Disney's Magical Express began operation in 2005, to meet the needs of the thousands of people arriving in Orlando each day on their way to Walt Disney World. Before the addition of this service, guests either had to rent a car, take a shuttle bus from an outside company for a fee, or pay for a taxi ride with an average cost of $50-$60 to reach their hotel. Although the service started out on a trial basis, it is currently set to continue until at least 2015.
Your seats on Disney's Magical Express can be booked when you make your Disney resort reservations, either on line or over the phone. You will be asked to provide your flight information, and have the option to call back if you do not yet have your flight planned when you make the reservation. A package containing vouchers for the bus trip and luggage tags will be mailed out to guests traveling from the United States or Canada, while guests from other countries will recieve this once they reach Orlando.
Once your plane touches down amidst the palm trees of the Orlando International Airport, you will be greeted by a Disney representative and directed to the Magical Express welcome center. After checking in, you will be directed to the line for a bus traveling to the resort you are staying at. Buses run about every half hour, and your bus may stop at another Disney resort on your way. Most of the buses feature a video starring Mickey Mouse and friends with information about your upcoming vacation to help pass the 30-minute drive to Walt Disney World.
If you arriving at Walt Disney World via the Magical Express you have the option of letting Disney handle your luggage. American and Canadian guests will receive yellow tags in the mail that can be placed on bags prior to checking them in at your home airport. Disney staff picks up the bags and delivers them to your hotel room, allowing you to bypass baggage claim at the airport and get your vacation started right away. Bags usually arrive in your hotel room three to five hours after you arrive at the Orlando airport. Guests from countries other than the United States and Canada will not receive luggage tags, but can give a description of the luggage to the check-in desk at the airport to have their bags picked up as well.
The day before your Disney vacation is over, you will receive an envelope on your hotel room door containing information about your return trip to the airport. Magical Express buses are scheduled according to your flight time, and will pick you up approximately three hours before domestic flights or four hours before international flights. It is recommended to be at the bus stop at least fifteen minutes before your departure time, because if you miss your scheduled bus, you will often have to find your own means of transportation to the airport.
