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Magical Express at Walt Disney World- How does it work?

Walt Disney World provides a complimentary airport shuttle from Orlando International Airport (MCO) and luggage delivery to eligible guests of the Walt Disney World Resort. To qualify for the service, you must be staying at a Disney hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. The Swan, Dolphin, Shades of Green, and Downtown Disney area hotels do not qualify for this service. It’s really quite simple and a big time saver for on-site resort guests. So how exactly does it all work?

You can reserve Disney’s Magical Express Transportation when you book online, through Disney or your travel agent. If you book with Disney or on-line they will help you set up the service. If you work with a travel agent they will get you all set up.

For on-site resort guests who elect to use Disney’s Magical Express Service, an Airport Transportation Booklet containing general information, a map to the Disney’s Magical Express Welcome Center at the Orlando International Airport, and one luggage tag per person will be mailed approximately 4  weeks prior to your arrival at Walt Disney World. Prior to leaving home for the airport, attach the provided YELLOW luggage tags on checked luggage only. Once the tagged luggage is checked in for your flight to Orlando, you will no longer have to worry about picking the luggage up at baggage claim. Magical Express service will pick up the luggage and deliver it to your resort which is indicated on the luggage tag. If you arrive after 10:00 PM, you will need to collect your luggage at baggage claim and bring with you on the motorcoach. Guests cannot book luggage transfer only, they must be on the motor coach to have luggage transported.

I always suggest packing a day bag with essential items such as change of clothes, swimsuits, medications, in a carry-on bag since it may take up to 3 hours or more for Magical Express to delivers the luggage to your resort room.  Be sure to pack your Magic Bands in your carry on, as the boarding pass for the Magical Express is linked directly to the bands.

If you didn’t sign up for Magical Express in advance, you can take advantage of the service by showing up at the Magical Express welcome desk and providing a representative with information from your baggage claim ticket. The Welcome Desk can look up any hotel reservation, and as long as you’re a registered guest, they can link it to your Magic Band for boarding the shuttle.

At the end of your Magical vacation, a Magical Express notice from the resort will be delivered to the room. The notice will include a motor coach pick-up time which should be no sooner than 3 hours prior to the flight departure time for domestic flights, or 4 hours for international flights. Magical Express check-in desks are located in resort lobbies or near the outside front entrance of the resort. To check in, the entire party must be present and have with them government issued photo I.D. (driver’s license, passport, Military ID) and your Magic Band as resort identification. At the time of departure, you can either carry your luggage to the motor coach or  you may request assistance from Bell Services. Resort guests flying on participating DOMESTIC airlines may take advantage of Resort Airline check in to check luggage with the airlines and print boarding passes. Simply visit the Resort Airline Check–In desk no less than 3 hours prior to departure time during operating hours (5:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. daily). It’s just like checking your bags curbside at the airport, and no need to drag them with you all the way back to Orlando International on departure day.

I hope that helps you understand how easy Disney’s Magical Express service is to use, it’s a time saver for sure!

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