Magical Express Question?

[disneygirl_wdw]

From all the bad rep we were hearing about Magical Express we were going to use mears. Well I went to book our Mears shuttle on their website and it told us to use Magical Express. So now we have a dilema. We are to arrive at MCO on Wed of this week. We don't want to use a cab or anything like that because of the price (there are 3 of us). So now we are trying to figure out what to do. We are going to try to call Disney and see if they can put us on the Magical Express, but it suposidly has to be done 10 days in advanced. Any ideas? :veryconfu

 

[JPVonDrake]

I'll be happy to help...

First, do realize nearly all of the start up challenges of Disney's Magical Express has been resolved, and the system is working better everyday. Waits at the Airport are mostly non-existant, and baggage is being delivered within 2 hours or less of your arrival.

To book within 2 days of arrival, you simply need to call Disney's Magical Express Guest Services at 866-599-0951 and give your flight information. As there is no time to delivery your bag tags, you will be asked for your luggage claim tickets when you arrive at Orlando International Airport. Disney will still pull your luggage, but delivery may be delayed.

Hope this helps. :sohappy:

 

[cherrynegra]

I have a question related to Magical Express. Is it possible to turn in your luggage at the desk and not use the shuttle? For instance, if you rented a car, but didn't want to lug the luggage or you wanted to do something else, is it possible to check in your luggage?

 

[JPVonDrake]

I have a question related to Magical Express. Is it possible to turn in your luggage at the desk and not use the shuttle? For instance, if you rented a car, but didn't want to lug the luggage or you wanted to do something else, is it possible to check in your luggage?

To utilize Disney's Magical Express, you must participate in both the motorcoach transportation and the luggage transfer services. A luggage only transfer cannot be accommodated.

 

[SnowWhite5669]

Mears is the Magical Express. When you wait in that long line you can get either a Mears Shuttle Bus, a Cruise Line Bus or the Magical Express Bus. It's all the same. Disney has the contract with Mears. My advice is to go to Tiffany Towncar. We had an awful awful experience with Magical Express. We called Tiffany to take us back to the airport. It was definately worth the money. On the other hand if you like Mears and the waiting around then you won't mind the wait for the Magical Express. Just don't have high expectations of getting to your hotel and having your luggage waiting. We waited at least 5 hours for our bags to arrive. I realize it's a new system but the bugs should have been worked out before. This is the slow season can you imagine the mess in June and July??? Have a great vacation- I am jealous!!

 

[SnowWhite5669]

I'll be happy to help...

First, do realize nearly all of the start up challenges of Disney's Magical Express has been resolved, and the system is working better everyday. Waits at the Airport are mostly non-existant, and baggage is being delivered within 2 hours or less of your arrival.

To book within 2 days of arrival, you simply need to call Disney's Magical Express Guest Services at 866-599-0951 and give your flight information. As there is no time to delivery your bag tags, you will be asked for your luggage claim tickets when you arrive at Orlando International Airport. Disney will still pull your luggage, but delivery may be delayed.

Hope this helps. :sohappy:

They fixed all this is the last five days???? :hammer:

 

[Scrump]

We just got home today and I admit I was very skeptical about using Magical Express, but we did, and it worked good for us. We never received the luggage tags, but we went to the counter and gave them our name and our baggage claim tag, and were on our way. We got checked in easier than the people at the counter next to us that DID have the bag tags. We waited less than five minutes to get checked in, then about 5-10 minutes to get on the bus to Pop Century. Our luggage was a bit delayed (took about four hours) but for not having the bag tags, I was satisfied with that. We had our swimsuits in our carry on and went to the pool and by the time we got back to the room, they were just getting there.

The return trip was smooth too. The day before you check out you get the departure time, and you just meet the bus out front. Our flight was at 11:45 and the bus picked us up at 8:40. It was plenty of time.

I was nervous about using it at first, but after trying it, I'd totally recommend it. It's a great way to save money.

 

[egionet]

I also had a fairly good experience with Magical Express last week. We never recieved our luggage tags, so we decided to just carry on our luggage (which worked out just fine). When we arrived we checked in very easily. It took about 15 minutes for our bus. Unfortunately when we got on the bus a little girl literally had explosive diarrhea, and we had to switch to another bus. I was more than okay with switching to a different bus; just felt really bad for the little girl. On our return trip, we checked our luggage. Our bus arrived right on time. We made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. And our luggage arrived in CT without a problem. Overall we had a good experience, minus not getting our luggage tags and the poor girl with diarrhea.

