Magical Express

[UKDEB]

We spoke with Member Services yesterday to book accommodation for our daughter, together with ME. Having never used it, I just want to check my understanding of it all.

We were informed that nothing is sent to the UK and that they will need to find the hostess at Bag Claim B for tickets for the bus and luggage tags. Is it still possible to take your bags with you on the bus? They're not scheduled to land until 6:25pm and, as they'll be travelling with a 16 month old, I wouldn't want them to be waiting until the early hours, or next day for their luggage. In those circumstances, I take it they don't need the tags, or should they take them for the return journey?

Is ME Bus Driver a tippable position? What happens when you arrive at your resort? Do valet services remove the bags from the bus? If so, do you tip both them and bell-hop?

I thought I'd got some other questions, but they've slipped my mind, so any other hints and tips would be useful.

 

[CustardTart]

Hi Deb!
I'll try and answer your questions...

If you've booked with Member Services do have a confirmation email? If not, I would request one and print it out. Then your DD and her partner can just collect their bags off the carousel (I never bother with Baggage Claim B) and wheel them down past all the car hire places to the ME check-in at the very end. They can obtain tags for the return journey here, I think - we've never used ME for the return leg. Then they'll be directed to the bus and their cases can be loaded in the hold...

I don't think we have ever tipped the ME driver - I don't recall seeing a pot or anything and altho' he gets your bags out of the hold, it's not easy to hand anything over as it all happens quickly. However, if you want to be on the safe side, maybe they could have a $ per case handy? I don't remember the valet guys getting involved, so we've usually just taken our own cases to the DVC desk in the resort and let the bell hop handle it from there...

Hope that helps...

 

[suzycute]

We've used ME a couple of times in the past. The first time (in 2006, before buying in to DVC) I was sent luggage labels, had to reclaim my bag and then put it on to the second conveyor where ME picked it up and it was transferred to POP for me. The luggage took hours to arrive and this was in the days when all you could take on a plane was in a very small plastic bag. I had nothing to sleep in, change in to, wash with etc so would highly recommend that your daughter takes her bags with her!

Last year going to SSR for our first trip home, DH and I did exactly this. MS does not send out labels but we didn't need them. We checked in to the ME desk who also reconfirmed our return trip back to the airport and took our bags with us on the bus. We tipped the driver about a dollar a bag - he removed them from the bus for us (so it's useful to have some single dollar bills). I don't know about bell services as we took our cases ourselves to check in.

This year (in just under 3 weeks ), we are going to POP for 2 nights first booked through the WDW website and they have sent me an ME voucher (but no labels). We are then transferring to BLT for 6 nights. I rang MS to check and they confirmed that they don't send out vouchers / labels etc and was told the same information as you regarding getting on the bus.

Hope your daughter has a great trip!

 

[tink too]

We used ME for our trip to SSR in April. Becuase we arrived around 7.30pm, we collected our own luggage, took it to the ME desk and were told which bus to get on.

I did tip the ME driver as he loaded/unloaded our luggage at the resort.

When we arrived at SSR, bell services took our luggage. Once we'd check-in, bell services drove us round to our villa in a golf cart and took our luggage up to the room for us.

For our return journey, I had to call to confirm our pick-up time.

 

[Princess_Melanie]

We used ME in Jan 09. We didn't get any luggage lables or confirmation and they couldn't email this to me either. They told me (several times lol) not to worry and I was booked - I just had to turn up to the desk.

We did and it worked fine - they gave us our voucher and this was surrendered on our return journey. I can't even remember how we knew which bus to take - I think it was either on the voucher or they told us at the desk before we left the airport.

We also took out own cases to the bus, and when we got to the resort took them to our room ourselves. Didn't want to wait for hours for them....

