Disney Transport from Airport...

[Minnie Magic]

Can anyone tell me where I can find the desk for Disney Transport to the resorts from Orlando International Airport?? Is it easy to find or will I be searching for it? I'll be traveling with 3 kids in November and don't really want to be lost....
Do I have to worry about my luggage when using the transport??

Thanks,
Minnie Magic :minnie:

[BronxTigger]

Do you have to worry about your luggage when you take DME?
No. You do need to put the yellow tags on each bag that you expect Disney to claim for you. About a month before you leave, you will get a DME information package in the mail with your yellow tags, an information booklet, and barcoded vouchers. The booklet will have your flight information printed inside also.

Will it be hard to find in the airport?
Not really. DME is in a corner of MCO. When you exit the secured area of the airport, look for a person wearing a white Mickey hand. This person will direct you where to go. It's on the B side on the first floor. You need to first go to the B side, then go down the escalator or elevator.

[CleveRocks]

Can anyone tell me where I can find the desk for Disney Transport to the resorts from Orlando International Airport?? Is it easy to find or will I be searching for it? I'll be traveling with 3 kids in November and don't really want to be lost....
Do I have to worry about my luggage when using the transport??

Thanks,
Minnie Magic :minnie:

First, let me just help with some terminology just so everyone can be on the same page. Disney Transport is the system of buses, boats and monorails that transport guests between and among the parks and resorts.

You're talking about Disney's Magical Express (DME), the free motorcoach transfer between Orlando International Airport and WDW owned-and-operated resorts.

I can't put it into well-understood words how to get to the Disney Welcome Center (also known as the DME counter). The good news is, when you get your DME info packet, the inside cover of the booklet itself will have a very easy-to-understand map. It's really very easy.

If you put one of the supplied special DME luggage tags on each of your checked bags, you can totally skip baggage claim! You check your bags at your home airport like normal, and then the next time you see them is INSIDE your resort room -- they should get there about 3-4 hours after you get there, and you don't have to be in your room for the bags to be brought inside!

DME is free, but you MUST make reservations for it. You can call DME directly at 866-599-0951. Please post again if you have any more questions!!!

[ariel03]

Here is the information we have here on Intercot about Magical Express.
Click the little map about halfway down the page of the airport to see where it is located. The desk is located to your right on level 1. It will be the level before the last floor.

[Piglet822]

The DME Welcome Center is located on Level 1 of Terminal B.
You will not see people with white gloved hands on the 3rd level of the airport which is the level you will be arriving on. They are on the 2nd and 1st level. What airline are you flying? I can tell you what side of the airport you'll be coming in on.
Very simply, if you arrive at Terminal A you will walk across the 3rd level to Terminal B (about a 10 minute walk) take the elevator or escalator to Level 1. If you arrive at Terminal B just go to the 1st level. You will see all kinds of car rental counters on the back wall. Walk to the end of the terminal keeping these car rental counters on your right hand side and you'll run right into the DME Welcome Center.

[disneyfan328]

Just got back from a 9 day stay at POR. We used DME and from all of the info I thought that it would be really easy to find. Well it wasn't. There was no one wearing Mickey Hands until well after we found the counter and were checked in waiting in line in our respective hotels area. The only person that we saw was one woman with a small sign that resembles the front of the DME packet that we got which is dark blue so from a distance it was very hard to read. There was NO ONE directing us where to go. Also from where SW flights come in it is a hike to get to it!! Just try to better acquaint yourself with where your flight will come in vs where dme is. It is on the ground floor all the way in the fartherest corner. Also do NOT stop to go to the bathroom or get a drink once you deplane. Just get there and do those things after. There is a restroom right where you get in line for DME. MY son had to go and we ended up missing our bus and had to wait for the next one.

2nd issue with DME was that our lugguage was lost - misplaced whatever for HOURS!!! 3-4 hours after you check in may be the norm for a NON busy time at Disney. We checked in on the22nd which was the last day to check in for free dining( i think or it was close to it) and we checked into our hotel at 10:30 am. We headed for epcot and when we returned to our hotel at 7:45 PM we still had NO LUGGAGE!!!! It took almost 2 more hours before it was all found and delivered. One of our bags ended up at the Polynesian. During the 2 hours of them trying to find out luggage ~ bell services was nice enough to leave our carry on bags out in the rain on the cart while they searched. the change of clothes and pj's that I packed for everyone was soaked. trying to dry it with that puny hairdryer in the room wasn't working either - even my sons blankie was wet and he was so upset it took me over an hour to get him calmed enough to crash. It was eventful none the less and our drive was nice, but please take my advice and pack anything including that change of clothes ( in ziplock bags) in your carryon. You just never know how long it will take those bags to get to your room. They told 3-4 hours is a minimum but on a heavy check in day it could be much much longer as was the case for us. We did get a room credit to dry our wet stuff but we were so exhausted by that point ( we had to be up at 4am that morning to catch our flight) that we just dealt until the next day. the kids coloring books and everything were ruined. thank goodness we had taken the homemade autograph books with us to epcot or they would have been ruined as well.

you can check out the map of orlando's airport online. It would highly advise taking a look at it before you go.

