SW and Magical Express????

[Hockeychic]

I have read some stuff on this but I am soooo confused. We always rent a car when at Disney but we decided this time to save the money at maybe use the Magical Express.

We will be arriving in Orlando.......on Southwest.....can we still book Magical Express???? Except for a tip is this service free to those with Disney Resort Reservations?

Is this service a nightmare?? Are we better to rent the car???

Thanks for the info.

Kim

 

[jimmiej]

I have read some stuff on this but I am soooo confused. We always rent a car when at Disney but we decided this time to save the money at maybe use the Magical Express.

We will be arriving in Orlando.......on Southwest.....can we still book Magical Express???? Except for a tip is this service free to those with Disney Resort Reservations?

Is this service a nightmare?? Are we better to rent the car???

Thanks for the info.

Kim

WE flew SWA in July '06 & used ME for the first time. Here's what I wrote on my trip report:

Magical Express- We only used ME incoming, but it worked perfectly. The only negative I will say is I believe the signage is poor as you come down to the ME area. We stood around wondering what line to get in. Probably just us. Other than that, it was great. We waited in line for our bus only a few short minutes, and were at BCV less than an hour after touch-down. We were able to snag the front seat on the ME bus, so we dashed out as soon as we arrived at BCV. Soon after we were checking in, the line got long behind us. 9.5 out of 10.

Yes, you can book ME. There is no charge, but you must be staying at a Disney hotel. No tip neccessary unless the driver handles your luggage. The tip for the bell hops is ALREADY included. As stated above, the service was "magical."

If you haven't done so already, look at the top of the Transportation Board for good info on how it all works.

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16

Enjoy your trip!

 

[debster812]

OK--stop. Take a deep breath, annnnddd exhale.

YES you can use Magical Express while flying with Southwest.

You call, reserve DME, and 45-30 days prior to your departure you'll receive your packet.

Put the yellow tags on the luggage you want to have transported, pack 24 hours worth of stuff in a carry on, check your bags at your departure airport, and you're off!! Your bags will be delivered to your room. No tipping neccessary.

For the flight home, you will have to get your own bags, and bring them on the bus with you, there is no Resort Airline Checkin for Southwest. I did this just a couple of weeks ago, and honestly, it was fine.

I dropped my bags with Bell Services, hung at the pool for a while, reclaimed my bag, got on the bus, and went to MCO. I tipped the driver on the way back because he loaded and unloaded my bag.

Piece o' Cake

 

[Bowen9475]

Within our immediate family we have flown Southwest and used ME 6 times already. We have had a very good experience each time. We have two more trips planned for the coming year and are again flying SW and using ME. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[CleveRocks]

I have read some stuff on this but I am soooo confused. We always rent a car when at Disney but we decided this time to save the money at maybe use the Magical Express.

We will be arriving in Orlando.......on Southwest.....can we still book Magical Express???? Except for a tip is this service free to those with Disney Resort Reservations?

Is this service a nightmare?? Are we better to rent the car???

Thanks for the info.

Kim

The airline you use has NOTHING to do with whether or not you can use DME. In fact, the airline has nothing to do with the service at all, so it's not like if you flew a different airline you'd get better or worse DME service.

Now, when your vacation is over, there is a service called Resort Airline Check-in (RAC) that is SEPARATE from DME, and for that service, airline DOES matter. People flying one of the handful of "participating airlines" get to kiss their luggage goodbye at the resort and then not see it again until it's at their home airport. Southwest is NOT one of those airlines, so at the end of your vacation you will take your luggage to the DME bus, the bus driver will load it under the bus, and you'll get it back when you get to the airport.

DME is the total opposite of "nightmare," as you put it. It was installed as part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration; it started in May 2005 and was originally slated to end in September 2006. However, it's been so successful and popular with both the Disney suits AND customers that it's been extended through at least 2011. That fact speaks for itself.