Magical Express Question

[LottaLubes]

So, has anyone signed up for this service yet? I'm anxious to read first-hand Intercot reports on this new program.

Anyway, if we go this summer, we are going to try Magical Express. Does anyone know where you would get the magical bus? Is it where you would normally get a Mears bus? I was wondering that since Disney is taking care of the luggage, if we'd still have to make the long walk to the luggage pick-up area at the airport or will the Disney Welcome Center be closer to where your airline arrives?

Just curious - thanks!

[qv09vvp67]

We have also signed up for this service...arriving May 27. We have taken a town car before and its hard to beat. I'm really going to be watching the boards to see how this service does starting May 5. My understanding is you get off the plane & head for the Disney bus. and your bags "magically" appear IN your hotel room. This has my DH worried. He wants to "see" all of our bags make it on the bus. Heck we don't even know if the bags will be on the same bus taking us to the resort. I have no idea how much of a delay there will be from the time we check in till our bags arrive. The "commercial" running here in texas seems to imply that your bags beat you to your room! All that being said, if its going to take multiple stops & hours to get from the airport to our resort, we're going to pay for the towncar again. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Piglet822]

You should receive some luggage tags from Disney a few weeks before you depart. By placing these tags on your luggage you are identifying your bags to Disney reps who will remove these bags before they even get to the luggage carousel and place them on a truck destined for your resort. So, you will not need to claim your bags (unless you do not place these tags on them), and your luggage will not be on the bus with you.
Representatives will be available to meet you upon arrival and escort you to where the DME buses will be boarding. There is only one spot at the airport to catch the DME bus, that is on the A side, lower level, outside high numbers (all the spaces on that level are numbered).
On a side note, we now have two DME buses in our yard complete with decals and they look sharp!!! They make the DCL buses look old
We are using these buses currently for airport to resort so if anyone is down here in the next few months, you may have an opportunity to see one on the road

[Ed]

Originally posted by Piglet822:
On a side note, we now have two DME buses in our yard complete with decals and they look sharp!!! They make the DCL buses look old
We are using these buses currently for airport to resort so if anyone is down here in the next few months, you may have an opportunity to see one on the road

What Jeanne said. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

I've seen the new Magical Express buses at the airport, both with and without the decals, and they are VERY nice looking. And Jeanne even gave me a mini-tour of the interior; very luxurious.

And I'm sorry to say, she's absolutely right...they make the DCL buses look like relics.
(Sorry, Buster The Wonderbus; nothing personal.)

[Piglet822]

Originally posted by TiggTigg5:
And I'm sorry to say, she's absolutely right...they make the DCL buses look like relics.
(Sorry, Buster The Wonderbus; nothing personal.)

Buster the Wonderbus took no offense to this whatsoever. Don't forget, he gets to park right alongside these new buses and is probably right now in the back corner of the lot pouting

(But, truth be told, I wouldn't give up 1239 for one of the new ones [img]smile.gif[/img] )

[Dr. Disney]

Question:
I booked my package for October through AAA a few weeks ago. I just booked airfare via Delta today. Do I need to let Disney know I am flying a participating airline with my arrival times, etc.?

[hope2survive]

Originally posted by Dr. Disney:
Question:
I booked my package for October through AAA a few weeks ago. I just booked airfare via Delta today. Do I need to let Disney know I am flying a participating airline with my arrival times, etc.?

Yes. I would think that since you booked a package through AAA that you would contact your AAA travel agent and they would provide Disney with that information. I don't think you necessarily need to do this right away but you definately need to do it ahead of time. I'm not sure if there is a cut off date for when they can take this info.

Just a note for those who aren't using a participating airline like you are - you can still use the ME service. You still need to provide your flight info because they'll still pick up your luggage to deliver to your resort and still transport you to and from your resort. They just won't be able to check in your luggage at the resort for your departing flight.

I used MJ to book and they have a special form to fill out for this info.

[Donalds Duckie]

I am going in July and flying Continental and considering giving DME a try.

Does anyone have some idea about (1) how long the wait for the bus will be at the airport, (2) how long it will take from airport to resort (I'll be staying at Contemporary), and (3) how jammed will check-in and check-out be with large groups checking in/out at one time?

I've always used a town car so whether or not I use DME depends on what kind of posts I read for May and June.

Thanks a million!!!

