Magical Express (would like first hand experience sans rumors)

[iankh]

Magical express has been running for a month now. Anyone have recent first hand experience with the service? First hand pluses? First hand minuses?

 

[SCDizneyDawn]

I wrote my experiences in my trip report. I was happy with the experience considering it saved me close to 100 dollars. I would be less inclined to do this if it didn't save so much money, but it was nice to have someone else worry about the luggage when we arrived.
Here is my report: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=822142

Hopefully that worked!

 

[iankh]

Reading your trip report it seemed to have worked great for you, very impressive!

 

[Vals]

Hi. I just returned mon nite from a short stay at SSR. I am a dvc member, did not receive the luggage tags prior to my leaving home. I was going to take Mears, didnt want to rent a car-been too busy with my bus to even call to see if the Magic Express applied to DVC members. anyways, I inquired when I arrived at the Airport, was told no problem, i only had carry on luggage, only had to wait a few min for my bus to leave for SSR, on the return was picked up at exactly 115 as was told that I would . It was great saved me $28, but from what I heard, the taxi drivers, limo drivers etc are not too happy, lots of layoffs. It will be free apparently for 18 mos then, either a fee will be charged or it will be cancelled. (as told to me by a cast member)

 

[xterratri]

We used ME for our recent trip from May 29-June 5. We hit the ground at MCO about 10 minutes to 11 in the morning, took the ME bus to OKW, were checked in and headed for MK by 1230. When we returned to OKW about 1630 after eating lunch at the Castle, our villa was ready and our luggage was in it.

We got picked up at OKW at 1410 on the 5th for a theoretical 1658 flight out of MCO. We had checked in the luggage with the airline person earlier and got part of our boarding passes printed. The boarding pass issue was with the airline employee and how the system was interfacing with Delta, not a ME issue. We got to MCO in plenty of time to get the boarding passes, window shop in the stores, get through security, go to the gate, find out the flight was delayed... The problems with the trip home had absolutely nothing to do with ME. It worked smoothly and my sister and I are using it again for a short trip on cash in July. We used Wegoshop for groceries and were happy with that service.

 

[Candace]

I used it for my recent trip June 4 - 11. My airline, Northwest is not yet a participating partner, so I was responsible for my luggage, which was no problem. I went and got it from baggage claim and went to check in with a rep standing in the airport. She directed me to the bus terminal, and I was on the bus for OKW in just a few minutes. SSR was the first stop and OKW was the second, with POFQ being the third on our bus (and there were only to be 3 hotel stops). On my return day, I called bell services to come get my luggage and ME picked me up exactly when they said, which was 3 hours prior to my flight. It really is a good service especially if you don't need a rental car. This was the first time I have been to WDW without a car in years, and I sorta missed it, but ME worked just fine. I have heard the bad stories about people not getting their luggage until late at night, but I didn't deal with that because I retrieved my own. Would I use it again? Sure! It was a free ride on a beautiful new bus with great 'movies' while riding.

 

[KathyR]

We used it a lot on our recent trip with no complaints other than no luggage tags were received!

May 22-
Our flight landed approx. 11AM- We headed straight to the check in desk for ME. The line was VERY long, but it moved quickly. Only one of us was supposed to enter the line, so my husband took the kids and sat with them while I checked us in. We were directed to another line to wait for our bus. Whole time spent from landing to check in was 1.5 hours. Our luggage arrived despite no MEx tags just as promised.

June 3-
My husband flew home. His pick up time was 2.75 hours before his 7:05PM flight on a nonparticipating airline. He was picked up right on time and made it to the airport after a few stops with no problems. He had about an hour to check in and make it to the gate which was plenty of time. It only took 15 minutes total, and that was with waiting in line to check in at the desk inside.

June 3rd-
Mother-in-law, Sister-in-law and niece arrive, and have the same experience we do. No problems!

June 10th-
We all leave for home. The bus arrives on time and off we go. We only had 1 stop on the way, so we had about 1.75 hours to check in and get to the gate. It was PLENTY of time. We also handled our own luggage with no problems.


All in all it saved us over $300 in rental cars, so it was well worth it for us. I would use MEx again with no hesitation even though I know I could have picked up our car from the emerald Isle at National and been at the resort 1 hour earlier. The savings for us was worth the hour lost at the start of our trip and the extra hour lost at the end. Thumbs up from all in our family!

