which is better??

[kritter]

Private town car service

OR

MAgic Express

AND why

 

[Tara]

I expect you'll get a lot of different answers to this!

Town car pros -- driver waiting for you in baggage claim, personal service, your bags go with you, you go directly to your resort, some will let you stop at a grocery store on the way.

Town car cons -- not cheap!

Magic Express pros -- free!, you don't have to handle your own bags, if you are flying on a participating airline, you can check your bags before going to the airport

Magic Express cons -- waiting for a bus, you might have to wait through several stops, if ME handles your luggage you might not have access to it for a few hours.

 

[CleveRocks]

Tara (above) is right on.

The major choice is ....

If you like the idea of a ride directly to your resort in a car with ONLY your party and don't mind paying for it, use a town car service (there's even the nice touch of the driver waiting for you holding a sign with your name on it).

If you like the idea of FREE and don't mind riding a bus with others and maybe making no more than 3 stops before your resort, take Disney's Magical Express (there's the nice touch of not having to even think about your luggage, at least for your arrival).

Last October, I booked my May 8 - 14 trip. DME wasn't announced yet, and I had every intention of using a town car service rather than using the Mears shuttle service, as for a party of six using Mears didn't save too much money at all, so why not live it up?! But once DME was announced, I was all about FREE. I knew what to expect with DME, and I enjoyed it and wasn't disappointed in any way.

-- Eric

 

[DisneyConvert]

Staying at Poly (2nd time and 1st was w/out a rental car) in January;
Arriving late Sunday and staying one evening near MCO (free shuttle bus range) so we can get a super-early start on Monday.

Magic Express is (trouble-)free but would require us to transfer back to the Airport to get the bus, yes?

Rental car (~$220 for a week) would allow us to pick up a few supplies along the way and get to/from AK a bit more easily . . .

Thoughts?

 

[kritter]

Eric
I think it is a matter of choice and how you choose to spend the money,,If you have kids having a car is nice...But some town car services do offer a free grocery stop..
My concern with the ME is that you waste time stopping at other resorts, etc.. Also they pick you up three hours befor your flight is scheduled to leave..

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

I enjoy the personal service of a towncar. We used Prestige Town car in June. The service was wonderful and the driver great. We had a free grocery stop at Publix. We picked up a lot of water, soda, and some snacks. Saved us a ton over what we would have spent at the resort for the same items. It's so nice to have a driver waiting for you at the airport and at your resort when it's time to leave.
They wanted to pick us up at about 1 1/2 before our flight but I asked for a two hours because I wanted to upgrade our tickets at the airport. A wonderful experience on both sides, although the return trip is always a downer. Prestige and Tiffany town cars are now one company and I highly recommend them. I believe it's prestigetowncars.com and tiffanytowncars.com.

ps....Prestige had one of the lowest round trip rates available in June, and a $5.00 coupon if you booked on their web site.

 

[kritter]

Thanks so much do you have their web site so I can call them??Prestige?? Thanks so much!!

 

[laurabelle]

Staying at Poly (2nd time and 1st was w/out a rental car) in January;
Arriving late Sunday and staying one evening near MCO (free shuttle bus range) so we can get a super-early start on Monday.

Magic Express is (trouble-)free but would require us to transfer back to the Airport to get the bus, yes?

Rental car (~$220 for a week) would allow us to pick up a few supplies along the way and get to/from AK a bit more easily . . .

Thoughts?

You could book a towncar with a grocery stop one way to the resort then take DME on your return trip.

 

[CleveRocks]

You could book a towncar with a grocery stop one way to the resort then take DME on your return trip.

Or you can also arrange for a grocery delivery and save the time of the actual grocery stop, whether you take a town car or DME.

-- Eric

 

[pumpkinboy]

Magical Express is free. Towncars will cost money.

You do the math.

'nuff said.

 

[mpbs]

We just returned on Sunday Aug 13., and used the ME, last year we had a town car p/u. We arrived at MCO at 12:30 plenty of Disney people at the airport to direct you to ME area. Checked in and was on a ME bus within 15 minutes. The bus was very nice and comfortable, also you do not have to get your luggage. The bus ride was pleasant with disney themed info on the parks (children loved it.) Checked in at BWI around 1:30, (took 5 minutes). Went to room dropped off carry on luggage went to eat came back around 6:30, and our luggage was in our room. The return trip was just as smooth. So to answer your question for the price of free ,I would definately use ME again.