Magical Express

[ILYSWAK]

Arriving at MCO at 9:15pm on Wed..with a 2 yr old.
Do not want to prolong getting to OKW.
Might consider private transp.
Any feedback?

thanks
Marie

 

[stitchlover]

In my experience from the minute we walk off the plan to the minute we walk up to the check in at the resort is an hour max. If you did private transportation you would have to wait for baggage, etc. I would do DME.

But I would STRESS at check in that you do not want your bags delivered that evening. We stayed at POFQ this past trip and didn't check in until around midnight. Asked that our luggage please be held and they said no problem. 2:30am the phone rings...do you want your bags? I think this next trip we will look to see if we can block calls just in case!

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

I would just take Magical Express. All three times we have used it is has been so incredibly fast, no longer than a 10 minute wait. Its a great service, I would use it instead of private transportation.

 

[ilovepooh]

We used DME on July 22, and we had no problems! As soon as the plane landed I waited to check-in at DME desk maybe 5 minutes, and was directed to the "red carpet" where we went to our hotels line to wait for the bus. We waited there less than 5 minutes. We boarded the bus, waited about 5-10 minutes, and we were the first stop! I would definitely recommend it! We will definitely be using it again next year!

 

[byoung]

Take ME it's free

 

[excitedtraveler]

We went last week and did DME and it worked out really well. We have a 5 y/o and a 1 y/o and didn't want to be waiting around either. It's so nice that you don't have to worry about getting your luggage and all that and you're on your way to your resort before you know it. Just be sure to pack essentials into your carryon as there is often a delay of a couple hours between when you arrive in your room and your luggage does.

 

[CleveRocks]

Arriving at MCO at 9:15pm on Wed..with a 2 yr old.
Do not want to prolong getting to OKW.
Might consider private transp.
Any feedback?

thanks
Marie

First of all,

You will arrive at your resort around the same time whether you take Disney's Magical Express, a car service, a rental car, or taxi. It's a common misconception that DME takes longer.

Choose your transportation by the level of service you desire and how much you're willing to pay.

Personally, I'm a huge DME fan. The first time we used it was when it was just a few days old ... our kids were 5 and 2. We did it again last fall when they were 6 and 4. The first time, we went from airplane to resort in 63 minutes, and the second time in only 56 minutes.

Best advice: pack smartly in your carry-ons for your immediate needs. Use the DME automatic luggage delivery, and when you get to your resort ask that your DME luggage be held 'til morning. You can easily and happily fit everything you need for the flight, the night and next morning in your carry-ons. Each ticketed passenger is entitled to a carry-on. My 2 year old felt like such a big girl having her own little backpack to be responsible for. She carried her own airplane snacks, airplane activities, bedtime buddy and jammies. One of us big people took care of the diapers and wipes, as that's no fun for a "big girl" to carry!

On our most recent trip, we landed around 10 p.m., were at our resort around 11 p.m. I had planned to ask them to hold our DME bags 'til morning, but I forgot. Our phone rang at 1:16 a.m., with an offer to bring our luggage if we wanted it. We had them hold it ... I called for it around 6:30 a.m. and they were right up to me in about 5 minutes.

Really, it was very simple to bring our immediate needs in carry-ons. It's a smart way to travel, anyway, as it means if your airline delays your luggage you'll still be able to start your trip off well.

 

[dburg30]

Seeing 2 posters saying they requested it not be brought up but got phone calls asking if they wanted it. If you took the phone off the hook, and they couldnt get hold of you, do you think they would investigate more or just let it go til they could get you?
Although I have a feeling everyone will be beat, so I guess just mumbling to them to bring it in the AM probably wouldnt wake young uns up too easily, and if it did, they'd probably be out pretty quick again?

 

[sassyat30]

Just so you are aware of this...you are able to use DME and get your own bags and bring them on the bus with you.

DH and I will be using DME for the first time on our next trip, and we are planning on getting our own bags and bringing them on the bus with us.

And yes, I am well aware it might take me 10 mins of my time to get my bags and walk back to the DME counter, but this is what we feel comfortable doing.

 

[chevblazer02]

Alright, I was reading and noticed that someone mentioned that, you could bring your luggage on the bus with you, can some one verify this becuase my g/f is very worried about letting someone else deal with her luggage, besides this anyone have any suggestions so I could ease her worrying...

 

[CleveRocks]

Seeing 2 posters saying they requested it not be brought up but got phone calls asking if they wanted it.

I only count one. I said I forgot to request the bags be held 'til morning.

 

[CleveRocks]

Alright, I was reading and noticed that someone mentioned that, you could bring your luggage on the bus with you, can some one verify this becuase my g/f is very worried about letting someone else deal with her luggage, besides this anyone have any suggestions so I could ease her worrying...

