Time and order of resorts on magical express?

[smw]

Trying AKL's Jambo House for this trip and wondering about the travel time and order of resorts on this loop from the airport. We're normally at the MK hotels, so I'm unfamiliar with taking the bus to the AK area and curious whether we're better off getting a cab or something else direct instead.

 

[worldfanatic]

It really depends on demand. But because of it's most distant location, you can be pretty sure that the AKL will be the last stop on the route.
Hopefully just one or two resorts will be in front of you.
On my last AKL stay, our ME bus stopped at Coronado Springs & one of the All Star's first.

 

[scoobygirl39541]

Last trip we stopped at pop, CBR, then AoA before finally getting to AKL. It's a little discouraging when you know you're paying so much more only to be let off last.

 

[copcarguyp71]

If you do a car service they will typically make a courtesy stop for you at Publix and you can stock up on munchies, water and sundries like sunscreen much cheaper than at the parks. Well worth it. We usually do ME for the return trip because who cares about the timing of that trip? Car service usually runs about $70 and gets us there quicker and not on a busload of people who also may be checking in at the same time causing a log jamb at the front desk.

 

[smw]

So it sounds like it's probably a couple hours from landing to AKL? In that case I'll look into the car service. What's that run, like 30, 40 minutes?

Thanks, guys.

 

[JasonDeyoung]

I stayed at AKL in May and the DME stopped at Pop and AoA then AKL.

 

[rt06]

So it sounds like it's probably a couple hours from landing to AKL? In that case I'll look into the car service. What's that run, like 30, 40 minutes?

Thanks, guys.

DME is convenient, about 50 minutes to an hour from airport to AKL. Car service requires you go to baggage claim, which takes about 10-15 minutes. The difference in time is negligible compared to cost.

 

[copcarguyp71]

So it sounds like it's probably a couple hours from landing to AKL? In that case I'll look into the car service. What's that run, like 30, 40 minutes?

Thanks, guys.

Depends. If you do not make the courtesy stop then 30-35 minutes but trust me with what you pay for water, snacks and sundries at the resorts it is worth the extra 10 minutes to stock the room up with nom noms! Quicksilver Transportation is who we usually use and have always been happy with the drivers and service.

 

[R W B]

So I just broke down both options to myself am I'm gonna try and put them down here, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

All amount of money and time are aprox.

Option 1 - You use DME, you don't have to get your own luggage but at worst, you make it to AKL in 2 hours from the time you step off the plane. You go to the little store at AKL and buy some things for the week, lets say you buy 20 items and compared to the local grocery store, you spend $1-$2 more on each item. So lets say you spend $65. ($30 more then the grocery store, Publix).

Option 2 - You hire a car service for $70. You have to get your own luggage and find the car, this takes 20min. They drive you to Publix where you buy the same 20 items for cheaper and it cost you $35 total, this takes 30 min. You leave and you're on your way. It takes aprox 30 min total driving time to get to AKL so your total trip is 1 hour and 20 min. You saved $30 at the store and got to the resort 40min quicker BUT you still spend $40 more because of the fee for the private car.

So, the question is, are you willing to pay $1 per min to get to the resort quicker then the DME?

 

[copcarguyp71]

So I just broke down both options to myself am I'm gonna try and put them down here, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

All amount of money and time are aprox.

Option 1 - You use DME, you don't have to get your own luggage but at worst, you make it to AKL in 2 hours from the time you step off the plane. You go to the little store at AKL and buy some things for the week, lets say you buy 20 items and compared to the local grocery store, you spend $1-$2 more on each item. So lets say you spend $65. ($30 more then the grocery store, Publix).

Option 2 - You hire a car service for $70. You have to get your own luggage and find the car, this takes 20min. They drive you to Publix where you buy the same 20 items for cheaper and it cost you $35 total, this takes 30 min. You leave and you're on your way. It takes aprox 30 min total driving time to get to AKL so your total trip is 1 hour and 20 min. You saved $30 at the store and got to the resort 40min quicker BUT you still spend $40 more because of the fee for the private car.

So, the question is, are you willing to pay $1 per min to get to the resort quicker then the DME?

Mild correction...they meet you at the bottom of the escalator holding a sign with your name...they get your luggage for you off the conveyor and walk you right outside to the car...no searching required. You do not have to wait in any lines AND there is no wait for your luggage to arrive at your resort...it is with you the whole way. You can turn around and get settled quicker and be in the parks faster than if you have to wait for your bags to arrive. Not looking to argue just laying out there why it is worth it to us.

Just did a search for spring water at Publix....two 24 packs of 16.9 Oz bottles for $7.00. Disney charges $2.50 for 20 oz bottles or $.125/oz. To get an equivalent of the water from Disney that you would get from publix you would take $.125 and multiply it by 811.2 ozs in the publix cases giving you a grand total of $101.40 for what you spent $7.00 for at Publix.

See page 10...
http://weeklyad.publix.com/Publix/B...motionCode=Publix-140814c&PromotionViewMode=1

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I stayed at AKL in May and the DME stopped at Pop and AoA then AKL.

That's what happened with me during my January trip. But, reversed AKL Kidani Village, AoA then Pop....

