Magical Express changes pick up time from 3 to 4 hours prior to flight

[wendow]

Maybe it's so they can do more stops at different resorts?

Did ME in October from BLT took 1:15 min to get to the airport with all the stops.
Over 1 hour at security since they check every piece of candy and food, made in on the plane 5 min before takeoff way too close for me.
4 hours is much better.

This is what I am thinking too. We were there in Sept. We were picked up CS (the bus pulled up less than 3 hours before) and there were already guests on the bus. We made three more stops before finally heading to MCO. We got to the airport with only about 90 mins until take off. It took almost an hour to get through TSA. We got to our gate after everyone had already boarded and the flight was close to leaving. We seriously thought we were gonna miss our flight!

 

[wendow]

What?! Wait!— you can’t have food in your carry-on bag?!! Everyone brings snacks for the flight home! Can you have them in your purse/backpack/ Messenger bag, but not in your actual carry-on roller-type bag?

You can have it but they have to test it. Swabbing and running different tests. Since so many people bring snacks for their kids, it takes forever, and the same people who were testing the food back in Sept were also the same people who check bags that get flagged from the scanners. So, we waited 20 mins for my dd's backpack to get checked because we were backed up behind people who were getting their food (and some other bags checked). And that was after waiting 40 mins through the regular TSA line.

 

[bladiator]

Does MCO have TSA Precheck?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Does MCO have TSA Precheck?

Yup.

 

[bladiator]

Yup.

Best $85 I've ever spent, I'm thinking!

 

[Shanti]

Over an hour wait in the TSA lines.

You're referring to the regular TSA line, not to the TSA Pre-Check line, right?

 

[Dakota731]

Well, when you live in a city that has pretty much every cheerful minimum wage worker already working either at WDW or Universal, it's understandable that the rest of the grouchy, power-hungry minimum wage workers will end up with a govt job at the TSA.

They make more than minimum wage at the TSA plus all the perks, pensions and benefits of a government job.

 

[bashuck]

With the 3 hours we have had time to go to the MCO Club that is included in Priority Pass program thru our credit card. That required going thru security twice (TSA Pre-check). Four hours will be excessive but that club will make me not care.

 

[LadyNia]

Has anyone tried calling Magical Express and asking to go later than what they plan?

Has anyone else had luck doing this? I have a 6:30am flight next month and would prefer to get an extra hour of sleep instead of leaving for the airport 4 hours early.

 

[rstamm]

Has anyone else had luck doing this? I have a 6:30am flight next month and would prefer to get an extra hour of sleep instead of leaving for the airport 4 hours early.

I called to ask too go early and they said it would be no problem to request an earlier time you would have to call and ask about later.
Security is a mess right now and I don’t want to miss my plane.

 

[ThistleMae]

Where did you see that? I just saw that they would re-evaluate after the holidays but no specific date.

I didn't see an end date either.

 

[jcvalenti]

Maybe this is a simplistic question, but how can the length of security fluctuate so much ? Doesn't TSA have access to airline records that can tell them how many passengers are flying out at any given point on any given day ? Can't they just extrapolate from that how many lanes they need open and staff to meet the need ? It's just mindboggling how ridiculous the whole process is, even for the government. Even more mindboggling when you see the reports of just how pointless the whole exercise is, as they miss most everything people try to sneak on. Every time I hear my kids suggest "government" as the answer to any problem, I just picture a TSA line at MCO or Sky Harbor, or my local DMV with the line around the block. Ugh.

I'm going to start a new super low-cost airline where you check in at the terminal, lay down in a box with your luggage, we administer anesthesia and knock you out, and then load you like cargo to your destination where you are revived in a calm, spa like lounge.

 

[klrobinson999]

You're referring to the regular TSA line, not to the TSA Pre-Check line, right?

Yes. Do the Pre-Check if you can afford it. The backup was caused by food items needing to be tested, people forgetting to take off their ball caps and shoes, hidden electronics at the bottom of carry-ons, and just the general amount of people trying to be herded through.

 

[DaisyNY]

How much is it to Uber or Lyft from Disney Resorts to MCO? Can they accommodate four in a car? Thanks!

 

[Euby]

I had to get my passport renewed before I can even start the process to get Pre-Check. I'm hoping it arrives in the mail soon. My trip is in January.

 

[Shanti]

I had to get my passport renewed before I can even start the process to get Pre-Check. I'm hoping it arrives in the mail soon. My trip is in January.

We got our confirmations 3 days after the interview, so hopefully yours will be as fast.

 

[monica9]

I read just a few days ago that after the “bomb” scare they had at MCO that they were reevaluating how they do check in. So maybe that’s the reason. I’d rather them be over thorough than not. This is why we depart later at night

 

[ArwenMarie]

I'm going to start a new super low-cost airline where you check in at the terminal, lay down in a box with your luggage, we administer anesthesia and knock you out, and then load you like cargo to your destination where you are revived in a calm, spa like lounge.

I would like to be anesthetized for the whole flying experience these days!

 

[neverlandsky]

Agree security was a mess at MCO when we went through last month. We actually hopped on the earlier ME vs. our time. Glad we did.

 

[neverlandsky]

And just a tip. Don’t bring Little Debbie mini muffins for the kids. They were coming up as candles with the TSA. I was questioned. I didn’t mind, I was actually shocked they were coming up as candles.

So a lession learned for us. We’re just going to carry on clothes, cellphones, and headphones from now on.