1st TIME USING MAGICAL EXPRESS...

[Bellefan66]

After years of driving to DW we will be flying from now on. We've relocated further from our favorite place on earth .
That being said, this will be our first time utilizing the Magical Express. Any great tips or advice is appreciated.

~Chris~

 

[aaarcher86]

After years of driving to DW we will be flying from now on. We've relocated further from our favorite place on earth .
That being said, this will be our first time utilizing the Magical Express. Any great tips or advice is appreciated.

~Chris~

It's really easy. Just make sure your bag tags are on checked luggage and anything you'll need ASAP is in your carry on.

Pee before checking into DME.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

It's really easy. Just make sure your bag tags are on checked luggage and anything you'll need ASAP is in your carry on.

Pee before checking into DME.

That last part is for sure!

 

[Melissa_E]

Make sure you have clothes you want for parks or whatever activity you might do in your carry on. Your bags may arrive a few hours later.

 

[pens4821]

Agree that it's easy and to have anything you may need. We usually check in and go to DS and its there when we get back, but you never know. We put swimming trunks in a backpack in case it wasn't there so we could swim when we got back.

 

[siskaren]

One thing to keep in mind is that if you let DME deliver your luggage (and you don't have to - just leave the yellow tags off and go to baggage claim to get it yourself), you won't get it until about 3 hours after you check in. So make sure you have what you want for those first few hours, and actually, it's a good idea to have what you need for the first 24 hours in your carry-on.

 

[phillymummer]

Have your magic bands out- you can scan it to check into the ME.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

If you are landing late in the evening you may not want to tag your bags and get them yourself. It can take a while for the bags to catch up with you. We landed at 6 one evening and didn't get our bags until after 11pm. The service has been quicker for us in the few trips since then.

 

[jmkjr72]

Remember they will only send one tag per person unless you request more
So for us flying southwest we always request a second set of tags

Make sure to allow plenty of time for travel to the resort they will onky take you to your resort they may stop at other resorts before yours

Also make sure you have a bag packed with anything you would want before 3 or 4 hours after you arrive
And if you don't need you carry on check them when you get to the resort if your room isn't ready

 

[pigletgirl]

I would suggest collecting your luggage prior to getting in line for the bus. I really disliked waiting till 11pm to get my luggage.

 

[DynamicDisney]

in addition to Magic Bands, also be sure you have sunscreen in your carry-on! This past trip we took the glide-on sunscreen sticks in our carry-on, and it was perfect! I packed my park bag as my personal item on the plane, and was ready to go as soon as we got to the resort - bags dropped at bell services, and off we went!

 

[dkrauss]

We love DME..............we don't use the luggage feature. Always carry our own. We leave it at the front desk if our room isn't ready.

Control issues..............Yeah..................I'm a type A

Doug

 

[g-dad66]

If your flight arrives after 10pm, you will have to pick up your luggage yourself. DME won't pick it up.

 

[Vgraves2003]

We will be flying and not checking bags....do I still put the flight info into my reservations on the disney website so they know to pick me up? How late will DME pick up?

 

[DiannaVM]

We travelled internationally, so Magical Express wouldn't pick up our luggage, so we had to carry it ourselves. Based on what I've seen on these boards (and the advice on the website) unless you don't mind waiting for your luggage to arrive until hours later, just pick up your own luggage. For us it didn't take away from the ease that was using Magical Express, and honestly even if I had the option I would still prefer doing that.

You WILL be waiting for a while for your turn to get on the bus though, especially depending on which resort you are staying at. I called it training for the lines at the parks . I don't mind too much though, since it certainly beats paying for a car rental.

 

[theyoungs07]

If you are carrying your bags on and not checking any, it is still useful to put the tags on or have them with you. On our flight down, we were forced to check our carry-on rolling bag at the gate (not gate check, they actually checked them for free) and thankfully I had the yellow tags with me as I then just let MDE take them to my room. I didn't want to mess with the carousel, and I didn't have to.

 

[siskaren]

1. We will be flying and not checking bags....do I still put the flight info into my reservations on the disney website so they know to pick me up?

2. How late will DME pick up?

1. Yes because it's part of DME's contract with MCO that they're not supposed to take walk-ups. You're not assigned to a specific bus, though, so you can take your time and make a bathroom break or get something to eat or whatever.

2. DME runs 24/7.

 

[Moonwolf]

If you are arriving in the early evening watch out for a call to deliver your bags.

My last trip our flight was delayed so we arrived close to 9PM rather than the 7PM arrival we had initially planed. We got to the hotel, checked in then went to get food figuring our bags may get delivered while we were out. When we got back our bags hadn't arrived yet but we figured it was taking some time. While randomly poking around the room I noticed we had a voice mail. Since we just got there normally I would have figured it was for the last guest and ignored it but on a whim I checked it. It was a good thing I did because it was actually a message from bag services asking if we would like our bags delivered that night (I'm assuming they do this late at night so they don't barge into a room where a guest is sleeping. The other time we used the service we had an early morning arrival so our bags were delivered while we were out at the park. No call needed.)

 

[siskaren]

If you are arriving in the early evening watch out for a call to deliver your bags.

My last trip our flight was delayed so we arrived close to 9PM rather than the 7PM arrival we had initially planed. We got to the hotel, checked in then went to get food figuring our bags may get delivered while we were out. When we got back our bags hadn't arrived yet but we figured it was taking some time.

You're supposed to get your luggage about 3 hours after you check in, so if by "arrived" you mean when your plane landed, then you probably got to your hotel about 10:15-10:30, which means you shouldn't have gotten your luggage until after 1:00am. If it came while you were eating dinner immediately after checking in, then you got it incredibly fast. Heck, even if 9pm was when you arrived at your hotel, you got it incredibly fast.

 

[Mikie]

A note about your departure on DME - unlike your arrival, where you tell them a flight# but can get on any bus, for leaving, you need to keep your flight info updated and you will be assigned a bus pickup time approx 3 hours before your flight, plus they want you there 15 min prior. It also picks up at your resort. It's not like the park buses where you hop on from wherever you want whenever you want.