The DME luggage tags have barcodes. Tagged luggage is pulled behind-the-scenes and taken to a Disney luggage sorting facility on the airport grounds. The bags are scanned once upon arrival, and a second time when grouped by resort. Resort-sorted luggage is then loaded into locked cages and scanned a third time. The cages are loaded onto DME luggage delivery trucks, and these trucks are tracked by GPS. The bags are scanned a fourth time when they are unloaded from the cages at the resort, and then scanned a fifth and final time when they are brought into the inside of your resort room. Bottom line: Disney knows where your luggage is at all times, and resort CMs can track its real-time location by computer.

Disney's been doing this for well over 2 years now, and there are no widespread DME luggage problems. You have a MUCH better chance of an airline-based luggage problem.

Will this help???

 

[dburg30]

I only count one. I said I forgot to request the bags be held 'til morning.

Ok yea, you were the 2nd one, sorry. Anyway, can you answer my question?

 

[dburg30]

Alright, I was reading and noticed that someone mentioned that, you could bring your luggage on the bus with you, can some one verify this becuase my g/f is very worried about letting someone else deal with her luggage, besides this anyone have any suggestions so I could ease her worrying...

Cleve gave you a good answer that hopefully will ease some of her worries, but yes, you can get your own luggage and still ride the busses, just dont put the yellow barcoded tags on your luggage and they will go just like normal luggage.

 

[CleveRocks]

Anyway, can you answer my question?

I don't know the definitive answer to your question. I don't know if they'd take a hint from the busy signal or they'd come a knockin'. You can take control of that by telling the front desk AND Bell Services that you would like your DME bags held 'til morning. That way it doesn't matter what they would do, since they would know what you want them to do.

 

[anbouk]

sometimes, I believe it works much quicker. I know cause I travel with a young child too!

 

[3mickeys&me]

Just so you are aware of this...you are able to use DME and get your own bags and bring them on the bus with you.

DH and I will be using DME for the first time on our next trip, and we are planning on getting our own bags and bringing them on the bus with us.

And yes, I am well aware it might take me 10 mins of my time to get my bags and walk back to the DME counter, but this is what we feel comfortable doing.

We did this too! And it worked out great for us as well. Just remember not to put the DME tag on your luggage. We hardly had a wait at all!! I highly recommend the DME!!

 

[lttlmc3]

I loved the DME. It was like, as soon as you are at the airport and then on the bus, you are in the magic. They have little videos to watch as you ride and it makes it all the more exciting to know that you are about to be there.

 

[lighttech]

Alright, I was reading and noticed that someone mentioned that, you could bring your luggage on the bus with you, can some one verify this becuase my g/f is very worried about letting someone else deal with her luggage, besides this anyone have any suggestions so I could ease her worrying...

First of all, its so nice of you to share her concern for her. I'm a worrier too, and sometimes all I need is for DH to try to understand.

A little more detail would help with answers... Is she worried about luggage being lost, damaged or rifled through? or stolen?

I used to travel a lot for work, and there were a couple things I did to ease my own mind.

Be sure to pack necessities and one change of clothes in your carry-on. (Although, necessities mean diff't things to diff't people, and hair-care, make-up, etc. is out these days w/ airline restrictions). This way, if the luggage is delayed at the airport, you can still wakeup and put on a fresh change of clothes and start your day.

I used to get skeeved out by the thought of someone rifling through my, eh-hem, unmentionables. So, I would sometimes pack all my undies and socks in my carry-on. (I was only traveling for a day or two, so they'd fit in a baggie at the bottom.)

Also, ziploc baggies are your friend. Separate and bag away when traveling. Shampoos in a bag, socks in a bag, make-up in a bag, etc. That way, if anything bursts or gets bumped and broken, you've lost only that item, and the mess is self-contained.

If the worry is with DME, I'd look to the other posters comments (I haven't used them myself yet, but will on our trip this fall) and see how careful everyone said they are. In my opinion, its Disney. They are going to do their darndest to keep you happy. And are probably a heck of a lot more considerate than some of the airlines. (Some are great... others... not so much.)

Good luck!

 

[MomWith2Cinderellas]

Arriving at MCO at 9:15pm on Wed..with a 2 yr old.
Do not want to prolong getting to OKW.
Might consider private transp.
Any feedback?

thanks
Marie

We have taken DME with a late arrival and our experince was pleasant. Our little ones were so excited to be in "Mickey Country" that they were very excited to be on the bus. It probably took us an 1 hour/ 1hour 15 minutes to get to the resort from MCO. We took a private service last time and the service was good, but by the time we located our driver and we got to the car it took us almost 2 hours to get to WDW!!