Return to Airport on Magical Express OR taxi???

[pennyplanner]

The pick-up for Magical Express for the return trip to the airport is soooooooooooooooo early. Last time, we ended up sitting for a very long time. Anybody use a taxi to get back to the airport? We will be departing on a Wednesday afternoon with a departure time of 5:30 p.m.

I used the Mears calculator and it is about $50 plus tip. I guess the question is, "Is it worth the extra hours in the park vs. the cost of a cab?"

Thanks for your input!

--penny

 

[CarolMN]

Only you can answer the question "Is it worth it"?

How much extra time would the taxi give you? An hour? 90 minutes? Can't imagine it would be more than that.

Personally, we take ME. I do not want to stress out if we run into an unexpected traffic problem or an unexpected long line through airport security. Plus I have no idea when Orlando's rush hour begins or ends or which are the busiest roads.

 

[ancestry]

Well technically you are supposed to be at the airport two hours before your flight's departure time. DME usually picks you up 3 hours before your departure time which essentially allows 1 hour to get you to the airport.

In my opinion unless you are willing to arrive really late at the airport I don't think you will save that much time by getting Mears or a cab -- maybe 30 minutes or an 1 hour if you want to arrive later than the recommended 2 hours.

 

[Lewisc]

Sounds like you want to go to a theme park your last day. Is your airline participating? If so check your luggage at the RAC. Check everything you can. Have a car service pick you up at whatever theme park you'll be visiting. Going to the MK? Walk over to the Contemporary to meet your car service (or take a cab). You wont have to spend time getting from the park back to your resort. You'll probably get an extra 2 hours in the park.

Once you have to go back to your resort to get stored luggage you might as well take DME.

 

[Jestocost]

I guess the question is, "Is it worth the extra hours in the park vs. the cost of a cab?"

My response is that if you expect using a cab vs. DME to allow extra hours (plural) in the park, then you are expecting too much. The $50 spent realistically would allow you to spend at most an extra hour (or even less) in the parks.

Using DME, you will be scheduled for a pick up at around 2:30 p.m. and should be wating for the bus by 2:20 p.m. Assuming that it takes 15 minutes to claim anything from bell services, use the bathroom, etc. that means you need to be at the resort by 2:05 p.m., or so, which means leaving the park by about 1:00 p.m. or 1:15 p.m. so that you have time to get to the bus depot and catch a ride back to your resort.

If you have to store bags with bell services, you will need to be back at the resort and ready to catch a cab by 3:00 p.m. or so anyway, which means leaving the park by 2:00 p.m. This scenario, therefore, buys you about an extra hour at a park.

There are certain specific scenarios that will save you some time in park-to-resort tranportation, such as if you are staying at a monorail resort and will be at the MK or if you are at one of the Epcot resorts (BWI or YC/BC) and will be at Epcot or DHS that day.

The only exception to the above that I can think of to maximize time at the parks and get yourself up to two hours of additional park time is to use RAC for your bags and boarding passes (your flight time would allow you to check in as early as 5:30 a.m.), leave nothing with bell services that you have to collect later, take everything you need to carry on to the park with you and stash it in a locker, and take a cab straight from the park to MCO when you are ready to leave. In that case, you might be able to stay in a park until as late as 3:00 p.m., but what you are able to take as carry-on baggage will be very limited. If you are willing to leave yourself with little or no cushion to account for possible traffic or airport delays, then you could potentially squeeze another 30 minutes in. As noted by a PP, however, this also requires that you are on an airline that participates in RAC. If you aren't on a participating airline, this course of action simply isn't an option as you almost certainly will have to store bags with bell services.

 

[Lewisc]

Is a "once in a lifetime trip". A short trip where you absolutely need to maximize your park time last day. Your airline doesn't participate (SW is testing RAC at POP) Some options:

1) Rent a car at CCC or S/D, one way with a return at MCO. Pick up the car the previous afternoon. Put your luggage in the trunk and drive to a theme park. Drop off all your passengers and luggage curbisde while the driver returns the car.

2) Have a car service pick you up at a theme park and have them drive you back to your resort to pick up your luggage. Pay extra or tip extra for the stop.

Sometimes it's easier to spend your last day at the resort. Enjoy the pool, take pictures etc. Only you can decide if an extra 1-2 hours at a theme park is worth $50-$75.

 

[tjmw2727]

Last time I took a taxi from a WDW resort to the airport it was $57.00 plus tip. Pick up time was 2 1/2 hours prior to flight departure time.

Last time I took a town car from a WDW resort to the airpot it was $55.00 plus tip. Pick up time was 2 1/2 hours prior to flight departure time.

Last time I took DME from a WDW resort to the airport it was free. Pick up time was 3 hours pior to flight time.

