Timing and Travel question--Magic Express

[drcmk]

My plan was for our last day at WDW to be at DHS. We don't have a huge must-do list there--Star Tours, Muppet Movie, Toy Story, no real interest in shows. I just got a lunch ADR at Be Our Guest for 1:15 that same day. We are staying at Coronado Springs and our flight leaves at 6:20, so I assume Magic Express will want us to report back to our resort at about 3:20. My question is, do I have enough time to do all of this?

What time should I leave DHS to get to MK for a 1:15 ADR? Will we have enough time to eat and catch a bus to get back to the resort by 3:20?

Thank you.

 

[hedberg1661]

While this schedule seems to cut it close I think it is doable. I would arrive at DHS for rope drop and immediately head for TS then ST then MM. Once you are done there or no later than 12 I would head to MK. I generally say an hour for bus transportation leaves you in a safe situation.

 

[Robo]

My plan was for our last day at WDW to be at DHS. We don't have a huge must-do list there--Star Tours, Muppet Movie, Toy Story, no real interest in shows. I just got a lunch ADR at Be Our Guest for 1:15 that same day. We are staying at Coronado Springs and our flight leaves at 6:20, so I assume Magic Express will want us to report back to our resort at about 3:20. My question is, do I have enough time to do all of this?

What time should I leave DHS to get to MK for a 1:15 ADR? Will we have enough time to eat and catch a bus to get back to the resort by 3:20?

Thank you.

Assume your DME bus would depart as early as 3:00PM.
You will get a more specific time the day before you check-out.

Exit DHS at 12:15-ish.
Exit MK about 2PM.

Timing is too tight for me. (Even to get to a 3:20PM DME.)

If you were at any other park than MK, I'd recommend a cab back to your resort.
But, at MK the cab is at TTC.
Closest you could get one is to walk to the Contemporary.

Again, the timing is too tight for me.

 

[drcmk]

Not my plan, but I've always wondered----if I miss my DME bus, would they permit me to get on the next one?

I guess the worst case scenario is that I miss my DME bus and have to take a taxi to the airport?

 

[drcmk]

What ADR time at BOG would be ideal to get back to CSR without rushing? Not that there is any guarantee I could change it, of course.

 

[Robo]

Not my plan, but I've always wondered----

1. if I miss my DME bus, would they permit me to get on the next one?

2. I guess the worst case scenario is that I miss my DME bus and have to take a taxi to the airport?

1. Yes. BUT...
There might not be room on the next bus. (They fill them at other resorts, too.)

2. If YOU don't care, I don't care.

For me, I'd change my lunch reservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

Not my plan, but I've always wondered----if I miss my DME bus, would they permit me to get on the next one?

I guess the worst case scenario is that I miss my DME bus and have to take a taxi to the airport?

Here's the issue. The DME buses don't automatically stop at all resorts. If there is no one at your particular resort that needs a bus, then the bus won't stop. So, if you miss your assigned bus at, say 3:30, and want to get on the 4:00 bus? There may not be a 4:00 bus. Also...if there was a 4:00 bus, it could very well be too full to allow you to board. It may not look like it's too full when it gets to you, but the next resort could have enough guests to fill it. If you, and your party, were allowed to board, it could very well displace someone who had an actual reservation.

What ADR time at BOG would be ideal to get back to CSR without rushing? Not that there is any guarantee I could change it, of course.

As you're already been told, the bus could come at any time from 3-3:45. For a 6:30 flight, you need to take that 3:30 p/u time and allow for about 15 mins on either side. Each resort has it's own timetable. So, allowing for that, I would say you need to be back at CSR no later than 2:30. This allows you to use the restroom, get any carryon luggage out of storage and get over to the DME stop at least 10 mins prior to your stated p/u time.
This means leaving MK no later than 1:30...sure, you may be able to hop right onto a bus, but you could also very well must miss the bus...which means waiting for 20+ mins (especially at this time of day) for the next bus. So, you need to be done eating by 1:00 in order to leave the restaurant and get to the buses. You would want it to be closer to noon!
Yes, you could rush all this and do it with later times. But, do you really want to end your trip stressing over missing the bus back to the airport? You could walk to the CR and get a cab from there if you have to though. Or, just forget about MK and end your stay at DHS!

