Subscribe for FREE!
Receive our Daily Disney Newsletter.
Have the best in Disney News & Views Delivered to you!
Category Archives: Disney Deals and Discounts
Affordable Disney Vacations: Saving Time AND Money with Disney’s Magical Express
Many people travel to Walt Disney World by flying. For some, there is no other realistic way to get there. Others, who could drive, often choose to fly anyway. My family is in the second group: while I personally don’t mind driving, my family feels otherwise.
So we typically fly these days. But the challenge here, if you are trying to have a Disney vacation that is as affordable as possible, is that airfare is way expensive. So unfortunately, a major portion of any Disney vacation budget ends up being spent on transportation.
But the good news is that Disney does make things easy here, by providing complimentary transportation to and from Orlando airport, for guests of any of the Walt Disney World resorts. The better news is that Disney’s Magical Express will save you money AND time….and it’s fun to use too!
With that in mind then, if you are staying in a Disney resort, and have never used Magical Express before, what do you need to know?
To start, once you have your flight information, you will need to contact Disney (407-WDW-MAGIC or 407-939-6244) and provide them with that information. It is recommended that you do this at least 6 weeks prior to your trip. Several weeks before you leave, you will receive Magical Express luggage tags for each person that will be traveling, along with a booklet that has information for when you arrive, as well as a voucher for boarding the bus when you arrive at Orlando airport. (Note that you will receive only 1 tag per person, which assumes you will not be checking more than one bag per person. If you need more, contact DME to request additional tags.)
Place the tag on your luggage at home, and then check it as usual at your home airport. When you arrive at Orlando Airport, there is no need to go to baggage claim: Disney does that for you. You will instead go to the DME boarding area (there are signs, and a map in your booklet), and you will be directed to the correct line. Note that there is not a separate DME bus for each resort, so you will “share” your bus with guests of several nearby resorts. With this in mind, you should allow for up to an hour from the time you are boarding your bus, until you arrive at your resort. But the time goes so fast on the bus: they show a video to, you know, get people excited about arriving at Disney World…which works pretty well. 
And this is the best part. Once you get to your resort, check in (and if you did online check in before you arrived, this will take only a few minutes), and then you are on your way to the parks. Meanwhile, Disney’s Magical Express is handling your bags, and when you arrive in your room later on, they will be there waiting for you. (Be aware, however, that DME does say that it can take up to 4 hours for your bags to arrive in your room, so keep that in mind and pack your carry-on accordingly….more about this in a minute.)
It should be noted that you always have the option, if you wish, to not put the luggage tags on your bags, and when you arrive at MCO, you will then proceed to baggage claim first to retrieve your luggage. Once you have them, you can then go to board the Magical Express bus. It should also be noted that if have a late night arrival (after 10 p.m.) you do not have a choice: you must claim your own luggage before boarding the bus. Even so, while you may not be saving time here, you still have the benefit of complimentary transportation.
Now I will be honest: the system doesn’t always work flawlessly, and I have to share that on one trip we returned to our room in the evening, to find not the two suitcases that should have been there…but one. My husband’s was there, but mine was MIA…
As it turns out, the fault was with our airline that apparently felt my luggage should not go to Walt Disney World, but to some other destination. To the credit of DME, they handled it all: found out when my suitcase was supposed to arrive at MCO, when it did in fact arrive at MCO, when it got on the truck headed to Disney World, and then they let me know when it showed up at our hotel. I was a wreck…but they couldn’t have been nicer. (And I learned a BIG lesson, especially if you will be arriving in the evening: ALWAYS pack what you need for overnight in your carry on. Just In Case. )
All in all, I really believe that DME is a pretty good system, and offers some real savings to folks who fly into Orlando. Not so long ago, once you landed at MCO, you then had the expense of either renting a car, or paying for a taxi or limo service to get you to your hotel…which adds to your already high transportation budget. And if you are staying off property, that is still the case. This is why you want to always compare ALL the costs of staying on Disney property vs. off property, to see what the most affordable option for your family is. Perks like Disney’s Magical Express go a long way in making a Disney resort stay more affordable than you might think!
