Disney Prepares to Ramp-Up Magical Express Service

[Figment!]

Disney Prepares to Ramp Up Its Popular Airport-Shuttle Service

Jason Garcia | Staff Writer
Orlando Sentinel
September 1, 2007

A little more than two years after its launch, Walt Disney World's first-of-its-kind, free airport shuttle has proved wildly popular with customers, ferrying 150,000 tourists a month between Orlando International Airport and hotels within the sprawling resort.

But fewer than half of those riders check their bags with Disney before leaving the resort for their flight home, a practice Disney executives want to boost in hopes of freeing up customers to spend more time -- and money -- on company property.

"That's something we're focused on growing," said Michelle Bentubo, director of Disney's Magical Express.

Disney expects to carry about 1.8 million riders on its Magical Express buses during the company's current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. But only about 800,000 of those passengers will also have made use of the airline-check-in option, which allows them to obtain boarding passes and drop off their bags while still at their hotel. The next time those customers see their bags is when they pick them up at their home airport.

The check-in service should get a boost next week, when US Airways, the fifth-busiest carrier at OIA, joins the ranks of airlines that allow their passengers to use it. The Arizona-based airline says it plans to do so beginning Wednesday.

With US Airways on board, the number of airlines participating in Disney's remote baggage check in will have doubled since the company launched Magical Express in May 2005. It will also include eight of the top nine carriers at OIA.

But no airline is as important as the one that still isn't among them: Southwest Airlines carried nearly one-fifth of all the travelers who passed through OIA in 2006, making it Orlando's leading carrier.

Representatives for Disney and the company it contracts with to run its check-in service, Orlando-based Bags Inc., say they are still working on an agreement with Texas-based Southwest. An airline spokeswoman said it hopes to join by early 2008.

Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said much of the holdup stems from difficulties in ensuring that the two companies' reservation systems are compatible. "We just haven't had the technology in place . . . for our system to talk to Disney's," Mainz said.

Signing up airlines isn't the only hurdle Disney's baggage option faces. For one, the check-in service isn't available yet to international travelers, who account for 6 percent to 9 percent of Magical Express riders, Disney's Bentubo said.

Craig Mateer, president of Bags Inc., said his company has been granted approval from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to begin processing travelers on international flights. Now it's a matter of working through security details and other logistics with the airlines.

The goal, Mateer said, is to begin offering the service to at least some international travelers before the end of the year. "It should be coming out shortly," Mateer said.

Disney's contract with the airport also requires it to drop Magical Express passengers off at least two hours, on average, before their departures. So the resort only offers the remote check-in option to passengers whose flights take off at 8 a.m. or later.

That cuts out almost 15 percent of travelers, Bentubo said. The company is studying whether it can open its registration desks earlier or check in early-morning passengers the night before their flights.

Disney hotel guests arriving in Orlando can have their luggage shipped directly to the resort, regardless of airline, because the check-in procedures at their home airports aren't affected.

And guests who can't, or don't want to, use Disney's remote check in when heading home are still permitted to ride Magical Express -- each bus has space to stow baggage.

But getting more customers to take advantage of the baggage-check-in option is good business for Disney.

Travelers on a late-afternoon flight, for instance, are more likely to spend their final morning in a Disney theme park if they don't have to worry about storing their luggage for the day or getting to the airport early enough to trudge through check-in lines in the terminal.

The baggage option also allows Disney to control more of their customers' vacations.

"That's so big with them, to have [guests] . . . under Disney's care the whole way," said Jerry Aldrich, president of Orlando-based Amusement Industry Consulting. "Because they feel their care is better. And if you get a better experience, your chances are better of coming back."

Disney officials acknowledge the baggage service's boost to their bottom line. But they point out that the airport also benefits when more people use the service, because it means fewer people standing in line at ticket counters and less luggage clogging conveyor belts in OIA's main terminal.

Even now, Disney is handling about 5,000 bags a day. That's luggage that gets processed inside a hangar that Disney subleases from Delta Air Lines, instead of inside the main terminal.

As Disney handles more of its own luggage, it will free up more terminal capacity for non-Disney travelers, said Chris Schmidt, a deputy executive director at OIA.

"We're as anxious as Disney is to increase that," he said.

[kakn7294]

Thanks for the update Jason! I'm glad to hear that they're working on having SW join.

