Magical Express - Can I get a later bus to MCO?

Dmcuth · Jan 10, 2019

While we've been to Disney probably 50 x this is the first time we'll be taking the MDE (always get a rental car). We will only have small carry on bags so no checked luggage, and I'd hate to leave for the airport 3 hours early when I could spend time in the park or elsewhere (especially with a 3 day trip). We usually get to the airport between an hour and hour and a half early with no issues. Has anyone gotten a later bus successfully?

Nancyg56 · Jan 10, 2019

The only time I took a later bus was when I was late for the one I was scheduled for. I arrived at the pickup time, or so I thought. It was departure time. Anyway, there was a bit of a commotion while the CM contacted DME and was able to get us on the next bus. It is never a guarantee that you can take a later bus, as far as I know. I would check on the transportation forum because those folks know a lot about what is likely to be allowed or not.

Kimberle · Jan 10, 2019

Your ME bus doesn't always go straight to the airport. It makes 3-4 stops. Though, you are not bringing your checked luggage, many others are so it takes a while to fully load a bus.

Lewisc · Jan 10, 2019

You can call and ask. Occasionally DME will make an exception. Do you have TSA pre? Lines at MCO can be long. I suspect the lines will get real long as TSA employees decide not to work for free. Some airports TSA closed the pre line.

ejyip · Jan 10, 2019

I believe that you can either call or make your request when you check in to modify the DME time. DME used to be 2 hours before the intended flight time, but since MCO has been hit or miss, between TSA delays and the construction that they've been doing there. It's been upped to 3 hours the last couple of years. Even with the 3 hours ahead, we got to our gate about 15 minutes before boarding the last time we went, which was this past November. Crowds were pretty high that week. Maybe that was the culprit, but better to be safe than sorry. At least MCO has the shops and restaurants to kill some time. My wife never objects to some extra shopping time, haha.

PrincessArlena'sDad · Jan 10, 2019

It's easy to fudge the pick up time. Give DME the flight info of any domestic flight that leaves 3 hours after the time you want to be picked up. Dme has no way of knowing what flight you actually have.

In fact, you can do this if you want to get to mco for a different reason (like a cruise shuttle) .

That said, I'm not sure you want that much of a later time.
With stops it could take an hour to get to mco (if your stop is first)
Then getting through security can take a half hour. Then 15 min to take tram to gate and walk. 15 min to stop at restrooms and get a drink or snack before boarding.

That's 2 hours total. And you need to be at gate 30 min in advance.

Which means you wouldn't want to be picked up more than a half hour later. But, I'd give up that half hour for piece of mind in case something goes wrong.

This is why we always use our real flight times.

Lewisc · Jan 10, 2019

ejyip said:
I believe that you can either call or make your request when you check in to modify the DME time. DME used to be 2 hours before the intended flight time, but since MCO has been hit or miss, between TSA delays and the construction that they've been doing there. It's been upped to 3 hours the last couple of years. Even with the 3 hours ahead, we got to our gate about 15 minutes before boarding the last time we went, which was this past November. Crowds were pretty high that week. Maybe that was the culprit, but better to be safe than sorry. At least MCO has the shops and restaurants to kill some time. My wife never objects to some extra shopping time, haha.

DME is designed to get you the airport 2 hours before your domestic flight. A pickup 3 hours before your flight allows 30 minutes to pickup at other resorts and 30 minutes to drive to MCO. There are some times when DME picks up 4 hours in advance.

kaytieeldr · Jan 10, 2019

ejyip said:
DME used to be 2 hours before the intended flight time

Sorry, but never. DME has always been about three hours prior to domestic flight departure, except late 2017-early 2018, when the airport advised arriving three hours early..

PrincessArlena'sDad said:
It's easy to fudge the pick up time. Give DME the flight info of any domestic flight that leaves 3 hours after the time you want to be picked up. Dme has no way of knowing what flight you actually have.

while I disagree with fudging one's departure time, and Disney will hold no responsibility if someone does this and misses their flight...are you sure you mean "...that leaves 3 hours after the time you want to be picked up... "? Wouldn't that get the person to the airport right around the time the flight takes off?

MrKnight · Jan 10, 2019

At MCO it is always recommended that you arrive two hours prior to your flight departure time for domestic flights and three hours for international flights. MCO is one of the busiest airports in the Southeast US, security lines can be long, and the airport is very large and spread out, not to mention just getting to your gate requires waiting for and boarding a people mover tram, walking through the airside terminal, etc.. I am not sure why anyone would want to risk arriving to the airport less than two hours prior to departure time, IMO sounds like a huge rush and very stressful.

As stated by pp, DME is designed to get you to the airport two hours prior as recommended, the first hour is spent making stops at other resorts and traveling between WDW property and the MCO terminal.

