Disney's Magical Express

Disney's Magical Express

Magical Express bus parked outside Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Parent Walt Disney World
Founded 2005
Locale Orlando, Florida
Service type Coach
Destinations Walt Disney World Resort
Orlando International Airport
Disney Cruise Line Terminal
Hubs Walt Disney World Resort
Stations 23[1]
Fleet Van Hool buses
Daily ridership 6,000 (2009)[2]
Annual ridership 2.3 million (2013)[3]
Operator Mears (buses)[4]
Bags, Inc. (baggage)[5]
Website Official website

Disney's Magical Express is a private ground transportation and luggage service delivery for Walt Disney World Resort operated by Mears Transportation. The service is complimentary and is only available to guests with reservations at one of 21 Walt Disney World Resort hotels.[1]

Service

The Disney's Magical Express service can be booked via phone when making a room reservation at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. Guests must be arriving at the Orlando International Airport in order to utilize the service. Guests receive an information packet and luggage tags via postal mail prior to departing on their vacation. The luggage tags are used to identify incoming luggage at Orlando International Airport and specify which resort and guest name the luggage is to be delivered to. After landing, guest luggage is picked up by a BAGS, Inc representative and delivered directly to the guest room, without the guest needing to go to the baggage claim.

When their vacation is over, guests can check-in and check bags at their resorts, provided they are on partner airlines.[1] They then board buses back to the airport for departure. Those who did not already check their luggage or did not check in at the resort must bring their luggage on the bus with them, and then check it in at the airport.

Disney's Magical Express also transports guests from the airport or their hotel to the seaport for their Disney Cruise and back. These buses are used for Walt Disney World transportation during peak times or when there are no cruises in port.

History

The Disney's Magical Express service initially faced strong opposition from the Greater Orlando Livery Association and Orlando-area ground transportation companies and taxi cab operators, who argued that it allows Disney to "whisk away" potential customers who would otherwise have continued on to a taxi cab or private transportation service for transportation to their hotel, and keeps them from leaving Disney property during their trip to spend money elsewhere, since they do not need a rental car or other transportation to get to their resort.[2]

However, the service became extremely popular, carrying 2.2 million people in 2009,[2] and 2.3 million in 2013.[3] In 2010, Allegiant Air announced that they would be moving 10 of their flights from Orlando Sanford International Airport to Orlando International, based partially on the fact that the service only goes to Orlando International[2] (the airline later moved back to Sanford, citing higher costs at Orlando International).[6]

In 2015, Universal Orlando, Disney's main competitor in the area, announced their own airport shuttle to their resort. The Universal service is operated by SuperShuttle, costs $35 round-trip, and has guests take care of their own luggage.[4]

Participating Airlines

[7]

Former Participating Airlines

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Disney's Magical Express.
  1. 1 2 3 "Disney's Magical Express". Walt Disney World. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kassab, Beth. "Magical Express sets bar high for high-speed rail". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Disney's Magical Express traffic rises". tribunedigital-orlandosentinel. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 Pedicini, Sandra. "New Universal Orlando airport shuttle service is starting". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Brinkmann, Paul. "Disney Magical Express contractor files layoff notice for 204". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Allegiant Air changes Orlando route back to Sanford airport". GoUpstate.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Resort Airline Check-In Service | FAQ | Walt Disney World Resort". disneyworld.disney.go.com. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/3/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.