A beginner's guide to planning a Disney World vacation.

Disney Vacations 101

7 – Consider Using Magical Express

Quick take: If you stay at a Disney Resort, you can get a free bus ride from and to the Orlando International Airport.

Transportation costs can be a major part of any vacation, including one to Disney World. Fortunately, Disney offers a service called Disney’s Magical Express for guests flying into and out of Orlando International Airport.

So just what is Disney’s Magical Express? It allows you to check your luggage at your home airport, and then board your flight. When you arrive in Orlando, Disney will automatically transfer your luggage from the airport directly to your Disney Resort Hotel room, so you don’t have to pick it up in Orlando!

When you arrive in Orlando, you get on a designated Disney’s Magical Express bus, which will take you to your Disney Resort Hotel.

At the end of your trip, you follow the same process, just in reverse. Check in your luggage at your hotel, and pick it up at your home airport; the mouse takes care of the rest.  Hop on a Disney bus back to the airport and you’ll see your luggage when you get back to your home airport.

The cost for this service: free!

Benefits: The benefit of this service is that you don’t have to rent a car or pay a taxi to get from the airport to Disney property.  If you intend to spend your whole vacation on Disney property, this is the way to go.

Drawbacks: The drawback is that you are ‘stranded’ on Disney property and must rely on Disney transportation to get to your destinations. However, remember that you can always call a taxi or rent a car for a day or two, so technically you are not stranded. However, some people want more freedom than Disney’s Magical Express allows.

It is important to note that the city of Orlando actually has two different airports. Orlando International Airport is the large, primary airport which is about 30 minutes from Disney World. Disney’s Magical Express works only at Orlando International Airport. Sanford Airport is further away from Disney World, and Disney’s Magical Express does not offer service to and from Sanford Airport.

Take away: When you stay at a Disney Resort Hotel, you can arrange to take Disney’s Magical Express from the Orlando airport to you hotel by setting up the service on the Disney web site or by working with your travel agent.

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