Magical Express/Rental Car

[Kerri G]

Hi! I know this is a hot topic. But please listen to my question before pouncing! We want to have a rental car during our trip. We also do not want to use DME on the way back because of the 3 hour rule. I was thinking that myself and my two daughters would ride the bus to our resort and have my husband get the rental car. I would check us in and wait for him before heading over to a park. Or just meet him at the park. Not usre if they will give me his KTTW though. I know we are all supposed to be on the bus but thought this would be ok since 3 of would be. Any one else do this? i do not want any problems esp on our first day.

Thanks so much

 

[clkelley]

Actually, as long as 1 person in your party rides DME, you will be fine in ensuring your luggage is accounted for and tracked.

 

[Edd]

There is nothing in Disney policy that says one of your party has to ride the busses to use the luggage transfer. The policy just states you have to have a reservation to utulize the luggage transfer and the passenger transfer. The reservation with the DME is free, no strings attached. Many guests use one or the other, both and sometimes neither. If you tag your luggage with the yellow tags they will be in your Disney resort within 4 - 5 hours after you land, whether you use DME, rental car, friends picking you up or car service.

The statement one person has to check in referrs to the Welcome Center where Disney requests that one person come to the counter, to complete the DME process, while the rest of the party relaxes in the seats provided for passengers in that area.

All Disney luggage is accounted for at the airport and is put into well-planned process to get your luggage safely to the correct resort.

 

[goofy4tink]

But there is 'wording' on the official Disney site that tells us we may not book luggage transfer only. I am not going down this road again. I don't particularly care what Disney's contract with MCO is. We have no way of knowing what will happen to someone's luggage if (and it is a seldom if) goes astray due to the airlines mishandling/misdirecting. If someone has not checked in at DME, their computer has no way of knowing you have arrived and how many bags you arrived with. This could cause a problem when you get to the resort and find, many hours later, one or more of your bags is not there. Does this happen frequently? No, it does not. But, I don't want to be the person it happens to or to tell someone it is perfectly okay to not have someone check in at the DME counter when they arrive at MCO. I would much rather see us give accurate info, with all possible ramifications and then allow each person to decide what will work for them.

So...if you have someone checkin and then ride the bus, you'll be covered. Go, enjoy, have a great trip.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, it is PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE for at least one person in your party to take the Magical Express bus from the airport to your resort while the balance of your party gets there some other way. ALL your tagged luggage will be connected - via scan - to the DME rider, and delivered in your resort room up to three hours after you check in.

I would just plan to meet your DH in the lobby.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I have a similar problem. We want to rent a car for the first week of a 2 week stay. What I want to do is rent the car at the airport when we arrive and then return it there a week later. Can I then get on the DME to get back to the resort? We will need the DME at the end of our vaction to get back to the airport.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[clkelley]

It will be no problem for all of you using DME for your return to the airport.

Yes, everyone is entitled ONE ride to Disney from the airport per Disney Resort reservation, and ONE ride to the airport from Disney per Disney Resort reservation. You can do it one of several ways. You can all use the rental car for your initial arrival, (and pick up your own bags), and just book DME for for the day you plan to return the rental car. (Just give them a flight number that arrives at MCO some time that morning.) Then book DME for the return also.

OR

You can book DME for your family for the initial arrival day, and book DME for yourself on the day you want to return the car (same thing, just give them a flight number that arrives at MCO some time that morning.) and you go off and get the car and your family can ride DME, and use the yellow tags and all your luggage will be transported separately. When your family checks into DME, make sure they tell the person at the desk that one member of your family is arriving on xx/xx/xx date so that they have the system correct.

OR

You can pick a rental agency that has an office near/on Disney property. Alamo/National has offices at the Car Care Center and the Dolphin, and there are a couple of others that have offices at the Downtown Disney Hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Most have shuttles that will return you to your resort.

A lot quicker than going all the way back to the airport and riding DME back in.

No matter how you do it, your family will be able to ride DME back to the airport on your last day.

 

[dancin Disney style]

You can pick a rental agency that has an office near/on Disney property. Alamo/National has offices at the Car Care Center and the Dolphin, and there are a couple of others that have offices at the Downtown Disney Hotels on Hotel Plaza Boulevard. Most have shuttles that will return you to your resort.

A lot quicker than going all the way back to the airport and riding DME back in.

No matter how you do it, your family will be able to ride DME back to the airport on your last day.

Thanks....I did look into renting on-site but the rate was about $100 more. This is a mainly R&R trip (only 6 park days) so going back to the airport is not that big a deal.

 

[Lewisc]

The OP wants to rent a car, to avoid the 3 hour DME pickup. Airlines, and the airport, request passengers arrive 2 hours before their flight. It takes 30 minutes to drive from WDW to MCO. You probably have to allow 20 minutes to drop off the car and return to the terminal, maybe a few minutes more if you use an offsite rental such as Thrifty.

The OP would probably have to leave WDW 2 1/2 hours before their flight, even if they want to cut it short. A rental car would save time if the OP wanted to leave WDW from a location other then their resort; a theme park, DTD or even have a meal in another resort.