 

[paulh]

Just back and used ME both ways.As you stated they don't post yellow tags overseas any more,this is because they were not turning up on time.
If they want to use ME for picking up bags they go to the counter for ME (near to the car hire area right at the end)give ME people your luggage ticket stups and a brief discretion of bags and they will pick up and deliver to room which can be 4 hours later or if late flight next morning
We always pick up our bags and take with us and its never a problem.driver loads onto bus
When you get to resort driver gets bags off and this is where we tip(it is optanal for outstanding service its says on bus next to there name)we tip a bout $5 as driver is lugging bags on and off the bus for us
If bags collected by bell services you dont tip them there you would tip when there put in the room
We usaly take bags with us to room so never an issue,also you can get a cart to take bags to room yourself you don't have to get bell services to take them for you
on the way back you will have to be at pick up 4 hours before for
international flights even if your connecting.Again driver puts bags on bus and unloads and we usualy tip a few $
If you tell me where there staying i could give you the route as bus will stop a couple of places then again trip from airport usually around 45 which ever hotel your staying
Paul

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks for all your replies which are really helpful and have jogged my memory about a couple of the other questions I have.

Paul, at the moment they're booked into SSR. I was wondering about the route. Is there a dedicated bus for each resort, or is it possible they might have to go via others? How often do the buses run? Do they wait for them to fill up, or do they depart at set intervals? Where do you go to get one after checking in at the desk?

Do you need ME labels for the return journey? Do you leave your bags with bell services for loading on the bus? Has anyone flying Virgin done DTD check-in and just used the bus to transport themselves to the airport. Is that possible? Not that I'm sure there's any benefit in that as they'd have to get their luggage over to DTD. Not too bad if they do end up staying at SSR, I suppose. I take it that whatever you decide to spend your last morning doing, you have to make your way back to your resort for the return journey? The buses don't pick up elsewhere?

Thanks again.

 

[saratogagirl]

Deb, I cant answer your questions on the return journey I'm sorry as we have always picked up a car by that point.
The Magical Express check in is as others have said past all the car hire desks, and you get the buses right by it. Just past the check in desk there will be a cast member asking which resort you are going to and they will then point you into the right queue, they have seperate lines for the resorts, these are actually inside the terminal, when your bus is there, they unclip the barrier thingy and point you in the direction of the bus (normally with a big Mickey Hand)!! We have never stood in line for more than ten minutes, although we have then sat on the coach waiting for more passengers for another twenty minutes or so, we have never been on a full coach, maybe half full. They show you a video on the way. On two of our trips it has been quite funny as the passengers let out a collective whoop as the coach went through the purple arches. Only ever taken the coach to Saratoga, last year we went to Old Key West first and then onto Saratoga, I believe the coach was then going onto French Quarter and RiverSide.

I tell you a fib, we once went to Music, and called at Carribean Beach on the way...

 

[TinkTatoo]

We used ME for both legs of our journey this summer. We never received anything from them before we traveled and I only realised this the day before we flew out. I called MS to check and they said that if we didn't have our tickets we should just go to the ME desk and they would be able to confirm our booking and print the tickets out for us, which is what we did.

We always tip the driver as he or she usually loads and unloads our bags under the bus, plus the two drivers we had on both legs of our trip were real characters and made the journey enjoyable.

As your DD is traveling with a toddler I would strongly recommend that they collect their own cases and put them on the bus so they can take them straight to their room otherwise they could be waiting hours for them to arrive. When they get to the resort the driver gets the cases from under the coach and your DD can then get Bell services to take charge of the cases and deliver them to the room.

I don't think they have dedicated busses but seem to have a bus that stops at a couple of resorts in the same general area. Our bus to AKL stopped at Coronado and Pop (I think) before dropping us off at AKL. On the return journey we went straight from the GF to the airport but there were already people on the bus.

For the return journey, bell services will collect your luggage from the room and hold on to it but I don't think you'd be able to just turn up and ask them to load it onto the bus for you. I think they just give it to you as soon as you call for it and it's your responsibility to see that it gets on the bus safely.

The only advantage to doing DTD check in is that the bags are gone in the morning and you don't have the hassle of getting them on and off the bus and then getting them to check in but it might be a hassle to get over to DTD without a car.

