Dme....luggage only.....don't want to ride the bus!!!!!

[kt_mom]

As you've already been told, no, you can't take the DME bus to another resort. But, I have another issue. It's really unwise to book any ADR too close to your arrival time. Why? Your flight can be delayed, it could take longer than usual once you get to MCO...any number of things could happen. The vast majority of us won't book an ADR within 4 hrs of our WDW arrival. If you do decide to book an ADR within that time, you may want to either take a cab directly to that ADR, or hire a car service.

I haven't booked anything. I was just wondering if it was possible to do this. If it had been possible I was thinking of trying as a walk up. But we'll just try to eat there later in the week.

 

[cw21726]

Nope....DME is effective only when your WDW resort reservation is in effect. So, if you arrive the day before your reservation starts, you can't use any part of DME. You will have to get your own bags and then bring them back to the airport and DME checkin the next day.
Since you'll be spending the night at the airport, you won't be spending park time waiting at baggage claim.

I spoke to a CR cast member about this very thing the other day and she insisted that it was ok to use DME and that the bags would be delivered from bell services upon check in the next day.

 

[cmp1111]

Give DME a ring (call DME direct, not CRO -- the number should be in your booklet) and they will send you another set of tags. We've done this a number of times in the past six months alone. We each carry a bag, and then there's a suitcase which we've named the "everything bag" -- it has, snacks, ponchos, first aid, misc stuff and, well -- everything. lol

Just wanted to say thanks.

Also, when I called DME, they were reluctant to send more tags as we were within 10 days... (Yay, btw! We leave Monday!)

Anyway, apparently you can also get all the luggage claim tix, paying special attention to any without the yellow tags. When I get to the DME desk, we're supposed to tell them we have "four bags with yellow tags and THIS one" giving them the extra claim ticket. It should apparently also work.

 

[Lisa71]

Question...we are arriving at 6am from an overnight flight and plan to stay at airport Hyatt in a day room for a few hours to sleep when we arrive. Should we tell ME or will they essentially not care which bus we take later or why. Our kids need sleep and will not be in good moods if we try to take them to the resort before our room is ready. The Hyatt said we could get a room as early as 7 or 8 am even though it is not officially ours until 10am. We would likely leave around 1 or 2 to go to the resort.

 

[goofy4tink]

Question...we are arriving at 6am from an overnight flight and plan to stay at airport Hyatt in a day room for a few hours to sleep when we arrive. Should we tell ME or will they essentially not care which bus we take later or why. Our kids need sleep and will not be in good moods if we try to take them to the resort before our room is ready. The Hyatt said we could get a room as early as 7 or 8 am even though it is not officially ours until 10am. We would likely leave around 1 or 2 to go to the resort.

You should be fine. If you choose to tag your checked bags, DME will still pick them up and deliver them to your WDW resort...that service starts up around 5am. Then, when you're ready to head to WDW, just walk down to the DME area, check in and hop into the bus line. DME doesn't really care what time you arrive. You aren't assigned a particular bus.

 

[Lisa71]

Thanks Goofy for Tink!! I am getting really excited about our trip!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

Thanks for this sticky. I am already beyond stressed having DS by myself and his huge SN stroller and a bag with two carry ones. There was no way I could manage all by myself.

I have my yellow tags and plan to use them wisely!

 

[delaneyc52]

I really did try to get through all these pages to see if my question was within...but I gave up on page 7...sorry !!! =( Here's my question.
We have DME. Reservations at Old Key West. However, we have a car rental waiting for us at the Dolphin. At MCO can we ask to get on a Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk bus instead of Old Key West when we arrive to help us easily pick up our rental?

 

[siskaren]

I really did try to get through all these pages to see if my question was within...but I gave up on page 7...sorry !!! =( Here's my question.
We have DME. Reservations at Old Key West. However, we have a car rental waiting for us at the Dolphin. At MCO can we ask to get on a Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk bus instead of Old Key West when we arrive to help us easily pick up our rental?

