Magical Express with friends who are resort guests

[TNVolnteer]

My 20 year old daughter is flying to Disney with a friend and her mother. The friend and her mother will be staying on property so will be using ME for their transportation. They plan to go directly to MK from the airport on arrival. The rest of my family will be driving and arriving later in the evening, staying at a non-Disney property. After a day of fun in the park, my daughter will be staying with us at the non-Disney property. (She's never flown before so she's taking the opportunity to fly with her friend down there and avoid 10 hours of car travel to get there.) Will my daughter be able to take ME to the park with her friend and friend's mom or do I need to make alternate transportation arrangements?

 

[Missytara]

My 20 year old daughter is flying to Disney with a friend and her mother. The friend and her mother will be staying on property so will be using ME for their transportation. They plan to go directly to MK from the airport on arrival. The rest of my family will be driving and arriving later in the evening, staying at a non-Disney property. After a day of fun in the park, my daughter will be staying with us at the non-Disney property. (She's never flown before so she's taking the opportunity to fly with her friend down there and avoid 10 hours of car travel to get there.) Will my daughter be able to take ME to the park with her friend and friend's mom or do I need to make alternate transportation arrangements?

First, the friend and her mother cannot take an ME bus to a park. It goes to the resort they are staying at, in addition with a few other resorts.

Your daughter will not be able to use ME for free, but she can go to the Mears counter and pay for bus transportation. She can request riding on the same ME bus, since they are also operated by Mears. But it is not guaranteed. She may be on a separate ME bus.

 

[amomma23]

My 20 year old daughter is flying to Disney with a friend and her mother. The friend and her mother will be staying on property so will be using ME for their transportation. They plan to go directly to MK from the airport on arrival. The rest of my family will be driving and arriving later in the evening, staying at a non-Disney property. After a day of fun in the park, my daughter will be staying with us at the non-Disney property. (She's never flown before so she's taking the opportunity to fly with her friend down there and avoid 10 hours of car travel to get there.) Will my daughter be able to take ME to the park with her friend and friend's mom or do I need to make alternate transportation arrangements?

If she's not staying at the Disney hotel, she can't use Magical Express. The friend and her mom know that they won't be able to go airport to MK, right? They have to go airport to hotel, then hotel to MK.

 

[tobikaye]

The only way she can take ME is if she is on the room reservation and has a reservation with ME. Even if her friend is planning to go to MK, using ME they will have to go to their resort before switching to go to MK. If they have a package, room/tickets or room/tickets/dining they will not be able to add her to their reservation without her having the exact same package. If they are doing room only, then they could, if willing, probably add her for 1 night of the reservation and then she could be added to the ME reservation as well and ride with them.

 

[nkereina]

The only way she can take ME is if she is on the room reservation and has a reservation with ME. Even if her friend is planning to go to MK, using ME they will have to go to their resort before switching to go to MK. If they have a package, room/tickets or room/tickets/dining they will not be able to add her to their reservation without her having the exact same package. If they are doing room only, then they could, if willing, probably add her for 1 night of the reservation and then she could be added to the ME reservation as well and ride with them.

In that instance, the friend and friend's mother would be subject to the $25 extra adult fee for the night, even though DD wouldn't be sleeping there.

I guess another option would be for you to pay for a town car or cab for the three of them to go from the airport to WDW, if you don't want to run the risk of DD riding on a separate bus by herself. If you do this, however, they would still need to stop at their resort to store luggage before heading to MK. You can't bring luggage into MK and you can't have DME deliver your luggage if you aren't riding it.

 

[Traveliz]

In that instance, the friend and friend's mother would be subject to the $25 extra adult fee for the night, even though DD wouldn't be sleeping there.

I guess another option would be for you to pay for a town car or cab for the three of them to go from the airport to WDW, if you don't want to run the risk of DD riding on a separate bus by herself. If you do this, however, they would still need to stop at their resort to store luggage before heading to MK. You can't bring luggage into MK and you can't have DME deliver your luggage if you aren't riding it.

The $25.00 fee is for the deluxe resorts; less at moderates and values so it might very well be an option.

Liz

 

[paults]

My 20 year old daughter is flying to Disney with a friend and her mother. The friend and her mother will be staying on property so will be using ME for their transportation. They plan to go directly to MK from the airport on arrival. The rest of my family will be driving and arriving later in the evening, staying at a non-Disney property. After a day of fun in the park, my daughter will be staying with us at the non-Disney property. (She's never flown before so she's taking the opportunity to fly with her friend down there and avoid 10 hours of car travel to get there.) Will my daughter be able to take ME to the park with her friend and friend's mom or do I need to make alternate transportation arrangements?

where are they staying on-site?

 

[nkereina]

The $25.00 fee is for the deluxe resorts; less at moderates and values so it might very well be an option.

Liz

$10 at values, $15 at moderates. Either way, I would find it bold to ask the friend's mother to incur the extra cost no matter how insignificant it is and would feel more comfortable offering to pay for an alternate transfer for them. Everyone is different though!

 

[goofy4tink]

Have your dd's friend's family put her on their reservation. Then, you offer to pay for the 'addtl adult' charge. Then, she can ride the bus with them.
As already noted, they are not going to be able to go directly to MK, on the DME bus. For one thing? It doesn't go to the MK! It goes only to resorts.
When they arrive at MCO, they will have their travel voucher scanned and directed to the appropriate bus line for their resort. The voucher will be scanned again when they board the bus. They can then check-in at the resort and go directly to MK from there.

If they don't want to add her to their resort reservation, then she is going to have to go to the Mears counter when she arrives at MCO, pay to ride the Mears shuttle bus. In all likelihood? She may very well be put on the same bus her friend's family is on. But she will have to pay $20 for the ride.

 

[Sugardimples]

Your daughter could go to the Mears counter that is right next to the Magical Express counter and buy a transfer to a resort (NOT dierectly to the MK). She will probably be put on a ME bus. I do not know what the price of a transfer is.

 

[goofy4tink]

Your daughter could go to the Mears counter that is reight next to the Magical Express counter and buy a transfer to a resort (NOT dierectly to the MK). She wll probably by put on a ME bus. I do not know what the price of a transfer is.

It's about $20 or so...maybe still $19.