[CuteAsMinnie]

I always thought room assignments were not actually made until only a couple of days prior to arrival. By having the luggage brought dirrectly to your room, how does this change a guest's ability to ask for an upgrade or different room assignment at check-in?

[LottaLubes]

I have a feeling the luggage will be stored until you are actually assigned to a room. Then I bet you have to call from your room when you are ready for the luggage. I can't imagine Bell Services delivering all that luggage without receiving a tip.

[Dr. Disney]

Thanks for all the info!

I have a feeling the luggage will be stored until you are actually assigned to a room. Then I bet you have to call from your room when you are ready for the luggage. I can't imagine Bell Services delivering all that luggage without receiving a tip.

I know at least once I arrived at the All Star early (probably noon) and check-in is not until 4pm. We received our passes and went straight to MK. When we returned that night, we went to Guest Services who then told us our room #. We went to the room and the luggage was already there!

[bmj721]

How does the Magic Express work for those of us like my DH who always has to have a rental car?

[imported_PolyGirl40]

Originally posted by bmj721:
How does the Magic Express work for those of us like my DH who always has to have a rental car?

It doesn't. It's a shuttle service. You cannot use it for a luggage transfer.

[faline]

Originally posted by Donalds Duckie:

Does anyone have some idea about (1) how long the wait for the bus will be at the airport,

Because this is a new service that hasn't started yet, no-one has any experience to draw on to answer this question. I would suspect that wait times would be similar to current wait times for the Mears shuttle but this is just a guess! You might still get on a bus more quickly as you won't need to wait for your luggage or drag it with you!

(2) how long it will take from airport to resort (I'll be staying at Contemporary),

As I understand it, the new service will make stops only at Disney World resorts and not at resorts/hotels outside of Disnye. I would expect that the trip from the airport to Disney property will take 30-45 minutes. Once on Disney property, how long it will take to get to your particular resort will depend upon how many resorts the bus will be stopping at and in what order.

and (3) how jammed will check-in and check-out be with large groups checking in/out at one time?

I'd be surprised if check-in/check-out was impacted at all. I would suspect that people will be leaving at all times during the day depending on when their flights are scheduled just as they do now.

[qv09vvp67]

[img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]
Wouldn't it be COOL if this worked something like Hertz Gold service...where you tell the bus driver that you are a gold customer, and then you just walk out to a car , get in & go.

[img]graemlins/mickey.gif[/img]
In disney terms.....if they have your luggage...surely they are tracking you as a family & know where your resort is.....so they can prewarn the check in people so they will be somewhat prepared....maybe there will be a magical express check in line......

[img]graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]
I can dream can't I?

[Donalds Duckie]

Thanks everyone! I'm anxious to see what folks have to say about DME. Unless it is just a nightmare I'm thinking it could be rather fun to start a vacation heading off to the resort with a bus load of Disney fans just like the buses to the parks! (Thinking positive!!)

About luggage delivery to rooms...we just might beat our luggage to our resorts. If that's the case, guests will have already checked in and been assigned a room. Luggage could easily be delivered to rooms if this is the case.

But, as already mentioned, we'll just have to wait and see what DME has to offer!

[ March 03, 2005, 11:25 AM: Message edited by: Donalds Duckie ]

[LottaLubes]

I saw a commercial on this last night! It was so cute...they used dogs. The male was a mutt (naturally, sorry - couldn't resist!) and the female was a pink poodle. The commercial first showed the way it is now by the mutt getting his one suitcase and then turns to see his poodle has about 20 pink suitcases.

Then the commercial shows the way it will be on magical express. It showed the dogs in the resort room while the load of luggage was being delivered.

Not sure if the dogs tipped but they were in the room when the luggage was being delivered! LOL

[ March 03, 2005, 06:33 PM: Message edited by: LottaLubes ]

[Space Mountain Man]

FYI:

The band/orchestra/chorus from my HS (300+) is going this April 21st, and are being used as a test case for the ME. I'll report back when I hear from them how it works.

Wonder if they'll quietly open the service to some others as they do with new attractions?

[BklynChick]

I will be watching the boards very closely once ME is up and running, since I'll have several months to decide before my trip. I love the theory, but want to see the execution before I sign up. I am almost phobic about losing my luggage. On the one hand, I would love to avoid the whole baggage claim thing...on the other hand, I'll now have an entire bus ride and check-in process to worry about the whereabouts of my bag.

It would be great if some of our "insiders" could give us real hard data on lost luggage once the program is actuallly underway.