 

[mickeysbrother]

Mild correction...they meet you at the bottom of the escalator holding a sign with your name...they get your luggage for you off the conveyor and walk you right outside to the car...no searching required. You do not have to wait in any lines AND there is no wait for your luggage to arrive at your resort...it is with you the whole way. You can turn around and get settled quicker and be in the parks faster than if you have to wait for your bags to arrive. Not looking to argue just laying out there why it is worth it to us.

Just did a search for spring water at Publix....two 24 packs of 16.9 Oz bottles for $7.00. Disney charges $2.50 for 20 oz bottles or $.125/oz. To get an equivalent of the water from Disney that you would get from publix you would take $.125 and multiply it by 811.2 ozs in the publix cases giving you a grand total of $101.40 for what you spent $7.00 for at Publix.

See page 10...
http://weeklyad.publix.com/Publix/B...motionCode=Publix-140814c&PromotionViewMode=1

 

[Weather_Lady]

I know the OP didn't inquire about water, but since the tangent has arisen... if you don't want to buy tap water prepackaged in bottles, you can bring a little filter bottle or even a Brita pitcher and drink the free, hot and cold running water that comes out of the taps in every hotel room bath -- seriously, they have it coming out of the sinks and the bathtub and everything! There are even fountains of it all over the place! It's like they're giving water away! For FREE!

 

[dreamfinder]

Timing and order will also vary based on the number of people arriving for a particular resort at a given time. I've been on buses during busy seasons where they only stopped at one resort, but I've also had to stop at a few. And yes, our typical resort is AKL.

 

[scoobygirl39541]

So I just broke down both options to myself am I'm gonna try and put them down here, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

All amount of money and time are aprox.

Option 1 - You use DME, you don't have to get your own luggage but at worst, you make it to AKL in 2 hours from the time you step off the plane. You go to the little store at AKL and buy some things for the week, lets say you buy 20 items and compared to the local grocery store, you spend $1-$2 more on each item. So lets say you spend $65. ($30 more then the grocery store, Publix).

Option 2 - You hire a car service for $70. You have to get your own luggage and find the car, this takes 20min. They drive you to Publix where you buy the same 20 items for cheaper and it cost you $35 total, this takes 30 min. You leave and you're on your way. It takes aprox 30 min total driving time to get to AKL so your total trip is 1 hour and 20 min. You saved $30 at the store and got to the resort 40min quicker BUT you still spend $40 more because of the fee for the private car.

So, the question is, are you willing to pay $1 per min to get to the resort quicker then the DME?

Even on the worst of days, I can't see it being more than 1.5 hours MAX. Plus it's quite possible that you get the other end of the spectrum and its only 40 minutes TOPS, we've had that experience as well. Once you step off the plane there is literally no wait to get on the bus. They keep everyone moving so smoothly, so you don't lose any time there. Waiting for your luggage alone adds a ton of time on, not to mention actually getting your car (which I feel takes longer than 20 minutes alone).

With the process you mentioned, I don't think DME adds on any extra time....not to mention more relaxing, free, no gas, no driving. Just my opinion though!

 

[R W B]

Mild correction...they meet you at the bottom of the escalator holding a sign with your name...they get your luggage for you off the conveyor and walk you right outside to the car...no searching required. You do not have to wait in any lines AND there is no wait for your luggage to arrive at your resort...it is with you the whole way. You can turn around and get settled quicker and be in the parks faster than if you have to wait for your bags to arrive. Not looking to argue just laying out there why it is worth it to us.

Just did a search for spring water at Publix....two 24 packs of 16.9 Oz bottles for $7.00. Disney charges $2.50 for 20 oz bottles or $.125/oz. To get an equivalent of the water from Disney that you would get from publix you would take $.125 and multiply it by 811.2 ozs in the publix cases giving you a grand total of $101.40 for what you spent $7.00 for at Publix.

See page 10...
http://weeklyad.publix.com/Publix/B...motionCode=Publix-140814c&PromotionViewMode=1

I understand you're first paragraph and nothing wrong with that.

Your second paragraph about the water though, while it is absolutely correct, I didn't bring a case of water into the equation because you can get cups of free water from a number of places around each park and resort. Like I said, you're not wrong, I just didn't think about buying a pack of water.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Except if something goes dreadfully wrong, I have never heard of ANYONE taking 2 hours to get to their resort on DME...it takes 10 minutes to walk to the DME checkin once you land, unless you are waiting for luggage...the wait for the bus itself is from zero to 15 minutes...and about 35 minutes to get to the first resort and about 5 minutes per resort you stop at before your own. In my dozens of trips to WDW on DME, it has never taken longer than an hour to get to the resort, even if I am the last stop.

 

[Tinkerbell 8]

I enjoy using the DME, I don't have to worry about anything, we never waited in line for the bus for more than 15 minutes, even during peak season. I have been the first and last stops and it has never taken more than a little over an hour. I also love the little tv show on the bus, it gets me in the Disney mood, also, if you sit in the front of the bus, you can get a great picture of the Walt Disney Welcome sign. I would suggest using the DME over paying for a car service, you're in Disney, you'll be spending plenty of money, and with the money you save you can buy even more stuff

 

[smw]

We're carry-on flyers, so we always go straight from gate to the bus. Typically I wanna say it's about an hour for us to get to Contemporary from the time we walk out of the airport.

When I started the thread I was thinking MCO was north for some reason, which would mean extra driving time to AKL. Just looked at the map and... I'm a dummy. It should actually take less time to get there. So, uh... never mind my original question.