So, you might be asking, what happens when it is time to go back home? How do you get back to MCO?
Well……That is a post for next week!
Note: If you have never used Disney’s Magical Express before, be sure to read the FAQs on the Disney website to help in your planning.
Nancy, her husband and college-age daughter live in the Baltimore MD area, but consider Walt Disney World their second “home”. She started her site The Affordable Mouse, as a way to share ideas about how to plan affordable Disney vacations. Her favorite things at Disney World (in no particular order) are Soarin’, most of the food in World Showcase, Illuminations…and that special brand of Disney magic that you can’t find anywhere else.
Related articles
- Learning to “Let Go” With Disney’s Magical Express (theaffordablemouse.com)
- Best Things I Love About Disney – Disney’s Magical Express (chipandco.com)
What a Thrill – A New Trip is In the Works
After my November trip to Walt Disney World I wrote a blog about the fact that, unlike previous years, there was no bounce back offer in my resort room. That left me in a much different position after our trip than in past years. I was not only suffering from PDTD (Post-Disney-Trip Depression), but I did not have a Walt Disney World Resort reservation for our family trip this year.
This week, I received great news which flung me back into planning mode. I have been telling my hubby that I really want to be at the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 2011. That is right around our anniversary and I have never asked for an anniversary gift, which is the only reason I even brought it up. Realistically, though, I knew we would not be able to go for two reasons. First, that date is during hurricane season and we not only live on the Texas Gulf Coast but my hubby is not allowed to leave during that time of year because of his job. Second, we are already going to WDW with our family of 5, and taking 2 first-timers, in December so we really cannot afford to go again in October.
But, that all changed on Sunday when my wonderful hubby informed me that I could go with my friend, Susan, the world’s biggest Tigger fan. I am so excited I cannot see straight! Thank you, honey!
I found out some helpful information while researching our reservation options so I wanted to share them with you. Using the Late Summer Travel Offer, a room-only rate for our moderate room is 30% off (just $458). Adding 3-day park hopper tickets added on an additional $296 each. Then there is a necessary food budget for our 3-night, 4-day stay. We had first decided to “poor-mouth it” and only spend about $30 per day for food and drinks. When I checked on adding dining to our reservation, I found out that we are able to add on quick service dining for only $104.34 each or the regular dining plan for only $137.31 each. If you read my blog about the cost of free dining, then you know that the regular dining plan includes some awesome meal choices for this very low price.
We decided to go with the quick service dining plan because our trip will be short and we want to be able to just eat whenever we are hungry. This will save us from having to be at a certain place at a certain time, giving us more flexibility.
So, dividing the cost of the room in half, each of us will only have to pay $631.34 for our room, tickets and all our food and drinks (including our refillable mugs). Now, we just have to wait until the flight prices are available. We are onto making our lists of must-dos and these two princesses will be good to go. Planning is such a huge part of the fun!
Details, Details: What You May be Missing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
I write a great deal about planning affordable Disney vacations. I love finding ways to save money on a trip to Disney World. But even more, I love when I can find things – hidden “treasures”, experiences, little details — that can enhance a Disney vacation, and provide even more value for the money that I do spend.
Fortunately, Walt Disney World provides lots of these types of experiences, if you only take the time to look!
