Does anyone know the current routes the Magical Express buses go from the Orlando International Airport to the Disney hotels? Which hotels are on each route and what order does the bus drop guests off at each of them?
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Magical Express Routes to Hotels
- Thread starter forevertrueblue
- Start date
I'll be at Pop which I know is closer to the gates. When I stayed at Music I know there were at least two stops before mine (Coronado and Sports) though it could have changed since that was five years ago. Art of Animation was a pretty quick trip from airport to hotel I think.
I've stopped at WL first on that loop.
HauntedMansionFLA
Well-Known Member
When we went last the order was Pop, Coronado and AKL from the airport. Then AKL, Coronado and Pop when going back the the airport.
Nice! How recent was that?
Polydweller
Well-Known Member
Ok to ask the question but remember, there are no set routes. It's an on demand service. It goes to the hotels where the passengers on board the bus are going. There is no guarantee which resorts or which order of drop off. What one person experiences another may well not.
It really comes down to the fact that DME is licensed by MCO as a resort transfer service not as a scheduled bus service. So transfers people to their hotels with no set schedule.
I don't recall those kind of stops from the airport to the resorts. The signs for the separate lines at MCO tell where the stops are going to be at. When I stayed at All-Star Movies (2012 and 2015), both times the bus went to the All-Star resorts, as they had their own line. Same with picking me up from Movies to the airport (we were the last stop apparently as the bus went straight to the airport).
As for Pop, it was paired up with AoA at the airport, so it went to Art of Animation first and then Pop. Same with the return trip to airport.
As for Pop, it was paired up with AoA at the airport, so it went to Art of Animation first and then Pop. Same with the return trip to airport.
Mickey5150
Well-Known Member
I've been staying at All-Star Sports for the last 8 years during F&W and every time we stop at Coronado first before heading to All-Stars. That's the only route I know, sorry. 
Disney4family
Well-Known Member
I've been taking the MK one for a decade. It usually is the Poly, GF, WL, Contemporary. Once we even stopped at the Fort Wilderness Campground before the Contemporary. Going back is usually the same in reverse. Since I stay at BLT, I get off at the CR. I know it's petty, but I always feel like I lose an hour of vacay time since everyone else gets to their resorts before we do in the beginning and we have to stop earlier at the end to go back. We love where we stay. We just wish they would vary it. This trip, they did! We we're let off first. It was a pleasant surprise.
daisyduckie
Well-Known Member
There is not set route. Looking at all of the above posts, my routes have been different. For example for my stay at the Pop last year we stopped only at AoA first. One stay at CSR we went to the Animal Kingdom Lodge and then back to CSR.
I believe the time we're going in September (after Labor Day) is generally slower so my guess is there will be people heading to several different resorts on out bus. But it's good that it seems the ones that share a bus are usually in the same general area.
ninjaprincesst
Well-Known Member
Also, I have noticed when traveling with my parents (my dad has a prosthetic leg) they always ask my Dad where he is staying when he boards and we always seem to go to our hotel first, ( I think they are just trying to make it easier on him so he doesn't have to clim over people to get and and so people are not climbing over him to get out).
TheGuyThatMakesSwords
Well-Known Member
Excellent post - but current order as of 4-2016 is....
Polynesian, Grand Floridian,Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary (including Bay Lake Towers)....
I would suggest allowing a good 1 hour 15 minutes from DME check in to hotel. The buses can take up to 20 minutes to load, as they wait for other guests. Depending on airport arrival time - the bus MAY struggle with local traffic (around 4:00-6:00 PM). As one hits the other hotels, there are delays for passengers removing bags, strollers, etc. The estimate given assumes one is hitting the LAST Hotel on the loop.
All personal opinion - I'm not right, no one else is wrong....
WE allow a minimum 1.5 to 2 hour buffer between MCO touchdown and any dinning ressie. After 12 years? We can clear MCO to DME in 15 minutes
. But we CAN'T know what the never ending Airport road construction and traffic are like on any given trip .
Tuvalu
Premium Member
Not always. As others have posted, groupings/drop off order depend upon guest arrivals. Last month, it was Ft. Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge, Poly, Contemporary. We were Poly guests.
Tinkerbella16
Well-Known Member
I am pretty sure it changes from day to day. I will say, I have been staying at POR/POFQ for the last 8 years and every single time the resorts that we shared with and order they dropped off from MCO to WDW was the same - OKW, SSR, POFQ and POR. I know some people that have stayed at POR/POFQ and their DME was even shared with the Boardwalk, so it can change.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
Our loop, arriving at night, has always been CBR, BoardWalk, Beach, Yacht. It grinds my gears that the "moderate" gets preferential treatment and first drop off. Ha!