 

[Alesia]

Your pick up time will be sometime between 3:00 and 3:30. You need to plan to be back at your resort at least 45 minutes (1 hour is better) before the time you are given. That is the time your bus is scheduled to leave. You need to be at the platform, completely ready to go (everyone has gone to the bathroom, you've picked up your carry ons from bell services, etc.) 15 minutes before the time you are given.

If you do miss your bus, they may let you get on the next bus (assuming it isn't full, which isn't uncommon) but there's no telling when that will be. It may be 30 minutes, it may be an hour and a half.

If you have a 1:15 ADR, you're not going to be leaving the MK gates until at least 2:30. If everything goes well you'll be at your resort a little after 3:00. Getting your carry ons can easily take 15 minutes. And then somebody is going to have to pee...

 

[JanaDee]

My plan was for our last day at WDW to be at DHS. We don't have a huge must-do list there--Star Tours, Muppet Movie, Toy Story, no real interest in shows. I just got a lunch ADR at Be Our Guest for 1:15 that same day. We are staying at Coronado Springs and our flight leaves at 6:20, so I assume Magic Express will want us to report back to our resort at about 3:20. My question is, do I have enough time to do all of this?

What time should I leave DHS to get to MK for a 1:15 ADR? Will we have enough time to eat and catch a bus to get back to the resort by 3:20?

Thank you.

That 3:20 isn't when you need to "report back" ~ that is when the bus leaves. You need to be back at the resort 45 mins before departure, to collect bags, use the bathroom, etc, to be ready for departure at 3:05. Bus pulls out at 3:20, not arrives.

 

[nkereina]

I agree that it's tight. But if you are ok with the potential of taking a taxi to the airport in the event you're running late, then I would chance it. You could also walk over to the Contemporary and catch a cab back to your resort if you think waiting for the bus at MK will take too long.

In the mean time, I'd say keep checking for an earlier BOG lunch time. I think you can finish up your DHS plan a bit before 12 if you arrive before rope drop.

 

[seashoreCM]

Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before you need to be at the Magical Express bus platform. So if you should be on the platform by 3 PM, you should plan your schedule to be stepping off of the park bus at your resort by 2 PM. Anxious is not a good feeling to have, and you will definitely have it if you cut things closer and the server is a little slow bringing your entree or bringing back your credit card after the meal.

If you miss your DME bus then the world comes collapsing down around you worse than a roof collapse under all that New England snow. Even if you experience the best case of being able to get on a DME bus 30 minutes later, the chances are now very high that you will be running full tilt down the corridor for your plane.

 

[nkereina]

Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before you need to be at the Magical Express bus platform. So if you should be on the platform by 3 PM, you should plan your schedule to be stepping off of the park bus at your resort by 2 PM.

If you miss your DME bus then the world comes collapsing down around you worse than a roof collapse under all that New England snow. Even if you experience the best case of being able to get on a DME bus 30 minutes later, the chances are now very high that you will be running full tilt down the corridor for your plane.

Just out of curiosity, why would you recommend being back at the resort a full hour before the DME pick up time, aside from just the extra cushion of time? If his DME pick up is at 3pm, I'd be back by 2:25-2:30 to grab my bags from bell services, which is typically near the DME stop. DME recommends you be at the stop 15 minutes before your scheduled pick up time.

And if he misses DME, he can always hop in a cab. Might even be faster. But obviously, it's not free.

 

[BugsDaddy]

I think it is cutting it way close. I think you would need everything to align perfectly that day for it to work.

If these things are a must do for you and you don't want to stress the DME ride back to the airport, maybe just plan to take a cab? This would give you a little more time and still get you to the airport with time to spare.