One of my favorite places to explore is Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where there is a wealth of unexpected fun. Transporting you to Hollywood circa 1940’s, the “Studios” offers many details that can easily be missed unless you take a few minutes to stop and look around. Here are 3 treasures that I truly love to explore there:
- Sunset Blvd., the street leading to the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, is a fascinating place to wander around. I have always loved how each of the stores has a very unique “personality”: it is fun to browse around in each because you will find some items that you may not find elsewhere. Love the Disney villains? Visit the Villians in Vogue store for things to commemorate your favorite anti-heroes, as well as Fantasmic items. Are you a big movie buff? Check out the Legends of Hollywood store or the Planet Hollywood Super Store for things related to all kinds of movie-related (including Disney themed) items. Be sure to check out the architecture and details all up and down the street that will absolutely convince you that you are in 1940’s Hollywood: movie theatre, signage, old cars, and even a Victory Garden. Just go along with it and pretend you have been transported in time, it’s more fun that way. As a bonus, don’t miss the Beverly Sunset sweet shop with fudge and your favorite Disney-themed candy.
- I love to people watch! And by people watch, I am referring to the “residents” of Hollywood who are Disney Cast Members who will just spontaneously start a conversation with each other, bringing guests into it, and just having a merry old time in the process. Stop and watch: I once spent close to 30 minutes enjoying the Hollywood Police Officer as he stopped various guests, questioning them to make sure they were obeying the “law”. Of course, his “laws” were a bit, um, unusual, which made it even more fun to see people’s reactions to being cited for, of all things, “wearing a shirt from an Unapproved Theme Park” (Yes, watch your attire at Hollywood Studios!) Other times you will find filmmakers in search of aspiring actors: Be careful, or you might find yourself auditioning for a role, whether you want to or not! It’s all in good fun, and a fantastic way to spend some time!
- My new favorite place is the Writer’s Stop, which is on the other side of the park, over on the Streets of America. It was here that I went in search of the renowned Carrot Cake Cookie, and while I found the cookie, I also found a lovely, quaint, and honestly hidden little coffee/book shop where you can find all kinds of Disney-related books. You can get a latte or coffee here as well, and curl up in a cozy chair to read, relax, and rejuvenate for a bit. Add in the Carrot Cake Cookie and its pure heaven.
There are, of course, lots of other fun things to see and do at Hollywood Studios, and all over the Walt Disney World resort for that matter. Make the most of your Disney vacation and discover as many as you can!
Nancy, her husband and college-age daughter live in the Baltimore MD area, but consider Walt Disney World their second “home”. She started her site The Affordable Mouse, as a way to share ideas about how to plan affordable Disney vacations. Her favorite things at Disney World (in no particular order) are Soarin’, most of the food in World Showcase, Illuminations…and that special brand of Disney magic that you can’t find anywhere else.
Related articles
- Oldies But Goodies – Take A Chance, Try Some New Restaurants (chipandco.com)
- Want to do Something New at Walt Disney World? Take a Tour!! (chipandco.com)
Are You The ‘Go To’ Advice Person For Your Friends’ Disney Trips?
When your friends start thinking about or planning a trip to Walt Disney World do they say – Let’s ask (insert your name here) for some help. I know this happens to me a lot, and rather than considering it a burden, I look forward to it and consider it an honor that they would choose me for something this important. Presently I’m working with three groups of friends on their upcoming 2011 trips. As much fun as it is and as rewarding as it can be there are some pitfalls to be avoided, I’ll try to outline the major ones here:
- Resort Choice – The choice of a resort can have a very significant impact on any visit to Walt Disney World. It’s vital that you let your friends make the choice for themselves and that you not influence that choice based on your own preferences. Give them the facts about each category, including off site and provide them with appropriate web sites (both fan sites and “official” sites). It would be unfortunate if you recommended a resort that you love and your friends found to be incompatible with their needs.
- Seasons – Make sure they understand Disney’s seasons and the differences in cost and crowd size at different times of the year. Recommend travel at the time of year that best matches their budget and availability needs but once again, they need to make the final choice based on the available options.
- Reservation Policies – It’s important that your friends understand the deposit, payment, and cancellation policies for their trip. Refer them to the appropriate web sites for this information rather than telling them from memory. They need the “official” information on these items.
- Packages – This one is huge! Some folks love package plans and some folks hate them. In recent years, Disney has improved their packages making them a bit more inclusive and economical. Personally, I almost never use a package because of other options available but in a lot of cases packages make sense, especially for first time travelers. Explain the differences, tell them about the available options, give them websites to visit, and let them make the choices.
