Registering for Magical Express

[HappySnowmanInSummer]

I made my hotel reservation through Disney but my flight reservation not through Disney. Can I register for Magical Express online or do I need to call Disney?

 

[nilla]

It all depends on what airline you're flying on. I think that gets booked by the airline, but am not 100% sure.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You can do it online OR call Disney, either way.

The link is here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/airport-transportation-reservation/

BTW - DME has nothing to do with the airline. It's a service provided by Disney (using Mears as contractors) for Disney resort guests. You must register your flight information in conjunction with your Disney resort reservation. The flight information is so they have an idea when you will be arriving, and so they know when to schedule your pickup to return to the airport.

 

[SparklePixie]

It all depends on what airline you're flying on. I think that gets booked by the airline, but am not 100% sure.

The airline you're flying has absolutely nothing to do with DME, nor does the airline do the booking. Guests are responsible for booking their own DME reservation.

 

[siskaren]

The airline you're flying has absolutely nothing to do with DME, nor does the airline do the booking. Guests are responsible for booking their own DME reservation.

Correct. The airline wouldn't even know what DME is.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I always sign up for magical express when I book my trip. Then when I later buy my flights I call Magical Express to give them the information.

 

[nilla]

The airline you're flying has absolutely nothing to do with DME, nor does the airline do the booking. Guests are responsible for booking their own DME reservation.

I thought DME wasn't available when you fly certain airlines?

Edit: I may be confusing it with the Resort Airline Check-in service. You can still get the DME if your airline doesn't participate, but you have to pick up your luggage at the airport.

My ignorance was exposed before, so please correct me if I'm wrong

 

[AngiTN]

I thought DME wasn't available when you fly certain airlines?

Edit: I may be confusing it with the Resort Airline Check-in service. You can still get the DME if your airline doesn't participate, but you have to pick up your luggage at the airport.

My ignorance was exposed before, so please correct me if I'm wrong

No, you are confusing it with RAC. Only some airlines can have bags checked at the Resort. But everyone flying can use DME

ETA - Hah, my response was started before your edit. I didn't even realize it would grab your edit when I finished the post. Interesting.

 

[subtchr]

I thought DME wasn't available when you fly certain airlines?

Edit: I may be confusing it with the Resort Airline Check-in service. You can still get the DME if your airline doesn't participate, but you have to pick up your luggage at the airport.

My ignorance was exposed before, so please correct me if I'm wrong

The RAC checkin is for your RETURN flight. Anyone using DME can have their luggage delivered directly to their resort room, using the yellow DME luggage tags that are sent several weeks before the trip.

It does not matter what airline you use, if you put the yellow tags on your luggage when you check in at your departing airport, your luggage will be intercepted at Orlando and delivered to your resort.

For the return flight, if your airline is a participating airline, you can check your bags at your Disney resort, and not see them again until your arrival at your home airport. (I'm just waiting until they figure out how to deliver it to my bedroom at home...)

 

[BarbieGal457]

I did mine over the phone for June since I booked the flight well after the trip, but when I got the booklet with the yellow tags it had none of my flight info in it at all despite I had done it well in advance. Everything was totally fine at the airport and no issues with luggage, but when we checked in to board DME to the hotel, I gave them our return flight info and they plugged it in. Everything went totally smoothly though! Even without any of our flight info listed in the booklet we had no issues using our yellow tags, boarding the bus, etc.

My suggestion would be even to call and double check before you go that they got it right/have it on record whether you did it online or via phone. We had no issues but I would do it to be on the safe side if you can. We are leaving on Wednesday again and this time the booklet was totally right.

 

[AngiTN]

I did mine over the phone for June since I booked the flight well after the trip, but when I got the booklet with the yellow tags it had none of my flight info in it at all despite I had done it well in advance. Everything was totally fine at the airport and no issues with luggage, but when we checked in to board DME to the hotel, I gave them our return flight info and they plugged it in. Everything went totally smoothly though! Even without any of our flight info listed in the booklet we had no issues using our yellow tags, boarding the bus, etc.

My suggestion would be even to call and double check before you go that they got it right/have it on record whether you did it online or via phone. We had no issues but I would do it to be on the safe side if you can. We are leaving on Wednesday again and this time the booklet was totally right.

That is so strange. Wonder how it knew to send you luggage tags but didn't have your flight info?

 

[siskaren]

That is so strange. Wonder how it knew to send you luggage tags but didn't have your flight info?

They knew to send the tags because BarbieGal457 registered for DME - they don't really need flight info for the flight into MCO because you're not assigned to a specific bus for the ride to the hotel. However, what I don't understand is how she was able to wait until she was ready to board DME at her hotel before giving them her return flight information, because then you definitely are assigned to a specific bus, and in fact the information about when your pick-up time is is in a document that's hung from your hotel room door the day before. I've read that you can provide your return flight information at your hotel when you check in (or really anytime during your stay as long as it's at least 24 hours before), but I don't see how it could be done so last minute.

