I just learned something today and wanted to share this tasty bit of information! As a huge Disney fan and someone who takes pride in the amount of general Disney knowledge they possess, I have to say I did not know the full wonder of Disney Magical Express shuttle service. Our family has only gotten rental cars when visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, so it’s not surprising that we weren’t exposed to its magic. I knew what the pretty yellow, blue, and silver buses were, but I didn’t know all the details because I’ve never used the service.
For our upcoming vacation (less than a month!), I will be flying separate from the rest of my family. In an attempt to save around $70, I was desperate to find a cheap way to get me from point A: the Orlando International Airport, to point B: Disney’s Old Key West Resort.
By George, she’s got it!
Disney’s Magical Express is literally the easiest, cheapest, best solution I could ever have hoped for! Let me break it down for you. It’s free. You must be flying into the Orlando International Airport (no other airports have DME transfers). You must be staying at one of the below Disney properties. There are a couple Disney properties that the DME buses do not go to so be extra careful of that.
- Art of Animation
- All-Star Movies, Music, & Sports
- Animal Kingdom Lodge & Villas, Jambo & Kidani
- Beach Club & Villas
- BoardWalk & Villas
- Fort Wilderness Cabins & Campgrounds
- Caribbean Beach
- Contemporary & Bay Lake Tower Villas
- Coronado Springs
- Grand Floridian
- Old Key West
- Polynesian
- Pop Century
- Port Orleans French Quarter & Riverside
- Saratoga Springs
- Wilderness Lodge & Villas
- Yacht Club
Those are probably the three most important things to remember if you want a DME reservation. Once you’ve got those, all you will need to reserve your spot is your flight information and your hotel reservation number. You can sign up for the free service by going to disneyworld.com.
I received an email just minutes after making the reservation online. In the email, they said “Your confirmation letter and luggage tags will be mailed to the address provided. Please keep the confirmation letter with you during your travel as it contains helpful information regarding your reservation and is required to check-in for Disney’s Magical Express at the airport.” They also gave clear directions for how to get to the DME shuttles at the airport.
During the day, whatever checked luggage has the Disney tags on them will be picked up and delivered to your hotel room. Supposedly you can expect your bags to be delivered about 3 hours after arrival. It is important to note that if your flight arrives after 10:00 PM, whether originally scheduled or delayed, you must pick up and carry your own luggage to the DME check-in area.
Like it’s noted in the email, it might take over an hour to get to your hotel depending on if the shuttle makes other stops before dropping you off. But I can tell you right now, it is pretty exciting to be driving closer to the Disney property and seeing all of the billboards! Plus, there is a special video played during the ride. And, for emergencies, there is a bathroom on board. Yet again, Disney has thought of everything!
Click here if you have more questions about Disney’s Magical Express. Like the title says, it is truly magical!
Bippity Boppity Magic Hour 