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DME or car service

I've used DME about 5 times. I've always received my luggage 1-1 1/2 hours after checking in.
 
We've always had good experiences with ME - short wait times, love the video, etc. We tend to arrive in the evening and grab our own luggage, but I've never heard of problems from a luggage perspective (and we plan to use the luggage service on our next trip).
 
It's so nice not to have to claim your own luggage. I like letting DME get my bags for me. They have always gotten to my room within 2 hours.

Then when you leave use the resort RAC desk to send your bags back to the airport for you and take the DME back.

People will say you are not suppose to do this but ppl do it every day and I have done it too. I let DME take my bags then I go rent a car and drive myself to the resort. We always have a car on vacation and drive ourselves around.

Ppl say you really have to ride the bus yourself for them to take your bags. No you don't. Put the yellow tags on your bags and wait for them to show up. Since we rent a car and make a Walmart run before going to our room our bags are there before we ever get there.
 
We always hire a driver- only did DME once. We love that our driver is waiting for us at baggage claim, takes our bags for us and then whisks us off to WDW in a tinted window Escalade. 30min airport to hotel!

However if money is an issue I would not hesitate to use DME! Good luck with whatever you decide!
 
What I fine works best for me is using ME, using yellow tags for checked bags, letting Disney handle my luggage and ordering from Garden Grocer. I find this to be the most relaxing and less stress. (might not be everyone's choice).

I have done both ME & Car Service with and w/out grocery stops.

I do not find Car Service to be that much faster than ME. You greet your driver, go to the luggage carousel, wait for your luggage, pick up your luggage move it to the car and get in the car and drive to the resort.

With ME you go to the ME counter, check in, short wait for the bus, and your off. At times you will have to stop at one to two resorts before yours. But your not having the hassle of dealing with your luggage at the airport. So I find car service to be slightly faster, somewhat depends on how fast luggage comes off plane to carousal.

My yellow tagged checked bags have always been delivered in less than three hours after arriving and usually they are waiting on me in the room or at the resort before the room is ready for before I am ready to go to my room.

I have also done car service with grocery stop, which in my mind negates any time savings. I do prefer to use Garden Grocer. As your order is delivered right to your room. No hassle of stopping at a store, while family waits in car. You pay a delivery fee and prices are probably higher than Wal-Mart. I also dislike grocery shopping and to not see a Wal-Mart, Publix etc. on vacation is worth the $14 delivery fee.

I might be the odd ball, but I actually like seeing what other resorts look like when dropping off other ME guests. For example the only time I have seen the Pop Century was when it was a stop on the ME.

I also love the convenience of checking bags in lobby and checking in for your airline when departing right at the resort. Although I think you can do this even if you do not use ME.

There is something Magical about landing at MCO, knowing you are at your place of leaving the real world and starting your Disney Vacation by being greeted by ME staff, boarding the ME bus, watching the cartoons and park videos...etc.
 
We took our carry on luggage with us, and had them take the rest. ME is awesome. We were at our hotel within 90 minutes, maybe a bit less. Our room was not ready, but when it was and we got up there, our luggage was there waiting for us.
My yellow tagged checked bags have always been delivered in less than three hours after arriving and usually they are waiting on me in the room or at the resort before the room is ready for before I am ready to go to my room.
.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that the no longer deliver to your room. is that correct?
 
We have done both, but I think we will be doing car service this trip. We are staying at AoA for 10 days and the car service gives you a free stop at the grocery store. So we get in at 6.25pm. We can hopefully get groceries and get to the resort pretty quick. Price was $110 roundtrip ( plus tip, of course) we have used them 3 other times and it was wonderful.
 
MinnielovesMickey12 said:
People will say you are not suppose to do this but ppl do it every day and I have done it too. I let DME take my bags then I go rent a car and drive myself to the resort. We always have a car on vacation and drive ourselves around.
Guests who choose to use DME in a way other than described in the terms & conditions and whose luggage gets misdirected by the airline don't get the advantage of having Magical Express act as their agent; claims need to be made within a specified amount of hours.

iheartbell87 said:
We always hire a driver- only did DME once. We love that our driver is waiting for us at baggage claim, takes our bags for us and then whisks us off to WDW in a tinted window Escalade. 30min airport to hotel!

Add in the time it takes to get to baggage claim and wait for luggage - and it's pretty much even with using DME as designed.
 
MinnieLovesMickey12 said:
People will say you are not suppose to do this but ppl do it every day and I have done it too.

It's not just people that say you're not supposed to do it, Disney does too. Is there a mechanism in place to stop you from doing this? Nope. Can you get away with it? Yep.
 
dansdad said:
It's not just people that say you're not supposed to do it, Disney does too. Is there a mechanism in place to stop you from doing this? Nope. Can you get away with it? Yep.

Where does Disney say this? Quote please.
 
Luggage and grocery issues aside, what about the safety factor of not being allowed to use a car seat on the ME?

I would never dream of hopping in the car for an hours ride without strapping both my kids in, and have purchased a fifth seat on the plane for my toddler to be in his car seat there too. We are going in Sept for the first time and I'm trying to decide if it's worth having the car service to be able to buckle the kids in properly. I know it's a big bus, and yeah, the older kids ride on the school bus without them, but does anyone NOT take the ME for this reason?
:(
 

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