They won't be able to pick up the bus from anywhere else on their last day as you have to pick up your bus from your resort at the allocated time (usually 4 hours before your flight departs)

I hope that answers everything

 

[paulh]

Thanks for all your replies which are really helpful and have jogged my memory about a couple of the other questions I have.

Paul, at the moment they're booked into SSR. I was wondering about the route. Is there a dedicated bus for each resort, or is it possible they might have to go via others? How often do the buses run? Do they wait for them to fill up, or do they depart at set intervals? Where do you go to get one after checking in at the desk?

Do you need ME labels for the return journey? Do you leave your bags with bell services for loading on the bus? Has anyone flying Virgin done DTD check-in and just used the bus to transport themselves to the airport. Is that possible? Not that I'm sure there's any benefit in that as they'd have to get their luggage over to DTD. Not too bad if they do end up staying at SSR, I suppose. I take it that whatever you decide to spend your last morning doing, you have to make your way back to your resort for the return journey? The buses don't pick up elsewhere?

Thanks again.

when they check in at resort they will ask if using ME to return to the airport.they will be then told that they will have a reminder hung on ther door the day before(just like express checkout)
For the return journey no ME tags are used as there only for inbound and as i said they wont get them as there travelling from overseas
As for the Virgin check-in i am not too sure they do it any more? someone will come along to confirm or deny
You have to catch the ME bus from the resort there staying at,they can leave the bags with bell services till it arives giving them scope to do other things
As for the route from the airport SSR is firt drop and on way back last lick up
Paul

 

[wideeyes]

In the last DME literature I got sent last summer they advised if you take your luggage on the bus in the hold then you should tip the driver. If you use the luggage service and just take hand luggage with you on the bus then you don't need to tip the driver.

In 2007 our bus stopped at other resorts however last year it just stopped at our resort I think it depends on how busy the bus is. if it does stops at other resorts SSR should be one of the first due to its location as they tend to do DTD resorts first.

 

[Miffy2003]

Regarding which resorts share the DME buses, it used to work on the basis that there were different "loops" for each area and that each "loop" had its own colour coding for the tags etc (obviously that doesn't help overseas visitors as we don't get the tags now).

For example, the AK loop would drop off at the 3 All Stars, CSR & AKL; the DTD loop would drop off at SSR, OKW & POFQ & PORS. I may not have the exact resorts for the right loop, but you get the general idea

I don't know whether this is still the case or whether there is more flexibility now, but thought I'd mention it anyway.

The 3 times we've used DME we've been very lucky and been the first drop off each time (POFQ, CBR and Pop). It's a nice ride and means we can have a guilt free drink on the plane

 

[Young Pooh]

I think everyone has more or less covered everything but just one thing - we did ME a couple of weeks ago to SSR. When we got to the second bag drop they are quite strict about what you can take with you on the monorail - it is limited to one bag person and if you have a stroller then you can't take a bag.

We were lucky as we had already decided to only take one bag with us on the monorail and send the other 2 for ME to collect. Another point is that at the second bag drop there are no elevators - to stop you taking more than one bag I suppose - just a narrow escalator. Your DD will need to collapse the stroller and carry the baby - a member of staff will carry the stroller up the escalator for her.

SSR does seem to be the 1st drop - the bus then goes onto OKW and POFQ/RS. Not sure about the return procedure as we had a car by then.

 

[UKDEB]

Thanks for the heads-up, Young Pooh. We've fallen foul of that ourselves as the first time we flew into MCO following the changes, we had golf clubs with us in addition to our luggage and were forced to relinquish it. It wouldn't have occurred to me, though, that the same thing would apply to a stroller.

 

[gilld]

Be warned - that from checking in at the Magical Express desk to arriving at the Beach Club last week took nearly 2 hours!

I queued ages for the bus, waited even longer for it to fill, then went to Pop, PORS and Yacht Club before the Beach Club - I had lost the will to live by then and would never use it again.

I would definitely pay the money for a cab.

