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Magical Express
- Thread starter Billy6
- Start date
shoppingnut
Active Member
OKW, SS, FQ, POR
WL, Contemporary, Poly, GF
BW, YC, BC
These are the ones I can think of offhand
It also depends on the time of day and day of the week you come into the airport because if it is very crowded, sometimes they can just have the bus go to two of the hotels, like WL & Contemporary or dedicate a bus to one resort if there are that many people waiting in the line.
WL, Contemporary, Poly, GF
BW, YC, BC
These are the ones I can think of offhand
It also depends on the time of day and day of the week you come into the airport because if it is very crowded, sometimes they can just have the bus go to two of the hotels, like WL & Contemporary or dedicate a bus to one resort if there are that many people waiting in the line.
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shoppingnut
Active Member
The most likely the bus won't stop anywhere else but Pop because that is one of the busiest resorts and when I stayed there when I used ME, the bus only went to Pop, but it also depends on time of day and day of week and how many people are in line.
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Even if the ME does service other hotels on your trip, Pop will be the first stop. It was the last two times I took ME, and Pop wasn't the only destination.
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Gig 'Em Mickey
Well-Known Member
Last time we stayed at POP we were on the bus with AKL, and Caribbean Beach. We were last. We figured we were last because we were in the cheapest hotel. Oh well, we got to see more of the property.
Sincerely,
Steerage Class Passengers
Sincerely,
Steerage Class Passengers
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accord99cutie
Premium Member
Both times i went, august 07, and december 07, it was Pop then Coronado (where we stayed) and then AKL.
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CleveRocks
Active Member
The WHOLE TRUTH about DME
There are no pre-set DME routes, and no pre-set groupings of resorts.
Disney divides the resorts into 4 DME zones. This doesn't mean that a bus has to stay in that zone, or that it has people ONLY from one zone, or that it has to have people from every resort within that zone. The zones are guidelines, but they are not rules.
The assigning/dispatching of DME buses is a dynamic situation. They plan for the most efficient routes, and they can do so because you have to make reservations, and thus they know in advance about how many people are going to which resorts at what times.
In other words, if you stay at the same resort once a month for a year, it's not like you will have the same resorts on your DME bus during each of those 12 rides during the year.
As for the order of the stops, that is 100% in the control of each individual driver, with a partial exception for the Magic Kingdom area resorts. But otherwise, each individual driver is free to choose whatever route they want to take. They are told what resorts are on the bus, but they are not told what order to go in for the drop-offs.
When a DME bus will remain in a single zone, there can be guests from up to 4 resorts. When the bus is dropping off within 2 or more zones, then it's a limit of 3 resorts per bus (to compensate for the extra driving time).
Here are the zones:
Magic Kingdom: Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge.
Epcot: Beach Club, Yacht Club, BoardWalk, Caribbean Beach Resort.
Animal Kingdom: Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs Resort, Pop Century, all 3 All Stars resorts.
Downtown Disney: Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Fort Wilderness.
There are no pre-set DME routes, and no pre-set groupings of resorts.
Disney divides the resorts into 4 DME zones. This doesn't mean that a bus has to stay in that zone, or that it has people ONLY from one zone, or that it has to have people from every resort within that zone. The zones are guidelines, but they are not rules.
The assigning/dispatching of DME buses is a dynamic situation. They plan for the most efficient routes, and they can do so because you have to make reservations, and thus they know in advance about how many people are going to which resorts at what times.
In other words, if you stay at the same resort once a month for a year, it's not like you will have the same resorts on your DME bus during each of those 12 rides during the year.
As for the order of the stops, that is 100% in the control of each individual driver, with a partial exception for the Magic Kingdom area resorts. But otherwise, each individual driver is free to choose whatever route they want to take. They are told what resorts are on the bus, but they are not told what order to go in for the drop-offs.
When a DME bus will remain in a single zone, there can be guests from up to 4 resorts. When the bus is dropping off within 2 or more zones, then it's a limit of 3 resorts per bus (to compensate for the extra driving time).
Here are the zones:
Magic Kingdom: Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge.
Epcot: Beach Club, Yacht Club, BoardWalk, Caribbean Beach Resort.
Animal Kingdom: Animal Kingdom Lodge, Coronado Springs Resort, Pop Century, all 3 All Stars resorts.
Downtown Disney: Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Fort Wilderness.
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Thanks for the info. I'm staying at POP.
I phoned yesterday morning to book ME. She asked for my in and outbound flights. Then she said to check my email. A bit later I received an email but it was only a repeat of my resort confirmation. Nothing about Magical Express. Maybe I'll get something in the mail.
Another question: If you get bumped off your flight to a later flight, will that put your ME spot in jeopardy?
I phoned yesterday morning to book ME. She asked for my in and outbound flights. Then she said to check my email. A bit later I received an email but it was only a repeat of my resort confirmation. Nothing about Magical Express. Maybe I'll get something in the mail.
Another question: If you get bumped off your flight to a later flight, will that put your ME spot in jeopardy?
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CleveRocks
Active Member
You'll receive your DME paperwork in the mail anywhere from 3-6 weeks before your trip. It will have a DME return address ... it won't be from the usual Walt Disnet Travel Company return address and the envelope won't be the familiar WDTC stationery.
You have a DME reservation no matter what. It doesn't matter if your flight time changes. DME requires reservations mainly because it is a requirement of Disney's contract with the Greater Orlando Airport Authority that DME not accept walk-ups; this was a concession to the local ground transportation industry. So this is the main reason Disney REQUIRES you to have a reservation. Otherwise, the info helps them plan for ABOUT how many people will be going to which resorts at ABOUT what time, so they can plan bus routes. But it's not like bus #769 is waiting for you at the airport at 9:10 p.m. and if you're not on it that you can't get a ride to your resort.
Beware, however, that the bus ride back to the airport at the end of your trip works differently. For THAT ride, you ARE assigned to a specific bus at a specific time, and if you miss it you are not guaranteed a later ride to the airport on another bus.
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RiversideBunny
New Member
Once you know your flights you should let WDW know, either on the web or by calling with your reservation number.
Also indicate if you want ME for arrival, departure, or both. Usually it's both.
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RiversideBunny
New Member
Yeah, mine looks the same way on the Disney web site.
Correct flights and dates but no times.
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CleveRocks
Active Member
OIA is the local "unofficial" name of Orlando International Airport. The official designation of that airport is MCO (for when it used to be McCoy Field). In other words, OIA and MCO are one and the same. The only airport that Disney's Magical Express serves is MCO/OIA/whatever you want to call it ... it doesn't go to any other airports.
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