What is the latest ME would drop you at your hotel?

[mavbrimuss]

Just wondering what is latest time Magical Express would bring you to the Beach Club from the airport at night? We have a late flight, but I wondering if there are any kind of flight delays would we be stuck at the airport ?

 

[goofy4tink]

DME runs continuously, 24/7. If there is someone scheduled to arrive, late at night, there will be a bus running. You'll be just fine.

 

[wdwrich]

Just remember that if you arrive at MCO after 10PM, you need to pick up your luggage at baggage claim and tote it over to DME.

 

[Greysword]

In addition, you may not leave immediately, as other later flights may be coming in, so they may wait for a scheduled flight to land instead of taking a very empty bus. Also, your hotel may not be the first one, so it will take a while to get to your lobby.

Otherwise, they seem to track the flights and even if delayed, they will be waiting for you (by name, too).

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

We landed last Sunday at 11:20 p.m. I wanted to see how long the DMW would take to get us to the resort. We collected our luggage, made a potty stop then boarded the DME at 11:50 and departed for WDW at 12:12. We were the 3rd resort dropped off and arrived at GF at 12:50.
There were 5 families on the bus.

 

[N365PA]

My wife and I would frequently (about once every two months) take the late flight out of IAH to MCO, getting in between 11 and midnight depending on the delays of the day. We were almost always at our resort about an hour after we landed. I have taken DME at 2AM and I would say I prefer arriving late at night and toting my bags in order to not have large crowds.

Clint

 

[Polydweller]

Technically ME runs 5:00 am to 10:00 pm but if someone has booked with them for a later time they will extend their hours. That is how it is officially stated. It could be theoretically possible that no one books after 10:00 pm so they would stop.

In practice, it really would only affect someone who hadn't confirmed thir booking and just showed up. Jus book you ME ride and there will be a bus for you.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Technically ME runs 5:00 am to 10:00 pm but if someone has booked with them for a later time they will extend their hours. That is how it is officially stated. It could be theoretically possible that no one books after 10:00 pm so they would stop.

I've never before read that "technically ME runs 5:00 am to 10:00 pm." Those are just the hours for inbound luggage transfers.

If anyone can provide a link to a Disney site that indicates DME hours are officially just 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., please post it.

In practice, it really would only affect someone who hadn't confirmed thir booking and just showed up. Jus book you ME ride and there will be a bus for you.

Due to Disney's current contract with Orlando International, DME is not allowed to transport anyone who "just showed up" without a reservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've never before read that "technically ME runs 5:00 am to 10:00 pm." Those are just the hours for inbound luggage transfers.

If anyone can provide a link to a Disney site that indicates DME hours are officially just 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., please post it.


Due to Disney's current contract with Orlando International, DME is not allowed to transport anyone who "just showed up" without a reservation.

Agree 100% with this. DME doesn't 'technically' run from 5am-10pm. Their luggage delivery system does, but not the actual transportation. The luggage delivery is a perk of booking DME..not the primary thing.
So, yes, if you arrive after 10pm, prior to 5am, you are going to have to get your own bags. But there will always be a bus or van waiting for you. DME runs 24/7...period.

If you haven't booked a ride on DME, it doesn't matter what time of day, or night, you show up. You aren't getting on a bus. The rules are that you have to have a prior reservation in order to get on that bus.

 

[PlutoPony]

We walked off the plane at 11:45pm a couple Fridays ago and were in our ME resort line by midnight. There were probably 80 people clustered in mostly 5 lines by then, and maybe 1 other group got into any of the lines after us. However no buses were waiting outside . Waited another 20 minutes and all of a sudden several buses rolled in and were quickly loaded, on our way by 12:30 am. Our bus was filled BUT there were 5 stops.... no doubt this was the last major surge of incoming guests and they were doing it with a few buses as they could. We were the 4th stop (Coronado, AK Jambo, Kidani, Sports, then either Animation or Music I think) and close to a dozen get off there. The previous stops had only 2-3 people get off each time. Got to our room at 1:45 am.

So if you come in late, be prepared for some time touring the various resorts late at night. Now I know what is shown on the video screens when you go through the entire loop of ME intro and Disney shorts - it reverts to a screen that just shows "Magical Express" and no music

 

[Jestocost]

We walked off the plane at 11:45pm a couple Fridays ago and were in our ME resort line by midnight. There were probably 80 people clustered in mostly 5 lines by then, and maybe 1 other group got into any of the lines after us. However no buses were waiting outside . Waited another 20 minutes and all of a sudden several buses rolled in and were quickly loaded, on our way by 12:30 am. Our bus was filled BUT there were 5 stops.... no doubt this was the last major surge of incoming guests and they were doing it with a few buses as they could. We were the 4th stop (Coronado, AK Jambo, Kidani, Sports, then either Animation or Music I think) and close to a dozen get off there. The previous stops had only 2-3 people get off each time. Got to our room at 1:45 am.

