My interesting experience with Magical Epress

[helenk]

I left AKL Thursday afternoon, pick up time was 3:05, bus driver was on time, we got loaded up, she was a bit slow but no problem, she announced that she had 2 more stops. She seemed to be driving a bit slow, not quite sure of herself. After a bit we started to leave Disney property, we drove past the Welcome sign and were headed towards International Drive. After a bit the driver was talking to dispatch and getting directions. She got directions to go to the POP, we finally got there at 3:45, and picked up the group there. I was getting a bit edgy because my flight was at 6:00 and I know how security can be at MCO and she was still just taking her time. When we arrived at AOA at 3:55, there was no one to pick up, there were other buses already there that I suppose were dispatched to pick up the passengers at AOA since the driver was so late. We got to the airport around 4:30, it took about a half of an hour to got through security. I got to my gate at aprox. 5:00. I know that I got to the airport on time, but as a person who prefers to get to the airport 2 hours before my flight time, I was a bit stressed.
The driver clearly did not know her way around Disney property. I have taken ME on numerous occasions and this was the first time anything like this has happened. It was a strange experience.
I am not going to send a complaint or anything like that, I just felt the need to vent.

 

[CarolMN]

Thanks for posting your experience. Glad you got there in time and sorry for your stress. I would have been worried, too!

This is a very good example of why getting picked up 3 hours ahead of time is a good idea. Unexpected things happen!

 

[IlovePiglet]

She was probably a newer driver and although all drivers are trained, it's always a different experience when you're out there on your own.
I'm glad you made your flight, I get easily stressed, too so I can totally relate.

 

[Allison]

I was just reading another thread about a driver getting lost going from a park to a resort and going off property.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Thanks for posting your experience. Sounds like Magical Express is losing some of it's magic.
After 8 trips on ME, I'm starting to have 2nd thoughts about continuing to use them.

Using ME on May 5, 2013, the driver was slow and took his time loading luggage and getting people on the buses from 4 stops at 4 different resorts. It was an hour even before we headed to the airport.

By the time we got to the airport I only had an hour and a half for my flight and an hour of that was spent trying to get through security. It was a Sunday evening and security is always crazy busy then. I've flown out of there on Sundays for 3 years now so I knew that was going to be the case.

With only 30 minutes before the flight left (15 minutes before boarding started) I was pretty stressed. I'm a person who likes to be at the gate at least an hour before the flight leaves.

And ME was packed when I arrived at MCO on Wednesday, May 1st and it took a half hour wait in a long line to get on a bus and then the full 90 minutes to get to POR.

I've decided that I will most likely use a town car service next time or even rent a car although I like using Disney buses while I'm at Disney so a town car service would probably be best for me.

 

[pigletto]

From this thread and the other in here about an onsite bus it sounds like some new drivers are being trained maybe?
Regardless, that would leave me a little stressed too. I am one of those people who would always prefer to be early rather than late, and I typically plan to get there with an hour to sit after getting through security. I am a really nervous flyer, and being rushed and wondering if I was going to make it on time would have me worked up before I even got to the actual flying part.
We've rented cars for our last few trips and I luckily haven't had a bad experience with ME so far.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Thanks for posting your experience. Glad you got there in time and sorry for your stress. I would have been worried, too!

This is a very good example of why getting picked up 3 hours ahead of time is a good idea. Unexpected things happen!

Drivers should not be this incompetent. This isn't a one off . . .

I guess I will continue renting a car.

 

[bleeps]

I've decided that I will most likely use a town car service next time or even rent a car although I like using Disney buses while I'm at Disney so a town car service would probably be best for me.

Yup -- after one bad DME experience, we went with town car service for the airport round trip and then use Disney transportation while on property. Works great for us, takes away a huge amount of stress at both ends of the trip, and means getting to the parks earlier on arrival day and leaving later on departure day -- totally worth it to us. (We use Tiffany Town Car.)

 

[helenk]

I will not stop using ME because of 1 incident. I have taken at least 2 trips a year since ME started and never had any problems before, so this was not the norm.
I did get to the airport on time, just later than I prefer. I have another trip scheduled for December and I plan on booking ME for that trip.

 

[wdwmom3]

We had a driver who was clearly not new. We got picked up about 2 hours 40 mins before our flight. But we made 4 other stops after that. We got to mco 1 hr before our flight. I was getting really nervous. We got through security quickly went to the bathroom and husseled to the gate with 3 kids in tow. They started boarding 10 minutes after we got there and that was only cause they were a little delayed in boarding. If there had been any traffic issues or hold ups at security we would have missed our flight. I was not happy.

 

[3PrinceMom]

Traveling as a single mother, with small children, I used to love ME. Not dealing with luggage was a blessing. Never had an issue getting from MCO to WDW. Problems returning to the airport at the end of our stay. Like others have posted, present 3 hours prior to flight departure and then ME made multiple stops at other resorts to pick up additional passengers. My last experience with ME was also a return to MCO trip, at ME pick up 30 minutes prior to my 3 hours pick up...and no bus. An hour later, no bus. Panic sets in. Bellhop contacting Mears...other people lining now waiting for their ME bus. Another hour later a bus shows up. Driver gets out and announces that there are only 3 seats left. I've been standing there with 2 small kids for 2 hours now....before anybody else got there and my flight was leaving earlier than the others standing around. Sorry, this was my bus. I had to argue with a man that had been there for an hour. If I had not made that bus, we would have missed our flight. Never again. From now on....I will be renting a car when flying, using ME for arrival only and taking a car back to the airport, or a mixture of both. Never to risk missing a flight and the headache that might cause!

