Question about Magical Express

[mommary]

Forgive me if this has been asked before but I was wondering how well the magical express really works.
I have reservations for my trip in April and I have read that sometimes you can wait as long as 3-4 hours to get on a bus and to your hotel. In my case its the WL. Then I have heard that returning to the airport they have you leaving 4 hours before your flight. If this is so I would rather just get a van for my family and have the option to stop at a grocery store and not use one of the delivery services.
I would be grateful for any information.
Thanks in advance

 

[seashoreCM]

As of May 2005 Magical Express has been a lot better than what you describe.

Going to Disney typically it is less than half an hour to check in at the ME counter and less than half an hour before you are on the bus and moving. Then it is usually about an hour, often less, before you are getting off at your resort. These buses are not reserved and run about every half hour most of the day.

Going home you should be scheduled and reserved on a bus by the day before, and moving from your resort about 3 hours before flight time (4 hours for charter or international). With any other mode of travel you are still better off to be on your way at least 2-1/2 hours before flight time (3-1/2 hours for charter or international).

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

 

[sue1013]

We have used Magical Express 3 times had good experiences all 3 times. The 1st time when we arrived at the desk the line was so long I was discouraged. But it went very quickly only took about 10 min. We haven't waited more than 10 minutes for our bus to leave. Once we left the desk got in our line and proceeded right to the bus that left after we were seated. Each time we were scheduled to be picked up at the resort 2 1/2 hours before our flight. Bus came on time we were at the airport with plenty of time. I'm curious where did you read it took 3-4 hours to get on a bus at the airport?

 

[helenk]

I am not sure where you got your information, there have been some posts here where the wait time was a bit long but nothing like you are stating.
Each time I have used magical express( and I have gone to 3 different resorts) I have not had to wait anywhere near that long. My experience has been about an hour maybe a bit more from the time the plane touches down until the time I am in line for check in at the resort.
ME picks you up 3 hours prior to your flight time on your return trip. At first I was not happy with this as I like to spend as much time as possible in the parks, but after waiting for a towncar service that was late and rushing to the airport I am now glad for that 3 hour window.
The bus may stop at other resorts after yours and then takes you to the airport to either side A or side B. We check in with the airline and then go and have a nice sit down dinner and then get over to our gate. It has worked out very well for us.

 

[DeadHead]

My DW and I have used ME 3 times, the average time for us was 70-90 minutes from the time the aircraft landed to check-in at the hotel. Pickup back to MCO was always 3 hours before departure. Hope this helps.

 

[CleveRocks]

Forgive me if this has been asked before but I was wondering how well the magical express really works.
I have reservations for my trip in April and I have read that sometimes you can wait as long as 3-4 hours to get on a bus and to your hotel. In my case its the WL. Then I have heard that returning to the airport they have you leaving 4 hours before your flight. If this is so I would rather just get a van for my family and have the option to stop at a grocery store and not use one of the delivery services.
I would be grateful for any information.
Thanks in advance

As you've already learned, you're the unfortunate victim of very wrong information.

The average reported time from airplane to resort drop-off via DME is 70 minutes. To actually take 3-4 hours is absolutely outrageous. I can't even imagine a scenario where that would be physically possible.

Just FYI, my 2 experiences with DME ... first time 63 minutes airplane to CBR, second time 56 minutes airplane to POFQ.

Your return trip will be scheduled roughly 2.75-to 3.25 hours prior to your flight. If someone said they were scheduled 4 hours prior top their flight, there are only 2 possibilities for that to be true. International departures get you a 4-hours-prior pick up. The only other option is that back in August 2006, in the days after that British terrorist cell was broken up and all hell broke loose with new liquids/gels restrictions, there were such horrid delays at airport security that DME started picking up 4 hours in advance to allow for the horribly long security delays. Those horrid delays ended a few days later, as did the 4-hours-prior pick ups for domestic flights.

My 2 DME return experiences ... first time, my return pick up was 2.75 hours, second time was 2 hours 50 minutes prior to flight departure.

Of course, you may wish to rent a car or use a car service for other reasons, but don't sour on DME just because of either incorrect information or a very rare or extreme example outside of the norm.

 

[mommary]

Thanks everyone, I will stick with my original plans and do the ME.