 

[LeftCoaster]

I used ME a couple of weeks ago. Arrvied Thur. 6/2 at 6:00 am. OKW was the first stop for the bus and I was checked in and on my way to my room by 7:30 am. I was a very happy camper that I had a room ready. I was in bed by 8am, and slept for a couple of hours. I left my room at 10:45 and still no luggage. Apparently, it was delivered around noon.

On the return, the following Monday, I had a 7:20 flight out of MCO. They had me arrive at the bus stop at 4:15 and it picked me up by 4:30. The return trip was easy an uneventful.

The busses are quite nice and comfy. If I was on a budget, I'd do it again. The only thing preventing me from it was the regular Disney bus service. To me, it seems like it's getting worse and worse and I just don't want to rely on that lackluster transportation anymore.

 

[carol1231]

My airline, Northwest is not yet a participating partner, so I was responsible for my luggage, which was no problem. I went and got it from baggage claim and went to check in with a rep standing in the airport.

So, with the non participating airlines (Southwest for example), you need to go to the baggage claim and get your luggage? I thought the only part that didn't apply with those airlines was the resort check in.

My in-laws are coming in from Chicago on SWA and I just want to make sure they know what they need to do.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

So, with the non participating airlines (Southwest for example), you need to go to the baggage claim and get your luggage? I thought the only part that didn't apply with those airlines was the resort check in.

This question comes up over and over again. The phrase "participating airlines" has caused all sorts on confusion with Disney CMs and with folks on this board.

Disney's Magical Express (ME) is not limited to "participating airlines." Passengers of any airline can ride the ME coaches both ways. And when traveling to WDW, passengers of any airline can check their luggage from their home airport directly to their WDW resort hotel. (It gets a little more complicated for international visitors who need to pass through U.S. Customs and Imigration at Orlando International.)

There is no such thing as a participating airlines list for the overall ME service.

The list of participating airlines only applies to an optional feature called Resort Airline Check-in. According to the Disney Meetings website Disney's Magical Express FAQs:

Q: What is Resort Airline Check-in?

A: This service offers remote check-in, allowing you to check your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass at the Resort. At this time, remote check-in service is only available for guests flying domestically on the following airlines: American, Continental, Delta (including Song), and United (including Ted). Additional airlines may be added at a later date.​

If you aren't on a Resort Airline Check-in participating airline, your luggage can travel back to the airport in the luggage hold of the ME motorcoach. Once at the airport, you can check your bags and get your boarding pass.

You can use Magical Express without using Resort Airline Check-in, and you can use Resort Airline Check-in without using Magical Express.

 

[seashoreCM]

So, with the non participating airlines (Southwest for example), you need to go to the baggage claim and get your luggage? I thought the only part that didn't apply with those airlines was the resort check in.

You are right. Going to Disney, the baggage procedure is the same for all airlines. Except for a miniscule number of irregularities that might occur with any airline, you do not have to go to baggage claim.

Only when going home, the resort check out airline check in stand does not take baggage or print boarding passes except for a few airlines.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/magicx.htm

 

[Candace]

"So, with the non participating airlines (Southwest for example), you need to go to the baggage claim and get your luggage? I thought the only part that didn't apply with those airlines was the resort check in."

I was told by the rep in the airport (not at the ME desk, but the one standing in the terminal with the big, white, Mickey hand) that I could give him my baggage claim ticket and he would retrieve it, OR I could get it myself. He jokingly (but honestly) said if I chose to retrieve it myself, it would speed things along as far as it getting to my room, since it would be going directly with me on the bus, instead of coming later.

 

[reedycreek]

here is my report from ME posted earlier:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=836553

 

[SJCSuzyQ]

Has anybody used it that has arrived late at night? My BIL will be meeting us in WDW and his flight on Southwest gets in about 10pm. He'll probably just have a carryon and needs to get to the BWV. Any ideas on how long it might take? Or which other resorts the BWV bus will stop at?

Thanks in advance.

Suzy

 

[ksoehrlein]

We stayed at Pop Century May 19-May 24. Didn't receive our DME tags ahead of time, but that was not a problem. Our flight was majorly delayed, so instead of 10:10 PM, we got in pretty close to midnight. I didn't see the white-gloved CMs, but knew to head to the first floor anyway. We went by way of baggage claim, which was a little out of the way. We finally found the check-in desk, and the CM told me that since it was so late, I should go ahead and get my luggage to take with me on the motor coach. The driver was very nice about that as well. At DME check-in, I received the vouchers for the return trip and pin/lanyard, so I was a happy camper.

