Saving time by getting a town car???

[Disney's Fab 4]

We are only going to WDW for 4 days this time (a mini vacation!) We were thinking of getting a town car to get us at the airport and bring us to our hotel instead of using Magical Express.... as well as picking us up to bring us back to the airport.. Is this worth it??????

What time does the Magical Express pick you up to bring you back to the airport? Does anyone know????

We have used the Magical Express before and loved it.... But we were also there for a much longer vacation.....


Only 32 days to go!!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

We are only going to WDW for 4 days this time (a mini vacation!) We were thinking of getting a town car to get us at the airport and bring us to our hotel instead of using Magical Express.... as well as picking us up to bring us back to the airport.. Is this worth it??????

What time does the Magical Express pick you up to bring you back to the airport? Does anyone know????

We have used the Magical Express before and loved it.... But we were also there for a much longer vacation.....

I've posted this a bunch before, so to many of you I apologize for the repetition.

In my one time of using DME, in the VERY BEST CASE SCENARIO if I'd have used a towncar I would have gotten to my resort 8 minutes sooner. Eight minutes.

It took me 53 minutes from getting into the DME Welcome Center line to being dropped off at CBR. Let's figure that driving time is 30 minutes no matter how you go. That leaves 23 minutes in play. Let's say the VERY BEST CASE SCENARIO is that you wait at baggage claim for 10 minutes and it takes only five minutes for the driver to go get the car, load the car, have you guys get in the car, dispense with any paperwork, and so on. 10+5=15. 15 minutes is eight fewer minutes than 23. So that's the best case scenario, you beat me there by eight minutes. I'll trade 8 minutes for $120 in my pocket (what I DIDN'T pay for a towncar) any day! Plus, we've all been there, we all know that waiting at baggage claim CAN take a lot longer than 10 minutes, and it CAN take the driver more than 5 minutes to get the car, load the car, have you get in the car and get settled, etc. If you add just 5 minutes to each of those operations, then I got to the resort two minutes ahead of you!

Plus, there's the other little known perk of DME. When you check in at the DME Welcome Center, the computer sends a message to your resort's computer, and if a room (of the type you have a reservation for) is ready, it is set aside for you until you arrive to check in at the resort. Let's say you checked in with DME at 10:00 a.m. Then let's say someone who arrived on an earlier flight (who didn't use DME) or someone who drove straight from home arrives at the resort at 10:01 a.m., and they reserved the same type of room as you did. If there is only one clean room of that type at that time, they won't get it because it's already been set aside for you. So you arrive by bus at 10:45 a.m. and get your room, and the party who arrived 44 minutes before you is still waiting for their room. Nice perk!

 

[Bob P]

I think only you can answer the question about it being worth it.

ME will pick you up at your hotel about 3 to 3 1/4 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave.

It's the old question of spending money to save time vs. spending time to save money. A town car will run you about $100 round trip and you will be at your resort about 30-40 minutes after getting your bags. ME is free but could take you a couple of hours after landing.

It's definitely your call.....enjoy your trip!

 

[CleveRocks]

I forgot to answer your other question. Your assigned DME pick up time to return to MCO is usually 2.75 to 3 hours prior to your flight time. From what I understand, towncar services tend to pick up about 2.5 hours ahead. So you have a 15 to 30 minute advantage there with a towncar, but you know what? I like getting to the airport in plenty of time and not having to stress about possibly being late for the flight. When we went, we had just enough time. The bus went right to MCO (CBR was the one and only stop, and the bus was only about 1/3 full), but between checking in with the airline, getting through security, then getting food court dinner for our kids, by the time we got to our departure gate they had already begun pre-boarding the flight. So for me it worked out perfectly.

 

[goofy4tink]

My experience so far....usually about 70 minutes from touchdown to resort check-in. When I have used a towncar service (which I have done about 5 times) if I have baggage to collect, it takes about 70-80 minutes to get to the resort. You have to wait for your luggage, the driver then has to go out and drive the car around, load the bags, then drive the 30 minutes to the resort.
The only time it has taken me less time with a towncar was when I had only carryon luggage. Then, it took about 50 minutes to get to my resort after touching down at MCO.
The towncars will routinely pick you up about 2-2 1/2 hrs. before your flight time. If it's the 2 hrs, it could be cutting it close with the security issues at MCO. DME picks up about 2 3/4 hrs before flight time.