 

[seashoreCM]

All Magical Express guests may go to the carousels and bring their baggage to the bus by not using yellow cardboard Magical Express tags.

For arrivals after 10 PM, all Magical Express guests must go to the carousels and bring their baggage to the bus.

The Side B Magical Express baggage counter where you find the Magical Express hostess (or host) is the welcoming area, located on the lowest level at the end of the airport terminal away from the Hyatt Hotel. Guests arriving before 10 PM who did not get or use yellow baggage tags may present their airline baggage claim checks there to have Magical Express deliver baggage not in your hands automagically to your room. Any baggage you brought down there you have to take on the bus and to the resort yourself.

If you clear customs in Orlando, you may or may not be able to take your bags right out of the customs station to the monorail and to the Magical Express bus. If the agent insists, you have to put the luggage on the other conveyor belt, take the monorail to the main terminal, go to the carousels, and get your baggage there. Baggage must have been airline checked and must be put on the other conveyor belt to receive automagical delivery to your room.

Yellow Magical Express baggage tags are not used when going home. Remove them when checking out of the resort.

Shoot for being back at your resort an hour before your Magical Express bus back to the airport which in turn should be about 4 hours before your flight leaves. You need to be at the Magical Express bus platform 15 minutes before the published bus time, with baggage, children, etc.

 

[CustardTart]

Be warned - that from checking in at the Magical Express desk to arriving at the Beach Club last week took nearly 2 hours!

I queued ages for the bus, waited even longer for it to fill, then went to Pop, PORS and Yacht Club before the Beach Club - I had lost the will to live by then and would never use it again.

I would definitely pay the money for a cab.

IKWYM! In April, it too over an hour and a half to get to AKL - and I had the mother of all migraines... Goodness knows why I didn't learn my lesson then as, in September, it took nearer 2 hours to reach the Contemporary AND we were in the company of seemingly 100s of conference delegates, all intent on checking in at the same time...

If I hadn't left DH to deal with the luggage and sprinted to the lobby, goodness knows how long it would've taken.

So next time I'm pre-booking a towncar as a treat to myself...

 

[seashoreCM]

... and I had the mother of all migraines ... we were in the company of seemingly 100s of conference delegates, all intent on checking in at the same time...

You could arrive by rental car or by town car and find the company of seemingly 100's of conference delegates from previous Magical Express buses, all intent on checking in at the same time.

If you had a room-only reservation you could leave the baggage with the bellhop and head off to the park. Then buy tickets or pick up will-call tickets or use the tickets you brought, and hopefully find a shorter line at the check in desk when you get back to the resort that evening.

OT: For some strange reason I seem to get headaches in hot weather but if I had frequent drinks of water then I get fewer of them.

 

[gilld]

If you had a room-only reservation you could leave the baggage with the bellhop and head off to the park. Then buy tickets or pick up will-call tickets or use the tickets you brought, and hopefully find a shorter line at the check in desk when you get back to the resort that evening.

After a nine hour flight and a 2-2/12 journey from the airport, the last thing I would want to do is go to a park. I just wnat my room and my bed!

 

[CustardTart]

You could arrive by rental car or by town car and find the company of seemingly 100's of conference delegates from previous Magical Express buses, all intent on checking in at the same time.

If you had a room-only reservation you could leave the baggage with the bellhop and head off to the park. Then buy tickets or pick up will-call tickets or use the tickets you brought, and hopefully find a shorter line at the check in desk when you get back to the resort that evening.

OT: For some strange reason I seem to get headaches in hot weather but if I had frequent drinks of water then I get fewer of them.

TBH by the time I set foot inside whichever WDW resort I'm staying at, I've been up for circa 15 hours and in transit for 14 so not really in the 'head off to the park' frame of mind. I know that's not the same for everyone but, for me, the Magical Express service doesn't really do what it says on the tin - it has no magical properties nor express-like speed and it turns out that's important to my family and I...

After a nine hour flight and a 2-2/12 journey from the airport, the last thing I would want to do is go to a park. I just wnat my room and my bed!

What she said!!!