical Express - weeknights

[AThrillingChase]

I usually fly in early in the morning, but this trip (next month) have opted to fly in at 6pm on a Thurs. due to school/work schedules. In the mornings there seem to be a steady flow of busses and I have not waited very long to board or depart. My question is, for those that fly in on a weeknight evening, did you find they started running fewer busses and made for a longer trip? I have read posters state if they arrive after 6 they tend to pick up their own bags to avoid delays from it being in the evening.

I know this is fairly specific, but I am curious to hear your experiences because we are hoping to have time to go to MK before it closes at 11. It is my teenage cousins first trip so I don't think she could stand it!

 

[Mousemommy1]

I usually fly in early in the morning, but this trip (next month) have opted to fly in at 6pm on a Thurs. due to school/work schedules. In the mornings there seem to be a steady flow of busses and I have not waited very long to board or depart. My question is, for those that fly in on a weeknight evening, did you find they started running fewer busses and made for a longer trip? I have read posters state if they arrive after 6 they tend to pick up their own bags to avoid delays from it being in the evening.

I know this is fairly specific, but I am curious to hear your experiences because we are hoping to have time to go to MK before it closes at 11. It is my teenage cousins first trip so I don't think she could stand it!

I have arrived on weekends and weeknights and note no noticeable difference.

 

[noahdove]

Well, I have heard and I am sure someone will correct me and give you better insight, but, I believe they do check the incoming crowd and make the decision from there..And if the evening is slower, then you may need to stop at other resorts ...therefore, taking more time...

 

[TDC Nala]

You can use the DME luggage pickup unless you arrive after 10 pm. Before that, it's a matter of preference (some users don't want the luggage brought to their room at a later time). If you are OK with the luggage being delivered relatively late you can use the luggage service. You don't need to be in the room when it's delivered.

 

[SharonZ]

I arrived at 10:30 p.m. on a Thursday and didn't wait at all. I agree with the PP that said that the buses are scheduled by arrival schedules of the airline passengers. This is why you are asked for your flight number and arrival times when you book ME.

 

[danceintherain]

We've always arrived late in the past, and my experience has been comparable to other experiences I've heard around here.

They ask for your flight info, so they can prepare.
I've also heard of people being completely alone on their bus, so if your arrival time is too different from everyone else's that could happen.

 

[Sandi]

We've arrived on weekdays and weekends at various times. Our weekday arrivals tend to be in the evening -- just like you, we worked before heading off for the World. I did not notice a difference in terms of time to get to the resort. In fact, last August, we arrived on a Wednesday evening and were among the last on an ME bus -- so it left almost immediately. First stop was ours -- Pop Century. Now, surely there were people on that very same bus who had to wait for it to load and then were for the second or third resort stop, so they may have felt it took "forever." As with all things, YMMV.

 

[JulieODC]

We've used the ME several times on weeknight evenings, and never had an issue - very short wait times, etc. We've always just grabbed our own luggage and brought it on the bus with us - so I don't have experience with the luggage piece. In our experience, in the evenings there are no lines - walk right up to the counter to check-in, then walk right up and board the bus....

 

[Saraheg2107]

I've normally had no problem with ME, in the evening or the morning. They do, to my understanding, schedule them for around how many people they have coming in. I've been on both extremely full and very empty buses. They do the best they can to accomadate everyone.

About two years ago I was flying in on a Thursday night to meet my sister who was already there. I *should* have landed around 9:30pm, due to mechanical issues however, I didn't walk off the plane until around 1:30am. I went downstairs expecting to have to find a cab to get to my resort and sure enough, there was a ME bus waiting, just for me. I felt bad that they were stuck there so late, but they assured me that it was absolutely no problem and took me straight to my resort so I could fall into bed.

 

[SharonZ]

I arrived at 10:30 p.m. because my flight was delayed. It was the first time that I was forced to retrieve my own baggage. It really wasn't bad at all, and would consider doing it again if I arrived in the evening.

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

I arrived at 10:30 p.m. because my flight was delayed. It was the first time that I was forced to retrieve my own baggage. It really wasn't bad at all, and would consider doing it again if I arrived in the evening.

I'm glad you posted this. I'm concerned that if my flight is delayed in June and we arrive after 10 and I have the yellow tags on my luggage I won't know what to do. So basically even if the yellow tags are in there and we arrive after 10p b/c if a delay, they will still come up on the carousel for me to retrieve myself?

 

[TDC Nala]

If you arrive after 10 there won't be anybody from DME to retrieve the tagged bags, so they will still be on the carousel for you to pick up.

 

[seashoreCM]

After 10 PM everything, yellow tags and all, comes out on the carousel.

If you don't find your bags there, file a claim there (with your airline) before leaving the area.

For arrivals after 10 PM DME baggage claims at your resort do not apply.

 

[DevonsDisneyMom]

^^^ thank you both for your responses!! I wasn't sure what to do if this situation were to occur! . Here's hoping for no delays!

 

[PWammy]

I used it for the first time in October, stayed at AofA, thank goodness our resort was the first stop b/c I thought it was a long wait, but it's all relative to what you are accustomed to. Bus seemed packed, but it was really lots of adults taking up one seat; ANNOYING. We arrived around 9:30pm; Coming back we had a super early flight and stopped at a couple of resorts back to the airport. Personal preference though, I'm not a fan of it and probably won't use it again.

 

[AThrillingChase]

Thanks everyone! We will only have carry on luggage so baggage claim won't be an issue either way, my concern when I saw people choosing to collect their own was mostly general fear that ME doesn't work as efficiently the closer you get to the 10pm cut off. Basically, would we land at 6 and have to wait until 7pm when they had enough people to fit on a bus bcause it wasn't as busy. Sounds like I don't have to worry though!

All of my past experiences with ME have been smooth in the early morning, here's to hoping the same for evening!