I am sure that my expierence is NOT the norm, but want to share with others so that you are all well informed of the good and the bad.

[CleveRocks]

Just got back from a 9 day stay at POR. We used DME and from all of the info I thought that it would be really easy to find. Well it wasn't. There was no one wearing Mickey Hands until well after we found the counter and were checked in waiting in line in our respective hotels area. The only person that we saw was one woman with a small sign that resembles the front of the DME packet that we got which is dark blue so from a distance it was very hard to read. There was NO ONE directing us where to go. Also from where SW flights come in it is a hike to get to it!! Just try to better acquaint yourself with where your flight will come in vs where dme is. It is on the ground floor all the way in the fartherest corner. Also do NOT stop to go to the bathroom or get a drink once you deplane. Just get there and do those things after. There is a restroom right where you get in line for DME. MY son had to go and we ended up missing our bus and had to wait for the next one.

Thanks for your report.

Just for the sake of everyone reading this, when you fly into MCO and are trying to get to your resort, there's no such thing as "missing your bus." You are not scheduled for a particular bus. They are not holding any certain bus for any specific people, so there's no way you could have missed "your" bus. I don't want people to get the impression that they should feel under any kind of time pressure to have to get to the DME counter ASAP, unless of course you're just in a rush for your own reasons.

Also, everyone should know that the DME info booklet contains a map and walking directions.

A word about luggage delays on rainy days ....
The rampers (baggage handlers) at MCO will not unload luggage during thunderstorms. If it is not your typical Florida heat-related thunderstorm and is a big weather system that has lightning going on for, for example, 2 hours around the airport, then ALL bags from ALL flights will sit for 2 hours without being unloaded. In such a case, DME's luggage delivery is somewhat of a godsend. You could be hanging around baggage claim for those 2 hours or more (since they have to work through the backlog -- more flights to be unloaded than there are baggage claim carousels) OR you could be at Disney World enjoying the start of your vacation.

I'm not saying that's what happened in your case, I'm just holding out the possibility ....

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

We found it really easy to follow the signs to find DME desk. True, there were no cast members with the white hands, but it was still easy to find.
We got to our resort and checked in and went to a park. Our luggage was waiting when we got back to our rooms. We'd use them again in a heartbeat.

[disneyfan328]

Thanks for your report.

Just for the sake of everyone reading this, when you fly into MCO and are trying to get to your resort, there's no such thing as "missing your bus." You are not scheduled for a particular bus. They are not holding any certain bus for any specific people, so there's no way you could have missed "your" bus. I don't want people to get the impression that they should feel under any kind of time pressure to have to get to the DME counter ASAP, unless of course you're just in a rush for your own reasons.

Also, everyone should know that the DME info booklet contains a map and walking directions.

A word about luggage delays on rainy days ....
The rampers (baggage handlers) at MCO will not unload luggage during thunderstorms. If it is not your typical Florida heat-related thunderstorm and is a big weather system that has lightning going on for, for example, 2 hours around the airport, then ALL bags from ALL flights will sit for 2 hours without being unloaded. In such a case, DME's luggage delivery is somewhat of a godsend. You could be hanging around baggage claim for those 2 hours or more (since they have to work through the backlog -- more flights to be unloaded than there are baggage claim carousels) OR you could be at Disney World enjoying the start of your vacation.

I'm not saying that's what happened in your case, I'm just holding out the possibility ....

You are correct, and I didn't mean to be misleading about missing the bus - you are right there is no set one, But when you are with 3 very anxious, excited kids (and a very excited anxious me) it was not worth the extra half hour + wait to get to the bus when if we had waited for a bathroom break until after we checked in with DME it could have been avoided. There were just a TON of people all checking in at once so it just would have been better to not stop on the way was all that I meant but if you don't mind waiting thats great too!!

As for the thunderstorm issue and us not getting our bags until very late - you are probably correct. We did hear that there were a lot of lightning issues at MCO that night which probably is the reason for the delay - that being said with the amount of storms that are common to FL it is very possible that this will happen to someone else which is why I wanted to mention it. I know that my expierience is NOT the norm from what I have read on here, however it does happen, and finding the DME counter was not as easy as we were lead to believe especially since there was no one there with the big Mickey hands.

All of that being said, and even with one of my bags taking a little vacation of its own, IT IS a wonderful service and I would more than likely still use it again. I just hope that all of those reading this take everything into consideration especially on heavier check in days like Saturdays. If you want to get there and get it done just be informed and check out the maps before you go (and don't forget those zip lock baggies even for your carry on's just in case!!! Better to be safe than sorry. We did have great drivers both ways so other than the mishap with the luggage wich turned out ok in the end it was all good just a little stressful at the beginning is all.

[raevnzno]

Even thought I work for a major airline, and travel as much as I can, I tend to be very unsure of myself when I go into a new airport. That being said, the first time I used DME (1/06) I had no problems finding the welcome center and check in desk. I thought that the signage throughout the airport was more than adaquate and I found myself at CBR withing 1 hour of coming off of my plane.
Just remember, you are starting your vacation, relax, and enjoy!