Magical Express Question

[scootch713]

Thinking of maybe taking a flight the night before our trip and would spend the first night in a value. Do they all take the same bus from the airport via magical express or are they separated? Is there a set route of drop off?? I really just need to sleep here one night.... so looking for the quickest/cheapest way to do the first night.

[Kairi_7378]

When you arrive at the airport and plan to use Magical Express, you walk to the Disney welcome Center on the bottom floor of the airport. The Disney staff will scan your ticket and ask which resort you are staying at. The staff will then assign you to a bus. The buses are generally split into service area. For example, when you are staying at POFQ, you may also stop at POR, SSR, or OKW.

Magical Express is a great service but be advised that your luggage may not arrive in your room for 3 hours after arrival. You can
1.) take your own luggage from the conveyor belt (don't put the ME tags on them if you choose to do this!),
2.) allow the bags to be delivered to your room, or
3.) ask bell services to hold your bags and deliver them in the morning.

If you use option 2 or 3, make sure to take any essentials for the first night (toothbrush, toothpaste, medications) in your carry on luggage.

[TheRustyScupper]

I assume you speak of luggage Airport to Resort:

Luggage is
. . . removed from airplane by airline/airport personnel
. . . delivered to DME area
. . . scanned into wheeled cages
. . . cage is scanned to coordinate luggage & cage
. . . cage is moved to a small truck
. . . cage is scanned by driver
. . . truck arrives at resort, cage is scanned
. . . cage is unloaded by resort personnel
. . . luggage is scanned to storage
. . . luggage is delivered to room, is scanned

. . . sometimes, 2-3 scans can be done at the same time & location

NOTE: WDW knows exactly where the luggage is and who has it - after it is presented by the airline. Ask at any Bell Services or Front Desk, and they can trace your luggage immediately. But, you have to allow up to 3-hrs for delivery from the airport.

[chick20679]

But, you have to allow up to 3-hrs for delivery from the airport.[/I]

I wanted to add that you will need to allow for delivery of your luggage when you switch resorts as well, IF you ask luggage services to transfer it.
We switched from POR to POFQ back in February and although we left our luggage with the luggage services folks at around 9am, we did not get our luggage until well after 3pm. It only wound up being a problem for us since we had our swimsuits in our bags and had come back from the parks hoping to take a swim.
I think they have certain transfer times or something.
Just wanted to give that tip too! :mickey:

[scootch713]

I guess my question didn't make sense...

i have done magical express.... was just trying to figure out what was grouped together on the bus to the resort.. or if there was a specific order on which bus stops first. Figured if there was a set route(aka.. say, sports was first stop? every time)... then that is where I would chose to stay. I will not really need to open our luggage except to get toothpaste... we will literally sleep there, have them repick up our bags early, head to the park early... and then head to WL(our resort for the week) about 3pm or to check in. does that make better sense???

thanks

[Beast_fanatic]

There is not a set route for Magical Express to the resorts.

There are sets of resorts that are normally grouped together, but depending on when you arrive, they may not be grouped that way at all.

[CleveRocks]

In addition to what beast fanatic said, I'll add that the order of drop-offs for each bus is determined by the driver, and ONLY by the driver.

So even if the same resorts got grouped together all day, the drop-off order could be different all day, too.

That being said, most drivers usually let geography be their guide, dropping off the closest resort first, and so on. Pop Century is the closest WDW resort to the airport, so if you want to play the percentages, book a room at Pop Century (which is a Value resort).

[scootch713]

thanks!! that helps....

[Piglet822]

In addition to what beast fanatic said, I'll add that the order of drop-offs for each bus is determined by the driver, and ONLY by the driver.




There is one exception to this and although it does not apply to the OP's question I'm going to address it anyway. I'm a former DME driver and we were required, per Disney, to make Grand Floridian a mandatory first stop. Unless the Polynesian is on board (you have to drive right past the Poly to get to the Grand Flo). Then we would drop Polynesian, Grand Floridian, then Wilderness Lodge and Contemporary. If there's no Grand Flo on board the driver can then do it in any order he/she wants.