Magical Express timing

[DDawg1968]

We are arriving at MCO at 12:15PM and are using Magical Express, since this is the Friday of our long weekend trip and we have never used Magical Express before what time can we reasonably expect to get to Hollywood Studios that day?

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

This is always a hard one to guess, since it depends on so many factors ... how long you wait for the bus to leave from MCO, how many resorts the bus is going, etc.

I would guess at about 2 hours, expecially since you have to check-in at the resort.

[DizneyRox]

I've always said, don't plan anything within three hours of touchdown.

If you're staying at Boardwalk (or other Epcot are resorts) and are the first stop, it could be an hour. The one and only time I stayed at Pop Centrury, check-in took two hours. alone.

[BigB]

We fly early and do online check-in. It takes less than 2 hours. One year it was less than an hour! Timing the DME bus is the biggest deciding factor.

[chick20679]

SO many factors can make this vary!!
Well, figure you have to de-plane (where are your seats on the aircraft?), walk to the ME loading area, wait for the ME bus (either in line or on the bus itself), then there is the actual drive time to your resort, you may drop off at other resorts first, then check-in at the hotel, get to your room, get back to the bus stop for HS and then the drive time to HS.....
It has varied a lot for me in the past, but I wouldn't plan on being at HS any earlier than 2:30p. Could you get there earlier? Certainly. Could you get there later? Absolutely.
There is a also chance that your room may not be available for check-in when you arrive... we have left our carry-on bags with bell services and waited to check-in until later.... Definitely not as relaxing as being able to drop off your things/freshen up, but is an option in a pinch.

[DisneyDINK]

SO many factors can make this vary!!
Well, figure you have to de-plane (where are your seats on the aircraft?), walk to the ME loading area, wait for the ME bus (either in line or on the bus itself), then there is the actual drive time to your resort, you may drop off at other resorts first, then check-in at the hotel, get to your room, get back to the bus stop for HS and then the drive time to HS.....
It has varied a lot for me in the past, but I wouldn't plan on being at HS any earlier than 2:30p. Could you get there earlier? Certainly. Could you get there later? Absolutely.
There is a also chance that your room may not be available for check-in when you arrive... we have left our carry-on bags with bell services and waited to check-in until later.... Definitely not as relaxing as being able to drop off your things/freshen up, but is an option in a pinch.

Well said!

My last 3 trips I have arrived at MCO about 6:00am on a red-eye. At that time of morning the ME area is a ghost town. We had a bus to ourselves once. Last trip we had to share the bus with one other party. With the time you are arriving I'll bet things will be busier. Just relay and enjoy the ride and try not to plan anything too early. ME is a great cost saver and in my view very efficient, but you do have to be a little flexible regarding the time you arrive.

[AllDisney]

I would allow 3 hours to be on the safe side. If you get to your destination soon than that.....it's a bonus

[CleveRocks]

Assuming your flight arrives on schedule ...

Average time from airplane exit to your resort via DME is 70 minutes. So if you exit the plane at 12:20 p.m., assume you're at your resort by 1:30 p.m. Figure it could take 15 minutes 'til you're checked-in (if you're lucky), so it's 1:45 p.m.

Assuming you don't stop for food or bathroom and go right to the bus stop, figure an average of a 10 minute wait for the DHS bus, and then an average 10 minute ride, then 5 minutes to walk from the bus, get through bag check and then the entrance turnstile, you could be standing inside DHS by 2:10 p.m.

I wouldn't go making a 2:15 dining reservation anywhere, however. There are lots of moving parts, lots of variables. I wouldn't assume 2:15, I'm just saying that's doable. I once did DME in 56 minutes from airplane exit (and I was sitting near the front of the plane, too), had no line at check-in and had a speedy front desk CM. Then if you luck out and a DHS bus pulls up as soon as you get to the bus stop (and if you're staying at a resort nearby, such as Pop Century or Caribbean Beach Resort), you could be inside DHS as early as 1:30 p.m. ... if you do that, you should also buy some lottery tickets because it'll be your lucky day!

If you figure you'll be there by 3 p.m., you probably won't be disappointed and you have a great chance of being pleasantly surprised by arriving a little earlier.