Port Orleans Riverside and Magical Express

FlyingMouse · Post by **FlyingMouse** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 4:26 pm

All Walt Disney WorldÂ® -owned and -operated resorts offer this service for Guests arriving at the Orlando International Airport with the exception of Disney's Vero Beach Resort and Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort. This service is also not offered for Walt Disney WorldÂ® Swan and Dolphin, Shades of Green, and Downtown DisneyÂ® Area resorts. Disney's Magical Express is not available for Guests arriving at other Central Florida airports For more info about this service, please visit our Disney's Magical Express FAQ.

From what I've read, Port Orleans Riverside is located in the Downtown Disney Area. Is it not serviced by Magical Express then? If it's not, then I'm going to select a different hotel.

Anybody know for sure???

Thanks!!!

Post by **js3901** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 5:19 pm

personally, I would call Disney directly to find out for sure. This is what I found on the official website:

Complimentary Airport Transportation Service â€“ Disney's Magical Express Transportation

Complimentary airport transportation service, known as Disney's Magical Express Transportation, is free roundtrip airport transportation and baggage delivery for Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

Begin your vacation the moment you step off the plane. Bypass baggage claim and avoid the hassle of having to find transportation and drive, as Disney's Magical Express service transports you from Orlando International Airport to your Walt Disney World Resort hotel, and pick ups and deliver your bags to your room. And when your vacation ends, we'll transport you and your luggage back to the airport.

How It Works:

Reserve Disney's Magical Express Transportation by calling (407) WDW-MAGIC or (407) 939-6244. Guests under 18 years of age must have a parent or guardian's permission to call.
Upon landing at Orlando International Airport, skip baggage claim and proceed to the Disney Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will collect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 3 hours after you check in.
International Guests flying into Orlando International Airport from another country must follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim luggage after disembarking the plane. After completing the process, proceed to the Disney Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will recollect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 3 hours after you check in.
Sit back and relax as Disney transports you to your Disney Resort hotel in an air-conditioned motor coach.
As your vacation draws to a close, you'll receive a Transportation Notice advising you of the pick-up time and place for your motor coach ride back to Orlando International Airport. Please not that it is your responsibility to bring your luggage to the pick-up point.
Please note that you cannot reserve the luggage service exclusively. You must be present on the motor coach to have your luggage transported to a Walt Disney World hotel.

Resort Airline Check-in Service

If you're departing domestically on a designated airline, enjoy the convenience of our Resort Airline Check-in Service, which allows you to receive your return boarding pass and check one piece of luggage per passenger at your Walt Disney World hotel, bypassing airport check-in completely.

Simply visit the Resort Airline Check-In Desk located at your Walt Disney World hotel up to 12 hours prior to your flight departure time. A valid government issued photo I.D. and your hotel room key are required to participate.

Resort Airline Check-In Service is available with the following airline carriers:

Alaska Airlines
Continental
JetBlue
United/Ted
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Northwest
AirTran
To check more than one bag per passenger, please visit your airline at Orlando International Airport. You may also contact Baggage Airline Guest Services at (407) 284-1231 to pay any excess luggage fees prior to visiting the Resort Airline Check-In Desk.

Additionally, Guests flying with American Airlines must contact Baggage Airline Guest Services at (407) 284-1231 to pay applicable luggage fees prior to visiting the Resort Airline Check-In Desk

from the website. it looks like you are able to get ME to PO-R with no problems. I was able to do a mock-booking and was able to add ME as a Ground Transportation option.

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 5:29 pm

Yes, all Disney resorts have Disney's Magical Express. Old Key West, Saratoga Springs and the Port Orleans are all Downtown Disney Resorts.

A Downtown Disney 'Area' Resort is like Bonnet Creek Resort, or hotels along Hotel Plaza blvd...basically a non-Disney hotel.

FlyingMouse · Post by **FlyingMouse** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 5:44 pm

Lion Sleeps Tonight wrote:Yes, all Disney resorts have Disney's Magical Express. Old Key West, Saratoga Springs and the Port Orleans are all Downtown Disney Resorts.

A Downtown Disney 'Area' Resort is like Bonnet Creek Resort, or hotels along Hotel Plaza blvd...basically a non-Disney hotel.

Ahhhhh. 'Area'. One little word...Thanks, Lion!!!

boilerbabe · Post by **boilerbabe** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 9:39 pm

I know for a fact that the Magical Express will take you to POFQ b/c we were just there on Nov.

But, looks like you already got your answer!

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Jan Wed 14, 2009 10:10 pm

FlyingMouse wrote:
Lion Sleeps Tonight wrote:Yes, all Disney resorts have Disney's Magical Express. Old Key West, Saratoga Springs and the Port Orleans are all Downtown Disney Resorts.