 

[JPVonDrake]

They fixed all this is the last five days???? :hammer:

As you can see from the others that have posted, more or less, yes, they have fixed most all of the start up challenges. Overall, many of the challenges were corrected in the first few days.

Most guest are now receiving their DME tags about 4-5 days prior to arrival. If your luggage tags are attached, then delivery of your baggage is averaging about 2 hours or less. Without luggage tags, delivery is averaging about 3-4 hours or less. Both these delivery times are being reduced daily.

Hope this puts everyone's mind at ease about this new Disney service! :sohappy:

 

[dvm]

To utilize Disney's Magical Express, you must participate in both the motorcoach transportation and the luggage transfer services. A luggage only transfer cannot be accommodated.

I was hoping to rent a car at MCO, and have my bags go to Contemporary via MagExpress. I take it that this is not allowed?

JPVon - Why would the bus ride be required too in order to transport luggage?

thanks for the clarification

 

[JPVonDrake]

I was hoping to rent a car at MCO, and have my bags go to Contemporary via MagExpress. I take it that this is not allowed?

JPVon - Why would the bus ride be required too in order to transport luggage?

thanks for the clarification

Unforunately no you must be checked in on a motorcoach for your luggage to even leave the airport. We have been told this is due in part to homeland security reasons.

 

[Bluewaves]

Fed Ex dropped off our luggage tags so thank god for some small favors , hopefully this all happens with no drama. Just keepin my fingers crossed.

 

[jcldtrek]

I just got back from Disney on Sat night. My family and I used Magical Express and I have to say it went well on arrival. when we got to the desk there was no one there. Took us 3minutes to check in and then another 5 minutes to get the bus. Got to the resort in good time, had only one stop before ours. we used the luggage tags and had them transport the luggage. That went well too and had no delays in the delivery of them. Coming back though was a little nerve racking. we never got a confirmed time for pickup so we had to call and get a pickup time. we got there early for pickup, and had 3 magical express buses go by. the first one said he couldn't take us, we had to go at the time they told us to. He was the first bus that was 25 minutes before the told time. the second one came at the right time but she had no idea if she was suppose to pick anyone up. the third bus came and he was only dropping off. finally 10minutes late a cruise line bus pulled up and had a paper in the window that it was a magical express bus. One family got mad and hailed a cab after that second bus drove off with no one on it. Overall though i thought the service was great.

 

[dixiegirl]

to me its like anything else... it's new it needed or needs to work out some minor problems...i think being disney every one including myself has high expectations because it is... disney. we used the system with 6 of us traveling and had no problems and that was the end od the first week of it running....we have always used mears motorcoach when we needed a transfer to and from the airport.. and to me the wait was definatly longer with it being mears... yes i know they are the same now but to me it was definatly quicker with the magical express..

 

[DrJones]

JPVonDrake,

Me and my wife have not signed up for the Magical Express (we are renting a car to go to the ocean first), but we did receive some hologram luggage tags (picutre of the castle)? Are these the magical express luggage tags?

If we use these, will our luggage be taken to the resort even though we are going to the beach?

Thanks

 

[wannab@dis]

Hey Dr Jones!

I can help you with that question. Those are your "souvenir" luggage tags that came with your package. We have received and used them many times. The DME luggage tags are different so your luggage will not be picked up.

Have a great trip!! :wave:

 

[ddodgers67]

magical express luggage tags

Does anyone have a picture of what the luggage tags look like ?:lookaroun

 

[ypcat]

I don't have a picture, but I could probably scan in our extra if no one else has.

They are bright yellow with a few barcodes on them. Look much like the tags the airlines use.

 

[surfsupdon]

They are bright yellow.

The Magical Express was not the most efficient service we used, but it got its job done and was FREE. We had no problem with the luggage, just issues with long bus rides and stops at more than 4 Resorts. I have a section in my trip report about it, and detail the specifics of the route, the resorts we went to, and the overall conveniences, the lack thereof, and other thoughts.

It was an okay service. It will improve, or at least should.

 

[SnowWhite5669]

As you can see from the others that have posted, more or less, yes, they have fixed most all of the start up challenges. Overall, many of the challenges were corrected in the first few days.

Most guest are now receiving their DME tags about 4-5 days prior to arrival. If your luggage tags are attached, then delivery of your baggage is averaging about 2 hours or less. Without luggage tags, delivery is averaging about 3-4 hours or less. Both these delivery times are being reduced daily.

Hope this puts everyone's mind at ease about this new Disney service! :sohappy:

Now that's Disney magic!! Maybe we will try it again either in September or December!