Help! Magical Express vs. Towncar

[julieinok]

Last minute question...I have heard that on a Sunday arrival the wait time and drive time on the Magical Express is generally 3 hours from the time your flight arrives. Just wondering if we should skip that and get a town car. (As a bonus, I have heard they will let you get some groceries on the way to your hotel.) Also, I am just thinking it would be way less of a hassle on the way home in a town car since DME requires you to be on a bus 3 hours before your flight leaves. Thoughts/advice?
(This is our first trip to the World! We leave in 3 days!!!)

[vicster]

We've used ME since it started and had no problems. Yes, you do get picked up approx. 3 hrs. before your flight but by the time you get to MCO you have about a 2 hour wait. Me is very convenient plus it's free!

[julieinok]

I should have been more clear. I meant that when you arrive AT MCO, it takes them 3 hours to get you to your resort and then you have to wait in a long line to check in with all the other people who just got off the bus at your resort.
I am just thinking that bypassing the bus and arriving on our own would cut down this long process. We have a 6:30a flight out of OKC and I think my kids are just going to be DONE by the time we get there.

[Strmchsr]

The one time I used DME in the past and arrived on Sunday it was not quite 90 min from wheels down to arrival at the resort. Maybe that's changed in the last couple of years, but I haven't heard of any reports of it being that long.

As for the towncar...well, it's a little faster, but not a lot. It can take up to 45 min to get your luggage, then another 15-20 to get to your pick up location, load the luggage, etc. And they usually pick you up 2 hours before your flight, so you only save an hour there. Towncars are great, but you have to decide is it's really worth the money for the luxury, because the time saved isn't all that huge.

[quicksilver]

The one time I used DME in the past and arrived on Sunday it was not quite 90 min from wheels down to arrival at the resort. Maybe that's changed in the last couple of years, but I haven't heard of any reports of it being that long.

As for the towncar...well, it's a little faster, but not a lot. It can take up to 45 min to get your luggage, then another 15-20 to get to your pick up location, load the luggage, etc. And they usually pick you up 2 hours before your flight, so you only save an hour there. Towncars are great, but you have to decide is it's really worth the money for the luxury, because the time saved isn't all that huge.

Just thought I should clarify how timing goes (in general). After our driver meets our clients at baggage claim we are normaly out (if luggage is not lost) of baggage claim within 20 minutes and then it takes less than 5 minutes to be in the vehicle and on our way to WDW. So a total of more or less 20 to 30 minutes from meet and greet.
The other advantage of using a car service (not counting the free grocery stop) is that you'll have your luggage since the beggining (no waiting for your luggage to show up later in your room which could take a few hours).

Best regards,

Gregory Nicolas

[BigRedDad]

There are many threads on this here. The average time from landing to your resort is about 75 minutes. This assumes you do not get your own luggage. I have never heard of anyone taking 3 hours using DME.

Is a car service faster? Maybe, if you don't make a grocery stop. It is an additional cost that some people may or may not care to pay.

[Norwellian]

Quicksilver is the best. We have used them many times since 2004 and they are great.

Two years ago I left my camera in the car on the way in and they came right back to the resort to deliver it.

You can't beat the convenience of a towncar.

Laura

[julieinok]

Where would our town car pick us up for the return ride to the airport? In other words, would you pick us up outside the CBR building we are staying in or would you require us to get our luggage to the check in/check out building before we are picked up?

[cer]

Hmmm... I guess it would depend on what time of year you go, but it has never taken us 3 hours to get through the line at Magical Express Counter at the airport and then on to the resort. In our experience it has been more like 55 min. before we were at the resort for check in.

Now I do know that it can take up to 3 hours for you luggage to get to the resort, but that has never held us up at all.

We have always gone at off-peak times, so maybe I am not the best one to answer your question. Y'all correct me if I am wrong...

[disneymom15]

We use to use a car service and it was nice. However, since DME, that's our only mode of transportation to Disney. The money saved is put towards other expenses. DME has never taken longer than 90 minutes from landing to resort.

[Strmchsr]

Where would our town car pick us up for the return ride to the airport? In other words, would you pick us up outside the CBR building we are staying in or would you require us to get our luggage to the check in/check out building before we are picked up?

The one time I've used a towncar service (before I knew about Quicksilver, which I've nothing but awesome things about and would highly recommend) they picked me up at the main building. I would suggest you email Greg at Quicksilver or call them and they can answer your questions specifically.

