Minimum age restriction for Disney's Magical Express lowered

Jul 03, 2014 in "Disney Magical Express"

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Posted: Thursday July 3, 2014 10:11am EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

The minimum age restriction for children traveling unaccompanied on Disney's Magical Express has been reduced.

Following the policies of most airlines, the minimum age is now 12, reduced from the previous restriction of 16 years of age.

Launched back in 2004, Disney's Magic Express is a complimentary airport motorcoach transportation service for guests and their luggage to and from the Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

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omuriceJul 15, 2014

Just curious - How many of you that are cool with this stay at Disney resorts regularly, use Magical Express, or ever worked in a hotel?

rangerbobJul 14, 2014

I actually see quite a few unaccompanied children flying into Orlando. We volunteer for Give Kids the World and greet families at the airport. We are there a couple times a week and see at least one per week being passed over to a guardian at the airport by the airline employee.

wild01rideJul 14, 2014

If we could put all the sensationalism aside for a moment (likely the bulk of which is coming from people who don't have kids, as ascertained by the tone...). A perfect example is this past June when we vacationed in WDW with our son and brought along a family of friends plus one additional friend. We purchased airfare early on and the other folks procrastinated until just weeks before the trip. By then, they were forced to purchase fare on a later flight. In this case, the family (including adults) had all purchased tickets on the later flight. However, if they had purchased tickets when we did, the "late addition child friend" would have ended up on the later flight by herself. One of the options would have been for her to use DME by herself to meet us at the resort when the flight arrived. Seems like a very reasonable option to me as opposed to sending her by herself with a lone cab or shuttle driver, particularly because Disney would be tracking her location every step of the way via the dastardly MagicBand! :)

MetilinosJul 13, 2014

I'm 23 and I still don't like flying alone :( As long as it's a well-monitored situation, then there's no big deal. Any parent who is sending their 12 year old off alone must not be too concerned or feel some form of security; or else they're insane to let them trek alone.

matt9112Jul 13, 2014

tea just shot out of my nose....not because its funny...because it is true.

EOD K9Jul 13, 2014

So what silliness would you like to see?

Pick145Jul 13, 2014

How much will this really change? Very little, the number of 12 year olds traveling to WDW alone through MCO is definitely in the minority. A policy change to align Disney with airline and state polices is all this is.

HakunaMatata89Jul 13, 2014

when i was 12/13 i was roaming the WDW property on my own so getting to the bus shouldn't be too much different.

prfctlyximprctJul 13, 2014

I can barely find my way to the magical express let alone get on the right bus... And I'm old. More power to ya 12 year olds!

BigTxEarsJul 12, 2014

:) This past June we let our 16 year daughter and her 16 year old friend go to DTD alone for a girls day out. That was a big step for a dad :)

JIMINYCRJul 12, 2014

;) About the same age we let our son start venturing off on his own at WDW.... but he had to have his phone on and check in periodically with us. DW was a wreck too the whole time until he rejoined us for dinner later that night.

BigTxEarsJul 12, 2014

I am no doubt a over protective parent of 3 :) In 2011 we stayed at POR, I remember letting out son who was 17 at the time take the boat to DTD alone, and I was still nervous. Kid is like 6' 2" and old enough to drive and I was still a little freaked out :)

JIMINYCRJul 12, 2014

Fantastic. Your dad must have been proud of your resourcefulness. :) But stupid me.... for years I spent my paper route money on comic books, soda and candy bars when I could have gone to WDW.:banghead:.

JIMINYCRJul 12, 2014

And I remember we were too scared to let our son out of our sight anywhere for 2 minutes. Oh... I get it... we were parents that gave a darned about his safety and well being.