Magical Express or Car service

[Chelsey Boren]

We land at MCO at 2:05, staying st Boardwalk Villas. Dinner reservations at 1900 Park Fare at 5:15. We should pay for some sort of car service right and no rely on Magical Express.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Yes. Get a car service.

 

[harryk]

We land at MCO at 2:05, staying st Boardwalk Villas. Dinner reservations at 1900 Park Fare at 5:15. We should pay for some sort of car service right and no rely on Magical Express.

You may do either option. The timing here may be close - but you will have enough time even using ME to BV. From BV take Bus to MK and boat to GF. The launch from MK to GF if a short, smooth and pleasant ride.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

If you use the yellow tags and don’t need to pick up your luggage you may be close. From the time when you land to resort can be 90 minuets to 2 hours with ME. Maybe take Uber/Lyft to the GF because the wait for Disney bus could be 20 minuets and you’ll need to walk to the boat or monorail

 

[DarthVader]

Can you do both?

What I mean is put the MDE stickers on your luggage so Disney grabs them and then take a car? That way you're not waiting for checked luggage and you head directly to your resort. Maybe it was an exception, maybe it wasn't, but I had to wait over 40 minutes for a MDE bus, and given how others were waiting (for different MDE busses), it seemed like this was the new normal. Tack another 50+ minutes of waiting on the bus and driving and you're an hour and a half of not doing anything at Disney.

 

[Figgy1]

IMHO tag your luggage and take a car service to Disney. Worst case you're on property a bit early which leaves a bit of time for exploring Poly and GF for a short while. If there's any flight delay you'll just make it.

 

[harryk]

Can you do both?

What I mean is put the MDE stickers on your luggage so Disney grabs them and then take a car? That way you're not waiting for checked luggage and you head directly to your resort. Maybe it was an exception, maybe it wasn't, but I had to wait over 40 minutes for a MDE bus, and given how others were waiting (for different MDE busses), it seemed like this was the new normal. Tack another 50+ minutes of waiting on the bus and driving and you're an hour and a half of not doing anything at Disney.

Have used ME since it first started and never had such a delay …….. except ….. 2 years ago they failed to tell the driver that my party was booked into WL and the driver failed to get the word and had to make a special trip to WL to drop us off at the end of his run. We said nothing since we were enjoying the ride and knew we could not check into our rooms and our lunch was later. The driver was not happy...

 

[zeebs758]

This window is kind of tight. In my own opinion, I never schedule an ADR on the day of arrival because flights can get delayed. I eliminate the stressing of making an ADR but just not booking one. I figure out dinner when I finally arrive to the resort. But you do have a couple options:

1. Get car service and grab bags at baggage claim. You'll have everything with you and can proceed directly to Boardwalk Villas. Change clothes if you need to and then take an Uber/Lyft or Minnie Van to Grand Floridian.
2. Put yellow tags on your bags for Magical Express. Don't take the magical express and get a car service directly to Grand Floridian. Maybe go to Polynesian and explore that a bit then take Monorail to Grand Floridian.

I wouldn't take Magical Express because you might not arrive at your resort until 3:30-4. And that's if your plane is on time.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

We used a car service on our last trip (Ultimate Town Car) and couldn’t have had a better experience. We requested a Chevy Suburban since we were traveling with so much luggage (and a double stroller) and everything went perfectly. We landed at MCO at 11:20 am and went right to baggage claim to grab our luggage. Our driver was awaiting our arrival and once we had all our luggage we were in the car by 11:40 am!!! We walked into our resort lobby at 12:15 pm on the dot. I’m never renting a car again! I couldn’t believe that we got to our resort in less than an hour from the time our plane landed!

 

[DisDadWoz]

If it's in your budget do the car service. They will be waiting for you as you come down to baggage claim and once your bags come out you are on your way. No delays unless there is traffic and it's a comfortable relaxing ride. As your timing is going to be tight you don't want to miss anything. Also, our kids always feel special knowing a car is waiting just for them

 

[Chelsey Boren]

I didn’t know if we could send our luggage on ME and us not take it. Id definitely be ok with that. We won’t be changing clothes so we could go straight to the parks/grand Floridian.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

I didn’t know if we could send our luggage on ME and us not take it. Id definitely be ok with that. We won’t be changing clothes so we could go straight to the parks/grand Floridian.

One small item to keep in mind... if something goes array with your luggage and say the airline doesn’t get it to MCO... Disney will not be able to file the lost luggage claim with the airline. So by doing this you may risk not being aware that your luggage didn’t make it until much later in the day. This could cause further delays in your luggage arriving at your resort.

 

[correcaminos]

I'd definitely do the car service. While we had one time of 60 minutes to the resort most were closer to 2 with one outlier of 3. The 3 hour caused us to never take it again.

Car service also will help getting bags if you are interested in letting them help you with it. Orlando isn't too bad with luggage now.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I didn’t know if we could send our luggage on ME and us not take it. Id definitely be ok with that. We won’t be changing clothes so we could go straight to the parks/grand Floridian.

This is officially not allowed. It will probably still work, but the "rule" is that you're not supposed to send bags unless you're riding DME as a passenger.

 

[harryk]

When you book ME, at home, you place your ME tags on your luggage and when it is checked at departure airport you never see it again until you get to your resort room. You can go to baggage claim and gather your luggage or check to see if it came in although that is not necessary. I don't wait to see if my luggage came on my same flight, ever, when I use ME. ME takes care of lost luggage claims for you once they know it did not make it and you ask where it is. Keep your checked luggage tags with you to cover that possible, although unlikely, event.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You can go to baggage claim and gather your luggage or check to see if it came in although that is not necessary.

No you can't. The bags are collected "backstage." They never come out on the carousel.

 

[harryk]

No you can't. The bags are collected "backstage." They never come out on the carousel.

If that is the case it is a change from the first times I used the ME years ago. I picked up my luggage and handed it to the ME driver. After that I knew better and ME picking it up made the 'vacation' that much more enjoyable.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If that is the case it is a change from the first times I used the ME years ago. I picked up my luggage and handed it to the ME driver. After that I knew better and ME picking it up made the 'vacation' that much more enjoyable.

You have the option of leaving the DME tags off and taking them on the bus with you, but if they're tagged you'll never see them.

 

[Mope]

How strict is this enforcement? I was planning to let Magical Express still take my bags but do a Minnie Van. Any experience or horror stories?

This is officially not allowed. It will probably still work, but the "rule" is that you're not supposed to send bags unless you're riding DME as a passenger.

 

[DisneyJoe]

How strict is this enforcement? I was planning to let Magical Express still take my bags but do a Minnie Van. Any experience or horror stories?

I knew someone that was missing their bags for over 24 hours, luggage went to the wrong resort and it took some time to find it and get it sent to the correct resort. I wouldn't risk it.