Recommended arrival time at Orlando Int airport is 2 hours prior to your flight time. Drive time from WDW to the airport is @ 30 minutes. I have suffered through some very, very long security lines at MCO and stressing about missing my flight isn't my idea of a good way to end my vacation.

So taking a taxi or town car will cost you at least $55 and save you about 30 minutes. If your using RAC you could save you a bit more time if you leave directly from the theme park, maybe 45 minutes to an hour.

Not worth it to me at all so I use DME!

TJ

 

[Edd]

The majority of passengers using town car, SUV, limos or vans can utilize a pick up time 2 hours prior to the departure time of the flight. This has worked for many years at MCO and is no different now. I have personally picked up over 5000 families in the past ten years at 2 hours prior to departure time. Not one has missed a flight out of Orlando yet.

If you have qualms about the 2 hours than you can schedule 2 1/2 hours with your transportation company and they should have no problem with that, But you do not have to schedule 2 1/2 hours to make a flight.

 

[Lewisc]

A car service will save you 30 minutes if you accept the 2 hour suggestion, it will save you an hour if you accept Ed's experience.

The real time savings will be if you have the car service pick you up at a theme park saving at least an extra hour.

Ed--Is there any problem with a car service picking up a guest with a reservation at a theme park? Would the Contemporary be a good option for MK guests? Ed would an extra $10 be enough if a guest aksed to be picked up at a theme park and have the driver make a stop at a resort to pick up stored luggage?

 

[Edd]

Lewis,

In order to get to the Theme Park the driver will have to pay the $12.00 parking charge to get to the pick up area. A driver knowing his way around can take the back road to the Contemporary and pick up without paying the parking charge. Each theme park has taxis waiting for passengers to take out. If the taxis, Mears checker taxi does not pay the $12.00 parking fee to sit on the stand there, was utilized the driver would start the meter and either go straight to the airport or stop by the resort to pick up luggage. A taxi driver doesn't mind as long as the meter is running.

A car service driver would charge accordingly and that would include the parking fee. It is more inconvenient for the driver and the passenger to utilize car service than taxis. The reason being the taxis are sitting right there and the passenger has not set a time to come out there for the ride. A car service sets up a time and is looking for the passenger at that time. The passenger may have delays in getting out to the vehicle at the proper time or may just decide to go earlier, when the car service has not arrived or the car service may be running late which inconveniences the passenger. My choice would be the taxi sitting on the stand for quickest departure.

 

[tjmw2727]

The majority of passengers using town car, SUV, limos or vans can utilize a pick up time 2 hours prior to the departure time of the flight. This has worked for many years at MCO and is no different now. I have personally picked up over 5000 families in the past ten years at 2 hours prior to departure time. Not one has missed a flight out of Orlando yet.

If you have qualms about the 2 hours than you can schedule 2 1/2 hours with your transportation company and they should have no problem with that, But you do not have to schedule 2 1/2 hours to make a flight.

Again, my experience is that the town car companies (2 that I prefer) do schedule their pick up 2 1/2 hours prior. I can only post my experience which is what I did. I have never requested a pick up time earlier than what was suggested.

Since the Orlando airport website recommends passengers arrive 2 hours prior to flight departure time it stands to reason that you need to leave WDW at least 2 1/2 hours prior to allow for drive time or assume the risk of missing your flight.

TJ

 

[TheWog]

We were picked up 2 hours ahead of our flight and were there in plenty of time. When I saw the security line at MCO I almost had a heart attack, but it went fairly quickly and we were at the gate wtih plenty of time to spare. Having said that, if I were to do it again, I might go with the 2 1/2 hour window.

 

[Edd]

What is the name of the two town car companies you prefer? Two hours is a nice round figure to use, but I prefer experience over written, used when it is convenient, to sway opinions.

If the written word were absolute than you shouldn't arrive at the cruise ships until 2:00 pm, in which most cruise companies tell you, to board. However passengers begin arriving at the ships around 10:00 am so they can board earlier.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have used several different car services in the past and we have always been picked up 2 hrs before flight time.
If your flight is at 5:30, you should be at the airport by 3:30-4. I don't like to have to stress over any incidents on the trip to the airport, or any long lines at security, or long walks to the gate. So, planning on getting there 2 hrs before flight departure is fine with me. Usually, you start boarding about 30 mins before takeoff time..so that puts you at about 5pm. If you got to the airport at 3:30, you have only had to kill 90 mins. Get something to eat...there goes 30-45 mins. Use the bathrooms, grab a snack for the actual flight. Pretty soon, it's only about 30 mins you actually spend sitting at the gate.

If you use DME they will want to pick you up around 2:30..only about an hour before DME. If you really are committed to spending a bit more time in a park, and are able to use the RAC program to get rid of your bags and get your boarding passes, then head to a park and have a car service pick you up around 3-3:30. You could leave any bags you may have (carryon size) in a locker at the front of the park. The car service could pick you up at the CR if you return to MK, or right at Epcot or DHS if you are there. It may cost you more to do it that way but it would allow you to spend more time in a park.

For me, it just isn't worth the addtl expense, or stress, just to get an addtl hour or so in a park. But others feel differently.

 

[pennyplanner]

And I thought that no one would have an opinion on this!

You guys are the best, and that is why I LOVE the DIS Boards!!!

A few thoughts:

My sister, who I am traveling with, is a nut about being early. I am not!

This is not a one and only trip. We just decided to take advantage of the extra nights Disney was offering for "free" and stay a few extra days. So that means 7 nights at the WL!!! No husband or children will be be accompanying us.

It is not so much the money as the time. It will be a work day so yes, there will be commuter traffic of some sort BUT it will be 2:30 p.m. Even in the Hartford area (think congestion city!) you're good until about 3 p.m. That means a taxi will pick us up later and have to deal with traffic.

We will probably go to Epcot our last day. We are flying Delta so that means we can check our bags but NOT our carry-ons. That is the sticking point. We could exit Epcot at the International gate and catch a taxi from the Yacht or Beach Club. If lockers are only at the front of Epcot, this doesn't help. That means a lot of back tracking.

Lots to consider! It is nice to sit in the WL lobby and just soak it all in before we leave. I'm leaning toward ME... maybe.

Thanks for all the great info, opinions and experiences! Keep 'em coming!

--penny

P.S. Thinking about our upcoming trip is making this incredibly gray, cool, damp day in Connecticut seem much better!

 

[Lewisc]

What is the name of the two town car companies you prefer? Two hours is a nice round figure to use, but I prefer experience over written, used when it is convenient, to sway opinions.

If the written word were absolute than you shouldn't arrive at the cruise ships until 2:00 pm, in which most cruise companies tell you, to board. However passengers begin arriving at the ships around 10:00 am so they can board earlier.

Ed--The consequence of getting to the port too early is killing time at the port. The consequence of getting to MCO too late is missing your flight. Required luggage check in time for Delta is 45 minutes before your flight. I'll defer to your experience, leaving 2 hours before the flight should give the passenger at least 45 minutes to check their bags but A 2 hour pickup time doesn't really provide a cushion if the driver is 15 minutes late or if the guest doesn't allow enough time for bell services. It also doesn't give much cusion if there is a traffic jam. A good driver either knows a short cut or would have a different pick up time during "rush hour".

 

[tjmw2727]

What is the name of the two town car companies you prefer? Two hours is a nice round figure to use, but I prefer experience over written, used when it is convenient, to sway opinions.

If the written word were absolute than you shouldn't arrive at the cruise ships until 2:00 pm, in which most cruise companies tell you, to board. However passengers begin arriving at the ships around 10:00 am so they can board earlier.

I am not sure how my preference for town car companies is relavant to the OP's question. I simply posted my experience as asked for by the OP, my post was not a written attempt to sway anyones opinion.

I have no interest in what means of transportation anyone else uses at WDW but when asked for my opinion - it is that for me DME is a good service especially since it is free.

TJ

 

[TaraPA]

We did this in December when it was just a girls trip. Had a 3:30pm flight out of MCO & wanted to utilize every minute at MK. Got there for EMH, stashed our carry-ons in the lockers (we only had carry-on luggage & yes had done online check-in for the flight earlier in the am). We grabbed a taxi at the TTC at 1:15pm for about $60 plus tip & got to MCO with plenty of time to spare. We were on a very short trip & it was just 2 adults, so for us it was worth every penny.

Would I do this again with the kids with me, or at a very busy time of year - heck no!

 

[TDC Nala]

You might gain an extra hour to an hour and a half in the park, is that worth $50 (plus tip) to you? Only you can determine that.

Due to various possible scenarios at the airport, you may or may not end up sitting a long time before your flight if you take ME. I've been at MCO when it took 45 minutes just to get through security. That is also a chance you will need to decide if you are willing to take.

There are lockers at the International Gateway. You must buy keys for them at the store located there. A large one will cost $12 but you will get $5 back if you return the key to the store rather than just leaving it in the locker. Factor in the 7 bucks.

 

[Edd]

I asked about the name of the companies you refer to because I do not know of any company that has a standard 2 1/2 hours pick up before departure. And honestly I would like to know for my own benefit. I do know the standard in the Orlando area is 2 hours before pick-up. If the 2 1/2 hour is desirable for the passenger than they can request it. However 2 hours is standard for most companies and a lot easier to work with when scheduling rides. It does not seem to be disputed by the passengers when the pick up time is discussed prior to dropping off at the resort.

So what companies do you use?

Lewis: if you schedule a good company they won't be 15 minutes late.