Realistic Timing for Magical Express??

[8lovesmickey]

I haven't used ME for my last several trips but my 3 friends and I (all adults) are considering it for October. If our plane lands in Orlando at 3 pm, what time can we realistically expect to arrive at Pop? And what time can we realistically expect our luggage to be delivered?

We have tickets to MNSSHP that night so we can be "park ready" when we land and wouldn't need the rest of our luggage until after the party. It seems like a reasonable money saver to use ME as long as we can get to the party in a decent amount of time. Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[FCDub]

I haven't used ME for my last several trips but my 3 friends and I (all adults) are considering it for October. If our plane lands in Orlando at 3 pm, what time can we realistically expect to arrive at Pop? And what time can we realistically expect our luggage to be delivered?

We have tickets to MNSSHP that night so we can be "park ready" when we land and wouldn't need the rest of our luggage until after the party. It seems like a reasonable money saver to use ME as long as we can get to the party in a decent amount of time. Thoughts? Thanks!

Plan 90 minutes to get to your resort. Then 3-4 hours after that for luggage.

 

[EscalatorKid]

I usually figure about 1.5 hours from disembarking the plane to arriving at the hotel.

It takes about 15 minutes to get to the ME loading area. (I budget in time for a pit stop to the bathroom in this.)

I've never had the magical 5-minute bus wait. I usually end up waiting 20-30 minutes on the bus for it to fill up enough to leave.

Then it's a 30 minute ride to WDW.

If you're lucky, you get the first hotel stop. I'm not always that lucky. It's usually not quite a ten minute wait at each stop.

Personally, I never plan on anything on a travel day. My last trip, there were mechanical issues, and my flight was delayed by 4 hours... So what was to be a relaxing evening at Disney Springs for dinner turned into rushing into the hotel cafeteria and getting dinner before they closed.

 

[FCDub]

OP, if you'd like to get there faster, you could use Uber/Lyft as well!

 

[ktlm]

Typically we are usually walking into the resort about 1 1/2 hours after our flight lands with ME, but we have had it take 2 hours before.

Usually, your bags will show up within 3 hours. We typically head straight to the park, and they are in our room when we get back for the night. We've only had one time that we have had any issues with our bags arriving.

Sounds like you already have your MNSSHP tickets, but if you are only going to one party that is a big risk. A flight being delayed could really mess you up. Also, at least for us- the characters are a priority. You can enter the park at 4:00 with a party ticket. For Jack and Sally, people line up right at 4:00, and at least the last few years, they have come out well before the party-- as early as 5:00 p.m. or 5:30.

I would think that ME would be the fastest as you would not have to go wait for bags, you can rush down to the ME loading area. We have gotten lucky enough to walk up just in time to jump on a bus and go-- we have also had the experience where the line was long and we didn't make it on the bus and had to wait for the next one, so you just never know. Usually, we don't wait more than 20 minutes to get on a bus and get moving, but we had one time where the line was really long and we waited about 45 minutes just to get on a bus. You just never know-- a lot depends on luck.

 

[Jimsig]

If you can I would fly in earlier just in case something happens and you get delayed. If you have already made you reservations maybe the airline will change your flight time between now and then and you can get a free change out of it. I was able to to that last week for my DL trip next month. We now arrive at 2p instead of 10p.

As for luggage, bring what ever you need for the first night and next morning in your carry-on, though arriving at 3 it should get there while you are at the party, it's always good practice just in case.

 

[Shanti]

I haven't used ME for my last several trips but my 3 friends and I (all adults) are considering it for October. If our plane lands in Orlando at 3 pm, what time can we realistically expect to arrive at Pop? And what time can we realistically expect our luggage to be delivered?

We have tickets to MNSSHP that night so we can be "park ready" when we land and wouldn't need the rest of our luggage until after the party. It seems like a reasonable money saver to use ME as long as we can get to the party in a decent amount of time. Thoughts? Thanks!

We use ME on almost every trip, and I recommend sticking with your plan and using ME for this. Check all of your luggage so that you won't have to stop for that. Disney will get it to your hotel room for you while you attend the party.

45 - 90 minutes is the most likely time frame for walking off the airplane to arriving at the Pop Century bus stop, unless you're either really slow or really unlucky. It will probably take another 30 minutes to get to MK from there. So between 5pm and 6pm, you'll probably arrive at the party. If you're unlucky or slow, you might arrive around 7pm.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I've had DME take everything from 1 hour plane to resort to 3 hours. The usual time would be about 1 and a half hours. Luggage will be 3-4 hours after that.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I just flew in and used Magical Express to Pop on June 29, 2018. From the time I landed to the resort it was 1 hour 10 minutes.

Pop was the 2nd stop on the route and I had to wait 25 minutes before the bus arrived and was loaded at the airport. I've no idea when luggage arrived - I got to the resort, checked in, left my carry on luggage at Bell Services and went to the Magic Kingdom. I wished I'd gone to Hollywood Studios instead when I heard later that night that they opened Toy Story Land to anyone in the park that evening. LOL

 

[goofy4tink]

It's usually 90 mins from gate to resort. BUT...the one time I had something scheduled, that I really wanted to be at, was the time my flight was delayed. I gave myself three hours to get from the gate to the event. Easy peasy since the event was at my resort. Nope. My flight was delayed three hours due to mechanical issues! I missed that event since I landed at the time I should have been walking into event.