Disney's Magical Express

[disneygurlz2s]

Hey gang...

 

Well, the countdown is on... next month is (God willing) my long-awaited Disney vacation. This will be the first time I have ever flown in and not rented a car, so I will using the new "Magical Express" service. Just wondered if anyone else has used it and what their experience was?

 

Also, what do you do with your luggage during the last day of your stay? We will not be scheduled to depart for the airport until about 4 and plan to head out to the parks for the day. I am assuming your resort has a place where you store them, but is that just your checked luggage? What about carry-on bags??

 

Thanks!!

Shari

[weeow]

Are you going to WDW? I don't know much about the Magical Express thing but I think I remember my mom saying tat Disney will get your bags at the airport and take them to your room or resort. Have fun when you go. Disney is amazing.

[RRollergod]

Well I used it... It is so awsome depending on the driver its like a whole comady act to your resort! Some drivers are boring but my family had the whole bus laughing about american idol. As for tyhe bagage it you use certain flights they check your bagage at the hotel and they will put it on the flight for you and you pick it up at your destination! Hope that helps!

[Wes]

I used the bus system (not the luggage check) and I found it to be very convenient. The only problem I had was finding the place in the actual airport, but once I got there, it only took 10 minutes before I was on the bus. They have a ton of busses, each with a different route that services two or three hotels, so it's not like you have to stop at every hotel in the resort.

 

I'm not sure about the carry-on thing, you might want to give them a call and ask.

[Warlord694]

They will check in your baggage and hold your carry on bags for you.

I dropped off everything in the AM and hit parks until it was time for our bus to depart the resort. They give you dep. bus time when you check in.

[DerekRx]

When you're going back to the airport, even if the airline you fly is in cooperation with them and you check your luggage at the hotel, you'll get on the bus by airline, and when you do, your carry on luggage gets placed under the bus in sections. For instance, if you're on Southwest, the driver will call "Southwest people" and you'll drop off your luggage in a pile and get on the bus. Then when you get to the airport and are at the Southwest drop off, you'll get off the bus and the driver will have all the Southwest luggage taken off there.

 

Its a really easy service, except for the whole being ready to leave 3 hours before your flight, and then finding out 30 minutes later that your flight is delayed 4 hours but you're already on the way to the airport.

 

The hardest part is reading the directions on how to get to your bus, over on the A terminal side of the Orlando International Airport.

[CoasterFanatic]

Its a really easy service, except for the whole being ready to leave 3 hours before your flight, and then finding out 30 minutes later that your flight is delayed 4 hours but you're already on the way to the airport.

 

At least MCO has free internet. Or at least ... it used to.

[disneygurlz2s]

Thanks gang! I am glad to hear the postive comments, and I will make sure I find out where to go at the airport in advance. I think to be safe I will call the resort this week (I have some other questions anyway) and get the scoop direct from a cast member, but it sounds as if they have it all under control!

 

Shari "TPR members rock!" Shoufler

[Hattuchili]

The Magical Express, is a real good service from Disney! I talked to a few Resort guesty in my shops and they all liked the service! I mean when you stay at a Disney Resort, then you don´t need a car! The Disney Transportation system is awesome! I use the Transportation system a few times a week by myself to go from one Park to another or to a Resort hotel! The buses are coming every few minutes! Yesterday I used the buses to go to the Wilderness Lodge, from there to Downtown Disney, later to the Boardwalk and back to Downtown Disney! It is really easy and for free!

Anyway, I hope to see you in one of my shops when you are coming to Epcot!

 

--Sören

[bigstevet07]

We used it in September. It is kind of hard to locate someone at the airport depending on what concourse you are on. Just find someone with the giant Mickey hands and they will tell you how to get there to check in. I was really impressed with the fact they loaded up the bus, put everyone's luggage on depending on where you are staying, and dropped everyone off at the apporiate hotel. Then, all you gotta go is check in at the hotel and the bell people take your bags to the room for you. You won't deal with bags at all once you get on the bus.

 

I don't know how it is to get back to the airport on land because we took the land/sea package. I do know that on the boat we put or luggage outside our door that night, and they made sure it got on the bus and with us to the airport.

[disneygurlz2s]

Anyway, I hope to see you in one of my shops when you are coming to Epcot!

 

 

Soarin' and Soren..... two things on our list to see at EPCOT! You can count on it!

 

 

I received all our documents yesterday and the map to the Welcome Center at the airport didn't seem too confusing, but that may be because we are arriving at the concourse closest to where it appears to be on the map. I liked that the luggage stickers are very bright, pre-printed and they send you plenty.

 

Shari "counting the days" Shoufler

[Schmoofy]

The magical express should work wonders for you. It saves you the money trying to find a taxi at the air port. They take you in an AC luxury bus and show a pre-vacation video to pump you for the parks. The only down side to this, is that your luggage doesn't get there at the same time you do. Usually 2-3 hours after you check in, you luggage does, so make sure you pack things in a backpack that you will need. (Bathing suits, park tickets, money, etc.)

 

It was a wonder for us last time!

 

Another thing you might want to try it the Dining Plan. You buy a certain amount of tickets for around Disney. The plan we took gave us each a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack during the day. Plus extra cafeteria food tickets came along with our package. You might want to try using the Dining Plan instead of carrying around your credit cards or money.

[Ghost]

You get on the bus, relax, start your vacation with a Disney World video on the screen.... The Disney Magic starts at the airport

 

(I am such a Disney Geek)

[socalMAN123]

Yeah, I was wondering also because we will be using this service too. It sounds really nice and I hope it is what it lives up to be. This should be an awesome trip for you Shari, to bad we miss each other by a couple of days!

---Brent

[disneygurlz2s]

^^ Yeah, I saw your "ticker" on another post.... hope you have a great time. Let me know when you get back if you have any details to share about the buses or anything else!

 

We already have the dining plan, because we got in on the "Free Dining" deal which is awesome, and mainly the reason we were able to do the trip. My only concern is that there will be more people there because of that. We waited until the end of summer to go, in part, hoping that since most US schools go back about that time, crowds would be lighter. But, with the Free Dining, as well as the "Magical Beginnings" promotion, I am thinking it's still going to be pretty packed.

 

Shari