How Disney's Magical Express ARRIVAL service works:
* Disney's Magical Express must be booked at least 10 days prior to arrival through disneyworld.com, Disney Reservation Center by calling 407-W-DISNEY or a travel agent. Be sure to have your Arriving Flight Number and time into the Orlando International Airport as well as your Departing Flight Number and time out of the Orlando International Airport as well as the name of the airlines you are flying.
* Approximately 21 days before you arrive, you will receive in the mail an Airport Transportation Booklet containing general information and special Disney's Magical Express luggage tags for your bags.
* Check your specially tagged luggage at your departure airport.
* Upon arrival in Orlando, bypass airport baggage claim and go directly to the Disney Airport Welcome Center (Level 1, "B" Side).
* You will board state-of-the-art motor coaches that will take you to your Disney hotel. A video is shown during the ride. Your motor coach may make up to FOUR different stops at various Disney resorts.
* A team of Disney representatives at the airport will pick up your luggage and transport it to your Disney hotel room.
How Disney's Magical Express DEPARTURE service works (from your Disney hotel):
* You will be notified of your motorcoach pick-up time and location the day prior to checkout.
* Motorcoach pickup time is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes prior to your flight departure.
* The motorcoach has 4 drop-off locations in all four quadrants of the airport (Gates 1-29, 30-59, 60-99, and 100-129).
* The service also assists you when it's time to depart. If you are flying one of the participating airlines, you can avoid airport check-in lines by checking your luggage and receiving your boarding pass before you leave your Disney hotel as described in the Resort Airline Check-In Service section below.
Resort Airline Check-In Service
* Resort Airline Check-In Service at your Disney resort is only available if you are flying domestically (includes Puerto Rico) on the following airlines: Alaska Airlines, American, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, Northwest, and United (including TED). It is a complimentary (free) service.
* This service allows you to check your luggage and receive your airline boarding passes right at your resort on the day of your departure.
* This service is separate from Magical Express. You do not have to participate in Magical Express to utilize the Resort Airline Check-in Service.
* Each Disney resort has a dedicated Check-In Desk located in or near the Lobby or near the outside entrance to the resort. If you can't locate the Resort Airline Check-in Desk, ask at the Front Desk.
Some examples:
The Polynesian's check-in desk is outside just pass the valet stand on the right as you exit the hotel.
The Port Orleans Riverside check-in desk.
The Port Orleans French Quarter check-in desk.
* To check in, your entire party must be present with your government issued photo I.D. (e.g., driver's license, passport, Military ID) and your Key to the World card to verify that you are a guest of a Disney hotel
* The Resort Airline Check-In desks can provide some of the same services and information as the airline ticket counters at the airport, including checking seat assignments, and verifying flight information and status. The Resort Airline Check-In Desks cannot make any changes to flight arrangements or make new flight reservations.
* This service is not provided by Disney. A third-party company approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operates the Resort Airline Check-In on behalf of the participating airlines.
* Some persons have reported a wait of over 30 minutes at the Resort Airline check-in desk during peak times. If you are within 3 hours of your departure time, you should bypass this service and get your boarding passes at the airport.
Exceptions:
* This service is also not offered for the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, Shades of Green, or Downtown Disney Area resorts.
* It is not valid for Disney's Vero Beach Resort and Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Travelers in wheelchairs can be accommodated. You must ask for wheelchair transport when you make your Magical Express Reservation.
Service animals are allowed on the motor coach to and from the airport as long as they are accompanied by the owner.
You don't have to book Magical Express Round Trip; you can book one way, either to or from your Disney hotel.
You can not book luggage transfer only. You must be on the motorcoach to have your luggage transported.
Your luggage will not be transferred separately to the airport as it is on the inbound service from the airport to the resort. However, you may request Bell Services or Luggage Assistance to help with your luggage.
If you do not have your flight information and wish to make a Magical Express reservation, you may do so. Don't forget to let them know your flight information once it is confirmed!
