If flying into Orlando International Airport (MCO) and staying in a Disney-owned hotel, you can use their complimentary bus service, known as Disney’s Magical Express (DME). This is a fleet of motorcoaches which travel to every Disney hotel on property (the first year, our DME to All Star Music shared a bus with All Star Movies and Sports as well as Coronado Springs. The second year, our DME to Old Key West was sharing with those staying at Saratoga Springs and Port Orleans).
After you have made your room reservation and booked your flights, you must sign up for DME. The confirmation email you received from your Disney-owned hotel will have information on how to do this.
You will receive a letter in the mail, along with bright yellow luggage tags before you leave (if you have not received these about 30 days prior to your trip, you can give the 1-800 number for DME a call).
Simply attach the yellow tags to your checked baggage before you leave, and check-in at the airport like normal. Once your baggage arrives in Orlando, the airport employees will see the yellow tags, and sort it off to one side. From there, it gets transported from the airport to Disney property, where it is sorted by Hotel and then delivered directly to your room. Expect this to take 3-4 hours from the time you arrive at the hotel – but you do not need to be present in your room for your luggage to be delivered.
If you do not receive the yellow tags in time – no worries! You can just pick up your own luggage once you arrive at MCO (just like any other flight you’ve ever taken).
After arriving at MCO, you will be in one of the four terminals. From there, you will need to catch their monorail to the main building – it’s impossible to miss it.
Then just follow the signs for Disney’s Magical Express – located on Side B on the first floor.
The signs saying “Ground Transportation” will have a little bus with a Mickey head, as seen below.
Other signs will say “Disney’s Magical Express”.
Once you reach the check-in desk for the Magical Express, they will ask to scan your Magicband. Disney only mails these bands to US addresses, so I just say I am Canadian, and they will ask for the letter you received in the mail. Even if you don’t have that letter with you, they can search for your reservation by name in the system. They will then direct you into the proper line, and you will be greeted by another cast member once you reach the front of the line. From there, you will be directed onto the proper bus to get to your hotel.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the welcome video you will see! You are officially on vacation!