Disney's Magical Express
One of the best (and worst) rides at Disney World is the Magical (or sometimes “Tragical”) Express. The Magical Express is a free airport shuttle provided by Disney World to Disney resort guests. They can transfer you to and/or from the airport/Disney resort. We have used this service countless times. It is a great perk if you are staying onsite. Read all about it below!
So when you book your Disney trip you are given the option to arrange for ME transportation. I am not sure I ever added this perk on while booking, however. Typically I am booking our trips more than 6 months out (gotta get those dining reservations!), and at that point we are clueless about flights. If you are like us, you can just call customer service and they can easily add it to your reservation.
They will mail you an info packet with everything you need to know about your arrival. It gives you the specific location of ME at the airport and it confirms your flight information
If you call more than say a month out, they will also mail you luggage tags. They are yellow tags (see below) that have your name and resort on them. If you want Disney to deliver your luggage to your room instead of you picking it up and dealing with it yourself, add these tags to your bags before departure flight. There are time restrictions you will want to check your letter for. Do know that it could take up to 3 or more hours before your luggage is delivered though. We had our luggage delivered at 1 am before! That is something you may want to keep in mind when making your decision. However, do NOT put those tags on if you plan to get your own luggage. The luggage with the yellow tags never make it to the luggage pickup area for the public. Disney reps pick it up behind the scenes.
If you do decide to get your own luggage, you can easily store it on the ME. So no worries. We usually let Disney deliver it unless we anticipate a later arrival.
Another MAJOR thing to note. Make sure you have your MagicBands with you! Do not pack them in your luggage. You will need them to ride the ME. Even if you plan to pick your luggage up yourself there is always the chance for lost luggage. You want to make sure you have your band!
Once you arrive to Orlando airport, head to side B of the airport. There are only two sides and you cannot access both sides on the ground floor. So this is your opportunity to pick the B side. If you for some reason end up on the A side, just go back up and walk over. It isn’t a long walk, it just isn’t ideal.
The ME is all the way on one end of the airport. You will get a map in your letter that you will likely want to bring with you for reassurance. But there are PLENTY of signs. You will NOT miss ME. It is on the VERY VERY end. If you think you missed it, still keep walking, ha. Just be sure and follow the signs like those below.
Oh, and make sure you have your MagicBand ready. And a pro-tip, use the restroom before getting in line for ME. It could take 1-2 hours to get to your resort, and there are no restrooms in line. Most buses do have a small restroom if needed though.
Once you find these adorable desks, walk up to a cast member, and they will scan your band. I also have everyone’s bands out, but in the past only one of us has had to scan.
After they scan your band, they will confirm your resort and the number of people in your party. They they will assign you a number. You will get in the line that contains your number. Only that bus will take you to your resort.
After a small (or potentially long if it is a crazy busy day) wait, you will be asked to scan your band one last time. Then they will tell you the bus number to go to. You should be going to the same bus everyone in your line is going to.
There are usually two or three people at the bus. One person will help you load things onto the lower part of the bus. This will be luggage, strollers, etc. Small items such as backpacks and purses can go on the bus with you. Another person will confirm which resort you are going to. This allows the driver to double check his route and make sure you are on the right bus. This also confirms people are stopping at certain resorts.
Once the bus is full and loaded, it is time to take one of the best rides…to your resort! They have fun TVs showing trivia, Mickey shorts, and all kinds of Disney World info. You will likely be on the bus around 30 minutes to an hour. They will stop at around 3-4 resorts. Just be sure and listen and watch for your resort. Most of our bus drivers have been great and are fun when it comes to the drive.
If you want that coveted Walt Disney World sign picture, be sure and sit at the front. They usually have an age restriction on the front seats. And sometimes it is set aside for the handicap. So be mindful of that. You will be able to see the sign from any seat, but you likely won’t get a good picture. And usually the bus driver gives you a warning as he is approaching it to prepare you.
When you arrive at your resort, the will let you off at the ME bus stop. This is most likely where you will be picked up if you decide to return to the airport using ME. Take note of this location. It is usually at the front of the resorts based on the places we have stayed.
You are not required to tip the bus drivers. We typically only tip if they handled our luggage/stroller. Some people disagree with that and believe you should always tip. That is totally up to you and what you want to do though.
Ok-now for the worst ride…the tragical express. This is when you have to return home after your fun stay at Disney World. If you have signed up to take the ME to the airport (you do this when you originally call and add your flight info), you will get an envelope on your door the night before your last day. So if you depart on Tuesday, the envelope will arrive on Sunday night or Monday morning. If you don’t have one by Monday night, definitely contact the front desk. They could have mistakenly not placed it on your door, someone could have taken it, or you may not be scheduled.
In this envelope you will find your departure time from your resort. It is typically 3-4 hours from your flight departure time. This seems crazy (and kind of is), but just like when you arrived, they will make 3-4 pickups. Then you have to account for traffic. Then TSA. Do NOT be late. I have seen buses leave people before. I would plan to arrive about 10 minutes early. Buses are usually on the nose on time, but if they are early, you can go ahead and get on.
You will also find your boarding passes if you are flying with one of the participating Disney airlines. They will check you in too, but I recommend you check yourself in if you want a better boarding group. Disney doesn’t check you in at exactly 24 hours in advance.
Now every Disney resort has airline check in. You have to double check the hours and participating airlines, but you can check your luggage at your hotel rather than at the airport. This saves you a lot of time and hassle. I truly recommend this if you can do it.
Once on the bus, you will likely stop at other resorts, then you will head to the airport.
You will be dropped off on the B Side of the airport and likely on the same level. Then it is off to TSA and home …
If you are staying on Disney property I highly recommend the Magical Express. It is time consuming, but it is free and I feel like it really adds to the Disney magic.
