Chelsey Boren
Member
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.
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Magical Express or Car service
- Thread starter Chelsey Boren
- Start date
Mope
New Member
I assume this would be true of anytime with Magical Express, if you rode the bus or not. They still 'could' loose it. I just don't want them to 'flag' my bags or something because I never got on the Magical Express bus. I would think I would not be the first to see the Magical Express lines and grab a different form of transportation at the airport...
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Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
Is your plan to check in at the hotel and then head to your dinner ADR? If so, I don't see why you wouldn't have enough time to take DME to your resort (using DME luggage transfer if you've checked bags), check in, and then - depending on how much time you have remaining - either take a bus to MK and monorail to GF, or Lyft/Uber directly to GF.
Of course, that assumes your flights are running on time. (For my family, it's typically about two hours from the time our plane touches down, to the moment we begin waltzing down Main Street, USA in the Magic Kingdom after waiting for our DME bus (<15 min.), taking DME to our hotel (<60 min.), checking in, unpacking or leaving carryon bags with Bell Services (<20 min.), and taking a bus/boat to MK (<25 min.)).
If you get to the DME area at the airport and find that the wait is going to be prohibitively long (or if your flight lands a little late), you can always grab a rideshare to your hotel from the airport at a moment's notice. It just seems silly to [over]pay so much for a Minnie Van when it might not even be necessary.
However, if your flight ends up being so delayed that you aren't going to be able to make your ADR, you have a couple of options: hop on My Disney Experience or call Disney Dining and see if you can push back your ADR to a later time. If you can't, modify the ADR and push it to any time more than 24 hours ahead, and then cancel it (to avoid the 24-hour cancellation charge).
Of course, that assumes your flights are running on time. (For my family, it's typically about two hours from the time our plane touches down, to the moment we begin waltzing down Main Street, USA in the Magic Kingdom after waiting for our DME bus (<15 min.), taking DME to our hotel (<60 min.), checking in, unpacking or leaving carryon bags with Bell Services (<20 min.), and taking a bus/boat to MK (<25 min.)).
If you get to the DME area at the airport and find that the wait is going to be prohibitively long (or if your flight lands a little late), you can always grab a rideshare to your hotel from the airport at a moment's notice. It just seems silly to [over]pay so much for a Minnie Van when it might not even be necessary.
However, if your flight ends up being so delayed that you aren't going to be able to make your ADR, you have a couple of options: hop on My Disney Experience or call Disney Dining and see if you can push back your ADR to a later time. If you can't, modify the ADR and push it to any time more than 24 hours ahead, and then cancel it (to avoid the 24-hour cancellation charge).
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Disneyfreak Jen
Well-Known Member
DME could be smooth with no problems, but what if your flight is delayed?
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Rogue21
Well-Known Member
I've been wondering this myself. Not for ADR purposes, but for the return to MCO. Apparently, I have heard that DME has a return to MCO about 4 hours before flight time. I'm debating getting a limo/car service and enjoying an additional 1 1/2 hours in the parks. With the prices for a round trip being minimally more than a one-way Minnie van, I'm also thinking of skipping DME altogether.
Of course, this is all giving me anxiety because I am normally a rental car (control freak) type. Rental + parking fees are more than any combo of limo service/Uber usage, so I am taking the plunge. I think.
Of course, this is all giving me anxiety because I am normally a rental car (control freak) type. Rental + parking fees are more than any combo of limo service/Uber usage, so I am taking the plunge. I think.
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Amos1784
Well-Known Member
I think the three hours is PLENTY of time for Magical Express. For us taking Magical Express is part of the trip and we love getting on the bus. Even if for some reason you have an outlier of a 2 hour trip, which in 20 trips I have never experienced, you still will have time to get to your resort and get an Uber last minute and make it.
If for some reason your flight is delayed and you have already tagged your luggage it will be fine, then you could take the car service/uber if needed. There are many horror stories of lost luggage/long lines ect, but I really think they are outside the norm. It's no different than you MIGHT encounter three hour security lines, or the airline MIGHT lose your luggage. The majority of the time everything will be fine. My vote would be for M. Express!
If for some reason your flight is delayed and you have already tagged your luggage it will be fine, then you could take the car service/uber if needed. There are many horror stories of lost luggage/long lines ect, but I really think they are outside the norm. It's no different than you MIGHT encounter three hour security lines, or the airline MIGHT lose your luggage. The majority of the time everything will be fine. My vote would be for M. Express!
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TheGuyThatMakesSwords
Well-Known Member
I always like to walk these scenarios in parts...
1) Touchdown 2:05, MCO...
2) AT DME 2:35 (allow about 30 minutes).
3) DME bus wait + transit: Allow 1.5 hours. AT BV about 4:00 PM.
4) BV to GF by CAB. Allow 45 minutes, if a MEARS cab is not waiting in the BV lot. AT GF about 5:00 PM.
You should be able to make your reservation with a good 10 minutes to spare, use ME, and pay for a CAB from BV to GF, at far lower cost to your family.
IF something goes wrong? BV Concierge can let Park Fair know you are late.
All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.
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