Magical Express-Still confused

[jonahbear2006]

I am still very confused about the magical express. How do we register for this? My husband got our airline tickets online from southwest with a southwest card that is not yet in our hands and I don't even know how we get our tickets. I am very confused about how to get magical express to know we are coming and how we get our bags, and tags whatever they are, and ahhh, I just need further explaining, please help! I am dense I suppose, in this area.

[T-Belle]

How did you plan your trip? Through a travel agent, on line or by phone? If I were you I would call Disney and let them know that you'll be flying in. I'm assuming that you are staying on site as that is the only way you can use Magical Express. About 10-14 days before your trip, Disney will send you tags for your luggage. You'll put them on you suitcase and you won't have to see them again until you get to your room. You'll also get all the info on where to get on the Magical Express bus at the airport. In my opinion, Magical Express is one of the best things that Disney has added.

[peemagg]

What you need to do now is call Disney reservations and ask them to add Magical Express to you reservation. They will then ask for your flight information. All you should need is the airline name and the flight number. Have ready though in case they ask the flight times. It shouldn't be too difficult. After they have that info, they will then send you the information for your bags at around 40 days from your arrival. It will have all the tags for your bags and explain what to do when you get to Orlando.

[BronxTigger]

You note it on your room/package reservation. Magical Express is totally separate from your airline tickets, although Disney will need your flight numbers in order to get an idea of what days and times people are coming so they can staff accordingly.

With Southwest - you most likely will not get paper airline tickets. With SWA you can check in online 24 hours before your flight, but that is separate from DME.

If you noted on your WDW reservation that you are planning to use DME, they will send you documents about a month before your trip. You will get 2 baggage stickers per person and one voucher per person. You put the yellow stickers on your luggage BEFORE you check them in at the airport. Disney will collect them when they arrive at MCO and bring them to your room. This can take them around 3 hours. If you'd rather bring your luggage with you, DON'T put the yellow tags on your bags, but DO remember to collect them off the carousel before you check in to DME. Before you can board a DME bus, you will need to check in using your vouchers. Their counter is located in one of the ground transportation areas. When you check in, they will tell you what line to get in. You wait in the line until you are directed to get on a bus. There are usually a few nearby hotels sharing a bus, so you may not be the first resort to be dropped off, but it doesn't take too long.

The night before you leave, you will get an envelope on your door with DME information for the return trip to the airport. The most important thing to note on this is the TIME you need to be at the DME bus stop at your resort (this is a DIFFERENT bus stop then the regular park transit buses, so make sure you know where to be). DME typically picks you up about 3 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart., and they are usually prompt so DON'T BE LATE to the bus stop.

On the return trip, many people are able to check in (including luggage) with their airline at the resort. Southwest is not (I believe) a "participating airline", so you won't be able to use this service. You CAN leave your luggage with Bell Services (while you go to the parks) and just claim it before you go to the DME bus stop. Just make sure that you allow enough time for this.

I always double-check that the bus I'm getting on is the DME bus, because sometimes the buses they use for the Cruise Line stop at the same place (and they use the exterior designs on the buses interchangeably.)

Sorry I was so long-winded, but I hope this clears up your DME confusion.

[jonahbear2006]

thank you. that does help a lot. I will call disney and talk to them about it, however, we leave in 16 days. I don't think we will get luggage tags will we? We didn't plan on flying until a few days ago and didn't know till about that time that there was anything that had to be done with Magical express, regarding us reserving our names. Their website says that you can still participate without the tags though and that checking into DME will just take our names and find our luggage for us. We won't get paper airplane tickets? Isn't that strange? I haven't flown in about 15yrs so it is very strange to me. How do they know where we will be sitting and all of that information?

[scootch713]

Sometimes they will ship them too you overnight when you call late...if not, you still go to the Magical Express counter at the airport and give them your luggage claim tickets that were given to you when you checked your luggage in at your home airport and they will still get your luggage and deliver it.

[MuchLovedMama]

We won't get paper airplane tickets? Isn't that strange? I haven't flown in about 15yrs so it is very strange to me. How do they know where we will be sitting and all of that information?

When you book with SW on their website it's called a ticketless reservation & you can check in online 24 hours in advance. The order that the people check in determines when you get to board the plane. They aren't assigned seats so if you can't I'd check in 24 hours in advance. We're also using SW & will check in 24 hours in advance & you can do it while you are at Disney for the return flight as well. You can either do it at your resort or at Guest Services at one of the parks. Good luck & have fun!

[scootch713]

Southwest does not issue tickets.... BUT.. to get a good seat, you need to be online exactly 24 hours in advance and print your boarding tickets. They then have groups line up(group A seats 1-30 and those people get to go on the plane and pick whatever seats they want)... so if don't get in those first few groups, you may not get to sit together. It does actually make for quicker boarding.. noone is looking for seat numbers, they just grab and empty row.

[jonahbear2006]

again, good to know. life is so much easier with intercot. I will remember to do that. So, 24 hours before our flight boards? That is when I have to print boarding tickets?

[faline]

You print your boarding passes exactly 24 hours before your scheduled flight time.

[BronxTigger]

Since you haven't flown in 15 years, I strongly suggest you visit TSA's (Transportation Security Administration) website. Just google TSA and it will come right up. All the official rules for airport security can be found there.

You can't have too much liquid or gel in your carry-on. Each item that is liquid or gel must be in a 3oz or less container, and all of those little containers must fit into a quart sized ziplock bag.

Plan to take your shoes off for security, so wear something with socks. Your shoes, your quart-size ziplock, and your laptop will need to be sent through the x-ray machine outside of your carry-on bag (in a bin).

You will need a current photo ID (Driver's license or equivalent state ID or a Passport) and your boarding pass to get through security.

For (checked and carry-on) luggage weight, size, and amount limits, visit Southwest's website. You don't want to get hit with a fee or be forced to trash something at the airport that is not allowed/overweight/etc.