After we grabbed our bags, we got to the line for the bus just as one had pulled up. The bus was very nice, with plush, comfy seats. The driver was a jokester, which DD adored. He was a little ignorant about WDW, but knowing that he was a Mears employee, not a CM, I cut him some slack.

DME to the airport was less than ideal, but still OK. At the time designated on my paperwork, all that had pulled up to Pop was a Mears shuttle. The Pop CM was cryptic when someone asked her if DME people could board that shuttle -- I'm still not sure of the answer. After the DME people stressed out for a bit over the wait time (20 minutes past the posted time, I'd guess), a DME motor coach finally pulled up. Ironically, we had the same driver we'd had on the way to Pop. We got to the airport with time -- but not too much time -- to spare.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I was told by the rep in the airport (not at the ME desk, but the one standing in the terminal with the big, white, Mickey hand) that I could give him my baggage claim ticket and he would retrieve it, OR I could get it myself. He jokingly (but honestly) said if I chose to retrieve it myself, it would speed things along as far as it getting to my room, since it would be going directly with me on the bus, instead of coming later.

But that has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not the airline is participating in Resort Airline Check-in.

There is no such thing as a participating airlines list for inbound Magical Express transportation and luggage service. The service and how it works are exactly same for all airlines.

 

[MaryJ]

Here's what happened to us:

We did not receive luggage tags for our 5/16/05 trip. When we arrived, we went to the ME desk, and they had our names in the computer for transportation to SSR, so no problem getting onto the bus. I gave them our luggage tag numbers from the airline and and a description of our luggage and they said "No problem. Someone from Disney would pick up the luggage from the baggage claim and transport it to our hotel." Now, when I made my flight ressies, I gave Delta airlines my cell phone number. We had arrived at SSR and been in our room for all of 10-15 minutes when my cell phone rang. It was someone from Delta airlines calling because our luggage had not been picked up off the baggage carosel. The man asked if we were staying on Disney property and using ME. I said yes, and he said he would take the luggage to Disney for us. This was sometime between 5:00 and 5:30. We left to go to the HDDR around 8:00 and the luggage still had not been delivered. When we arrived back at our room after 11:00 it was there, so I don't know exactly what time it arrived.

This said, if I had to do it again with no luggage tags, I would pick up the luggage myself and take it to the ME desk. Who know what would have happened to my luggage if Delta hadn't found my cell phone number in my reservation?

Other than that, I found it to be very pleasant. We only waited about 15 minutes for our bus to SSR. The bus for the return trip was a little late (15-20 minutes.) It was not a ME bus, but Mears, so I must say that we didn't feel the magic on the return trip that we felt coming into WDW. We will be going to WDW for the F&WF, but I don't think we'll be using ME. We'll probably rent a car so we can get groceries as needed.

 

[carol1231]

Ok, I just want to make sure I have this all straight, because now I'm getting confused.

The in-laws are flying into MCO on SWA, they have ME tags already (thank goodness) and the tags will be on their bags. When they arrive at MCO, do they go to baggage claim and get their bags and then go to the ME counter, or just go to the ME counter and don't go get the bags?

One poster mentioned that they were told to get the bags from baggage claim and it would be quicker, is that a better plan?. Do the bags even go to baggage claim if they are tagged?

Sorry to ask the questions, but if they end up running around the airport, I'm gonna hear about it all week.

 

[wtpclc]

One of the great things about ME is not having to wait for your bags. You just go to teh counter and hop on the bus. Your bags may be a while behind you, though, so I highly recommend making sure whatever you need for 2 to 4 hours after you arrive (to be safe) is in your carry-on.

 

[WDWDeb]

I have a suggestion to anyone using the Magical Express service....tape or staple your yellow bag tags to ensure they don't fall off. Don't just rely on the sticky adhesive on the tags. We used the service to get to the Polynesian on 5/31. We went on the 6/5 Disney Cruise, so we didn't use the service back to the airport. Our ME tags were already falling off when we checked in at the airport. Some of our luggage arrived about 2 hours after check in, but we had to fill out a "delayed bag" form for our remaining missing bags. We did this at the front desk. Around 7:45pm more bags arrived, and our last bag arrived at 10pm that night. 3 of the 6 bags arrived with no ME tags. I firmly believe that the missing yellow ME tags were the reason for the delay. Otherwise, the service is excellent. We checked in very quickly at the ME welcome center and we walked straight onto a bus. It only took about 15 minutes from the time we got off the plane to the time we were leaving on the bus. We have been going to the WDW resort 2-3 times a year since 1971, and this service is one of the nicest perks they have given resort guests.