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Thread: Magical Express Question...is it fast?

  1. #1

    Lightbulb Magical Express Question...is it fast?

    Contemplating renting a car vs. taking the airport shuttle. We're flying in Friday afternoon June 1st on Southwest. Anyone know from experience if you have to wait long on a bus? We're staying at the Wildernest Lodge. How many stops does the bus make? Does it go to each hotel or just the transportation center? Thanks for replying!!


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  3. #2
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Staying at the Wilderness Lodge, you might have a couple of stops before you, but I'd think only 2 or 3 max. The bus will bring your directly to your hotel, not to the TTC or anything. Because they only have each bus stop at 4 or so resorts, there is a little bit of a wait, but it's usually not long at all.

    You're coming at a more popular time of day, so I'd not think you'd have to wait more than 10-15 minutes, if that, for the bus to leave the terminal.

    Cathy

  4. #3

    ^ Agree.

    Since you're staying onsite, unless you have a need for a rental car (other than getting to Wilderness Lodge) I'd take Magical Express.

    Even if you do stop at another resort or two enroute to Wilderness Lodge, generally it's only a few minutes before you're on your way again.

    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  5. #4
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    For the several times I have done DME, from the moment I get off the plane to the time I get all checked in at the resort, its usually 1.25 to 1.5 hrs. Thats not bad for something that does not cost you extra.

    Sure, there is the rental vs non-rental argument, but to be honest, even when I had my car on property, it just sits at the resort. My family did not find the time savings significant enough to warrant using it, spending $ on gas, and the like. But really, it comes down to a personal preference. There is no right or wrong answer.

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  6. #5

    And just to prove that my friend GusMan is WRONG (hee hee), I always rent a car at the airport. I like having my own transportation to and from the airport. I always stop at a CVS drugstore on the way and stock up on munchies and fresh water. And while at the resort I don't have to wait anywhere for a bus - just get in my car and head for a park, where parking is free for on-site guests. At the end of the day I like to linger at the park as it slowly drains itself of people, and then just wander out to my car, now sitting by itself in the parking lot, and toodle back to my hotel. I do the busses here and there, but for the most part I make good use of my car.

    But really, as GusMan said, it's all about personal preference.

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  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    And just to prove that my friend GusMan is WRONG (hee hee), I always rent a car at the airport. I like having my own transportation to and from the airport. I always stop at a CVS drugstore on the way and stock up on munchies and fresh water. And while at the resort I don't have to wait anywhere for a bus - just get in my car and head for a park, where parking is free for on-site guests. At the end of the day I like to linger at the park as it slowly drains itself of people, and then just wander out to my car, now sitting by itself in the parking lot, and toodle back to my hotel. I do the busses here and there, but for the most part I make good use of my car.

    But really, as GusMan said, it's all about personal preference.
    Yep, I'm with Dan on this one. And having a car onsite is my personal preference. One of the biggest reasons I really like having a car onsite (and I use it all the time to get from here to there) is the ability to go between resorts directly. So, for example, when I'm at the Boardwalk and I want to have dinner at Sanaa, I just drive to AKL Kidani Village. I like being able to stop at the grocery store, get water and sundries for my room.

    However, when I'm there on business, I take Magical Express and use onsite transportation. Why? Because it gives me the guest experience that I can share with my clients. And sometimes that experience is really valuable when I give advice about room types and locations. For example, I have a vastly different opinion on the pirate rooms at Caribbean Beach when having a rental car vs. using onsite transportation regarding convenience.
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  8. #7
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mkraemer View Post
    So, for example, when I'm at the Boardwalk and I want to have dinner at Sanaa, I just drive to AKL Kidani Village.
    And that's why I DON'T rent a car. Granted it would be EASIER transportation-wise to do that -- but I like a glass of wine or two with dinner, and I don't drive after having more than a glass at dinner. My sister and I have compromised -- we'll take Disney transportation to dinner (in the Boardwalk to Sanaa example, boat or walk to the Studios, bus to AKL), but we get to get a taxi for the trip back to our resort -- we just include it in our budget for dinner.
    Cathy

  9. #8
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    I agree that having a car makes it easier to get from resort to resort. But it is not all that bad to do it without a car either. You just have to plan a little differently. Then again, if it is not really in the plans to go between resorts, its probably not that big of a deal in the first place.

    I have taken my car to resorts from time to time and did little "tests" about who who would get to the resort faster. Me in the car or my wife on the bus. While I would generally get to the destination first, it was not usually huge amounts of time before she walked in the door after me.

    Regardless if you use a car or Disney Transportation, or a mix of both, going between locations is still "downtime" in a way. Good planning will help reduce that downtime regardless of mode of transportation.

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  10. #9
    Trust, but verify Greg in TN's Avatar
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    Just thought I'd "echo" what a few of the others have said here. We've used Magical Express several times, and it's always worked like a charm. Never had an unacceptable wait, either in-line or on the bus. Never had a problem with the luggage delivery, but if you're concerned, that's one question you can eliminate by claiming your own baggage and bringing it to the bus with you. Your luggage will ride on the same bus with you to your resort, then you just get it off the bus & take it to your room. Magical Express is a great way to get your vacation started--Disney music & Disney videos play while you're traveling.

