Disney’s Magical Express is a transportation and luggage service implemented by Disney to help their guests travel from the Orlando International Airport to Disney property.  It is complimentary for guests staying at any of the resorts on property.  Guests will check their bags at a departing airport and not see them again until they magically appear in their hotel room.  This could be up to three hours after arrival.

The Magical Express is a great system because it saves time waiting for bags at baggage claim and money spent on a cab.  If you are traveling with young kids it is very helpful.

You do give up a little control by using the Magical Express, and sometimes have to wait up to 20 minutes for a bus to arrive, but overall it is a great service.

Here is a step-by-step process of the Magical Express:

  1. After you have booked a Disney vacation (through yours truly 🙂 ) I will call Disney’s Magical Express with your flight information and have luggage tags sent directly to you.
  2. When you receive the luggage tags and Magical Express letter store them in a safe place.
  3. On your day of departure affix the yellow tags to your luggage and check in at the airport.
  4. When you exit the plane you will go directly to the Disney’s Magical Express transportation area.  There are signs all over the airport that will help lead the way.
  5. Bring your Magic Bands and the letter that came with the luggage tags with you to show the cast member at the Magical Express desk.
  6. The Magical Express buses are sorted by hotels and you will be told to wait in one of the numbered waiting areas.
  7. Once your bus arrives sit back, relax, and get whisked away to your resort.
  8. Your luggage will be delivered to your room up to three hours after you arrive.
  9. The Magical Express will only bring you to the resort where you have a hotel reservation and these buses do not go to the parks.

When you are leaving Disney:

  1. The night before you leave Disney you will receive a letter under your door that you MUST KEEP in order to get on the bus the following day.
  2. This letter will tell you what time to be at the bus and you must be there.  Your bus departure time will be approximately three hours prior to your flight.
  3. On the morning of your departure you will bring your luggage to the TSA agents at the resort and they will check in your bags and print your boarding passes.  It must be 3-4 hours prior to your flight.  I would not leave this step until the last minute because sometimes the TSA line can get long.  We get rid of our luggage first thing in the morning and then only have our carry-ons to worry about.

Helpful tips:

  1. In your carry-on you must bring your Magic Bands and letter for the Magical Express.  Worst case if you forget both of these things they could search by your reservation, but it’s just easier to be prepared.
  2. Generally speaking, bring anything in your carry-on that you might need for when you arrive to Disney.  If you are heading straight to the parks you can leave anything you wish with bell services at your resort.
  3. If you plan to head to the pool upon arrival then pack bathing suits, a 3 oz. sunscreen, flip flops, and anything else you might need.  Nothing more irritating than getting out of the pool and having to put socks and sneakers back on.  Yes, this is fresh in my mind from my last trip and was super annoying.
  4. If you are arriving on a late flight (after 10pm) you should probably forget about the yellow luggage tags and get your own luggage from baggage claim. Here is some firsthand experience from a friend of mine, “We got down to busses and they said Magical Express will not pick your bags up after 10pm so we had to go get them ourselves. Then we went to the baggage claim and our bags were nowhere to be found!  They say at that time it’s tricky because sometimes Disney grabs them and sometimes not!!”  The other downside to this is even if Disney does get your bags, you might be waiting until 1:00 in the morning to get a knock on your door.  So beware for later flights…get your own luggage.
  5. Don’t think the Magical Express will be accommodating in changing departure times because you don’t like the one they gave you.  They say 3 hours prior and they mean it.  It does seem a little excessive, but by the time your bus makes multiple hotel stops, arrives at the airport, and you get through security, there isn’t a ton of time left over.

If the idea of the Magical Express is not sounding that magical and you are looking for a more concierge-style experience, contact one of our agents and they will put you in touch with a private driver.

by Ellen Volpe – Co-Owner of ET Family Travel