January 2015 – threestrandswdw

Magical Express to WDW

So, you’ve booked your trip to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. You’ve decided that since Disney provides all of the transportation you might need once you get there, that a rental car is an unnecessary expense. But, how do you get to your resort from Orlando International Airport (MCO)? Simple, make use of Disney’s Magical Express service provided by Mears Transportation. Here’s how it works!

Once you have decided to fly into MCO, and have made your package booking at Walt Disney World, make sure that your travel agent has your flight information, both in and out of MCO, and they can call to make the reservation for use of Disney’s Magical Express. Doing this will simplify your transition from Aircraft to Motor Coach! One of the coolest benefits is that Disney will send you special bag tags to put on your luggage. You will check it in at your departing airport, and the next time you see it will be in your room at WDW. You may want to pack a few things in your carry-on in case your need to change once you arrive at your resort. Should you decide that you are more comfortable claiming our luggage at MCO, that’s fine, just leave the bag tags off of your luggage.

Magical Express Bag Tags — Magical Express
Bag Tags

After you get off of your airplane, just follow the overhead signs to Disney’s Magical Express. It is on the ground level of the B side of the main terminal. It will likely take you about 20 minutes to get to this point by the time everyone makes a pit stop, gets acclimated, and find your way. Yea, it’s a bit of a walk, but trust me, it’s worth it!! Make sure you don’t pack your MagicBands in your checked bags, you will need them for smoother entry into the DME queue. Disney’s Magical Express operates between 5:00am and 10:00pm. So, if you arrive before 5am or after 10pm, you WILL NEED to claim your luggage to carry along on the motor coach.

MCO Map to DME

When you check-in for your Motor Coach, you will be told which line to queue up in that will take you to your resort. Some coaches will service more than one resort, depending on the number of passengers. But, generally speaking, you will be at your resort within an hour after departing the airport. And, it’s an enjoyable ride! There is a welcome video to get you into the magical mood. And, you may have a driver that enjoys Disney as much as you do who will ask some trivia, point out some highlights, and interact with you along the way.

When the sad time comes to have to return to your ‘real’ home, Disney Magical Express will once again provide you with your ride back to MCO. There is a Resort Check-In desk in each resort. Just take your bags to that desk, and they will be checked through to your destination, and you will get your Boarding Passes. If you have a carry on, you can leave that with Bag Services so you can visit a park, grab a favorite snack, or visit Downtown Disney before you leave. Yes, we Disney fanatics call this the Tragical Express, but none the less, we all have to go sometime.

If you have any questions about Disney’s Magical Express, just ask!

Have a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!!

FIRST TIME VS. SECOND, THIRD, AND BEYOND AT WDW…PART TWO

In our last post, we looked at some ideas for first time guests. Today, we look at the return guest experience. If you read this blog, you are likely a fan of Walt Disney World, or pretty much any part of the Disney universe. I can tell you that, for me, return visits are just as exciting as first visits. Why? Because, it is an opportunity to have new experiences, see new attractions, take in the details, or even revisit a few favorites from previous trips.

On my last trip, I decided I wanted to experience one of the Disney World tours. So, I took the Backstage Magic tour. It was fun, but very long! It is a seven-hour tour starting and ending at EPCOT. You see something in all four theme parks, and have lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe (my favorite part). It is also quite expensive, but if you really want to dig into some history, imagineering, and story, it’s worth taking. There are also many smaller tours at various location and prices. Look into one, if you are making a return visit in the future. Check out the many offerings at Events and Tours At Walt Disney World

As for details…It is said at Walt Disney World, you see the REAL Disney IN the Details! One of the coolest things to do is to find a bench, table, or stretch of wall to sit on for even a few minutes. Look, Listen, and Smell the details that have been put into your park experience. Did you know that most, if not all, of the areas have some background music playing at a low volume? If you are spending your time running one place to another, you likely have never heard all of the areas that have music! Look at the architecture, especially on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom, at World Showcase, in Harambe at Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Blvd. at Disney Hollywood Studios! And, if you decide to go during Halloween or Christmas, well there are enhanced details to say the least!

My next trip, I plan on slowing WAY down and enjoying the atmosphere of the entire resort. Slightly more hotel pool time. Maybe a water park, some mini-golf, a horseback ride? I will make the minimum FPP and ADR reservations to fit my style for this trip, but probably not much else! I might even work on some romancing of the Mrs.! Yes, that CAN be done at WDW!

I guess my point to all of this is that no matter your age, no matter how many times you visit, there is something for EVERYONE at Walt Disney World! How your tour depends largely on your personality, group makeup, and goals. So, enjoy the planning. Or, if you don’t want to do all of the planning yourself, contact a Disney travel agent for assistance. If you need one, I’d be happy to help you! You can just email me at threestrandswdw@outlook.com, and I’ll hook you up with one of the fine agents at Magical Starr Travel, to official agency of threestrandswdw! Check them out at http://www.magicalstartravel.com!

Thanks for reading! May you have a very Blessed and Magical Weekend, my friends! Bye now!!

First Time vs. Second, Third, and Beyond at WDW…Part One

When it comes to planning trips to Walt Disney World, h)ow you plan may depend greatly on what number visit it is for you. Today, we will begin to look at some of the differences that may take place in those plans. And, we will start with the first time guest.

If you are a first time guest, how you plan may also depend on kids or no kids! For our purpose, today, we will be using some general plans. If you have kids, feel free to adjust accordingly. Or, better yet, leave a comment below to help others who may need some help.

First time guests often want to push as much into their plans as possible. They may even attempt to ‘do it all”! Having a good plan is essential to making this work. Start by determining how many days you want to be in the parks, to help you plan for your overall number of days for your Disney World vacation. Then, look at a crowd calendar (there are a few available online), and that will help you judge the flow of each park on a given day. For first time guests, I do not usually suggest Park Hoppers, as it can be confusing enough just getting to one park each day. Once you have figured out which park to do on what day, it’s time to plan our order of attractions. And, there are a number of methods that can be used for this, as well.

If you want to do a few Character meals, make sure you make your Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) at the 180 day before arrival point, or as soon as you book a vacation if less than 10 days. If you are an onsite guest, you can book your entire stay at the 180 point before your ARRIVAL day. This is called the 180+10 rule! Also, if you have a larger family, and want the convenience of just making the ADR and showing up, you may want to consider the Disney Dining Plan. For more information on that, see DDP – Plus Dining at https://wordpress.com/post/30334162/1132/

With the new Fastpass Plus (FPP) system, you can choose your rides up to 60 days in advance, if you are staying at a Walt Disney Resort. If you stay at a hotel off-property, you have 30 days in advance to make your ride selections. You can do three a day, for one park. After you use those three FPPs, you can select another one at one of the FPP Kiosks found throughout the parks. If you want to do one of the hard to get attractions (ie, Anna and Elsa Meet, 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, Soarin, Toy Story Midway Mania), you may want to plan those for later in your stay to increase your chances of getting one of those.

I try to tell my clients to set a flow, not necessarily go WITH the flow, that works for your family. I find it easier than criss-crossing the parks and putting more mileage on my feet. However, do what works best for what you want to accomplish. And, if you do have little ones, you may want to plan a midday break for rest and recovery. Then, return to the park in the evenings.

One last thing I would suggest. Don’t plan to do EVERYTHING there is to do! I have been to WDW 12 times, and STILL haven’t seen it all! But then, that gives me an excuse to go back over, and over, and over again! We will look at how to plan when you return in the next issue of the threestrandswdw blog! Thanks for reading and have a Blessed and Magical day, my friends!!