Magical Express?

[toad611]

Does Disney provide transportation (Magical Express) from the airport or the World to Port Canaveral and then back to the airport or the World at the end of the cruise?

 

[keaster]

It is not the complimentary magical express that you get between the airport and resorts. DCL has a transfer service that costs $70 round trip per person.

 

[mammacaryn]

Yes

Like above poster stated, we must have posted at the same time.

 

[KEMdisney]

Why do you think Disney charges for this? mE is such a magical perk, it would be great if transportation was included as part of the cruise!

 

[jlowejd5]

While the luggage services for DCL and the ME are the same, there's a huge difference between them as far as the transportation aspect. For the ME, a bus in only on the road 20-30 minutes to get from MCO to the appropriate resort. Then, I'm sure, they're sent somewhere to take a batch of departing guests back to MCO.

But the bus ride from MCO to the port is almost an hour, one-way. And I would imagine that virtually all of them are empty going the other way. So they need a lot more vehicles, a lot more gas, more drivers, and they're not transporting guests for half the time they're working on sailing days.

 

[DL1957]

A reminder that while the buses have Disney's name on it it is contracted out to Mears so the DCL charge is partially coming from Mears and WDW covers the cost on Magical Express as a part of staying on WDW property.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Why do you think Disney charges for this? mE is such a magical perk, it would be great if transportation was included as part of the cruise!

Disney started ME to deter guests from renting a car at MCO. If one has a car, they can easily spend a day at SW, USO, KSC, etc. If you're trapped with no wheels inside WDW, you're less likely to seeking outside transfers to visit other places. Therefore Disney gets 100% of your vacation $. All meals, souvenirs, etc.

Prior to ME, it was similar in cost to hire a transportation company to take you to WDW or rent a car. We always rented a car so we'd have the freedom to go where we wanted to.

With DCL, they already have your $. They're already providing all your food & entertainment. There's no incentive for them to get you to the port. They price themselves to be a little higher than their competition but also make it more convenient. Anyone who has dealt with the stupid shuttles with rental car companies knows, cramming all the bags for an entire family on a 7-nt cruise into the trunk of an Impala, waiting in the CASH line at tolls, refueling before drop off at MCO, etc. it's just not a very relaxing way to end a cruise. For larger groups it may be cheaper but to me if I've already spent so much to cruise DCL, I might as well let them deal with my bags.
If you fly home same day as debarkation on a participating airline, you may be able to use Onboard Check in: to have DCL check your bags the last night of the cruise. They also deliver your BPs right to your cabin. Then you don't see your bags til you get to your home airport. Just hop on & off the bus then head to your gate. So convenient.

 

[kcashner]

As above...a guest at WDW without a car is basically "stuck." Yes, you can walk to Crossroads center and back hauling groceries, but how many guests even know about that, much less do it?

If I don't have a car, I have to buy everything at Disney's mark up prices. I can't go off property for lunch or dinner, go to another attraction, or whatever. If Disney gets one extra meal purchase from me based on this, they have probably made back the cost of the transportation.

On the other hand, Disney gets no benefit out of how I arrive at the terminal. Once I'm there, they already have my money.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

You can get transfers included but you'd have to buy flights through DCL to do that. For what they charge for airfare, you'd still do better to book your own flights and pay pp for the transfers.

 

[kcashner]

You can get transfers included but you'd have to buy flights through DCL to do that. For what they charge for airfare, you'd still do better to book your own flights and pay pp for the transfers.

While DCL calls these transfers "included," that means only that they added the cost of the transfers to the cost of the airfare and didn't quote them separately. Trust me, the charge is in there!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

While DCL calls these transfers "included," that means only that they added the cost of the transfers to the cost of the airfare and didn't quote them separately. Trust me, the charge is in there!

So true!

 

[disneylover2170]

Yes if u stay at a disney hotel I think we are going on disney transportation from the air and to the port on the disney buses

 

[mmouse37]

Yes if u stay at a disney hotel I think we are going on disney transportation from the air and to the port on the disney buses

Ok...in case there is some confusion...if you are staying at a Disney resort your transportation from the airport to the resort is by Magical Express (a complimentary bus service. This service also is complimentary from the WDW resort back to the airport).

From any WDW resort to the port would be by DCL transfers which are $35 pp one way or $70 R/T (WDW to port and port to either MCO or back to WDW).

MJ