Magical Express-without airline reservation

[Deborah LeSueur]

Can I book Magical Express without an airline reservation? Kind of doing a split stay and have to return rental to MCO. Wondering if I can return car then grab ME to AKL.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Can I book Magical Express without an airline reservation? Kind of doing a split stay and have to return rental to MCO. Wondering if I can return car then grab ME to AKL.

Is the day you are returning the car the day you switch to your second resort? I'm not sure what you meant by "kind of doing a split stay". If your car rental return day is the same day your second resort reservation begins, then yes, it will definitely work. Your second resort reservation is treated as a completely separate reservation. Pick out a flight which is arriving around the time you will need DME to AKL. Call and give them that flight number and arrival time to book DME.

I'm not 100% if or how it would work if the day you need DME is in the middle of a resort reservation. It may work but it might not.

 

[Nick6300]

Yes, I actually just called Magical Express for you (I wanted to check my reservation anyhow). Since you are staying on property, you're good without a flight for transportation to and from your Disney hotel on check in and check out days. It may be a bit more unconventional to request on a different day during your hotel stay - if that's what you're looking for. You would call ME at 1-866-599-0951 and tell them when you are needing a lift from MCO to AKL.

 

[Deborah LeSueur]

Is the day you are returning the car the day you switch to your second resort? I'm not sure what you meant by "kind of doing a split stay". If your car rental return day is the same day your second resort reservation begins, then yes, it will definitely work. Your second resort reservation is treated as a completely separate reservation. Pick out a flight which is arriving around the time you will need DME to AKL. Call and give them that flight number and arrival time to book DME.

I'm not 100% if or how it would work if the day you need DME is in the middle of a resort reservation. It may work but it might not.

Thanks. I should have clarified that we are doing a "split stay" with the first part off property. The 2nd half will be at AKL.

 

[Deborah LeSueur]

Yes, I actually just called Magical Express for you (I wanted to check my reservation anyhow). Since you are staying on property, you're good without a flight for transportation to and from your Disney hotel on check in and check out days. It may be a bit more unconventional to request on a different day during your hotel stay - if that's what you're looking for. You would call ME at 1-866-599-0951 and tell them when you are needing a lift from MCO to AKL.

Thanks for doing the leg work for me! This will save me $$$ on getting back after dropping of our rental. Conventional wisdom would just have me do drop off at one of the car centers on property, but I'm booking my rental through AA and looks like they will only let you do airport pick-up/returns.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Thanks. I should have clarified that we are doing a "split stay" with the first part off property. The 2nd half will be at AKL.

Then you're good to go. As far as DME is concerned, you could be flying in that day. They don't actually check the flight manifests.

 

[tjmw2727]

DME doesn't care if your flying or not or if it is your arrival or departure day, only that you are a guest on the day you want transportation. Just call and tell them when you would like to be transported. Or if you want to make the DME reservation online just find a flight that is arriving prior to when you need to return the car and use that info along with your real departure flight.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/airport-transportation-reservation/

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes, I actually just called Magical Express for you (I wanted to check my reservation anyhow). Since you are staying on property, you're good without a flight for transportation to and from your Disney hotel on check in and check out days. It may be a bit more unconventional to request on a different day during your hotel stay - if that's what you're looking for. You would call ME at 1-866-599-0951 and tell them when you are needing a lift from MCO to AKL.

Just fyi and for those following along my kids fly in after me and/or leave prior to me and it has never been an issue booking DME on a day other than arrival or departure. Done it for years and as recently as April 2017

 

[siskaren]

Just fyi and for those following along my kids fly in after me and/or leave prior to me and it has never been an issue booking DME on a day other than arrival or departure. Done it for years and as recently as April 2017

You can't book it for a day that's before your reservation starts or for a day that's after it ends, however.

 

[tjmw2727]

You can't book it for a day that's before your reservation starts or for a day that's after it ends, however.

Of course - I mentioned that in my first post but thanks for clarifying )

 

[Fangorn]

I'm not 100% if or how it would work if the day you need DME is in the middle of a resort reservation. It may work but it might not.

The short answer to this is yes, it works there too.

As a WDW Resort guest, you are entitled to one trip from the airport to your resort, and one trip from the Resort to the airport. Those trips can be any day(s) from the day you check in to the day you check out, inclusive. They do not even have to be in the "normal" order. On one trip we had rented a car, but during our stay, I needed to make a sudden business trip. Rather than have DW take me to the airport at 4am, and pick me up again that night, I called DME, explained what I needed and they set it all up. I've found DME to be super accommodating and efficient to work with.

Just call them and tell them what you need. There's no need to pretend you're on a flight you aren't on. They really don't care, other than to give themselves a general idea of the distribution of guests across the day.

Steve

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

Can I book Magical Express without an airline reservation? Kind of doing a split stay and have to return rental to MCO. Wondering if I can return car then grab ME to AKL.

What rental car company are you using? If you are using Alamo or National, you can drop off your rental at the Disney Car Center right near the Polynesian Resort. From there, they will take you to the resort you are staying at or a theme park if you had already checked in/left your bags at the resort you are staying at. You would have to see if there are changes in price from dropping off at Disney or dropping off at the airport. We used the Disney Car Center once, and it was very convenient not having to go all the way to MCO since we drove up from Miami after a cruise..

 

[Kaytie]

What rental car company are you using? If you are using Alamo or National, you can drop off your rental at the Disney Car Center right near the Polynesian Resort.

Nah. She later posted that it's a reservation through AA and the car has to be picked up from and returned to the airport.