What Time Does The Magical Express Start Running?

[manooly]

I'm curious as to what time the Magical Express starts running from the resorts to the airport? We have a flight that leaves MCO at 7:30am. I thought I heard the buses start running at 5am each day. Can someone confirm the hours? They still recommend leaving your resort around 3 hours before your flight time correct? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

- manooly

 

[Amy&Dan]

They run 24 hours a day. We have arrived to our resort as late as 2:30 a.m. and left as early as 3:00 a.m. Never a problem. Yes, its still 3 hours before flilght time and they recommend you get to the ME stop at your resort at least 15 minutes from your scheduled departure time. On those early morning runs that's really important since they tend to make good time (fewer people that early to pick up) and run ahead of schedule.

 

[smitch425]

I'm curious as to what time the Magical Express starts running from the resorts to the airport? We have a flight that leaves MCO at 7:30am. I thought I heard the buses start running at 5am each day. Can someone confirm the hours? They still recommend leaving your resort around 3 hours before your flight time correct? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

- manooly

I believe the buses run 24 hours a day. The 5am thing is for Resort Airline Check-in. That means that if you have an early flight you will just need to take your bags with you on the ME bus. Yes the bus will pick you up 3 hours prior to your departure time, and you should be at the bus stop 15 minutes early.

 

[Missytara]

I'm curious as to what time the Magical Express starts running from the resorts to the airport? We have a flight that leaves MCO at 7:30am. I thought I heard the buses start running at 5am each day. Can someone confirm the hours? They still recommend leaving your resort around 3 hours before your flight time correct? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

- manooly

The RAC desk opens at 5:00 am; the ME runs 24/7.

 

[mkoerner]

On the 2 occassions we had early flights, a cab picked us up. Still run by ME. No worries

 

[MagicMe]

Yes we've done this. The bus runs 24/7 but at that time of the morning you will more than likely have to take your luggage with you.

 

[manooly]

Thanks for your replies! Is it possible for my family and I to wait to leave the resort at 5:00am instead of 4:40am so I can use the Resort Airline Check-in process? We'll be staying at the Coronado Springs Resort. This way we won't have to carry our luggage with us. It would only be a half hour later. The past two years we have used the Magical Express from the resort to the airport and we have always had plenty of time before our flight. I mean almost 2 hours early. I understand the 3 hour window to make sure you get to the airport in time but I'm willing to gamble and wait til the 5:00am Magical Express bus so we would have to carry our luggage with us and we'd be able to take advantage of the Resort Airline Check-in process.

Any information would be appreciated!

Thanks!

- manooly

 

[shyjade]

You will receive your ME departure time a few days before your trip ends. It may or may not be exactly 3 hours prior but if they specify 4:40, you must depart at that time. Unless things have changed in the past few years, they are firm with their departure times.

 

[diesel]

I believe in order to use RAC you must check in with them at least 3 hours before your flight. So if your flight is at 7:30 am checking the luggage in at 5:00 does not give them enough time to get the luggage to the airport.

 

[Jestocost]

I believe in order to use RAC you must check in with them at least 3 hours before your flight. So if your flight is at 7:30 am checking the luggage in at 5:00 does not give them enough time to get the luggage to the airport.

This is correct. You will not be able to use RAC for a 7:30 a.m. flight because you would have to have the process completed by 4:30 a.m.; which obviously is before RAC opens.

 

[maxiesmom]

You will receive your ME departure time a few days before your trip ends. It may or may not be exactly 3 hours prior but if they specify 4:40, you must depart at that time. Unless things have changed in the past few years, they are firm with their departure times.

Not only that, but busses do show up early. When they tell you to be at the stop 15 minutes prior to your scheduled departure time, they mean it! My dad almost missed his early morning ride on ME because I forgot to tell him that.

 

[TDC Nala]

They run whenever someone books them. If you book for a 7:30 AM flight, a bus will pick you up at your resort around 4:30. You just wouldnt be able to use RAC to check in your luggage.

Is it possible for my family and I to wait to leave the resort at 5:00am instead of 4:40am so I can use the Resort Airline Check-in process?

