Magical Express

Originally Posted By virk4

When we arrive in 46 days, we will take the Magical Express to the Beach Club Villas.I have been to WDW many times but have never taken the Magical Express....we usually take a town car. Since I have lost the argument with my grandchildren, I have a couple of questions. Does the bus stop at many,or all,different resorts. Can you estimate how long it will take to arrive at the BC? Will the luggage show up at a reasonable time after we get there? Does it take long to get out of the airport?
I just picture waiting at the airport for a bus, stopping at every resort and luggage arriving long after we have checked in. [I want by limo back].

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

Not sure for your hotel. But our experience was as such:

Go through customs and passport control. Hand luggage in (as normal in Orlando). Then instead of getting luggage, proceed to ME (though I believe you can retrieve your own luggage and take it with you - wish we had). Once in the arrivals area of the airport, go down to the car rental floor, and walk all the way down to the end for the ME check in. Then join the queue for the bus to your resort. Ours at AKL was shared with Pop Century and Coronado Springs. It seems like most shared between 2 or 3.

This part was not too bad and it was probably about an hour between clearing customs and getting to the resort. And there was a fun video to watch enroute.

But, we checked in to the hotel at 5 and our luggage arrived about 6 hours later. Not a problem on a US flight arriving in the morning, and then going into the parks. But for us coming from the UK, going to WDW meant we had our luggage at what felt like 4am after a very long day (wish we had carried it ourselves).

Going back to the airport was really easy. We had bell services handle our luggage from the room, and then it was in Heathrow airport when we arrived back in London. as for us, we went to the parks first thing, and then back to the hotel to catch our bus, and then went through the usual airport questions and on. That part was really easy.

Now this was 5 years ago, so things may have changed. Hopefully someone else who has recently used it can chime in. Other than the luggage issue on arrival (and we were grumpy because of jet lag with toddlers, poor check in service, and 2 room changes. The issue for us was not ME, but the WDW on site transport. Though perhaps not an issue at Boardwalk and I hear things have improved recently in that department.

 

Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt

Our luggage was in our room when before we were!! We had lunch first!!

 

Originally Posted By virk4

Thank you both.....I'm just anxious to get there!!!

 

Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub

One good thing about ME is the little dvd/Disney trip info they show on the ME bustrip. It "entertains" the children and adds to their excitement during the travel time. I also think traveling on the large tourbus is a little more comfortable for the family. I have never used the luggage delivery. If it was terrible we would have lots of complaints on LP I am guessing it is very efficient now. Finding the MAgic Express terminal in the big airport can be confusing tho'. I usually fly SW and arrive terminal A and it seems ME is on the opposite side(B) and then down the elevators. It seems most other airlines arrive in the B terminal. In reality the wait for ME is equal to waiting for the luggage to show up in baggage claim(always slow) so your trip wait to start the fun is not actually delayed. If their is a wait/line for the ME I just remind myself I am at Disney lines happen; prepare yourself for crowds. I am counting down also to 40days. I guess I will be leaving as you are arriving.

 

Originally Posted By jkayjs

Your baggage can take up to 3 hrs to be delivered to your room that is why they advise you to carry on anything you will need initially. We have never waited that long but just know it can.

You will be sharing with a couple of other resorts in the same area but this goes pretty fast.

We have never waited for a bus more than 15-20mins. I consider DME as the real beginning of our trip & believe it or not enjoy it. We took our grands in Dec along with their parents & this really set the tone. The kids were so excited when they got on "the Mickey bus"!

Everyone's experience can be different & unforseen things happen but we have never had a bad experience with DME.

Hope this helps.

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

Magical Express was a great experience for us. Not a long wait at all, and I don't remember stopping at another resort first, but we may have stopped at POFQ because we stayed at POR.

We landed at 5:00 pm and our luggage got to our room at around midnight, but that wasn't magical expresses fault. Our luggage missed the connection in Denver (which we barely made because our plane took off late). The hotel knew we were frantic about it so they delivered it to our room when it arrived!
Checking our luggage at the hotel the morning we left, was great. I really recommend it.

 

Originally Posted By Disneymom443

Every time that my family has used ME we were able to just walk straight to our bus. No waiting. I know that is not supper common but it has been for us. (3 times now)
As others have said the bus does stop at 3-4 other places. And of corse one will be yours. And who knows maybe the first stop will be your resort.
I love watching the video on the bus it really gets you excited that you are on your way to a great vacation. It does not start right away, it is timed to begin at a certian point.
When I use ME luggage delivery, it is in the afternoon when we get there so we eat lunch go play minniture golf and go to our room and our luggage is there.