    And like GusMan said, even when we have a car available, 99.9% of the time it just sits in the parking lot waiting for us to re-pack for the trip home. We've always found Disney transportation (busses, ferries, monorails, etc.) to be quite efficient and comfortable.

    I highly recommend Magical Express.

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  11. #10

    I can't comment on Magical Express with authority yet, but I do plan to use it when I arrive in a couple of weeks. But one thing my family does when on a Disney vacation is treat all forms of transportation as a "ride". It's kind of fun to think about how many and what form of "rides" you go on before even going into the parks. DME will be our first ride once we get to Florida, before that, we will "ride" to the airport and fly to Florida.


  12. #11

    In the context of the OP's original question about getting to the Wilderness Lodge resort and whether Magical Express is fast - compared to renting a car - I think that both methods of transportation are comparable in this aspect, especially for the 1st time visitor.

    It could potentially take just as long to rent the car, load the luggage, and find the resort as it could to find Disney's Magical Express, get on the bus, and get to the resort. Or vice versa.

    “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” - Roy Disney

  13. #12
    Self-proclaimed Diz nut TinaMouse's Avatar
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    I agree with Barbarella--if the issue is time, I think DME is just fine. It is comparable. I've never had ANY issue with DME. Granted, I've been super spoiled with a towncar the last two trips, but DME works JUST FINE.

    Working hard for that next WDW trip!

  14. #13

    We used DME for the first time on our 12th trip to Walt Disney World - and we were impressed and will use it again on our September trip.

    The money saved was great but the unexpected benefit was much less stress going to and from the airport, an important part of a true vacation. If you can do without a rental car - I highly recommend it.

    This is a paragraph from our November 2011 trip report.

    Time from landing to the resort was 1 hr and 41 minutes.
    (10 minutes to taxi, 13 m to deplane, 15 m to get to DME with a stop in the store and restrooms, 13 m to wait for a bus, 9 m before it left and 41m bus ride). Longer than expected, but if we didn't stop in the Disney store we might have caught an earlier bus. Total DME time was only 1hr 3 minutes so I was pleased with the service. I hope this info helps others trying DME


    As you can see we waited longer to taxi on the runway and wait just to get off the plane then waiting for and getting on a bus. And like other posters wrote, at busier times DME is faster since they don't have to wait long for the bus to have enough passengers. On the flip side, at busy times the car rental counters can have longer waits.

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  15. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by bochnikm View Post
    We used DME for the first time on our 12th trip to Walt Disney World - and we were impressed and will use it again on our September trip.

    The money saved was great but the unexpected benefit was much less stress going to and from the airport, an important part of a true vacation. If you can do without a rental car - I highly recommend it.

    This is a paragraph from our November 2011 trip report.

    Time from landing to the resort was 1 hr and 41 minutes.
    (10 minutes to taxi, 13 m to deplane, 15 m to get to DME with a stop in the store and restrooms, 13 m to wait for a bus, 9 m before it left and 41m bus ride). Longer than expected, but if we didn't stop in the Disney store we might have caught an earlier bus. Total DME time was only 1hr 3 minutes so I was pleased with the service. I hope this info helps others trying DME


    As you can see we waited longer to taxi on the runway and wait just to get off the plane then waiting for and getting on a bus. And like other posters wrote, at busier times DME is faster since they don't have to wait long for the bus to have enough passengers. On the flip side, at busy times the car rental counters can have longer waits.
    This is where the comparisons can best be made. Presumably, you would have gone to the bathroom & shopped regardless of your mode of transportation. Similarly, I don't know if your hotel was the first stop, but the bus travels at the same relative speed as a car, possibly faster if the car needs to stop to pay tolls while the bus doesn't, depending on how comfortable the driver is speeding while on vacation.

    So the main difference between the two modes of transportation are, in my opinion, as follows:

    Magic Express:
    Check-in/wait for bus
    Wait on bus
    Possible stop at other hotel(s) before getting to your hotel

    Rental car:
    Wait at baggage claim for luggage
    Wait at rental car station for car


    Overall, I think you can get lucky/unlucky at either but I would choose based on whether I wanted to drive on vacation/pay the extra cost of the car versus simply time to/from the airport. Other people have already weighed in on the pros and cons of driving while on property.

  16. #15

    I have never used DME but it took us about 2 hours from landing to getting to POR last trip. We had a hire car but that was a lengthy circus (of our own creation really) and immigration from a UK flight is ugly. That context said I have read lots of trip reports where DME is faster than this.

    If you don't want DME or a hire car then a town car is a great choice. We have used Tiffany town car twice and they were great both times.

    We have stayed on Disney property both with and without a car. We mainly don't use it for the parks but love it when we have an evening meal at a resort to get to. Also good of you are doing universal etc.

    That said our car next trip is 500 for 2 weeks with insurance (different for us Brits in a bad way). I am seriously considering cancelling it, using DME and just paying for some taxis which will definitely be less than 500. I am
    Influenced by our Beach Club location and a lot of evening meals at Epcot.

