Magical Express

[Terk-1]

I booked a solo MYW package for November and had a couple of questions regarding the Magical Express. In the past, I've usually used Mears.

Are there only certain airlines participating with this or are all of them (am flying Southwest)?

As I booked the MYW plan through a TA, who sends the ME luggage tags? The TA or Disney?

How long does it usually take to get to your Disney resort? Am landing about 10am.

how many resorts do each bus go to?

How long does it take for the luggage to get to your Disney resort?

If I have a rolling carry-on bag, can I take this on the bus with me or does it have to be checked and taken by Disney?

On the return, does it really take 3 hours to get to the airport?

How many stops do they make before you head for the airport?

Am splitting my stay between 2 resorts. Will this be a problem?

 

[safetymom]

There is a thread at the top of the transportation board that should answer some of your questions.

Yes they do pick you up 3 hours ahead. You can take your carry ons with you on the bus.

If you do a search you will find lots of information. This topic has been discussed many times.

 

[seashoreCM]

You can reserve and ride Magical Express regardless of what airline you are using into and out of Orlando Int'l Airport.

Disney sends luggage tags to your travel agent if you used one. You then get the tabs from your TA.

The bus should not make more than three other stops before your resort on arrival and after your resort when going home.

Luggage may take several hours to be delivered to your room (from any airline), that is, you will beat the luggage to your room if you are assigned a room immediately upon check in and go there. Most of the time guests go immediately to a park after check in.

You may bring luggage to the bus yourself if you want. If you don't put the yellow tags on checked luggage you can retrieve that yourself from the Orlando carousels too. If your carousel was on the B side of Orlando airport you must carry stuff up, across, and down to the A side for ME. (On very rare crowded occasions you may be required to re-check luggage near the bus)

You must allow three hours and be punctual for your ME bus back to the airport. This allows some slop for glitches on ME's part, too.

Yes you may split your stay. It is easy to modify your return ME bus pickup place if needed, even up to a day before checking out of the second resort.

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

 

[lmok]

In December it took over 2 hours wait to get a ride from airport to the resort. So many people were using the Magical Express.

Lisa

 

[Gary M]

We took the DME twice in the last couple of months and must have been lucky each time. Our wait for the bus going to our WDW resort was minimal each time. The first trip was 11/29-12/6 at the WL. We literally walked onto the bus and left for the WL within 5 minutes. We stopped at the Poly first and then the WL. We were checking into the WL within an hour of our plane landing.

The 12/25-12/30 trip was not as fast, but not bad at all. We stayed at the YC and left the airport within 10-15 minutes of getting on the bus. If I remember correctly this bus stopped at CBR, BW and then YC. We were at the resort in less than 1 1/2 hours from landing. I think it depends on the time you arrive at MCO and what resort you stay at how long it takes to get there. We were picked-up promply and it was about 3 hours before our flight left. The security line at MCO was very long on our return flight on 12/30, so the early arrival was welcome.

 

[Hopefully]

We took our rollaboard carry ons with us on (under by the driver) the bus in October. We checked them with Bell Services at the resort after we checked in and as we headed to Epcot. We were walking from the BCV, after check in, to Epcot 1 1/2 hours after landing at MCO. When we returned from Epcot 3 hours later, and before the "official" check in time, our luggage had preceeded us to our room.
The 3 hour pick up did leave us a lot of extra time at the airport, but on that particular day and time security was light. You can not count on that.
We simply got something to eat at the airport and read while we waited for our flight. I had fretted about this, but it was not bad.

 

[Terk-1]

Thanks for your info. As I've never used the ME before, I was wondering how all this worked. My flight lands at around 10am, so I was planning on getting to the resort around noon anyway. I typically take a rolling carry-on with me, so that I can go straight from the plane to the bus (Mears in the past). This way if the room is ready when I check-in, I can unpack and relax a little at the resort. If the room's not ready, I'll just check it and head for a park. As far as being at the airport early, that does not bother me that much. With my flight at 3:30pm, and a pick up at 12:30pm, it will still give me time for breakfast and a quick last trip to the MK.

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[Mrs.Milo]

I have a question also. I have a ressie at the Boardwalk, DVC, starting on a Sunday, and plan on coming in a couple of days early & staying at the Dolphin. Can I use Magical Express when I come in Friday?

Thanks for any help!

 

[goofy4tink]

I have a question also. I have a ressie at the Boardwalk, DVC, starting on a Sunday, and plan on coming in a couple of days early & staying at the Dolphin. Can I use Magical Express when I come in Friday?

Thanks for any help!

No, DME doesn't service the Swan or the Dolphin. Now, I'm not sure if this holds true if you book through Mears. Yes, it will cost you, but only about $25-30. I have read that there have been people that booked through Mears and paid the fee who were put on the DME buses. So...if this is the case, then the bus would go to the S/D, but only if it was for a paid customer, not a free DME person.

 

[IlovePiglet]

You can use Mears to the Dolphin. The cost is $18 one way per adult.

 

[Mrs.Milo]

Thank you so much!