No, you can only take the bus for your resort, and besides, the Swan and Dolphin don't get to use DME.

 

[delaneyc52]

I really did try to get through all these pages to see if my question was within...but I gave up on page 7...sorry !!! =( Here's my question.
We have DME. Reservations at Old Key West. However, we have a car rental waiting for us at the Dolphin. At MCO can we ask to get on a Swan/Dolphin/Boardwalk bus instead of Old Key West when we arrive to help us easily pick up our rental?

This is ok to do. I asked at the dme desk at mco and they happily gave me a boardwalk voucher. On the bus right now!!

 

[goofy4tink]

This is ok to do. I asked at the dme desk at mco and they happily gave me a boardwalk voucher. On the bus right now!!

Wow.....that's incredible. I've never heard of them doing this before. This is going to open a whole can of worms for Disney/DME down the road.

 

[delaneyc52]

Wow.....that's incredible. I've never heard of them doing this before. This is going to open a whole can of worms for Disney/DME down the road.

Finally back home! I'm pretty sure that most people on DME will want to keep their booked destination. I do not believe my request to get to the Boardwalk area to pick up my rental is the norm. However, they must do it at some frequency as the DME guy immediately pulled out a voucher, circled my new destination and very pleasantly told me to give that to the driver. Also note (although I'm not sure it would have made a difference) that we did not have any luggage. I truly do not believe it will open a can of worms. I think it's Disney just trying to accommodate a reasonable request.

 

[goofy4tink]

Finally back home! I'm pretty sure that most people on DME will want to keep their booked destination. I do not believe my request to get to the Boardwalk area to pick up my rental is the norm. However, they must do it at some frequency as the DME guy immediately pulled out a voucher, circled my new destination and very pleasantly told me to give that to the driver. Also note (although I'm not sure it would have made a difference) that we did not have any luggage. I truly do not believe it will open a can of worms. I think it's Disney just trying to accommodate a reasonable request.

I'm glad you got it to work for you. When I say 'open a can of worms' my intent was one of 'oh, we want to go to the CR so we can meet up with family there and go right to MK rather than to Pop to checkin' type thing. People are well known for finding a way to 'work' the existing system. They read about someone's having Disney do something nice for them..and pretty soon, everyone wants to do it. This has happened in many instances. Take, for instance, the personalized menus you used to be able to request at Coral Reef. Or the diver who would dive with a special sign/message for your family. Pretty soon, everyone wanted it...merely because it could be done. Nothing special was being celebrated, they just wanted something that others had said they got. And now??? No more special menus..even if it is a special occasion. Same thing with the diver. Coral Reef was completely swamped by the constant requests. Now no one gets 'em.
I would hate to see a lot of people trying to get to their choice of destinations via DME rather than just to their specific resort. I have no issue with exceptions being made..but pretty soon, everyone thinks 'they' are the exception!!!

 

[delaneyc52]

I'm glad you got it to work for you. When I say 'open a can of worms' my intent was one of 'oh, we want to go to the CR so we can meet up with family there and go right to MK rather than to Pop to checkin' type thing. People are well known for finding a way to 'work' the existing system. They read about someone's having Disney do something nice for them..and pretty soon, everyone wants to do it. This has happened in many instances. Take, for instance, the personalized menus you used to be able to request at Coral Reef. Or the diver who would dive with a special sign/message for your family. Pretty soon, everyone wanted it...merely because it could be done. Nothing special was being celebrated, they just wanted something that others had said they got. And now??? No more special menus..even if it is a special occasion. Same thing with the diver. Coral Reef was completely swamped by the constant requests. Now no one gets 'em.
I would hate to see a lot of people trying to get to their choice of destinations via DME rather than just to their specific resort. I have no issue with exceptions being made..but pretty soon, everyone thinks 'they' are the exception!!!

All good points....and I certainly do not disagree!

 

[amarberry]

Wondering if this scenario is okay...

