Magical Express resort pick up now FOUR hours before flights? Alternatives?

[heidijanesmith]

We've always done Magical Express but four hours seems rough! About how much time do you usually allow on the trip back to MCO?

As of now, they pick me up 2hrs a head of time. It has always been plenty of time. The good thing is they pick you up at the airport at baggage claim and then you are off to your resort. The service we use gives you the option of a 30min grocery stop before your resort.

At your hotel pick up, it's just you to the airport. No other stops. Last time we took MDE, we were the 1st picked up 3hrs a head of time, but drove around Disney property for an hour to pick up other Disney hotel guests before heading off to the airport. I would rather spend that hour chilling at our hotel, then driving around in a bus.

 

[EdmondD]

https://www.uber.com/fare-estimate/ is helpful. I would expect on a holiday weekend to maybe see fare multipliers, though.

Helpful, but generally overestimates, from my experience. UberX (regular uber), if your luggage will fit, I think is maybe $25 - $35. Not bad.

 

[EdmondD]

Hmmm....how would that work? Do they ask you for a flight number, or just the time? And then you just take your luggage on the bus?

If your flight is at 1, but you don't want to be picked up at 9am, then yes, give them a flight number for a 3pm flight, for example. Then they'll pick you up 11. And you just handle your own luggage upon arrival.

 

[siskaren]

If your flight is at 1, but you don't want to be picked up at 9am, then yes, give them a flight number for a 3pm flight, for example. Then they'll pick you up 11. And you just handle your own luggage upon arrival.

I don't see why you'd have to do that, since RAC and DME are separate services. Since you can use RAC without using DME, I don't see how RAC would know if you gave DME a different flight time.

 

[dansdad]

I don't see why you'd have to do that, since RAC and DME are separate services. Since you can use RAC without using DME, I don't see how RAC would know if you gave DME a different flight time.

This.

 

[GoBlue21]

Hmmm....how would that work? Do they ask you for a flight number, or just the time? And then you just take your luggage on the bus?

I just did this. I found a flight that left exactly one hour later, and that means we should be picked up only 3 hours ahead of time, and we do not have TSA Pre-check, so hopefully this works. We will just check in out own luggage through the airline check-in, we don't need them to do it for us.

 

[EdmondD]

I don't see why you'd have to do that, since RAC and DME are separate services. Since you can use RAC without using DME, I don't see how RAC would know if you gave DME a different flight time.

Good point!

 

[carlbarry]

I just received an email from DVC about my upcoming trip. It says that luggage must be checked FOUR hours before your flight; this is NOT Magical Express, this is for people checking their luggage at the resort and getting to the airport on their own.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I just received an email from DVC about my upcoming trip. It says that luggage must be checked FOUR hours before your flight; this is NOT Magical Express, this is for people checking their luggage at the resort and getting to the airport on their own.

I do not think this is much of a change.

 

[gwynne]

I do not think this is much of a change.

It is new to me. I am pretty sure RAC used to be 3 hours.
I hadn't heard of the change until today.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/resort-airline-check-in/

 

[maxiesmom]

It is new to me. I am pretty sure RAC used to be 3 hours.
I hadn't heard of the change until today.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/resort-airline-check-in/

With the construction mess on the roads, I'm not surprised.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

It is new to me. I am pretty RAC used to be 3 hours.
I hadn't heard of the change until today.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/resort-airline-check-in/

Yeah, I thought it was 3 too but wasn’t sure. A quick Google search shows several reputable blog/trip planning sites saying it is 3 hours, so I guess that the 4 hour thing is new. Makes sense given everything else going on.

FWIW, the RAC FAQ thread on the transportation board also says 3 hours but that there are times when it has been 4 hours so to always check with RAC when there.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Holidays are amateur hour. Staff needs all the lead time they can get.

Similarly, security will be a mess. "What do you mean I have to check my wine?"

 

[gillep]

Holidays are amateur hour. Staff needs all the lead time they can get.

Similarly, security will be a mess. "What do you mean I have to check my wine?"

If this is just for the holiday crush, and changed back after, then I completely agree with you. I travel a lot for work, and traveling near any holiday or spring break is so painful, I just don't understand how ill-prepared some people are for security and flying in general, it is astounding!!! Also MCO TSA is a mess, and always has been, I still don't think precheck flyers will need the extra hour though. We are traveling to WDW just after the holidays and if it isn't back to 3 hours we will be taking Uber.

 

[ScubaCat]

It's not MCO itself being a problem. It's just that most MCO travelers aren't experienced. (Meaning they don't fly regularly other than to Disney.) Couple that with every other person having kids and the ever changing screeing procedures, and you have a recipe for long, slow moving lines. Ever flown out of MDW, LAX, LGA, etc. during a holiday rush? Trust me, it can get a LOT worse!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

MCO is a hot mess at the best of times, though. I have seen pre-check break at MCO as well.

Holiday travel is painful, though, even in well-oiled TSA operations. "But you can't make me check this 32 ounce shampoo! It's salon shampoo and expensive!"

 

[dansdad]

It's not MCO itself being a problem. It's just that most travelers aren't experienced. Couple that with every other person having kids and the ever changing screeing procedures, and you have a recipe for long, slow moving lines. Ever flown out of MDW, LAX, LGA, etc. during a holiday rush? Trust me, it can get a LOT worse!

I have flown out of all those. I'm my experience MCO is the worst and it's not even close.

 

[ScubaCat]

I have flown out of all those. I'm my experience MCO is the worst and it's not even close.

Drop by Midway next Tuesday morning and see how you enjoy the security line. (dont worry about walking thru 2 parking garages to find the end of it... Perfectly normal. )

 

[Bree]

MCO is also the major airport for cruising out of Port Canaveral. The Orlando Sentinel reported a few days ago that PC had 4.5 million cruise passengers and Port Everglades in Tampa had 3.86 million. Then there’s also the never ending conventions, sports (NCAA soccer playoffs this December!), business travelers, other central FL attractions, snowbird arrivals, etc.

I understand why ME is picking up earlier for MCO. It’s a disaster there. My DH travels at least once a month for work and our home airport is MCO. He has pre-check, but the lines for that have gotten progressively longer.

 

[dansdad]

Drop by Midway next Tuesday morning and see how you enjoy the security line. (dont worry about walking thru 2 parking garages to find the end of it... Perfectly normal. )

I will be there Tuesday AM.