Disney's Magical Express

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Fellow UK travellers. What has been your experience with DME? I've never used it before and am intending on doing in 2 weeks time.

I booked over the phone with Disney directly and added the DME booking later to the reservation. I have not received any documentation specific to DME and do not have the yellow luggage tags that I have read about. Is it different for UK travellers in that they don't ship the tags? Should I be worried?

 

[bbel]

Nope. No tags needed for UK travellers. But you have to pick up your luggage at the baggage carousel and take it to the bus. Follow the signs through the airport to the ME I dont think we got any extra info about the magical Express, they just ask for your booking reference and send direct you to the right bus.

 

[Spanish Buzz]

The first time I used them in 2010 I rang to secure a place. The second time I sent an email direct to the magical express team with my resort booking info and flight details. I got a really cheery email back saying "You're all set!"
Once we collected luggage, we followed the sign, checked in and waited in the allocated line.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

I use the online booking form each year and it works fine. You’ll just need your booking number when you get to the desk. As someone else said, you need to collect your own luggage and take it to the bus with you.

 

[WelshMorgan92]

I always use the form too. it can be the most exciting thing when you arrive and the most depressing on the way home

 

[alanandline]

I think it’s better not to have the ‘yellow tags’ anyway. If you are tired you’d be waiting for the luggage to be delivered before being able to sleep.

 

[Tony Toon]

We've used DME several times. Easy peasy - no waiting for car hire, driving on the opposite side of the road after a long flight/wait to clear immigration, no navigating to our hotel, no toll booths. Simply book online (giving booking ref and flight details), pick up cases once through immigration, head over to the DME desk with our Magic Bands (or booking ref if you don't have Magic Bands) and before you know it you'll be on a bus to your resort. As others have said UK travellers on't get the yellow tags. Personally I'm happy to have my cases with me. Don't fancy waiting for them to be delivered to my room after my long flight.

Mrs TT

 

[csimon]

I'm just repeating what others have said, but this is my experience.

When flights and hotels have been booked with Disney UK together, they automatically reserved the MDE for me. When I've bought the flights separately elsewhere, I rang Disney UK to add MDE reservations in both directions.

We don't get yellow tags but IIRC there is an MDE ticket of sorts included in the information package that's posted out about 2 or 3 weeks before your departure date, but you don't actualy need it to "check in", I think it basically just gives instructions. If you didn't get this, why not just give Disney UK a call to confirm that your reservations are still there, for peace of mind.

At the airport, you collect your baggage as normal (I don't bother putting it back on the shuttle to be delvered to the main terminal separately and collected at level 2 - I just take it with me on the passenger shuttle to the main terminal), make your way over to Side B of the terminal (it's always been the left side out of the shuttle station for me coming in on Virgin Atlantic) and take the lift down to Level 1.

MDE is signposted all the way IIRC. Level 1 is basically a long corridor with lots of car hire and shuttle booking desks. MDE is right at the far end. Just go to a check-in pod and give them your details, they can find you on the system and direct you to the right lane for the next bus.

Sometime on the day before your departure date they'll tie a letter to the door handle of your room - I always find it on returning at night from the last park. It tells you what time the bus will pick you up at the resort for the return journey.

 

[Cornish Lad]

Tried it for the first time last year - stood in queue for half an hour at the airport waiting for bus to arrive then the driver got lost just going the few hundred yards from OKW to POFQ - left Disney property, turned around, took another wrong turn, ended up going through Disney Springs, sailed past POFQ entrance and just managed to turn into POR entrance. Got to POFQ over an hour after leaving OKW. All in all the total time from MCO to POFQ was two hours and forty minutes! Sticking with Virgin's transport in future - may cost a little more but the drivers are friendly and know where they are going! Always use the Virgin check-in and pick up at Disney Springs on our last day.

 

[MaleDisneyBeliever]

Thank you for your help everyone!

 

[wifey]

We’ve loved it every time we used them the drivers are always so friendly and helpful and they keep everyone comfortable while they transport you and your cases to and from the resorts. Even the ladies and gentlemen at the airport giving guests assistance are wonderful and make you feel welcome and are happy to get you where you need to be to start your vacation right.

 

[traveled]

Fellow UK travellers. What has been your experience with DME? I've never used it before and am intending on doing in 2 weeks time.

I booked over the phone with Disney directly and added the DME booking later to the reservation. I have not received any documentation specific to DME and do not have the yellow luggage tags that I have read about. Is it different for UK travellers in that they don't ship the tags? Should I be worried?

Out of the country travelers cannot use the luggage tags because you have to get your luggage and go through US customs. Disney cannot get your luggage for you because of this. Just take your bags to the DME bus.

 

[jackieleanne]

Have used DME on all onsite trips now since 2010 and we love it. Really easy just follow the signs once you get to the main terminal and show them your booking number. You wait for a bus going to your resort area wait times can depend on if you've just missed a bus etc but we've never had to wait that long and always been quicker than when we used to collect a car years before this when staying offsite.

 

[ABZDisneyFan]

We booked it online a few weeks ago for our arrival this Saturday, got an immediate acknowledgment followed by a confirmation number e-mail a couple of days later.

 

[Eleanor Richman]

How do you book online please? I can only find an 0800 number and we don't have a landline so it is expensive from our mobiles

 

[csimon]

How do you book online please? I can only find an 0800 number and we don't have a landline so it is expensive from our mobiles

I'm pretty sure 0800 numbers are now free from mobiles (UK). [Edit: see https://www.gov.uk/call-charges]

 

[Tony Toon]

How do you book online please? I can only find an 0800 number and we don't have a landline so it is expensive from our mobiles

The link to the online booking form is here.

Mrs TT

 

[PaulaSB12]

Out of the country travelers cannot use the luggage tags because you have to get your luggage and go through US customs. Disney cannot get your luggage for you because of this. Just take your bags to the DME bus.

that isn't true after customs you can put your suitcase on the carousel taking luggage to the other end of the airport, let them scan your luggage tags then they will get them for you. Apart from twice I have never taken my luggage on the dme.

 

[Tony Toon]

Booked DME for our trip in 25 days time online. Email by return to confirm my request and the message with our reservation number an hour later. Easy peasy!

Mrs TT

 

[tinkerbell1991]

that isn't true after customs you can put your suitcase on the carousel taking luggage to the other end of the airport, let them scan your luggage tags then they will get them for you. Apart from twice I have never taken my luggage on the dme.

I was told that because I'm coming from the UK, I need to take my own cases to the magical express not the check in desk