I love it all and reconmend it to everyone.

So have fun, relax and have a wonderful time.

 

Originally Posted By Autopia Deb

We've used ME twice. First time we stayed at an All Star. The bus stopped at Coranado Springs and Maybe Pop Century, this was back in '06 so I don't remember exactly. We checked in around 4, got something to eat and then did a few hours in the parks. By the time we got back to our room it wasn't very late but our luggage was there. The last time we used it we didn't get our luggage tags, probably because it was a room only reservation booked fairly last minute. So we picked up our own luggage and driver loaded onto our bus. Our flight landed at 6 AM and we ended up with a bus to ourselves (I felt a little guilty about that) so no stops before our resort, POR. When we left they stopped for a pickup at OKW and I think one other resort in the same general area. If you pick up your own luggage the bell service will store it for you and deliver it to your room when you are ready, we called shortly after 1 and were pleasantly surprised at how quickly it was delivered.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

I'm not a big fan of Magical Express but I hate to complain too much about something that is free. In my experience I've typically waited in line 20 minutes at the check-in desk and another 20 minutes to catch the bus. I've always joked that it was Disney's way of "training" you for all the waits you will have in the parks. Definitely bring a carry-on with everything you will need that day... I've waited up to five hours for my luggage to arrive at my room. Our last visit I rented a car for probably the first time in 10 years (prior to ME I had been using Town Cars for quite a few years). I will probably continue to rent a car in the future. The price of rental cars appears to have decreased substantially since the advent of ME. We found it very convenient to have a way to get off Disney property for dining.

 

Originally Posted By Autopia Deb

I NEVER travel anywhere by air without a cary-on w/ a few essentials, even if I will have a rental car. Your checked luggage can be lost or delayed for any number of reasons that may or may not have to do with DME. The first time I don't have my precautionary cary-on will be the first time my luggage will get lost.
I make sure I have extra underwear and shirts (pants can usually be reworn if needed) travel size deodorant and toothpaste,toothbrush(es) medications, all travel documents and entry tickets and often a swimsuit.

 

Originally Posted By essbeeboyd

The only thing I have to add, is that you could also end up with someone elses luggage in your room. In which case it will take them about 3 hours to pick it up. Especially if it is Superbowl Sunday.
Other than that ME is great.

 

Originally Posted By AGKoolAid

I will be renting a car and headinng to universal right after I land. Has anyone used magical express to get their bags to their room, but not taken the bus? We are staying at pop century the entire trip, but won't likely get to the hotel till later in the evening.

 

Originally Posted By darcy-becker

I don't think that's allowed.

 

Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub

I would call Magic express. The Poly had our luggage for 2days while we stayed at the hard rock and came back for our stay at the poly.
I just got info at the local UPS store about shipping luggage. I am figuring if all these hotels are willing to hold luggage for those guests and ship them back...then they should be able to hold your luggage til the end of the day. I would put my id/info inside the suitcase also.
Did you know the UPS has 2 size sturdy luggage/shipping boxes with handles for sale? They look like they could actually replace luggage. they told me some people put their luggage inside others do not use luggage and just use the boxes. UPS supplies the forwarding and shipping return labels to you. (I am thinking about using this because we are staying at a timeshare and they do not have daily maid service,etc.) I think they said allow 3-4 shipping days.

If you get info from Magic Express or the Pop Century let us know their current policy. Thanks.

 

Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub

Magic Express 407-934-7639

POP Century 407-938-4000
ask for luggage assistance?

 

Originally Posted By Autopia Deb

My understanding is that ME will not take your luggage unless they also take you. I asked when we stayed at All Stars and rented a car May of '09.

 

Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub

Where you pre-registered with the tags on your checked luggage? I assumed we were talking about airport checked luggage. That luggage is automatically sent to the hotel and not on the bus you are on.
Sorry for the confusion.

 

Originally Posted By DisneyJen057

I have a simular question to KoolAid, we are going to take ME to Disney World and then after our stay at the resort we are thinking of renting a car from Epcot and driving to the Keys for a few days. Do you think when we return our car to Epcot a few days after we checkout of the hotel we can still take ME back to the hotel?

 

Originally Posted By Autopia Deb

ME runs from MCO to the Disney resorts. There are busses that run from the parks to and from the resorts and are free to use for all resort guests (actually all guests, they never ask for resort ID).