Really Stupid Magical Express Question...

[Newfie2000]

We are flying into Orlando airport and are renting a vehicle from Alamo at the airport... so we do not need to use Magical Express to get to Disney. However I found it much cheaper to drop the car off at the Disney Car Care Center the night before we leave Disney property. Can we still use the Magic Express to return to the airport? Can we also have our luggage returned to the airport? If this is possible how do I go about setting it up? Thank you so much!

 

[PCFriar80]

We are flying into Orlando airport and are renting a vehicle from Alamo at the airport... so we do not need to use Magical Express to get to Disney. However I found it much cheaper to drop the car off at the Disney Car Care Center the night before we leave Disney property. Can we still use the Magic Express to return to the airport? Can we also have our luggage returned to the airport? If this is possible how do I go about setting it up? Thank you so much!

Yes, you can use ME for the return trip to the airport. You can set this up with
whoever you made your resort ressies with. You need to be staying at WDW resort to utilize ME. Swan and Dolphin are excluded. If you let us know what airline you're flying, we'll be able to tell you whether or not you can check your luggage at the resort for the return trip. Hope this helps!

 

[Newfie2000]

Thank you for such a quick reply, sorry I did not give you all the pertinent info. We are flying United Airlines and staying at POP Century. This is a February trip. I made my ressies directly through Disney so should I call them now and let them know I need to use ME to return to the airport? Once again thank you so much for your help and info. - I already feel a lot better knowing this is possible!

 

[Newfie2000]

I know this is probably not the correct place nor the right thread to ask this but perhaps someone can also tell me... I need to have the minivan returned to the Disney Car Care Center by 11:00pm, is there a way for me to get from the car care center back to POP? Thanks!

 

[CleveRocks]

Thank you for such a quick reply, sorry I did not give you all the pertinent info. We are flying United Airlines and staying at POP Century. This is a February trip. I made my ressies directly through Disney so should I call them now and let them know I need to use ME to return to the airport? Once again thank you so much for your help and info. - I already feel a lot better knowing this is possible!

Yes, you need to make reservations in order to use DME. However, the ride from resort to the airport really only needs to be reserved a few days in advance (unlike the ride FROM the airport TO the resort, which must be reserved earlier). You definitely can wait until you arrive at Pop to make the return-trip DME reservation, but if you want to get it out of the way there's nothing stopping you from calling WDTC right now and making the DME reservation.

If you do call WDTC now to make that reservation, here's a bit of info to help you avoid confusion down the road ....

Even if you specifically make it a one-way reservation from Pop to MCO, you'll still probably get a DME information packet which will include DME luggage tags (yellow sticky paper pre-printed with info and barcodes). If you get these tags in the mail, throw them out. You won't need them. There's no such thing as luggage tags for the return trip.

Because United is a "participating airline" with Resort Airline Check-in (RAC), you WILL be able to use RAC to send your luggage to the airport (and you won't see it again until it's on your home airport's baggage claim carousel). RAC has a desk at every resort, and is open from 5 AM to 1 PM. You must check in for your flight no later than 3 hours before, and no earlier than 12 hours before. I've read reports of long lines at the RAC desk, so do yourself a favor and don't wait until the last minute to check your luggage with them. In other words, if your scheduled DME bus pick-up time is Noon, don't wait until 11:45 a.m. to get in line to check-in at the RAC desk. Actually, you are supposed to be at the DME bus pick-up spot about 15 minutes early, anyway. If you can, check-in with your checked luggage as early in the day as possible, to get it out of the way. Have anything else you'll need in your carry-ons.

 

[kaytieeldr]

1) It's NOT a stupid question at all. (and even if it were, nobody would tell you that )
2) Call Disney's general information number, or go to the website and search, for the toll-free DME number. I don't have my paperwork with me, or maybe someone else reading this will have the number. You don't have to wait until the day before you check out to make a reservation; in fact the more advance notice you give DME, the better (for scheduling purposes)
3) Since this is the Transportation board, it IS the correct place to ask any transportation-related questions (good job). Yes, as long as you're sure the Car Care Center is open that late, there is a free shuttle to take you back to your resort.

 

[Newfie2000]

1)
3) Since this is the Transportation board, it IS the correct place to ask any transportation-related questions (good job). Yes, as long as you're sure the Car Care Center is open that late, there is a free shuttle to take you back to your resort.

Uh Oh...this could be a big problem... when I reserved the car I did it online and was therefore unable to ask questions. I did get a message stating that the car care center would be closed at that time and that I would receive special drop off instructions at time of pick-up. Now I am assuming that I will not be able to get transportation back to POP? What did I do?? Can someone please help me?

And to those that have responded thanks! I am now 100% sure that I can use ME to return to the airport! Now...if I can only figure out a way to get back to POP after dropping the car off at 11:00PM??

 

[Newfie2000]

Uh Oh...this could be a big problem... when I reserved the car I did it online and was therefore unable to ask questions. I did get a message stating that the car care center would be closed at that time and that I would receive special drop off instructions at time of pick-up. Now I am assuming that I will not be able to get transportation back to POP? What did I do?? Can someone please help me?

And to those that have responded thanks! I am now 100% sure that I can use ME to return to the airport! Now...if I can only figure out a way to get back to POP after dropping the car off at 11:00PM??

Anybody?? I am still trying to figure out how to get from the closed car care center to POP at 11:00PM? There has got to be a way?! I sure do not want to have to change thegood car rental price I was able to get! Thanks in advance!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Some options:
...Without identifying yourself (i.e. you can tell the CSR your name but NOT your reservation number or specifics ) AND if it fits our plans, call Alamo and ask if you return a vehicle x number of hours earlier than scheduled, can you keep the same rate.
...Ditto on the information stuff - call and see if you can return it to the Dolphin instead. The counter closes at 4 or 5, but my understanding (and you'd naturally want to double/triple check this) is that you can return your Alamo/National rental to the Valet Service at the Dolphin. You can then use Disney transportation to get back to Pop, although you might have to take one bus to Downtown Disney and switch to the Pop bus.
...Bring a cell phone and the Mears Taxi telephone number - and an extra person, if possible - to the Car Care Center. Wait a minute - the Hess station should be reopened by then - you can just walk over there and call. "Over there" is the same parking lot, don't worry - just be careful.
...Ask the Lobby Concierge, the Front Desk or Luggage Services at Pop for help/suggestions.