Transportation Questions!!

[weschmom]

Considering booking 1/18-1/22 @ CBR. We are flying into Orlando and I do not want to rent a car.

1. Is the Magical Express deal the only thing that Disney offers to transport you to your resort from the airport? I'm not comfortable with leaving my suitcases with them, and I've read some negative things about this service. Any way you can use the service but keep your bags yourself?

2. Is taking the shuttle bus to the parks from CBR the best option? Only option? About how long does it take to get to each park via shuttle bus?

3. If Disney transportation from the airport is not an option, what do others recommend? Taxi? Limo service? Don't want to pay a ton of money for this...just wanna get there quickly and safely!

Thanks All!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

You're always free to carry your own bags with you on the Disney Magical Express buses. Just don't put the yellow luggage tags on your bags when you check them at your home airport. Then, when you arrive in Orlando, go to the baggage carousel and claim your bags before checking in with DME.

I've never stayed at CBR, but have used Disney Transportation from Wilderness Lodge and Saratoga Springs. Buses are typically on a 20-minute cycle. (If you just miss the bus you wanted, it should take about 20 minutes for the next one to arrive.) Of course, there are always exceptions, and sometimes you'll have to wait a little longer.

I don't know if CBR shares buses with another resort. That was the case when we stayed at Wilderness Lodge. Most of the buses we used stopped at Fort Wilderness, too.

 

[kapoof]

you could have a limo pick you up at the airport? as for the magical express and the baggage..we checked in our luggage and flew out of ohare to orlando and the next time we saw out luggage was in our rooms waiting for us!! so it does work..i was surprised, but it did work!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

CBR does not share buses with other resorts.
I found DME to be very reliable, and I got my luggage within 2 hours of checking in.
I also liked Tiffany Towncar, which does a grocery stop for free, but upon checkout I had to make a phone call to them to remind them to pick me up...almost missed our flight (but almost doesn't count...or does it?).

 

[kimis]

We love ME and we are glad they are continuing it. It sure saves a lot of time. It was kinda scarey the first time we used it. We will be using it again in Jan. Can't wait. I think it is like 84 days and we will be there again. Enjoy

 

[seashoreCM]

Magical Express is all that Disney offers.

Before they invented Magical Express, Disney didn't offer anything, all you had were taxis, limos, towncars, Mears' shuttle, rental cars, and, ultra cheap and also ultra circuitous, the Lynx city bus.

Caribbean Beach does not share buses with another resort but there are 8 stops within serving about 2000 rooms which may seem to you like sharing. For comparison both Port Orleans' have about 3000 rooms and 5 bus stops between them and Pop Century has about 3000 rooms and one bus stop. The three All Stars have 6000 rooms and 3 stops altogether although during busy hours some buses serve just one of the three each.

Disney's Magical Express resort to airport baggage service (all airlines Disney bound, selected aka "participating" airlines homebound) is actually more reliable than how the airlines fare.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[goofy4tink]

After 3-4 trips with DME, I have absolutely no reservations about recommending it to anyone. It generally takes about 70 minutes from deplaning to resort checkin. It can take a bit longer but the longest I have taken is 90 minutes and that time it was fairly crowded at MCO and the DME checkin desk. Had to wait about 10 minutes for the bus and then we were the last of three stops, but it still only took 90 mins.

If you aren't comfortable with having DME get your checked bags to your resort, then don't use the yellow luggage tags on them. You can go to baggage claim and grab your own bags and have them put underneath the same DME bus you are traveling on. It really is a terrific service. Only one time have I gotten to my resort any more quickly and that was using a towncar service, with carryon luggage only..that took about 50 minutes from deplaning to resort checkin.

 

[clkelley]

Caribbean Beach does not share buses with another resort but there are 8 stops within serving about 2000 rooms which may seem to you like sharing.

That is the biggest negative to me about CBR. I've never stayed there, but have visited a couple of times. The other problem with those 8 stops is there is no rhyme or reason of which order they go in that 8 stop loop. So one day, you may be picked up at your bus stop and go straight to Epcot. The next day, you may be picked up at your bus stop and stop at all 7 other stops before going to the park. (The problem is there are three or four bus entrances to CBR, and depending on where they came from before coming to CBR, decides what order they run through the stops).

The other thing about CBR that bugs me is the food/shopping area is not in the same location as Guest Services/Check-In Check-Out.

Unless you have your heart set on CBR, I would recommend Port Orleans French Quarter for ease of getting back and forth to/from the parks, grabbing a quick breakfast in the morning, and taking care of administrative stuff regarding your stay. POFQ does share with PO Riverside, but POFQ is always the first stop leaving and the first stop returning from the parks. So you always get a seat going to the parks, and you are the first off coming back from the parks. (The Magic Kingdom Bus didn't share with POR when we were there in May 04).

 

[kaytieeldr]

As others have stated, yes you can pick up your own luggage and bring it to the bus with you (don't forget to tip the driver for handling your bags).

But, I'm curious - WHAT 'negative things' have you heard about Magical Express that makes you reluctant to let that service transport your luggage directly to your room?

 

[havencruiser]

I recently used DME to get from MCO to All-Start Music. It took 45 minutes. It has taken far longer than that to get there by renting a car.
One of the issues you will find with CBR is that depending on which unit you stay in, times could vary greatly on any Disney transportation if you are the last stop on the bus loop.
DME, in my opinion, is a wonderful option and the fact that is it free makes it even better. I will never rent a car again!