- Admission Media – If your friends choose a package or buy separate admission media make sure they understand they should buy only what they will actually use for admission media. The most viable option is the Park Hopper Option and some may effectively use the Water Park and More option but the No Expiration option is very expensive and rarely taken advantage of even if it is purchased.
- Advance Dining Reservations – If your friends are traveling during a busy season or when free dining is offered, stress the importance of making ADR’s. If they enjoy at least one sit down meal a day (a great idea by the way) ADR’s are absolutely essential. This is a good place to recommend your absolute favorite restaurants because Disney restaurants seldom disappoint.
- Recommend Print Resources – I recommend two in particular – Passporter’s Walt Disney World and The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World. They are both outstanding but for different reasons so I always recommend both. If the investment for both doesn’t appeal to your friends I lean towards the Passporter because they not only provide the print version but they publish updates on their website as things at Disney change (and we all know about changes at Disney).
- Discounts – Let your friends know that there are almost always discounts available of one kind or another. For this reason I always recommend, after you have presented them with the basics, that they get themselves a Disney Specialist Travel Agent (TA). After they make their basic decisions the TA can implement them and make sure that all of the available discounts can be applied to their vacation. One of the most important things you can relate to your friends is that TA’s do not charge for their services because they are paid by Disney.
You may have noticed a theme here, the old – You tell them the options and they must make the choices theme. There is nothing worse than having your friends thinking, well (insert your name here one more time) recommended this and it was terrible, it ruined our vacation. That is absolutely the most important rule in helping friends plan vacations. Remember – they must make the choices!! As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!
Ken
Photo By Disney
Oldies But Goodies – Keeping The Vacation Affordable
As most people understand, we Oldies lean towards frugality and the older we get the more we seem to lean. I’m afraid that in a few years I’ll be leaning so much that my friends will change my name to “Pisa” (as in the leaning tower). I use every resource available to help keep costs in line but the first rule of thumb is don’t try to do it alone.
The first thing you should do is hire a Disney Specialist Travel Agent. They do not charge for their services but always confirm this by asking. Their paycheck comes directly from Disney and does not influence the price you pay. The reason for this is that if you rely on Disney cast members to inform you about discounts out of the goodness of their hearts you will have a long wait. They are trained not to offer but if you pursue by asking questions they will answer only your specific discount questions. A Disney specialist Travel Agent will be aware of the available discounts and the good ones will pursue all avenues to make your vacation as affordable as possible. You can’t make a better investment, it costs you zero and the rewards can be significant.
Always do some research on your own because even the best Travel Agents can’t know everything. There are lots of websites out there that track discounts and offer planning tools and advice. Among the very best as an aid to available discounts and planning tools is Nancy’s website, The Affordable Mouse located here. If you are looking for a site that keeps track of all Disney discounts including historical data you can go to Mary’s site, Mousesavers located here. Both are detailed and have lots of very positive help to offer even for the experienced Disney visitor.
If you are looking for help in getting cash available for your trip try Couponing To Disney not just for training on how to visit Disney but also lots, and I do mean lots, of available coupons to help you save cash that you can put aside for your trip. A unique approach but lots of folks do it quite successfully.
O.K. my fellow Oldies, in summary, the most important things you can do to keep a trip to Walt Disney world affordable are to hire a Disney Specialist Travel Agent and do some research to find out what discounts are available. Only those of you who are very experienced Walt Disney World visitors should attempt to do it all on your own. I think I qualify as an experienced visitor and I ALWAYS USE A DISNEY SPECIALIST TRAVEL AGENT, they will be your best friend in this endeavor!! As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!
Ken
Related articles
- Oldies But Goodies…Date Night For Oldies (chipandco.com)
- Oldies But Goodies – Debunking A Few Myths (chipandco.com)