We are using ME for a trip in a few weeks, but I'm now thinking about renting a car for a couple of days. If DH and the kids ride ME and I pick up the rental car at MCO, will we have any issues with all of our bags going through, etc? I don't want to rent a big car and I don't think that all of our luggage will fit in the rental!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Wondering if this scenario is okay...

We are using ME for a trip in a few weeks, but I'm now thinking about renting a car for a couple of days. If DH and the kids ride ME and I pick up the rental car at MCO, will we have any issues with all of our bags going through, etc? I don't want to rent a big car and I don't think that all of our luggage will fit in the rental!

On your arrival day, there is absolutely no problem if least one person checks in at the DME welcome center and travels to the resort on a DME motorcoach. You can put yellow DME tags on all your checked luggage and all of you can bypass baggage claim. The bags should show up in your room up to 3 hours after you check in, but often much sooner than that. (The issue that's been the subject of endless debate and that this sticky thread attempts to address is what happens if NOBODY in the party travels to the resort on a DME motorcoach.)

For your departure, you are allowed to use Resort Airline Check-in (RAC) on the check-out day from your Walt Disney World resort hotel as long as you are taking a domestic flight on a RAC-participating airline from Orlando International -- and your flight is not so early in the morning that you can't complete RAC check-in at least 3 hours before tour flight (RAC opens at 5:00 a.m.). There is no requirement for anyone to travel to the airport on a DME motorcoach.

You may also want to look at renting a car at WDW in the middle of your stay rather than renting and/or returning at the airport. National is at the WDW Dolphin. Alamo and National are at the WDW Car Care Center. All major car rental companies offer free pickiup and dropioff at WDW resorts from numerous car rental facilities just off property or at Hotel Plaza.

 

[jennyjinx3]

Do you know if we do a dcl cruise prior to WDW, and use DCL transfers to get to port from airport, and then port to WDW resort, can we still use complimentary ME to get back to the airport at the end of our stay?? Thanks

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Do you know if we do a dcl cruise prior to WDW, and use DCL transfers to get to port from airport, and then port to WDW resort, can we still use complimentary ME to get back to the airport at the end of our stay?? Thanks

Disney's Magical Express (DME) can be used roundtrip, one-way inbound, or one-way outbound.

In your case, the cruise is not part of the equation.

You would simply reserve DME (one-way) back to Orlando International Airport at the end of your WDW resort stay. You can also use Resort Airline Check-in (RAC) if your airline participates in RAC and your flight is not early in the morning.

Some people on this forum recommend waiting until you're at your WDW resort to make DME reservations. I think it's better to reserve from home before your vacation. Then it's something you don't need to waste time on while on vacation.

 

[jennyjinx3]

Disney's Magical Express (DME) can be used roundtrip, one-way inbound, or one-way outbound.

In your case, the cruise is not part of the equation.

You would simply reserve DME (one-way) back to Orlando International Airport at the end of your WDW resort stay. You can also use Resort Airline Check-in (RAC) if your airline participates in RAC and your flight is not early in the morning.

Some people on this forum recommend waiting until you're at your WDW resort to make DME reservations. I think it's better to reserve from home before your vacation. Then it's something you don't need to waste time on while on vacation.

thank you!

 

[seashoreCM]

Disney Cruise Line land-sea packages with the ground transportation option include airport to seaport to WDW to airport (or vice versa). You can make it a land-sea-land vacation using the free Magical Express for the "second land".

Last I saw, the sea-only cruise ground transportation (airport to seaport and back only) costs the same as the land-sea ground transportation. So there is no difference between DME, then DCL sea-only, then DME, versus DCL land sea followed by DME ground transportation for a land-sea-land vacation.

It appears to me that things will not get more complicated if Disney were to advertise and lots of guests request Disney bound DME to a different resort. It will not mess up baggage delivery to the resort either because baggage delivery is not synchronized with guest movements. But allowing going home from any resort leaves more chance for error and requires more vigilance on the part of the guest to see that the confirmation paper issued the morning of the day before checkout day shows the correct resort to depart from. Uncaught mistakes here could sour lots of vacations.