Standyby Flight and Magical Express?

[Missymoe4]

Hiya,

I will be taking a standby flight down to WDW because my boyfriend works for the airlines and can get cheaper tickets. However, my concern is that since we have to fly standby, can my travel party still take Disney's Magical Express to our resort?

Since I will not have a specifc airline number and time, I wasn't sure how the process worked. I'm limited for extra money as it is, and don't want to rent a car or pay for a service that I could get for free, especially seeing as how we will be staying on property.

My questions are as follows: has anyone ever encountered this situation before? Am I able to fly standby and then get on a Magical Express Bus? Do you have any tips or suggestions in how I should go about this process?

I have not yet contacted a Disney Representive, of which I plan on doing later this week. However, since there are so many wonderfully helpful people on here, I thought that I would begin on the boards. :animwink:

Thanks!

 

[disneytopdog]

I would use a later flight number to give to DME. That way if you arrive earlier then that later flight you can just tell them you had a last minute option of catching an earlier flight. If they even ask.

With mechanical, security and weather delays these days, I am sure hundreads of people a week do not arrive to MCO on the flight that they are originally booked on. So I really dont think it will matter to DME.

 

[coltow]

My mother has done this, she works for an airline. She simply gave them the flight number and arrival/departure time of the flight she intended on being on. Luckily she did get on them.

 

[Missymoe4]

My mother has done this, she works for an airline. She simply gave them the flight number and arrival/departure time of the flight she intended on being on. Luckily she did get on them.

First of all, thank you!

There are three of us traveling and since we will be standby, we realize our party may be split up. However, we are going to try for the first flight out for that day and if we don't get on, we have plenty other choices. So, when I call Disney, I will give them the infomation for the first flight? If we don't happen to get on that flight, the flight that we do get on, we'll have to grab our luggage and then head to the bus service, right?

I've never taken the Magical Express. In the past when we have flown we have rented a car. So the process is entirely new to me.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[fosse76]

Hiya,

I will be taking a standby flight down to WDW because my boyfriend works for the airlines and can get cheaper tickets. However, my concern is that since we have to fly standby, can my travel party still take Disney's Magical Express to our resort?

Since I will not have a specifc airline number and time, I wasn't sure how the process worked. I'm limited for extra money as it is, and don't want to rent a car or pay for a service that I could get for free, especially seeing as how we will be staying on property.

My questions are as follows: has anyone ever encountered this situation before? Am I able to fly standby and then get on a Magical Express Bus? Do you have any tips or suggestions in how I should go about this process?

I have not yet contacted a Disney Representive, of which I plan on doing later this week. However, since there are so many wonderfully helpful people on here, I thought that I would begin on the boards. :animwink:

Thanks!

You don't need to give them any information about the flight. I once recieved my DME vouchers before I even booked my flight. Tell them you are flying standby and have no flight information. They'll send you the vouchers anyway.

 

[disneytopdog]

Just make sure you have the DME luggage tags on your checked bags and they will get to your hotel no matter what flight you finally get on.

 

[Rob562]

First of all, thank you!

There are three of us traveling and since we will be standby, we realize our party may be split up. However, we are going to try for the first flight out for that day and if we don't get on, we have plenty other choices. So, when I call Disney, I will give them the infomation for the first flight? If we don't happen to get on that flight, the flight that we do get on, we'll have to grab our luggage and then head to the bus service, right?

I've never taken the Magical Express. In the past when we have flown we have rented a car. So the process is entirely new to me.

Thanks for all of your help!

As long as you have a DME reservation, you're OK with using DME whenever you arrive at the airport, whether it's earlier or later than your originally scheduled flight. (They just use the arrival flight info to plan staffing levels and numbers of buses)

The one time that it really does matter that they have accurate flight info for you, though, is if you would be arriving late in the evening, past 10 or 11PM. The DME desk is typically only staffed until 11PM. But if they know that they have people arriving later than that (or if flights are delayed later than that), they'll keep a few CMs on duty to handle them when they arrive.

So if you gave an earlier flight to DME, and then end up on a late flight and don't end up arriving until midnight, you may arrive to find that the DME counter has closed for the night.

The best thing to do would be to program the DME number into your cell phone (the 800-number that's in the booklet they send you). If you then end up on a different flight (even if it's an earlier flight) than originally booked, give DME a quick call as you board the plane to give them your new flight info.

Oh, and FYI (unless things have changed) the Resort Airline Check-In service at your hotel cannot be used for Standby travel, even if your airline is a participating airline. You'll have to take your luggage to the airport on the DME bus and check in for your flight there.

-Rob