A Downtown Disney 'Area' Resort is like Bonnet Creek Resort, or hotels along Hotel Plaza blvd...basically a non-Disney hotel.
Ahhhhh. 'Area'. One little word...Thanks, Lion!!!

Welcome.

Seems like one word is a big difference. From time to time, you'll see a white shuttle with a yellow sign saying "Downtown Disney Area Resorts" driving around property.

abrcrmbegrl20 · Post by **abrcrmbegrl20** » Jan Thu 15, 2009 11:23 pm

I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside last June and did the Magical Express and we will never do it again. We did the airport check in and whatnot and there was 3 of us traveling my mom, fiance and myself. They wouldn't take my moms luggage from the hotel to the airport because it was half an inch too wide and my fiances and mine never made it to my plane and I was deathly paranoid everything I owned and all my souvenirs were lost. Luckily we both got them the next day from another flight. They just sat at Orlando International for a day. We were quite angry and let Disney know and they gave us a one day ticket to the parks. If you do magical express from this hotel watch your luggage. My mom had to check her suit case in at the airport and she luckily she got hers here. It does go to Port Orleans Riverside but be careful. We will still use magical express but be in charge of our own luggage and check in at the airport we don't trust Disney now.

boilerbabe · Post by **boilerbabe** » Jan Sat 17, 2009 10:57 am

That's terrible abrcrmbegrl20, I think Disney could've done better than a 1 day ticket for all of your troubles! Glad you got all of items back.

purple figment · Post by **purple figment** » Mar Fri 06, 2009 1:56 pm

I am sorry you had such a difficult time. I have used Magical Express many times, and LOVE it. We have never had a problem from or to the airport. I think (I HOPE) what happened to you was a rare exception to this wonderful service.

Post by **Len90** » Mar Sat 07, 2009 1:23 am

We were planning on using the ME luggage service but we couldn't since they were going to charge us at least $50 a bag for being over sized and over weight. We took it to the airport and paid nothing. I personally think it is a great system, but just watch out for your luggage that it fits exactly in the airline's criteria.

cccmouse · Post by **cccmouse** » Mar Sun 08, 2009 1:51 pm

My mom used the ME last month when she and my sister went to DW and stayed at POFQ. On the day before she was to return home her luggage finally arrived at her room. Someone from the hotel had to take her to Walmart to buy some clothes and stuff. I'm sure that this was a rare exception, but I would suggest that if you have anything that you really need when you arrive that you carry it on with you.

secondstar · Post by **secondstar** » Mar Fri 13, 2009 2:08 am

We used Magical Express to Port Orleans Riverside and had absolutely NO trouble. In fact, our flight was canceled the night before and it was merged with another flight two hours later. I thought that would definitely present a problem, but everything went exactly as planned. We arrived. Checked in. Went to Epcot. When we returned, all our luggage was there waiting for us.

Jacca5660 · Post by **Jacca5660** » Mar Fri 13, 2009 5:50 am

Well that's one of things about driving to Disney. They never offer anything special. We only drive between 7 and 9 hours (depends on traffic in Atlanta), There are others here that drive for much longer. Disney never offers anything special for people who have spent a day or two or longer in their car.

abrcrmbegrl20 · Post by **abrcrmbegrl20** » Mar Fri 13, 2009 10:29 am

It definitely made the ending of our big family trip a disappointment. Our flight wasn't taking off till early evening and we planned on spending all day in the park and couldn't because the ME and airport check in was ridiculous. The printers were broken which added another problem and then our luggage just topped it off. To have stood there for hours(at least 2) in line to finally get up there and the printers don't work. Then they check our luggage and my moms was half an inch too wide and they wouldn't take it. It was miserable. Like I said above we wrote Disney and they actually responded and sent me, my fiance, and mom a one day regular ticket(not a park hopper) for out troubles. We are going in September but we will be in charge of our own luggage. My fear for my luggage and my fiances was that my luggage without a lock was just sitting somewhere with people going through it and taking as they please. Luckily that didn't happen. It apparently just sat at the airport for an extra day. Oh but I forgot to mention above that when my mom went to check in her luggage at the airport because it was too big for Disney's standards the guy said he showed us having 15 bags we were checking in!! We each had one, so 3 all together. Because of Disney's numerous attempts to check our luggage in we now had 15 bags. Luckily we were able to get it settled and were not going to be charged for bags we didn't have. The guy at the airport understood.

Nz58cl · Post by **Nz58cl** » Mar Tue 17, 2009 6:10 am

15 bags! I thought I packed a lot. I noticed that with ME it really does depend on who is working when you check your bags. One family was having a heck of a time with their bags but when they got to speak to a different cast member the problems seem to go away as if by magic. Hope your next trip is wonderful!