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

I had a not so great DME experience myself. Arrival at MCO was fine, arrived at my resort quickly and efficiently, despite longish lines at MCO.

BUT...return trip was awful. I am not great with flying, hadn't flown in 12 years before this trip, and my 9 year old had never flown. When we left Newark, security was a breeze - it was 7:00 a.m., LOL. I knew MCO would be different. I needed time to figure it all out.

We were ready and waiting 15 minutes before the bus was scheduled to leave - it was 15 minutes late. We loaded up and finally got started. Then we stopped at 2 other resorts, ok, I knew this could happen. But then, the driver went BACK to POR to pick up someone who wasn't even there?! People around me kept saying he wasn't taking a direct route to the airport, i had no idea. But the international passengers were getting very nervous. We didn't leave Disney property until over 90 minutes after our scheduled departure time. By the time we disembarked from the bus, our flight was in 1 hour. It took us 40 minutes to get through security. If out flight wasn't delayed (which I didn't know until we got to the airport) there is a very real poosibility we would have either missed our flight or have cut it extremely close (not being a frequent flyer, I honestly don't know).

I am not a complainer usually, and think most complaints about complimentary service are silly, but I would consider using a service to return to MCO next time. My nerves just can't take the stress, LOL.

 

[seashoreCM]

Traveling as a single mother, with small children, I used to love ME. Not dealing with luggage was a blessing. Never had an issue getting from MCO to WDW. Problems returning to the airport at the end of our stay. Like others have posted, present 3 hours prior to flight departure and then ME made multiple stops at other resorts to pick up additional passengers. My last experience with ME was also a return to MCO trip, at ME pick up 30 minutes prior to my 3 hours pick up...and no bus. An hour later, no bus. Panic sets in. Bellhop contacting Mears...other people lining now waiting for their ME bus. Another hour later a bus shows up. Driver gets out and announces that there are only 3 seats left. I've been standing there with 2 small kids for 2 hours now....before anybody else got there and my flight was leaving earlier than the others standing around. Sorry, this was my bus. I had to argue with a man that had been there for an hour. If I had not made that bus, we would have missed our flight. Never again. From now on....I will be renting a car when flying, using ME for arrival only and taking a car back to the airport, or a mixture of both. Never to risk missing a flight and the headache that might cause!

You should have written a complaint letter after you got back home.

Disney needs the feedback. Now if you did miss your flight you should expect Disney to make it right in the next best possible manner and take ownership of the headache; call Magical Express immediately from the airport or even go back to the welcoming area for help.

But I would (correction) not say, "never again" to Magical Express.

 

[bleeps]

Problems returning to the airport at the end of our stay. Like others have posted, present 3 hours prior to flight departure and then ME made multiple stops at other resorts to pick up additional passengers. My last experience with ME was also a return to MCO trip, at ME pick up 30 minutes prior to my 3 hours pick up...and no bus. An hour later, no bus. Panic sets in. Bellhop contacting Mears...other people lining now waiting for their ME bus. Another hour later a bus shows up. Driver gets out and announces that there are only 3 seats left. I've been standing there with 2 small kids for 2 hours now....before anybody else got there and my flight was leaving earlier than the others standing around. Sorry, this was my bus. I had to argue with a man that had been there for an hour. If I had not made that bus, we would have missed our flight. Never again. From now on....I will be renting a car when flying, using ME for arrival only and taking a car back to the airport, or a mixture of both. Never to risk missing a flight and the headache that might cause!

Yes, this is very, very similar to what happened to us, which is why one bad experience was bad enough for us to forego DME -- and apparently this isn't so totally uncommon (so yes, we only put up with it once, but it's not unusual to hear similar stories, so it wasn't a "one time only" thing that was never repeated).

 

[Lewisc]

The OP should file a complaint. OK the OP didn't miss her flight, think of it as a report if you prefer. Disney needs to know that Mears is using drivers who have issues with simple directions. Directions around WDW aren't that complicated. Drivers either need to be better trained, given maps with driving instructions or given GPS units. Not rocket science.

 

[bumbershoot]

Drivers should not be this incompetent. This isn't a one off . . .

I guess I will continue renting a car.

If my family is going to be lost and going offsite when we don't mean to be, and getting turned around, I'll be the one driving or navigating, thank you very much!

No, seriously, I'd rather have it be me/DH doing that, rather than some stranger who won't listen to me/DH.

The OP should file a complaint. .... Disney needs to know that Mears is using drivers who have issues with simple directions.

Agreed.

 

[helenk]

The OP should file a complaint. OK the OP didn't miss her flight, think of it as a report if you prefer. Disney needs to know that Mears is using drivers who have issues with simple directions. Directions around WDW aren't that complicated. Drivers either need to be better trained, given maps with driving instructions or given GPS units. Not rocket science.

I was not going to send a complaint, but after reading some of the replies and realizing that Mears/Disney should be made aware of the issue I will send a complaint.