[thumperbug]

On return to airport...DME pick up at your resort is approx 3 hours prior to your flight (for domestic, 4 for international) for car service the pick up is 2 1/2 hours prior to your flight. Only have a half hour difference in time but a big difference in cost.

Always allow yourself plenty of time at the airport. You never know what the security lines are going to be like.

We always use DME and there have been times that we made it thru security and had plenty of extra time and there have been times where by the time we made it thru security it was almost boarding time.

There are plenty of things to keep you busy at the airport should you have extra time but you can never count on breezing thru.

[sdewan]

I've used DME 5-6 times since it started and it's never taken 3 hours. We usually arrive at MCO early in the morning, and usually we are put on a bus immediately, wait less than 10 minutes for the bus to pull out, and get to WDW less than an hour after our flight has landed. Last time we had the entire bus to ourselves.

It's a moot point whether our luggage arrives with us because we always head straight for the parks, and all we need are a couple of items that we take in a carry-on.

Returning to the airport it can be a little annoying to depart 3 hours in advance, but we usually plan it so that we eat lunch at the airport, and that makes for a more relaxing, less rushed experience.

[Disney Doll]

I've been using ME since it started and I have never waited 3 hours to get to my resort. In fact I've never even heard of anyone waiting that long so I wouldn't worry about it. Granted it may be different if you are going in peak summer time, but since you said you are leaving in 3 days I don't think you have to worry. We have used town car services in the past, but now that ME is free I just can't imagine paying for something we don't have to. Have a great trip!

[Faver]

We've only used towncar service, for the several times we've gone to WDW... I really prefer the towncar service. And it works well for us because we always arrive the night before our vacation begins.....

It does sound like Disney is doing a decent job w/ DME, however, I just prefer the personal service of a towncar.

[brian2000boston]

Our trip a few weeks ago was about an hour and 30minutes, that is landing to room.

I kind of get a kick out of the debate on this though, i cant see the value in hiring a car to transport. The extra few minute hardly seems worth another $100+, dont we spend enough already?

Good luck with your decision.

[VWL Mom]

We've only used towncar service, for the several times we've gone to WDW... I really prefer the towncar service. And it works well for us because we always arrive the night before our vacation begins.....

It does sound like Disney is doing a decent job w/ DME, however, I just prefer the personal service of a towncar.

[CleveRocks]

The only time I ever used DME on a Sunday was Mothers Day, and from the time we stepped off the airplane 'til the time we stepped off the bus at our resort was 63 minutes.

When we did it on a Saturday it was 56 minutes.

[And yes, I always time it, for opportunties like this!]

[bertasso59]

Our ME experience two weeks ago was not good.It was difficult to find the check in once we got off our plane,then I had to wait on a very long line to get my pass stamped and be told to go wait on another even longer line.The loading of buses(and there were many coming and going)took a couple of hours(very long hours when youre anxious to get to WDW).
And our return trip left at 7 so our ME bus left the resort at 4am.

[Tink#64]

On return to airport...DME pick up at your resort is approx 3 hours prior to your flight (for domestic, 4 for international) for car service the pick up is 2 1/2 hours prior to your flight. Only have a half hour difference in time but a big difference in cost.

Always allow yourself plenty of time at the airport. You never know what the security lines are going to be like.

We always use DME and there have been times that we made it thru security and had plenty of extra time and there have been times where by the time we made it thru security it was almost boarding time.

There are plenty of things to keep you busy at the airport should you have extra time but you can never count on breezing thru.

This has been our experience as well! Our 1st trip we used the bus transpo that was the norm at the time, I'm not sure if I can say if not feel free to edit, but it was Mears. The round trip cost for our family of 4 was around $100.00. The next trip a friend told us about the town care service they used & for the same money it was only us in the van & they stopped at the grocery for me! That was great! But, when DME started that was wonderful! Not to have to spend the additional $100 for transpo! Awesome! I can either pack, buy on property, ship to myself or order for delivery any grocery items that we might need! I think it usually takes about an 1 & 1/2 hours from arrival at MCO to disembarking DME at our resort! I think DME is an excellent service & not having to deal with our luggage is the best part! I have no complaints about the DME service, and would not even think about now paying for transpo to & from the airport.