[mudpuppysmom]

I'm really glad to hear that they are trying to get SW on board also!!!

The ONLY thing I could wish for now is that Disney and SOG would get some agreement in place that they could drop off and pick up there too.......then I would not have to rent a car every time!!

Thanks for the updates!

[Crow]

i used ME for the first time in May but flew SW. flying SW again in a few wks.
good deal for it. i dont mind carrying my bag ...
thanks for the update

[PirateLover]

Another SW flyer here... I've used town car services since ME has been in effect...but if SW finally gets in the mix I may give it some serious thought. I definitely see more convenience in having ME take the hassle out of bringing your luggage home as opposed to having it "magically appear" in your hotel room sometimes hours after you get there.

[vizsla]

Thanks for the update.

With US Airways being added is a great benefit for me this trip. That is the airline we are using this upcoming trip.

[Beach Club Babe]

I reallly hope they reach an agreement with Southwest soon! That would have been a lot less stress when we had the trouble in May.

[IloveJack]

I really hope they'll get SW on board soon! However, I'll have to learn to not buy so many souvenirs on that last day since I won't be able to re-pack when we are ready to leave!

[DisneyDudet]

Now if SW could fly directly to MCO from DFW... then we'll be in business. It would cost me twice as much to fly SW than American to Orlando because of the Wright Amendment we have in place here.

I don't like the comment in the article about how Disney can control more guests' vacations... that just seems a little wrong to me...

[Camaro305]

Does anyone know if AirTran is among those participating? Thanks!

[AuntDJ]

DisneyDudet~

You probably know but you could fly SW from Love Field direct to Orlando...

But coming from Arlington, it would probably take a while to get to Love field, we are coming from Plano, so it is really alot closer for us to do Love than DFW....

The only thing holding me back has been the ME thing, so hopefully before I go in June 2008 SW will be signed up!

DJ

[magicmyway]

Does anyone know if AirTran is among those participating? Thanks!

Yes. AirTran participates.

[readytogo2]

Yes. AirTran participates.

are you sure? they- AirTran - told me they did not in an email

[magicmyway]

Friends of ours used this service yesterday.

Here is a blurb from Disney's website.

Q. What is Resort Airline Check-In service?

A. Resort Airline Check-In Service is a benefit offered to you if you are staying at a select Walt Disney World® Resort hotel and departing on participating airlines from Orlando International Airport. You can check your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass right at your Resort hotel and you will not need to check in at Orlando International Airport. At this time, the service is only available if you are flying domestically on the following airlines: Alaska Airlines American Airlines
Continental Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Northwest
United/Ted AirTran

[readytogo2]

Ted Air tran and Airtran are two different companies i believe

[MickeyandTink]

DisneyDudet~

You probably know but you could fly SW from Love Field direct to Orlando...

But coming from Arlington, it would probably take a while to get to Love field, we are coming from Plano, so it is really alot closer for us to do Love than DFW....DJ

There are no non-stop flights on SWA from Love to Orlando, so you are looking at 4 1/2 to 5 hours minimum to fly on Southwest. Maybe someday, but until then American and Air Tran out of DFW airport are the only real good options for direct, non-stop flights out of the D/FW area.

[glenpreece]

Ted Air tran and Airtran are two different companies i believe

Ted is part of United, here is what I found on the DME FAQ

. What is Resort Airline Check-In service?

A. Resort Airline Check-In Service is a benefit offered to you if you are staying at a select Walt Disney World® Resort hotel and departing on participating airlines from Orlando International Airport. You can check your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass right at your Resort hotel and you will not need to check in at Orlando International Airport. At this time, the service is only available if you are flying domestically on the following airlines:
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
Continental
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue
Northwest
United/Ted
AirTran
Same as listed above.

[AuntDJ]

MickeyandTink~

Thanks sooo much, I totally thought I could fly SW nonstop out of Love! That completely will change my planning process!

You Intercotees really look out for me!

THANKS!
DJ

[Piglet822]

Airlines participating in remote check in are:

Alaska Air
American
Continental
JetBlue
Air Tran
Delta
United/Ted
Northwest

US Airways will be starting a testing phase tomorrow 9/5/07. It is not available at all resorts.

[pdrlkr]

Thanks for the update Jason!