So if you come in late, be prepared for some time touring the various resorts late at night. Now I know what is shown on the video screens when you go through the entire loop of ME intro and Disney shorts - it reverts to a screen that just shows "Magical Express" and no music

That's certainly a possibility and I agree you should be prepared for just such a scenario. On the other hand, we one time had a motor coach all to ourselves after virtually no wait for a ride to the Poly when we arrived late, so it can go either way.

 

[goofy4tink]

DME certainly operates at a lessened capacity after 10pm...there just aren't all that many guests arriving at these times. But...a bus will be there. But, it may not be immediate. Even if you arrive at 2pm, you may still have to wait 20 or so mins for the bus. It's the luck of the draw actually.

 

[disneycrazzy]

Our flight was delayed in Atlanta and we arrived in Orlando around 1:30 am when we were originally scheduled to land at midnight. I was a little concerned at first but there were several workers on duty and three buses there ready and waiting for all of us - it was 3:00am by the time we made a few stops, got to our hotel, got checked in and got to bed - but ME was great!

 

[Polydweller]

I've never before read that "technically ME runs 5:00 am to 10:00 pm." Those are just the hours for inbound luggage transfers.

If anyone can provide a link to a Disney site that indicates DME hours are officially just 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., please post it.


Due to Disney's current contract with Orlando International, DME is not allowed to transport anyone who "just showed up" without a reservation.

Just read the stuff on the Disney site, that's where I got it and it's more than just luggage. However, there is a reason I said technically. That's their posted hours but in reality they run busses at all hours, but stop luggage pickup at 10 regardless. Just letting the OP know that reserve their ME and there are no worries just in case the OP ran into that info.

They can pickup people who do not have an ME reservation but they must have a hotel resevation. They do that all the time. Their contract limits them to people with Disney resort reservation.

 

[dburg30]

Technically the latest is 11:59.59 PM and the earliest would be 12:00:00 AM.

 

[maxiesmom]

So if you come in late, be prepared for some time touring the various resorts late at night. Now I know what is shown on the video screens when you go through the entire loop of ME intro and Disney shorts - it reverts to a screen that just shows "Magical Express" and no music

My one time using ME late, we ended up the 3rd stop, and there was at least one more after us. We went to CSR, AKL, and our stop was the Sports. And there were still people left on the bus after our stop.

We landed around 11pm, and it was after 1am when we were standing at check in. I can honestly say that I won't use ME again that late at night. I will spend the extra money on a town car. I would much rather just get my bags and be on my way that late at night.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

For our last trip on a late arriving flight, we booked the Hyatt at the airport for a lot cheaper than a night at our resort. We got up in the morning and head over to DME around 7, and with a whole 3 families on the giant bus, we got to POFQ, dropped off our luggage...of course room wasn't ready...got a bite at the food court, and made rope drop to whichever park we started that day.

 

[goofy4tink]

Complimentary Airport Transportation Service - Disney's Magical Express Transportation

Complimentary airport transportation service, known as Disney's Magical Express Transportation, is complimentary roundtrip airport transportation and luggage delivery for Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Begin your vacation the moment you step off the plane. Bypass baggage claim and avoid the hassle of having to find transportation and drive, as Disney's Magical Express service transports you from Orlando International Airport to your Walt Disney World Resort hotel, and deliver your bags to your room.

Read frequently asked questions - and answers - about Disney's Magical Express airport service.

How It Works

Reserve Disney's Magical Express Transportation when you book online or by calling (407) WDW-MAGIC or (407) 939-6244. Guests under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian's permission to call.

Upon landing at Orlando International Airport, skip baggage claim and proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will collect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 3 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motorcoach.

International Guests flying into Orlando International Airport from another country must follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim luggage after disembarking the plane. After completing the process, proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will recollect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 4 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motorcoach.

Sit back and relax as Disney transports you to your Disney Resort hotel in an air-conditioned motorcoach.

As your vacation draws to a close, you'll receive a Transportation Notice advising you of the pick-up time and place for your motorcoach ride back to Orlando International Airport. Please note that it is your responsibility to bring your luggage to the pick-up point.
Please note that you cannot reserve the luggage service exclusively. You must be present on the motorcoach to have your luggage transported to a Walt Disney World hotel....


I copied this directly from WDW's official site. It says nothing about stopping operations between 10pm and 5am. It does say that guests arriving between those hours will have to get their own luggage and bring the bags with them to the DME bus.

DME runs 24/7....sure, if you arrive at midnight you may get to your resort more slowly than with a 3pm arrival, but you may also get there more quickly. But saying that DME doesn't run 24/7 is just wrong.