    Overall my opinion is you don't need a car if staying at a Disney hotel, but it's hard to give one up if you've got used to the convenience of having one too! I have previously said you don't need one. Having had one the last two trips I am now spoilt.

     

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  17. #16

    If I were only concerned about transportation to and from the airport, I'd probably do the DME thing as well. But if I were to use it then I would have to be dependent on Disney transportation while at the parks, and I just don't want to do that. I love the boats and monorails. But the busses are really a pain, and I just hate waiting for a bus or standing in line with 200 people in front of me at the end of the day.

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  18. #17

    While I really do echo what everyone else has said here, my thoughts are the following.

    My DME the other week was 1 hour to and from the resort. It was super fast. As for renting the car, with gas prices the way they are and all of the rental car fees and the fact that I also like to have several beverages throughout the day or evening, I prefer taking the bus. It is just easier to not have to worry about parking and driving.
    Also, taking the bus to MK is very easy because then you can bypass the TCC altogether. It is a personal preference though and every family needs different options but as far as DME, you don't have to wait long to get going.

    Formerly tinkinparis

  19. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by tinkaparis View Post
    Also, taking the bus to MK is very easy because then you can bypass the TCC altogether.
    It's funny that you'd look at this as an advantage, while I look at it as a major deal breaker. I really LOVE going to the regular parking lot and then picking up a ferry or a monorail at the TTC and enjoying the ride and seeing the MK getting closer and closer! When the bus drops me off right there at the MK I feel like I've missed an important part of the adventure.
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  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by currence View Post
    So the main difference between the two modes of transportation are, in my opinion, as follows:

    Magic Express:
    Check-in/wait for bus
    Wait on bus
    Possible stop at other hotel(s) before getting to your hotel

    Rental car:
    Wait at baggage claim for luggage
    Wait at rental car station for car
    This can be such an advantage of using DME, especially with kids. No trying to get and haul luggage and kids around.
    Shannon
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  21. #20
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3Princesses1Prince View Post
    This can be such an advantage of using DME, especially with kids. No trying to get and haul luggage and kids around.
    I think the traveling party plays a big role in this as well. If you are traveling with kids, or even grandparents, or a combo of both, its sometimes better to just leave the details to someone else.
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  22. #21
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Also, if you got your car from an agency that wasn't just across the street - you then have to take THEIR shuttle to their lot, which adds time. (I'm thinking MCO still has some that you can walk to their lots -but it's been a while since I rented a car there, and I'm getting airports mixed up in my brain.)

    Cathy

  23. #22

    two times I have taken DME to Wilderness Lodge. Both times we stopped at the Polynesian first and then the Wilderness Lodge. If you are lucky your bus is already there and you hop on. If you are extremely unlucky the bus will have just left and you will have to wait about 20 minutes for next one. More likely it will take you 10 to 15 minutes to get on the bus and leave. It takes about as long to wait for your luggage and get to a rental car. I have never needed a car at Disney. If I get a villa I use the garden grocer. If I am in room I use the gift shop to get some staples like milk, juice, and some fruit.

    Save the money and stress and ride the DME.


  24. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Drince88 View Post
    Also, if you got your car from an agency that wasn't just across the street - you then have to take THEIR shuttle to their lot, which adds time. (I'm thinking MCO still has some that you can walk to their lots -but it's been a while since I rented a car there, and I'm getting airports mixed up in my brain.)
    Yes, there are some vendors like Payless that are off airport, and you have to take their shuttle, which can be a pain. They usually have excellent rates there too. But most times it's worth it for me to rent right at the airport, even if it costs a few bucks more, and then just walk across the street and pick up my car.
    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
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  25. #24

    I'm with Dan on this one. I can't imagine not having a car at Disney World--or having one and not using it. This is strange coming from me, because I am an ardent environmentalist and a notorious cheapskate. A rental car makes it so much faster and easier to get from point A to point B, and my vacation time is very precious to me. The one time we took Disney transportation, it took us about 1 1/2 hours to get from ASM to DD. It was absolutely ridiculous. Also, we rarely spend our entire vacation on Disney property. We go to Universal, Kennedy Space Center, etc. One time, my daughter developed a sudden, high fever at around 10 p.m. and it was so easy for DH to hop in the car and make a run to the store for ibuprofen. I often read about people taking cabs, and I have to think that it adds up to being not much less than renting a car. If you shop around you can get some great deals on rental cars. We paid only about $150, total, to rent a car for 10 days on our last trip.

    I also agree with Dan about the monorail and ferry. One time I suggested we take the bus to MK, just as an experiment, to see if would save us time. My family was aghast.

    Interestingly, an article was just posted on Mousesavers today comparing Disney transportation to a rental car.


  26. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by mxrapu View Post
    I'm with Dan on this one.
    You are obviously an intelligent and discerning person! Seriously, it's all about whatever works best for you. Some folks hate to drive, and love taking the busses everywhere. If that makes your vacation better, go for it!






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