If your flight information changes, call Disney to make sure they have the correct info. Or you may do it online at www.disneyworld.com/mydisneyvacation
If you miss your flight or it is significantly delayed TO Orlando, call Disney's Magical Express Guest Services. Disney Representatives will retrieve your luggage and confirm your arrival before transferring it to your resort.
You may be able to use the service upon arrival at the Orlando International Airport if it's possible to accommodate you. If you decide to do this be sure and PICK UP your luggage from baggage claim yourself!
Resort Guests should contact Disney's Magical Express Guest Services at (866) 599-0951.
Dining:
Restaurants – you can read the menus of the restaurants here http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm
reservations http://www.allearsnet.com/din/reserv.htm
In Epcot, I really like the restaurant in Italy. France is good, but you pay a lot for little. If you like fish, the Norway restaurant is good. The dinner/show in Germany is just okay. Japan is hibachi style and the chef puts on a good show. I also like to eat in Mexico and if you do, ask for a table by the water. But by far the best for steak is Le Cellier in Canada.
At MGM it’s fun to eat at the SciFi Drive In.
Magic Kingdom: the Liberty Tree Tavern isn’t bad
Animal Kingdom: I have not eaten here
Resorts:
Boardwalk – Big River Grille and Brewery is good, especially if you like beer. They have a sampler that is good.
Contemporary Resort –
California Grill is good – go at night when it is time for the fireworks display and ask for a good table
Chef Mickey’s is good for the character breakfast
Fort Wilderness: the Hoop de Doo is a lot of fun
Grand Floridian - Citricos and Narcoossee’s are both good
Old Key West – Olivias is good
Polynesian – the luau is a good show; you can catch the fireworks afterwards on the beach
Wilderness Lodge – Artist Point is good - different
This site also has just about everything you need to know about Disney http://www.allearsnet.com/
This is where I copied the information for the Magical Express as well.
Waterparks:
My favorite is still Typhoon Lagoon.
________________________________________________________________________
Tips for getting on the rides:
If you don’t mind missing the parade (at whatever park you are at) this is the best time to get on rides. At the Magic Kingdom, walk through the stores on Main Street to avoid the crowds.
Also get a FastPass whenever you can. You can only get one at a time. If you don’t mind going on as a single, you can often get on rides more quickly this way.
When they have the late nights at the parks, you will have to get a wristband that shows you are allowed to stay beyond closing. They will give you the information for that. You will have a schedule of what is going on when you are there.
Suggested rides and attractions:
Magic Kingdom:
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin – (for some reason, I love this one!)
Be a junior Space Ranger and pilot your Star Cruiser through imaginative, immersive worlds. You are the pilot as you careen through a comical cosmos! Go on a daring space mission to save the toy universe from the sinister Emperor Zurg. Spin and fire your personal laser cannon to score points. Good luck, Space Rangers!Location: Tommorowland®This attraction has FASTPASS
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Hop on this rollicking mine train through an Old West mining town for a rip-roarin', rootin'-tootin' thrill-a-minute ride. If you're "mining" for a good time consider the "prospects" as you're warned: "Hang on to your hats and glasses 'cause this here's the wildest ride in the wilderness."Location: Frontierland®Height Requirement: 40" or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Pirates of the Caribbean
Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me! Take a wild voyage through secret caverns and fierce sea battles as you join the rowdiest rogues and rapscallions that ever sacked the Spanish Main. It's a boat ride through classic Disney swashbuckling adventures. And now, Captain Jack's joined the crew! Discover Captain Jack and his nemesis Barbossa interacting with some of your favorite Audio-Animatronics® buccaneers and adding a terrific twist to the classic adventure — along with new special effects. Plus, join Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial in Adventureland®, where kids enjoy fun, interactive hi-jinks throughout the day.Location: Adventureland®
Travel on the rivers of three different continents. See exotic animals, zany explorers and ancient ruins as your skipper leads you deep into the jungle. Be prepared for surprises along the way; your skipper's sure to regale you with humorous tales of danger.Location: Adventureland®This attraction has FASTPASS
The Haunted Mansion – always a favorite
Make yourself at "tomb sweet tomb" in the home of 999 happy haunts, where there's "always room for one more." Inside, hop on a Doom Buggy to get in the "spirit" of things. Experience the stretching room, the séance and hitchhiking ghosts in this Disney classic.Location: Liberty SquareThis attraction has FASTPASS
Epcot:
The countries open later than the rest of the park; take advantage of the early admission.
Mission: SPACE – NOT for the faint of heart!
This ultimate interactive thrill-packed adventure is as close as you can get to blasting off into space without leaving Earth. Each member of your astronaut team has a challenging role in a dynamic and daring cosmic mission dodging meteors and navigating nebula. Feel the force of lift-off and have an exhilarating, mystical rendezvous on another planet. It's out of this world!Location: Future World®Height Requirement: 44" or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Soarin'
Take a free-flying adventure across the natural wonders of the Golden State aboard this thrilling Disney's California Adventure® Park attraction. With the wind in your hair, glide 40 feet in the air as you look down upon the breathtaking vistas of Yosemite and redwood forests. Soar as high as your imagination over a world of wonders.Location: The Land PavillionHeight Requirement: 40" or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Test Track
Enter the hair-raising world of auto testing on one of the longest, fastest rides in Disney history! Strap yourself in to race up bumpy terrain, roar through hair-pin turns, speed into freezing cold chambers, and rush on to 50-degree banked curves at 60 miles an hour.Location: Future World®Height Requirement: 40" or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Turtle Talk with Crush
Yo, Dude, come check out this totally cool interactive show. Go under the sea and have a conversation with Crush in his digital underwater world. The 152-year-old sea turtle from the Disney presentation of Pixar's "Finding Nemo" chats, jokes and even recognizes Guests. This is a first-of-its-kind live, real-time animated show you have to see to believe. It's soooo awesome!Location: The Living Seas Pavilion
Spaceship Earth – always a relaxing ride, especially if you need to take a rest!
Body Wars (Futureworld) go here as soon as the park opens and get on first.
Maelstrom
Tricky trolls are out to befuddle you as you explore the heritage of Norway in this adventure-packed boat ride.
Location: Norway PavilionThis attraction has FASTPASS
El Rio del Tiempo – another one I always love – very relaxing
Take a joyful boat ride on the wondrous "River of Time," sailing into a colorful, festive world. Explore Mexico's engaging past and present, sailing past a smoking volcano into an Audio-Animatronics® world of singing and dancing, fireworks and carousels, Mayan high priests and modern-day merchants.Location: Mexico Pavilion
Ellen's Energy Adventure – another one that hasn’t changed, but still as good
Get a burst of energy on this fun-filled ride starring Ellen DeGeneres. Move through the creation of the universe and see...and hear...the Big Bang. Ride around, between and under dinosaurs. Float far above Earth with satellites and atoms. See what brain power can really accomplish - only on Ellen's Energy Adventure!Location: Future World
Disney-MGM Studios:
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – one of my favorites
Aerosmith's having a backstage party across town and you're invited. Ready to brave the LA freeways? Zoom from 0-60 mph with the force of a supersonic F-14, take in high-speed loops and turns synchronized to a specially recorded Aerosmith soundtrack and zip through Tinseltown in the biggest, loudest limo you've ever seen.Location: Sunset BoulevardHeight Requirement: 48" (122 cm) or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Star Tours – another classic
Board an intergalactic simulator for a turbulent trip through outer space. With an absent-minded droid in the cockpit, you're in for warp-speed near-misses, collisions with comets and high-flying excitement - not to mention a wrong turn into a combat zone, right into the path of the Death Star.Location: BacklotHeight Requirement: 40" (102 cm) or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – probably my #1 ride
Brave the creepy facade of a once-glorious hotel for a jolt back in time. Board a phantom elevator, shoot up 13 stories and brace yourself for a thrilling plummet... but beware! The experience just got scarier. You rocket back up, only to plummet down yet again. You dare to ride once more, but wait! That's not what happened before. That's right, now the Tower is in control, so it's never the same fear twice!Location: Hollywood Tower HotelHeight Requirement: 40" (122 cm) or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
Get ready for extreme thrills as this full-throttle, high-octane live stunt spectacular comes roaring in from Walt Disney Studios Paris as part of the Happiest Celebration On Earth. Engines rev, tires screech and adrenaline kicks into overdrive as a series of highly orchestrated stunts, specially designed cars, motorcycles and jet skis and amazing pyrotechnics give you a behind-the-scenes look at how action stunts are created for the movies.Location: BacklotThis attraction has FASTPASS
The Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour
Brace yourself for an all-out special effects encounter with a water tank in "Harbor Attack," then board a guided tram ride for a look at life-like façades used in exterior shots from familiar television shows and movies. Wind past soundstages, peek inside the Disney-MGM Studios camera, props and lighting departments, face nature's fury during an exhilarating detour through Catastrophe Canyon and more!Location: Mickey Avenue
The Great Movie Ride – another one to rest you feet!
Go behind the silver screen to witness great movie moments captured in time with thrilling film clips and lifelike Audio-Animatronics® figures. Board a vehicle to ride through unforgettable scenes featuring legends of motion picture history.Location: Hollywood Boulevard
Disney's Animal Kingdom:
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – brand new and fun
Through the mists of Asia, a colossal new adventure rises. Expedition Everest™! Hop on a high-speed train through the Himalayas for treacherous chasms and hair-pin turns which are just the start of the action. But beware, screams get the attention of the mountain’s guardian – the dreaded Yeti. In an instant, frigid winds blast and icy tracks hurl the train forward, then backward into the abyss on a spiraling drop into the mountain. You see the beast. Trouble is, he sees you too.Location: AsiaHeight Requirement: 44" (113 cm) or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
DINOSAUR – this ride is bumpy and fun!
Whoosh back to primeval times for a wild ride of an expedition to complete your dangerous mission. The clock is ticking on your Time Rover and you have mere minutes to rescue a stray dinosaur. Beware the hungry clutches of one large meat-eating predator and the devastating power of an impending asteroid! It's fast. It's a blast! It's in the past!Location: DinoLand U.S.A.®Height Requirement: 40" (102 cm) or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Festival of the Lion King – great stage show
Plunge right into the middle of the action in this cleverly staged in-the-round production featuring songs from the film and a cast of familiar faces, including Simba, Timon and Pumbaa. Combining the pageantry of a parade with all the excitement of a tribal celebration, this is a lavish, high energy spectacle created through song, dance and specialty performances.Location: Camp Minnie-Mickey
Kali River Rapids – you will get wet!
Raft down the turbulent waters of the Chakranadi River aboard a 12-passenger raft through an enchanting Asian rain forest. A blazing inferno rushes toward you! Escape down a rushing waterfall! Beware of gushing geysers! Get set to get wet!Location: AsiaHeight Requirement: 38" (95 cm) or tallerThis attraction has FASTPASS
Kilimanjaro Safaris – do this first thing when the park opens, then on to the Kali River Rapids (use your map and get there right away – you may get one twice if you are one of the first ones there; most people go to the big tree in the center of the park first and see the next attraction I listed)
Climb aboard your open-sided safari vehicle for an exciting expedition for the entire family. Animals from Africa freely roam through 110 acres of savannah, rivers and rocky hills. Look out for giraffes, hippos, elephants, rhinos, and lions!Location: AfricaThis attraction has FASTPASS
It's Tough to be a Bug! – cute
See the world through a bug's eyes as you peek into the hilarious and dazzling 3-D world of amazing and amusing insects as they astound you with a one-of-a-kind stage show. Laugh at the fun and startling in-theater effects like overhead giant spiders! The only thing that will "bug" you is if you miss it!Location: Discovery Island®This attraction has FASTPASS
No comments:
Post a Comment