 

[AngiTN]

They knew to send the tags because BarbieGal457 registered for DME - they don't really need flight info for the flight into MCO because you're not assigned to a specific bus for the ride to the hotel. However, what I don't understand is how she was able to wait until she was ready to board DME at her hotel before giving them her return flight information, because then you definitely are assigned to a specific bus, and in fact the information about when your pick-up time is is in a document that's hung from your hotel room door the day before. I've read that you can provide your return flight information at your hotel when you check in (or really anytime during your stay as long as it's at least 24 hours before), but I don't see how it could be done so last minute.

True but I figured if they knew she had a flight they knew WHAT flight too.

As for departure flight, we ran in to an issue last August. We got our ME reservation but they didn't have our most recent flight info. I had changed flights and while I gave ME our updated info they only had our old flight info. When they went to do our check in and assign our bus time it didn't let them, since we were no longer on the flight they had listed. We got our ME notice and it had the wrong flight times and said we had to take our own bags to the airport. I went down to the desk and spoke with them and gave them the correct flight info. Once they got that info they also were able check our bags. I did all this on departure day

 

[BarbieGal457]

They knew to send the tags because BarbieGal457 registered for DME - they don't really need flight info for the flight into MCO because you're not assigned to a specific bus for the ride to the hotel. However, what I don't understand is how she was able to wait until she was ready to board DME at her hotel before giving them her return flight information, because then you definitely are assigned to a specific bus, and in fact the information about when your pick-up time is is in a document that's hung from your hotel room door the day before. I've read that you can provide your return flight information at your hotel when you check in (or really anytime during your stay as long as it's at least 24 hours before), but I don't see how it could be done so last minute.

They knew I was at Pop Century and the CM said I could give it at my hotel or the DME counter. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear - I gave it to them when I arrived, not before I left.

From my first post... "Everything was totally fine at the airport and no issues with luggage, but when we checked in to board DME to the hotel, I gave them our return flight info and they plugged it in."

And yes, they sent me tags because I registered for DME when I booked and later provided the info.

 

[AngiTN]

They knew I was at Pop Century and the CM said I could give it at my hotel or the DME counter. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear - I gave it to them when I arrived, not before I left.

From my first post... "Everything was totally fine at the airport and no issues with luggage, but when we checked in to board DME to the hotel, I gave them our return flight info and they plugged it in."

And yes, they sent me tags because I registered for DME when I booked and later provided the info.

Ah, I never knew you could do that. I always wait to give the info to DME when I book my flights. I do know they seem be pretty good at recording the info initially but are iffy on changes.

 

[siskaren]

Ah, I never knew you could do that. I always wait to give the info to DME when I book my flights. I do know they seem be pretty good at recording the info initially but are iffy on changes.

Yep. I have no personal experience with it, but I've read numerous times on the Transportation board that they not only don't really need your incoming flight info, but that you don't need to inform them of changes unless it's more than maybe an hour time difference. Return flight is a whole different animal, though.

 

[BarbieGal457]

Ah, I never knew you could do that. I always wait to give the info to DME when I book my flights. I do know they seem be pretty good at recording the info initially but are iffy on changes.

Yep. I have no personal experience with it, but I've read numerous times on the Transportation board that they not only don't really need your incoming flight info, but that you don't need to inform them of changes unless it's more than maybe an hour time difference. Return flight is a whole different animal, though.

Yep these are also my exact experiences with flights going from home TO Disney, luckily we've never had issues going home from Disney. We've been delayed going home and sometimes severely but we were already at the airport when it happened so nothing to affect DME there.

I book Disney so far out but don't book my flights until 3-4 months before so I never have it to give them when booking, this upcoming trip was the exception because I bought the flights first due to a great price. In my first post I did say I gave DME the info of my booked flights, and it showed up in my profile on the website, but when the book arrived it had no info so it was lost somewhere along the line in the Disney system. Everything worked out though. Like anything technology or human, always room for errors haha but everything went smoothly! In fact I was so excited to get there I didn't notice the booklet had no flight info until I showed the CM while checking in for DME, which is then when I went to the desk area to give my return flight info. I didn't want to have to worry about going to the desk at the hotel because let's face it who wants to talk about going home when you've only just arrived!

But this is funny because now we go Wednesday and are packing this weekend so I am going to go home and check the booklet for the upcoming trip and see if they got it right! Will report back haha

 

[siskaren]

From my first post... "Everything was totally fine at the airport and no issues with luggage, but when we checked in to board DME to the hotel, I gave them our return flight info and they plugged it in."

Ah, I read it as "board DME at the hotel. Never mind.

 

[Ravenclaw2015]

We are planning to use the DME from airport to the resort. But after we checked out of the WDW resort, we need a ride back to the airport to pick up a rental car as we are staying a few more days in Orlando after the WDW stay. Do I still need to give them my flight out of Orlando info? Thanks.

 

[AngiTN]

We are planning to use the DME from airport to the resort. But after we checked out of the WDW resort, we need a ride back to the airport to pick up a rental car as we are staying a few more days in Orlando after the WDW stay. Do I still need to give them my flight out of Orlando info? Thanks.

I would. Give them a flight that corresponds with the time you ant to leave Disney to get your car. Remember, they pick up 3 hours before so say you want to get the car at 4:00. Tell them a flight that leaves about 6:00. That way, they'll schedule you on ME about 3:00.