Probably not. They are not flexible on the bus departure times. Plus, if RAC opens at 5 it does not mean you will be able to have the luggage taken care of by 5 - it would be sometime after 5 - and the DME bus can't wait for you. If you skip your appointed pickup time there is no guarantee they will be able to call another bus for you or put you on a later bus.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Yes, they are very firm on the three hour deadline to check bags before your flight departure. We had a 9:45 a.m. flight on Monday morning, got to the baggage check in at POR at 6:46 and they turned us away. I looked at my cell phone as we walked up knowing we might be late and even though it was one minute, they did just that.

And like Maxiesmom's dad, I can attest they really do mean get there 15 minutes early! We didn't do that at All Star Music a few years ago, got there about ten minutes early for about a 5:00 a.m. departure and the bus had left. We got to the bus stop about 14 minutes early on Monday and I was sweating bullets we might have missed our ME but another couple was there and had been there for awhile and was able to assure us we were okay on that front at least. I am done with early departures, too hectic getting everything checked in and getting ourselves to the ME stop!

Given RAC doesn't start until 5:00 and they do have a the three hour thing, there is no way I can see you avoiding taking your bags on the plane. We just did it, and we had a total of 8 bags (two week trip) and it was fine. Not as fine as RAC would have been but it was still okay.

 

[GoofyFairie]

We were supposed to be picked up at 6:00 a.m. We got there at 5:30 and waited. ME showed up at 7:00 a.m.! We were the only family being picked up. A van showed up with a driver who spoke very little English. We went to GF and picked up another family with a lot of luggage for 4 people. It was a very scary ride to the airport and we barely made our flight. I will never use ME that early again! Beware.

 

[Jestocost]

We were supposed to be picked up at 6:00 a.m. We got there at 5:30 and waited. ME showed up at 7:00 a.m.! We were the only family being picked up. A van showed up with a driver who spoke very little English. We went to GF and picked up another family with a lot of luggage for 4 people. It was a very scary ride to the airport and we barely made our flight. I will never use ME that early again! Beware.

DME is run by Mears under contract for Disney. You probably had a Mears van. Mears also runs most of the cabs at Disney, so skipping DME and taking a cab would put you in basically the same transportation but at a price.

 

[maxiesmom]

We were supposed to be picked up at 6:00 a.m. We got there at 5:30 and waited. ME showed up at 7:00 a.m.! We were the only family being picked up. A van showed up with a driver who spoke very little English. We went to GF and picked up another family with a lot of luggage for 4 people. It was a very scary ride to the airport and we barely made our flight. I will never use ME that early again! Beware.

It sounds like there was a glitch that day, but what happened to you is not the norm. After waiting a half an hour it is wise to let guest services know what is going on. They will either have another bus come, or get you a cab.

 

[manooly]

I was considering dropping all of our luggage (except our carry-ons) off at the RAC the night before to avoid taking it with us the next morning. Does anyone know what time the RAC is open til? Thanks!

 

[diesel]

i think RAC is open from 5am to 1pm.

 

[starousse]

Has anyone taken ME to the resort, but opted to just take a cab to the airport going home. It seems like over three hours is such a waste of time.

 

[pixarmom]

We usually leave on an evening flight and take ME back to the airport, so we don't have tons of experience with early morning ME. But over Memorial Day weekend, we had a 7am flight and ME picked us up from AKL at 4am! We considered lots of different options for that morning and we were very happy with our decision to use ME.

We decided against a cab or car service due to cost and reliability. I know there are very reliable services out there, but we've been using ME since it started and every single one of our experiences has been positive. So I feel it's reliable. We liked the combination of reliable and free! (OK, maybe not free, but already paid for in resort rate.)

We had a rental car because we drove up to WDW after a couple days at the beach, but decided against keeping the rental car for our return to the airport due to cost and hassle. It's just easier for ME to pick us up than for us to get directions to the airport, navigate all that at 4am, drop off kids, luggage, me, then husband returns the car and comes to find us. Sure, we could have left AKL a little later with a rental car - by maybe 1/2 hour or so - but that didn't seem like a pleasant routine in the early morning. We'd rather spend the time on ME and getting breakfast in the airport than rushing around. Although we're willing to pay extra for convenience - booked DCL transfers for five for our cruise next month - can't beat convenient and free!

So we just hopped on ME, watched the video and didn't have to think about a thing at 4am. Very nice.