Disney's Magical Express and DVC

[MichelleB]

Is the magical express program available to DVC? I know it starts in May, but how long is the program to last? We are thinking of going in August for a short anniversary trip. Will it still be available then?

 

[CarolMN]

We have confirmation from MS that the Magical Express program will be available to DVC members. We believe MS will have to make the arrangements for it and that more information will be available as it gets closer to the May start date.

No end date has been announced. That said, since this is a heavily advertised promotion, it is very likely to last at least until the end of 2005. This last is JMHO. YMMV.

 

[MichelleB]

CarolMN, thank you for the quick response. I did find the information and looks like it'll last for at least a year. Great program!!!

 

[Tom and Jen]

I am sorry, i have been out of the loop. could you tell me what Magical Express is?

T

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Is the magical express program available to DVC? I know it starts in May, but how long is the program to last? We are thinking of going in August for a short anniversary trip. Will it still be available then?

A few days ago I was told by a CM from CRO that the service will be free until the Disneyland Anniversary Celebration is over. She said after that it will continue, but there might be a fee.

You should be 100% fine for this August MichelleB, unless the powers that be change their mind for some reason.

I still wonder how this is going to be done with a minimum of waits and hassles. It seems like a lot to take on, since so many people stay on site these days. I wonder if it will take a lot longer to get to BWV than it would with a town car, since (unless I am very lucky) chances are the bus will stop at other resorts before they get to Boardwalk. And I am not sure I am comfortable with leaving the airport with no luggage, I don't know if I will feel confident that it will be at my room when I get there.

There just seems like so many things that can go wrong, I am not sure if it's worth it to me to save the money I'd spend on the Towncar at the possible expense of having more aggravation. And of course I'll have to do groceries differently, since the bus isn't stopping at Publix for me! I am going to keep a weathered eye on this and see the feedback reports once the service kicks in this May. Then I'll decide if I want to try it for my October trip or not. Saving money is great, but if there is a lot of stress involved it might not be worth it.

 

[wtpclc]

My guess is that they will model teh way DCL does it. We had not problem with this last year. They picked us up and our luggage met us a little later. We got to WDW quicker, because we did not have to wait for our luggage, although DH wished hew ahd packed his short in his carry on!

The day we were to go to the ship they took our luggage from our hotel room right to our cabin. Everything went incredibly smoothly and I did not hear about any problems. I'd take them up on it in a heartbeat!

 

[sagwanamu]

I can't wait to hear what people who use "Magical Express" would have to say about their experience.

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

My guess is that they will model teh way DCL does it. We had not problem with this last year. They picked us up and our luggage met us a little later. We got to WDW quicker, because we did not have to wait for our luggage, although DH wished hew ahd packed his short in his carry on!

The day we were to go to the ship they took our luggage from our hotel room right to our cabin. Everything went incredibly smoothly and I did not hear about any problems. I'd take them up on it in a heartbeat!

That's great to hear. How does it work with DCL? Do they wait for a full bus before they leave for WDW? Could one possibly be stuck waiting an hour for a bus if they just missed the last one, or do they come frequently? How many different resorts does each bus go to?

 

[wtpclc]

It was just us and one other family on our bus. We did not wait long at all. 10 minutes? Plus, there were Disney cartoons playing on the video screens the whole way.

Did I mention that they found us? That's the part I was hesitant about. What if they don't find us? Where will we go? Silly me! It was very cool!

 

[wtpclc]

Oops! Missed some of your questions. It seems to me that we were not going to wait long. If teh family had taken much longer, they waould have had to wait for the next bust. It seems like wepassed the next one leaving. I would think they would run more busses when serviceing all of WDW, not just the cruisers. Since we only had one other family, I do not know how many resorts they would do, but it seems like they would have no more than a few hotels per bus, especially with the increased number of passengers.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Is the magical express program available to DVC? I know it starts in May, but how long is the program to last? We are thinking of going in August for a short anniversary trip. Will it still be available then?

I am sorry, i have been out of the loop. could you tell me what Magical Express is?

Magical Express is transportation between Orlando International Airport and Disney-owned resort hotels (including the on-site DVC properties). You can check your luggage from your home airport to your resort room! And it's all complimentary.

