Is it possible to get to dinner on time?

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musketeer

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Timing question. I've done the magical express thing many times, but never this exact combination, so I'm not sure if our dinner reservations are possible.

We land in Orlando at a few minutes before 3pm. Have to get to Caribbean Beach resort to check in, won't even go to the room, just right on the bus to the Magic Kingdom where we have dinner reservations at 5:40 at Tony's. Is this possible to make?

We've stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort 2 other times, but once we rented a car, and once we took the magical express but at around midnight, and I don't recall the timing of it.

The additional factors are fastpasses for immediately after dinner, so I don't want to push dinner back if I don't have to. And I purposely picked Tony's because it's right in front.

Tough problems to have, I know.
 
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JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
musketeer said:
Show me where I've had a problem with people saying we won't make it. The only problem I've had is when people start telling me I'm doing our vacation wrong, or wasting our time, or how bad I am for putting my family through this ordeal.

At no point have I had a problem with someone saying we won't make it.
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You're not wasting your time. You have too little of it between landing at 3:00 and your ADR at 5:40. And if cab is not an option, I really don't see how you can do it.
 
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Tom

Tom

Beta Return
mousehockey37 said:
OP said cab isn't an option.
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Cab was never really an option for us before, until it saved our butts a couple times. We won't use them routinely, but when we need to get to a critical ADR and Disney has done everything it its power to delay us (that's their transportation department's specialty), cabs come out as the heros.

I certainly hope the OP will at least consider a cab, given his constraints. Ignoring all the opinions and unsolicited advice, I think it's safe to say there's a high probability that the OP will not make his ADR given then information provided. A cab is a mere suggestion as a way to almost guarantee a timely arrival, as long as the plane doesn't land late, and DME isn't stalled.
 
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mousehockey37

mousehockey37

Well-Known Member
musketeer said:
Exactly, you got it, yes or no. I don't need to be told that we're dumb for wasting a park ticket or that we should relax and unwind the right way.
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Re-read this other post below. Especially the part I have bolded and underlined for you.

Tom said:
Cab was never really an option for us before, until it saved our butts a couple times. We won't use them routinely, but when we need to get to a critical ADR and Disney has done everything it its power to delay us (that's their transportation department's specialty), cabs come out as the heros.

I certainly hope the OP will at least consider a cab, given his constraints. Ignoring all the opinions and unsolicited advice, I think it's safe to say there's a high probability that the OP will not make his ADR given then information provided. A cab is a mere suggestion as a way to almost guarantee a timely arrival, as long as the plane doesn't land late, and DME isn't stalled.
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M

musketeer

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
HRHPrincessAriel said:
It sounds like he knows what he's doing and getting into. He just wanted to know if it's possible
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Yes, exactly, that is absolutely correct. That was my ONLY question. No one on here knows EVERYTHING about the place. I tend to think I'm more knowledgeable than the average visitor, as are most people on these boards, but there are some things that I don't know, and even though I've traveled from Orlando International to WDW many times, I've never really paid attention to the time.
 
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Dads 2 Boys

Dads 2 Boys

Well-Known Member
musketeer said:
Timing question. I've done the magical express thing many times, but never this exact combination, so I'm not sure if our dinner reservations are possible.

We land in Orlando at a few minutes before 3pm. Have to get to Caribbean Beach resort to check in, won't even go to the room, just right on the bus to the Magic Kingdom where we have dinner reservations at 5:40 at Tony's. Is this possible to make?

We've stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort 2 other times, but once we rented a car, and once we took the magical express but at around midnight, and I don't recall the timing of it.

The additional factors are fastpasses for immediately after dinner, so I don't want to push dinner back if I don't have to. And I purposely picked Tony's because it's right in front.

Tough problems to have, I know.
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Possible? yes...definitely. Probable? Not IMO.....at least strictly by the WDW transportation. Too many variables. We always have great experiences with the WDW transportation but as others have said, a cab is your best solution. I think it is reasonable you can get there but one delay will cause issues. Not to mention the walk from the bus stop to the front gate after bag check could be 10 minutes.....there is a 15 minute window but......

In regards to the ticket part that some don't agree on, we do the same as you. The cost difference is minimal for us (as it appears for you) so we go and "say hello" to the castle, etc... and absorb things. If it's what you enjoy as a family (as it is for us) then go for it. Oh yeah, we don't land til 6:00. We choose to go especially since Saturdays seem to have late EMH.
 
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PrincessNelly_NJ

PrincessNelly_NJ

Well-Known Member
I would push it back an hour. We always go to MK on our arrival day, which tends to fall on emh nights when MK is open til midnight or later. So we arrive around 5-7 and stay for 5+ hours. It is tradition and the extra couple dollars is so insignificant to us.

