As Walt Disney World continues it’s phased reopening, while the magic is still there, some things are a bit different, especially if you have visited the parks and resorts in Florida previously. One of these is Disney’s Magical Express, the free transportation that Disney provides from/to Orlando International Airport for Disney resort guests.
First, let’s chat about what is NOT different.
You’ll still make a reservation (or your travel agent can make it for you) with Disney’s Magical Express, once you’ve made your flight reservations. You’ll provide them with your airline and flight numbers, as well as your resort reservation number. Make sure you let them know if your flights change before your trip!
Disney still provides free, shared motorcoach transportation from the airport and back again when your trip is over (that ride is specifically known in Disney circles as the “Tragical Express”). When you arrive at the Magical Express location at Orlando International, your Magic Band will be scanned and you’ll be directed to the correct line for the bus to your resort. (If you don’t have a Magic Band, they will input your reservation manually). You should allow at least 90 minutes from the time you arrive at the Magical Express center at the airport to when you arrive at your resort.
When it’s time to go home, Disney’s Magical Express will still pick you up at your resort roughly 3 hours before your flight is scheduled, in order to allow plenty of time to get you back to Orlando International, so you don’t miss your flight.
The basics of how Disney’s Magical Express are still the same – so what’s different then?
For your arrival:
- Disney’s Magical Express service will no longer provide luggage delivery for those arriving at and departing from the airport. Guests will be responsible for picking up any of their checked luggage from the airport’s baggage claim area, before going to the Magical Express center at the airport, so that it can be loaded onto the motorcoach and travel with them to their Disney Resort hotel.
- This means that you will not receive those yellow luggage tags in the mail prior to the start of your Disney vacation. Since you’ll be bringing your bags with you to the bus, they are not needed.
- Luggage assistance will continue to bee available at the front of your Disney Resort hotel when you arrive, including luggage storage and/or transport to the room. So if you’re ready to get your vacation started the minute you get to your hotel, you absolutely can. Bell Services will keep everything for you until your room is ready.
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For your departure:
- The resort airline check-in service is no longer available. This means that you will bring your luggage with you on the bus so you can check it in with your airline once you reach the airport.
And those are the only differences really. Everything else is the same and it all still works – like magic!
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