For a good desription, see http://www.wdwinfo.com/Transportation/magical-express.htm#hm-magical-express

For lots of details, see the Magical Express FAQ for Travel Agents in the thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=703882

Also, see the recent thread, "magical express service and DVC members," at http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=723232

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

Great links Horace, Thanks!

 

[BCV23]

Thanks for posting the FAQs, Horace.

If I'm reading it correctly, it sounds as if anyone can use the return for baggage only if you're flying with one of the carriers who has signed on.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for posting the FAQs, Horace.

If I'm reading it correctly, it sounds as if anyone can use the return for baggage only if you're flying with one of the carriers who has signed on.

You can use it for the return to the airport. You just can't use the airline check-in perk. I use Song, so I'll be able to check my bags at the front desk, do my airline boarding pass check-in thing and head out for the day. Come back to the resort, hop on the bus, get to the airport, go thru security and plop myself down. No bags to lug around.
Now, if you aren't flying one of the participating airlines, and it does seem like a small list at the moment, then you can still leave your baggage with the resort, go off for the day, return to the resort, get your baggage, put it on the bus, and off you go to the airport. YOu will then have to lug your baggage around the airport, same as usual.

The good thing about using a participating airline is that you treat the resort front desk as the check-in for the airline. Your luggage goes away, only to be seen when you arrive at your home airport. And I don't have to worry about standing in a long check-in line at the airport in Orlando.

But, you can still use it...you just have to keep your luggage with you and check-in at the airport, as usual.

 

[BCV23]

I understand that.

My point is that you can use it for baggage only.....that is just baggage. You don't have to take the ride!

We always rent a car and can not imagine not doing so. So being able to check the baggage at our WDW resort sounds very nice.

Sorry my post wasn't clearer.

 

[sagwanamu]

Here is a Press Release that Disney released a month ago. It explains pretty much everything about Magical Express.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041228/fltu007_1.html

 

[DrTomorrow]

I understand that.

My point is that you can use it for baggage only.....that is just baggage. You don't have to take the ride!

We always rent a car and can not imagine not doing so. So being able to check the baggage at our WDW resort sounds very nice.

Sorry my post wasn't clearer.

Nope. According to the Disney Travel Agent FAQ (see the link Horace so nicely posted), there is no "luggage-only" option. I suspect this is to prohibit doing exactly what you propose, as - IMHO - one of the big reasons behind ME is to keep more people "captive" on-site, thus capturing virtually all of their meal / dining / bottled water / entertainment dollars.

I am amazed - and amused - at the press release. People are treating this like it is something new, when Las Vegas tour companies have been doing this for decades....

IMHO - YMMV

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thanks for posting the FAQs, Horace.

If I'm reading it correctly, it sounds as if anyone can use the return for baggage only if you're flying with one of the carriers who has signed on.

Yes. I'm reading it the same way. From the Travel Agent FAQ:
<blockquote>Does the Guest have to utilize Disney’s Magical Express return transportation service back to Orlando International Airport to participate in the Resort Airline Check-in?
No. This service is available to Disney Resort Guests on outbound flights with domestic service provided by American, Delta (including Song), Continental, and United (including Ted). They can take advantage of the motor coach transportation back to Orlando International Airport or arrange their own transportation. </blockquote>
Of course, this contradicts another part of the Travel Agent FAQ:
<blockquote>Can a Guest book a “luggage only” transfer?
No. </blockquote>
Still the Travel Agent FAQ makes it so clear that guests can "arrange their own transportation" when departing from WDW, that I think it's safe to safe that the blanket No to “luggage only” transfers applies only to inbound service.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Or maybe you can "Check in" to get your boarding pass, but not check your baggage.

Most likely it's what Horace says: Only inbound. By limiting the number of people who take a rental car to WDW, it serves the purpose. I'm curious, though - if someone had a rental car, why would they use a "luggage only" service? It's just as easy to put the luggage in the car for those last few hours, and there are some risks in handing your suitcase over to a Resort CM and assuming it will show up at your home airport.

Yet another Disney program that it will be quite interesting to see how things are actually implemented....

 

[CarolMN]

Oops! Posted in error. Sorry!