Sometimes it is the unexpected that can trip you up. This past October all three of us were coming from different states (NJ, GA, & AL) My sister from AL had to take a car ride, train ride, and a plane ride with connecting stops.

You would think that would be where the error would happen... psshhh nope! Landed at MCO at 9:30am found each other at 10 am and still didn't check into POR until 1:30pm! Why? For some reason when we scanned our bands, magical express listed us as going to POP instead of POR so they wouldn't let us on the bus. Even after showing my them reservation via the app, I got asked over and over if I was sure I knew where I was staying. We also had a split stay between POR & POFQ which led to more confusion that I didn't know where I was staying. Took us an hour to get that sorted out. Then another 30 minutes to get on the bus and the line for online check in was insane!

So I'd push it back an hour and maybe see if you can time it with the electrical parade. Get a nice patio seat for you and your family!
 
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M

musketeer

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Original Poster
I think we've decided to cancel Tony's, have counter service and then use that table service for breakfast or lunch later in the week.

It's more important to us to use the fast passes that first night.
 
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buseegal

Active Member
OP think you made the correct choice but with possible flight delays in Feb I would be ready to miss the FPs. I know you do not want to hear that but it is very possible that they will be missed. weather where your plane is coming from not just your area. our girls were preforming at a bowl game in Orlando many years ago, when their flight home from Orlando was canceled because of snow in Detroit. plane could not leave Detroit because of snow there so reason for canceling flight in Orlando was snow. just be prepared for unplanned delays
 
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M

musketeer

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
buseegal said:
OP think you made the correct choice but with possible flight delays in Feb I would be ready to miss the FPs. I know you do not want to hear that but it is very possible that they will be missed. weather where your plane is coming from not just your area. our girls were preforming at a bowl game in Orlando many years ago, when their flight home from Orlando was canceled because of snow in Detroit. plane could not leave Detroit because of snow there so reason for canceling flight in Orlando was snow. just be prepared for unplanned delays
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I guess that's possible, but oh well. It's not like a dinner reservation. With missing dinner, I'd have to make another table service reservation so I don't lose it. Not using the fast passes is annoying, but i don't need to make up for it later.
 
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Much-Pixie-Dust

Much-Pixie-Dust

Well-Known Member
buseegal said:
OP think you made the correct choice but with possible flight delays in Feb I would be ready to miss the FPs. I know you do not want to hear that but it is very possible that they will be missed. weather where your plane is coming from not just your area. our girls were preforming at a bowl game in Orlando many years ago, when their flight home from Orlando was canceled because of snow in Detroit. plane could not leave Detroit because of snow there so reason for canceling flight in Orlando was snow. just be prepared for unplanned delays
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It's because of variables such as these, that we don't go to the parks the first day we arrive. Starting off "delayed" in any capacity at the parks or for ressies is not what I want. I would rather hang out at the hotel or plan on visiting DTD. We always take the last flight out of MCO to go back home, so I feel I get a full last day, which I love!
 
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M

musketeer

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
musketeer said:
Timing question. I've done the magical express thing many times, but never this exact combination, so I'm not sure if our dinner reservations are possible.

We land in Orlando at a few minutes before 3pm. Have to get to Caribbean Beach resort to check in, won't even go to the room, just right on the bus to the Magic Kingdom where we have dinner reservations at 5:40 at Tony's. Is this possible to make?

We've stayed at the Caribbean Beach resort 2 other times, but once we rented a car, and once we took the magical express but at around midnight, and I don't recall the timing of it.

The additional factors are fastpasses for immediately after dinner, so I don't want to push dinner back if I don't have to. And I purposely picked Tony's because it's right in front.

Tough problems to have, I know.
Click to expand...

Well, the day was yesterday, and we totally would've made it, with about 15 minutes to spare. Everything did go very smoothly and it could've easily gone the other way. Regardless, we canceled it a few days before and had dinner at the Columbia harbor house.

About "wasting the day", we arrived about 5:25 at the magic kingdom, on president's day, and did splash mountain, philharmagic, enchanted tales, Winnie the pooh, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and space mountain. Left around 10. I hardly consider that a waste, especially for president's day.
 
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disneypearl

disneypearl

Well-Known Member
musketeer said:
Well, the day was yesterday, and we totally would've made it, with about 15 minutes to spare. Everything did go very smoothly and it could've easily gone the other way. Regardless, we canceled it a few days before and had dinner at the Columbia harbor house.

About "wasting the day", we arrived about 5:25 at the magic kingdom, on president's day, and did splash mountain, philharmagic, enchanted tales, Winnie the pooh, Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and space mountain. Left around 10. I hardly consider that a waste, especially for president's day.
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Glad you had a great time on your arrival day! We always go to the MK on the day or night we arrive. Always too excited and have to get to MK. Hope you continue to have a nice trip!
 
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