Magical Express worth the trouble?

[ITGirl50]

Should we try ME?

We have always taken a town car to and from the airport and it’s been very convenient and easy, but it’s costing about $140 round trip. I would like to try ME, but DH has read horror stories about lost luggage, stopping at a lot of resorts before you get to your destination, and waiting hours at the airport for more passengers before going to your resort.

Any advice/experience?

 

[browniemtb]

Take a look at this thread....it may or may not help.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1682931

Brownie

 

[ITGirl50]

Thank you. I didn't see that post.

 

[wildernessDad]

Trouble? We have not experienced anything but smooth sailing using DME personally.

 

[btrim]

We have used ME several times since it's inception. We have always had very good luck with it. Never a long wait, and only a couple of stops before getting to our destination. It depends on where you are staying as to whether you are first or last off the bus. We love the fact that we can check our luggage at the resort the day we are leaving so we don't have to worry with it at the airport. Just get off the bus and head for security (maybe a short shopping trip at the airport disney store before going through). The only problem we have is we like to pick up a few groceries for the condo. Last trip we rented a car for one day (pick up at Dolphin) to go to church and get groceries. It cost us $35.00 which is cheaper than the towncar option. I'm not going to say you can't have problems, but we have not experienced any yet.

 

[Ariel8676]

We have used it about 6 times now and have never had a problem!!!!
I actually think it is nice and watching the video REALLY gets you in the Disney spirit..actually the last trip when they started the video, my almost 6 yo DD turns and says (very loudly) "Oh man this makes me get butterflies in my stomach when they play this, i REALLY can't wait now"..lol
Seriously you may have to wait a bit for your luggage, but we jut pack a change of clothes for the kids or just bathing suits in our carry on, and we are good to go when we get there!!

 

[FLYNZ4]

We love the fact that we can check our luggage at the resort the day we are leaving so we don't have to worry with it at the airport.

You can do that even if you are not using ME. That service is unrelated to ME as far as I can tell.

/Jim

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

We loved ME

 

[Starr W.]

We love ME too

 

[BroganMc]

You don't have to check your luggage to use ME. We and another family on here both flew Southwest home. Southwest is one of the carriers that DON'T to airline check-in with Disney. We all just carried our bags on board the bus.

It's a big tour bus so has lots of room underneath for luggage. We only had three small bags but the family we traveled with had tons. (Was there a kitchen sink lurking it that luggage or just a teenage girl's entire wardrobe, I wonder? Sorry, couldn't resist T&R.)

I've sent family on ME twice and went myself last NYE. The process was incredibly smooth. I was very impressed.

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

We have done ME on 2 of our trips with our 4 children and we LOVED it! It was AWESOME! We had absolutely no problem and my younger children actually can't remeber going to WDW without being on the Disney Bus LOL!

Nicole
Wife to Reuben
Mom to
Keitaaron soon to be 9
Xeyana soon to be 7
Chloe 6
Colin 4

 

[zorro77]

We have used ME also. Key point for us was with a party of 8 or more you can get rid of luggage at Bell service and never see it again. We have one in our party in a wheel chair so it make that even more important to not have luggage to pull at the airport. It may seem like you are getting ready to go earlier to airport but probably not more than 1 hour. This year we will rent a car and turn it in one day at Swan when we for to MGM or Epcot.

 

[todd222222]

We used ME last year and had no problems.

Checked in at airport, waited about 10 minutes, sent the bus with only 10 or 15 people on it and our hotel was the only stop.

Checked in at hotel, went to DTD, by the time we got back our bags were in our room.

Planning to use it again in a couple of weeks, and frankly was worried that our last experience may have been a miracle, this thread has made me feel better.

 

[DBorges]

I aways get a rent a car I like to drive .

Also i heard that the return trip you leave hours before you travel.

Not sure if it is true but with a rent a car I am there to WDW in 25 after landing and I leave 2 1/2 hours before i fly

GO NEW ENGLAND PATROITS

 

[LSchrow]

I aways get a renta car I like to drive .

Also i heard that the return trip you leave hours before you travel.

Not sure if it is true but with a rent a car I am there to WDW in 25 after landing and I leave 2 1/2 hours beore i fly

you can be in WDW 25 minutes after landing?
just deplaning, getting to the other side of MCO, down to the luggage carousel (& that ever-so-fun wait for each piece lol), then off to the car rental to wait (even with alamo's quick silver & nat's emerald aisle, we still encounter waits). & then going across the street to the garage, & getting the rental car..........that's a solid 25 minutes before even leaving the airport (in our experience) .

we used to rent a car at MCO, but now use ME.......so much less hassle, imho. btw, we still rent a car (for grocery & outlet shopping), but norm from the dolphin (when we stay at BW).

 

[DBorges]

Ok it take maybe 40 mins but I do not waste the time on the return with ME

 

[Judy WI]

I
Also i heard that the return trip you leave hours before you travel.
Not sure if it is true but with a rent a car I am there to WDW in 25 after landing and I leave 2 1/2 hours before i fly

ME always plan on about 3 hours before your flight so not much different than what you plan. They just drop you off at the stop and you get to your gate, no car return, no luggage to haul. Some will always like to drive and some like the bus same as getting to the parks. It's how comfortable you are letting go of the control.

 

[jbrowna]

With ME available, you could turn this question around and ask: is renting a car/hiring a limo or towncar, worth the trouble and the money?

That being said, although we've used ME for almost all of our trips since it became available, the last time down we rented a car. Our daughter lives in Kissimmee, and we wanted to go to her house without having to borrow her car to do so. Also, on our next trip in February we will be renting a car, since she'll be getting married, and we'll want the convenience of having our own car.

So, basically, ME may be worth it depending on what you want to do while down there. For the most part, I would use it. I've found the issues mentioned above -- long waits, early departure to the airport -- to be fairly minor compared to the cost and hassle savings of using ME. But then, I'm pretty cheap, and ME for free is a very good price! (OK, it's not exactly free, since I have to stay on property to take advantage of it....but since I'd stay on property anyway using ME only makes $en$e!)

 

[Reginak]

When we used ME on our last trip we were told to report to the resort about 3 to 4 hours before our flight for the scheduled bus. We didn't mind that but the bus didn't show up for an hour and a half.
Is this the norm? Or was it just a fluke?
Regina

 

[Kathi OD]

DH and I have never used ME, but that is only because we like to have a car with us just in case we decide to do something off-property. We can usually get a better rental price at the airport than at the Dolphin and so we go that way. Personally, I think that if you don't want to have a car at your disposal using ME is a no-brainer.