Magical Express - can I arrange to take an earlier bus?

[Marker]

That may sound like an odd question, after all, who want's to leave earlier.

But here's the situation. For our Sept 20-27 trip, I have the flight down secured. I am still shopping for a favorable fare for the trip home. On the 27th, so far, the best I can find for an afternoon flight is $154 on SW, or $130 on AirTran. However, if wait until the next morning (Monday) and catch an early flight, I can get a 6 a.m. flight on AirTran for $64 that gets in at 9:29. That's early enough to still get to work (late) for that day (if I had a job that is, but my daughter does).

So here's where my question comes in. I don't have a room reserved for that night, and with a 6 a.m. flight, the Magical Express bus would leave a 3 a.m.. That's not hardly worth getting a room for, or even going to bed. So is possible to arrange to take an earlier Magical Express bus? I wonder if they perhaps have a midnight bus, or whatever the latest time is on the 27th, then just hang out at the airport?

[CleveRocks]

You raise an interesting question, a question full of technicalities. but I know the correct answer to it because I (and others) checked it out in the past.

You can get a ride to the airport, but the pick-up must occur no later than your day of check-out. In other words, they won't book you on a 3:00 a.m. bus because your check-out day was the day before. The ride back to the airport has to occur on (or before) your check-out day.

Sorry. :(

[alex61821]

i think they are asking if they can get a ride on the day they checkout, just really late in the evening. am i correct?

[Marker]

Actually, if we were to book the 6 a.m. flight on 9/28, our bus would leave at 3 a.m. However, I don't have a room reserved for that night, so we would actually be checking out on 9/27, so could I get to the airport on Magical Express either late on the day I actually check out, or midnight-ish on the morning of the 28th?

I don't expect we'll do this, just wondering about the what ifs.

[Piglet822]

Marker, I would call Magical Express to confirm but I don't see a problem with this. You're getting the bus on the day you checkout.
But definitely double check.

[Marker]

I made a couple of calls, and I have the answer.

If I check out on Sunday, September 27, but have a 6 a.m. flight on Monday, September 28, Disney's Magical Express would take me to the airport on September 27. I could arrange to catch their last bus of the day, probably around 10:30 or 11:00.

This would put be at the airport well before the flight. However if I were to reserve and additional night at WDW, with a 6 a.m. flight, the DME bus would depart at 3, meaning I had to get up at 1:30 or 2:00. Getting up at 1:30 to me doesn't seem worth the cost of a room.

If we choose to do this, which we haven't yet, we could stay in the parks (MK had EMH that evening) until time to go catch the bus. Catch the bus to the airport, and then find a "comfy" seat in the airport to catnap until boarding.

Not sure what I'm doing yet, but now I know how DME would handle it. Thought I'd pass it on in case anyone faces a similar situation.

[CleveRocks]

I'm glad you called DME directly and confirmed what I said earlier. :mickey: