Disney's Magical Express
Encyclopedia
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
operated by Mears Transportation. The service is complimentary and is only available to guests with reservations at Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Service
The Disney's Magical Express service can be booked via phone when making a room reservation at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. Guests must be arriving at the Orlando International AirportOrlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
in order to utilize the service. Guests receive an information packet and luggage tags via postal mail prior to departing on their vacation. The luggage tags are used to identify incoming luggage at Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
and specify which resort and guest name the luggage is to be delivered to. After landing, guest luggage are delivered directly to the guest room.
Disney's Magical Express is a sister system to the Disney Cruise Line transportation system that transports guests from the airport or their hotel to the seaport for their Disney Cruise. These buses are also run by Mears Transportation and are sometimes used as Disney's Magical Express buses during peak times.
Currently Magical Express is located on level 1 of terminal B
Controversies
The Disney's Magical Express service faced strong opposition from the Greater Orlando Livery Association and Orlando-area ground transportation companies and taxi cab operators. Opposing parties argued that the Disney's Magical Express service created an un-fair market by allowing Disney to monopolize ground transportation services at Orlando International AirportOrlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
. Arguments also concerned an agreement between the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
and the Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
that allows Disney representatives to welcome guests in public areas that other transportation companies and private chauffeurs are not permitted to do so. Opposing parties argued that this allows Disney to "whisk away" potential customers who would otherwise have continued on to a taxi cab or private transportation service for transportation to their hotel.
Participating Airlines
- AirTran (to merge with Southwest in future)
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Continental Airlines (to merge with United in future)
- Delta Air Lines
- Gulfstream International Airlines
- JetBlue
- KLM Royal Dutch
- Southwest Airlines
- United
- US Airways
- Virgin America (to be added in future)
Former Participating Airlines
- Air Canada
- America West Airlines (After merging with US Airways)
- Northwest (after merging with Delta)
- Song (2006)
- TED (2008)