KNovacovschi · Jan 10, 2019

The only problem with this is if the later bus is full then you would chance missing your flight. I would call and see. You could also use Lyft or Uber from your hotel to MCO. You can store your bags at the hotel, do what you want and then when you are ready to leave pick up your bags and call a lyft or uber.

ColoradoMom12 · Jan 10, 2019

We got on a later bus once. The circumstance isn’t an experience I’d recommend. The ME bus to take us to the airport never showed up. No one knew what had happened. There was a large group of us at the Poly following spring break waiting and waiting for the bus. Several people complained. They told us to keep waiting. When the bus hadn’t arrived 30 minutes later, they started sending people in taxis (at Disney’s expense). I can’t remember for sure how long we ended up waiting, but another bus eventually arrived and those of us remaining got on that one. I wasn’t worried about missing our flight as I have TSA pre-check, Clear, etc, but there were some very concerned families waiting with us. So, yes, it is possible to take a later bus. Hopefully our experience with doing so doesn’t happen to anyone else!

ejyip · Jan 10, 2019

kaytieeldr said:
Sorry, but never. DME has always been about three hours prior to domestic flight departure, except late 2017-early 2018, when the airport advised arriving three hours early..

Oops, my bad. I meant we were picked up 4 hours prior as opposed to the normal 3, likely due to the monorail construction that was going on to our terminal at MCO. Long day at work, lol. Depending on what airline you're using, you may be affected if there's still work going on, so check ahead of time.

motherof5 · Jan 10, 2019

Nancyg56 said:
The only time I took a later bus was when I was late for the one I was scheduled for. I arrived at the pickup time, or so I thought. It was departure time. Anyway, there was a bit of a commotion while the CM contacted DME and was able to get us on the next bus. It is never a guarantee that you can take a later bus, as far as I know. I would check on the transportation forum because those folks know a lot about what is likely to be allowed or not.

We were late once and had to uber as they didn't have room on a later one.

PrincessArlena'sDad · Jan 10, 2019

kaytieeldr said:
while I disagree with fudging one's departure time, and Disney will hold no responsibility if someone does this and misses their flight...are you sure you mean "...that leaves 3 hours after the time you want to be picked up... "? Wouldn't that get the person to the airport right around the time the flight takes off?

I think I typed that right, but it’s been a long day.

What I was trying to say was that if you want to be picked up by DME at 3:00, tell them a flight that departs MCO at 6:00.

Ensusieasm · Jan 10, 2019

PrincessArlena'sDad said:
I think I typed that right, but it’s been a long day.

What I was trying to say was that if you want to be picked up by DME at 3:00, tell them a flight that departs MCO at 6:00.

Yes, you typed it right.

Ensusieasm · Jan 10, 2019

kaytieeldr said:
Sorry, but never. DME has always been about three hours prior to domestic flight departure, except late 2017-early 2018, when the airport advised arriving three hours early..

while I disagree with fudging one's departure time, and Disney will hold no responsibility if someone does this and misses their flight...are you sure you mean "...that leaves 3 hours after the time you want to be picked up... "? Wouldn't that get the person to the airport right around the time the flight takes off?

Yes, this is written correctly. You need to find a flight that is scheduled to leave three hours after the time you want to be picked up by MDE. Example:
You want to be picked up at noon, so find a flight scheduled at 3pm which is “three hours after you want to be picked up.”

AngiTN · Jan 10, 2019

I suggest, if you want to leave later, use Uber. That way, you aren't at the mercy of a bus that is going to make many stops after it picks you up.

TXDisneyFan1 · Jan 12, 2019

We were thinking about taking an Uber from our resort to MCO.

Can we send our luggage with Magical Express while we Uber to the airport?

dansdad · Jan 12, 2019

TXDisneyFan1 said:
We were thinking about taking an Uber from our resort to MCO.

Can we send our luggage with Magical Express while we Uber to the airport?

No. If you did that, once the Magical Express driver unloads your luggage it will just sit there on the curb and never get checked in with the Airline. But if you check your luggage at the Resort Airline Check In desk it will get delivered to MCO. Luggage checked in through the Resort Airline Check In desk gets delivered by Bags Incorporated.

TXDisneyFan1 · Jan 12, 2019

dansdad said:
No. If you did that, once the Magical Express driver unloads your luggage it will just sit there on the curb and never get checked in with the Airline. But if you check your luggage at the Resort Airline Check In desk it will get delivered to MCO. Luggage checked in through the Resort Airline Check In desk gets delivered by Bags Incorporated.

Right... I guess I thought when I checked in my luggage at the resort airline check in desk it was put on the Magical Express. Good to know it's a separate service.

Magical Express - Can I get a later bus to MCO?

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