Magical Express Busy Time?

[oommggitskait]

I'm looking for a little insider help here, and you all are the BEST

My boyfriend and I are taking our first trip to the world together in August. I am a super planner, him not so much. As many of you already know, southwest released flight info for our trip dates (8/19 to 8/24) this week. Since it's only about a 2 hour flight from PHL to MCO, I (and my family) have always done a 'leave really early in the morning to get to parks early on first day and leave really late last day to get more time in parks' kind of approach. Our trip is only 6 days long (due to work and his school schedule), so it's important to us to maximize our time.

The earliest flight out on Friday morning is $168 and gets us into MCO at 930. The next flight is only $95 and gets us in at 1030. I realize it's only an hour difference, and when I do all of our math including our southwest credit (from another flight this year) and our return flight, the price difference is significant... about $150. We have the money, but I am frugal and love to save if we can.

My question to you all is, how much busier is the magical express area at 1030 as opposed to 930. Is it going to get us into the parks a whole lot later? I know ultimately the money situation is up to me and my budget, but I am just asking if for you guys, it would be worth it to spend the extra cash and get to the parks a little earlier.

 

[DisneyJoe]

My question to you all is, how much busier is the magical express area at 1030 as opposed to 930. Is it going to get us into the parks a whole lot later?

I would say negligible, especially on a weekday (as you're arriving on 8/19, a Friday morning).

Also, what resort are you staying at?

I've arrived at both times before, and have never noticed a difference.

 

[oommggitskait]

I would say negligible, especially on a weekday (as you're arriving on 8/19, a Friday morning).

Also, what resort are you staying at?

I've arrived at both times before, and have never noticed a difference.

That's good to know. I just honestly wasn't sure if it got busier later in the morning.
We are staying at Port Orleans FQ

 

[Pioneer Hall]

You probably won't notice a difference. Buses come with enough frequency that you rarely spend more than 20 minutes or so waiting to leave.

 

[mickeysshoes]

We will be arriving at 9:30 at MCO on 8/19 ALSO!!!!! :sohappy: but we will not be using ME we are using a car service! I would not think there will be a huge difference in crowds. I would save the $$ over the hour later time!!!

 

[fosse76]

My boyfriend and I are taking our first trip to the world together in August. I am a super planner, him not so much. As many of you already know, southwest released flight info for our trip dates (8/19 to 8/24) this week. Since it's only about a 2 hour flight from PHL to MCO, I (and my family) have always done a 'leave really early in the morning to get to parks early on first day and leave really late last day to get more time in parks' kind of approach. Our trip is only 6 days long (due to work and his school schedule), so it's important to us to maximize our time.

That's essentially my travel itinerary (well, except I come from JFK). I've noticed, in the past, that the DME lines seem to be pretty busy in the mornings and afternoons. So I don't think an hour difference will make any difference.

 

[BoardwalkGlenn]

I'd say book the cheaper flight and if the earlier flight price drops (which it may), change your flight to that one. That's one of the great things about Southwest...no change fees.

So it's possible that the earlier flight may become cheaper.

 

[dreamfinder]

With the exception of a massive influx of guests for a large event (I.E. Pop Warner) we have never run into an excessively large line for DME. Maybe 15-20 minutes when we walk into an empty line, most likely signified by the bus just having left for our resort.

 

[DisneyRunner]

I would save the $150. I believe that is the price of a one night stay, at that time of year. Last year, my family stayed at POR and that was the first drop off point for ME. My experience has been about an hour from arrival at the ME counter to the resort. I've used ME twice for All-Stars and once for POR.

 

[foreverbelle]

I agree, save the money. When we use ME, it is all different times, from early in the morning to late at night, and while the late at night has been a little bit slower, it hasn't made that much of a difference when we do the day time. We always seem to miss the bus, but seconds and then wait. But that waiting, has never been by much at all...and you can use the extra money on things you want to buy..

 

[disneygirl1]

I'm looking for a little insider help here, and you all are the BEST

My boyfriend and I are taking our first trip to the world together in August. I am a super planner, him not so much. As many of you already know, southwest released flight info for our trip dates (8/19 to 8/24) this week. Since it's only about a 2 hour flight from PHL to MCO, I (and my family) have always done a 'leave really early in the morning to get to parks early on first day and leave really late last day to get more time in parks' kind of approach. Our trip is only 6 days long (due to work and his school schedule), so it's important to us to maximize our time.

The earliest flight out on Friday morning is $168 and gets us into MCO at 930. The next flight is only $95 and gets us in at 1030. I realize it's only an hour difference, and when I do all of our math including our southwest credit (from another flight this year) and our return flight, the price difference is significant... about $150. We have the money, but I am frugal and love to save if we can.

My question to you all is, how much busier is the magical express area at 1030 as opposed to 930. Is it going to get us into the parks a whole lot later? I know ultimately the money situation is up to me and my budget, but I am just asking if for you guys, it would be worth it to spend the extra cash and get to the parks a little earlier.

Have you tried Air Tran out of PHL??? We are flying out of Philly too in August and we just booked with them for $78 each way...

And honestly the hour will not make that big of a difference... We arrived at MCO about 1030a in the beginning of Dec and we were at our resort by 11:45a

 

[oommggitskait]

Thanks for the tips everyone! You're all pretty much confirming what I already knew deep down... that an hour isn't worth the money. I'm just SOO excited to get there haha.

I have looked at airtran and it's more expensive unfortunately. It seems so weird to me that all the flights out of PHL that go to MCO that morning have skyrocketed in price. Good sales I guess?

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Rob562]

Also, DME uses all of the flight data that people give them to plan their staffing and bus route capacities. So when they know they'll have a large influx of people, they have more staff to process those people.

If we were having this conversation in mid-2005 when the DME service first started, then the answer might be different. But they've had 6 years to get it down to a science.

-Rob

 

[oommggitskait]

Also, DME uses all of the flight data that people give them to plan their staffing and bus route capacities. So when they know they'll have a large influx of people, they have more staff to process those people.

If we were having this conversation in mid-2005 when the DME service first started, then the answer might be different. But they've had 6 years to get it down to a science.

-Rob

Very true, didn't think of it like that.

Well the $95 hour later flight when up over night to $135... and the earlier one stayed at $169. I feel like I'm playing a game with southwest!! And they are winning

 

[disneygirl76]

I'm looking for a little insider help here, and you all are the BEST

My boyfriend and I are taking our first trip to the world together in August. I am a super planner, him not so much. As many of you already know, southwest released flight info for our trip dates (8/19 to 8/24) this week. Since it's only about a 2 hour flight from PHL to MCO, I (and my family) have always done a 'leave really early in the morning to get to parks early on first day and leave really late last day to get more time in parks' kind of approach. Our trip is only 6 days long (due to work and his school schedule), so it's important to us to maximize our time.

The earliest flight out on Friday morning is $168 and gets us into MCO at 930. The next flight is only $95 and gets us in at 1030. I realize it's only an hour difference, and when I do all of our math including our southwest credit (from another flight this year) and our return flight, the price difference is significant... about $150. We have the money, but I am frugal and love to save if we can.

My question to you all is, how much busier is the magical express area at 1030 as opposed to 930. Is it going to get us into the parks a whole lot later? I know ultimately the money situation is up to me and my budget, but I am just asking if for you guys, it would be worth it to spend the extra cash and get to the parks a little earlier.

With an hour between the arrival times, and it being a weekday the day of your arrival, you are not going to see much of a difference. I would save the money where you can and plus, you get there an hour earlier. Win Win! :sohappy: