Disney's Magical Express/RAC - What "Participating Airline" Really Means!

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by krdindy

Thanks for all of the good tips. Unfortunately we are "not allowed" to speak directly with the travel agent. We have to go through the rewards company that my husband's company has hired to run its rewards program. We don't even know the name of the travel agency. We booked a Disney trip 3 years ago through the same rewards company, but apparently with a different TA, because it was a piece of cake that year. The company paid for our room/flights, and we had to fight this year to get the TA to allow us to pay out of pocket to add our tickets/dining plan to make it a package. I think we got that straightened out last week, after a month of phone calls!

Anyway, update on DME! I called DME directly (thanks for the suggestion). The CM was very nice and gave me a Disney website to go to and make my DME reservation. It was so easy (almost too easy, after what we've been through). I was emailed a confirmation and everything! Thanks so much for everyone's help!

Most excellent news. Glad it all worked out for you. Have a great trip!!

[Daisylover]

Hi,

I'm wondering what hours the shuttle service is offered. We will be arriving in Orlando about 10-10:30 PM. Will there be a shuttle available for us at that hour?

Thanks for your help and peace of mind

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by Daisylover

Hi,

I'm wondering what hours the shuttle service is offered. We will be arriving in Orlando about 10-10:30 PM. Will there be a shuttle available for us at that hour?

Thanks for your help and peace of mind

DME is a 24/7 operation. There may be fewer buses running later in the evening, but as long as they know you are coming in, they will have means to transport you to your resort.
If you are going to let DME take care of your checked luggage, I would suggest that you pack a carryon with anything you will need for that arrival night. You won't get your bags until the next morning, unless you wish to be awakened in the middle of the night.
Even if you don't tag your checked bags, and choose to get them yourself at baggage claim, it's always a good idea to have that properly packed carryon...just in case the airlines misdirect some luggage.

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by Daisylover

Hi,

I'm wondering what hours the shuttle service is offered. We will be arriving in Orlando about 10-10:30 PM. Will there be a shuttle available for us at that hour?

Thanks for your help and peace of mind

We landed around 10:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. Disney's Magical Express dropped us off at our resort 56 minutes later. It was great. There were only 12 of us on the bus.

[SnowWhite33]

I'm sure this has been answered somewhere in the 50+ pages, but search isn't working for me right now

We do not have our flights booked yet and our trip is 48 days away We are looking to get those booked in the next couple of weeks and know the flight numbers and times. Can I call and book DME without actually being booked with the airline? And should we end up on different flights how difficult is it to get the information changed.

Also our flights will be on SW, so will we have to claim our own luggage when we arrive at MCO and then put it on the ME bus ourselves on the flight home?

Thanks!

[clkelley]

Yes, you can go ahead and book DME now and just add your flight numbers when you know them.

For SW, you CAN put the tags on your luggage and Disney will take care of them on the way TO Disney. No problem. Participating airline only matters on the way home.

You have to take your bags to the airport under the bus on the way home.

[goodferry]

OK, help me set DH's mind at ease, this is our first time using ME, we usually get a towncar. Our SW airlines flight arrives at MCO at 9:10 am, how long (approx.) should it take to arrive at the Wilderness Lodge, assuming that we decide to use the luggage transfer option.
Also, if we use the ME luggage transfer, go to our resort and check in and head out to a park, will we have to call for our luggage when we get back or will it automatically be sent to our room?

[clkelley]

You should be at your resort somewhere around 10:30 am. Average time from deplaning to arriving at your resort has been 70 minutes.

Your luggage will be delivered to your room AUTOMATICALLY when it arrives at your resort from the baggage folks.

[CdnDisneyNut]

Originally Posted by octoberprincess

We are staying at Pop Century; our flight out of Orlando is at 4:30 with Jetblue. What time will the ME pick us up from the hotel to head off to the airport? thanks in advance.

Also staying at Pop and flying with Jetblue. Does Pop have a DME counter to check in your luggage for the return trip to the airport?

TIA

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by CdnDisneyNut

Also staying at Pop and flying with Jetblue. Does Pop have a DME counter to check in your luggage for the return trip to the airport?

TIA

Yep. It's over by the luggage service area. It's over to the upper right of where you will be dropped off at by the DME bus. It is outside though.

[jewjubean]

ok...so i've booked a trip with my cousin, who lives in Arkansas, and I live in Louisiana.... well I was wondering how this is going to work out... Jodi DC's flight arrives in MCo around 4:30 PM and my flight arrives at 9:45 so i expect to be a AsMo around 11:15 or so from what i've read around here. How is this going to work, will they let me check in at DME even though they have already checked in....and when i get to the resort will they give me the information to the rooms...Thanks for all your help!

[clkelley]

Originally Posted by jewjubean

ok...so i've booked a trip with my cousin, who lives in Arkansas, and I live in Louisiana.... well I was wondering how this is going to work out... Jodi DC's flight arrives in MCo around 4:30 PM and my flight arrives at 9:45 so i expect to be a AsMo around 11:15 or so from what i've read around here. How is this going to work, will they let me check in at DME even though they have already checked in....and when i get to the resort will they give me the information to the rooms...Thanks for all your help!

No problem at all. Whoever made the reservation will receive all of the DME materials. That person should forward the tags and boarding pass to the other person.

You put your tags on your bags, your cousin puts tags on their bags and they will all arrive at the room. You will each have your DME boarding pass and will board the bus no problem.

As far as getting to the room, hopefully your cousin will have checked in and the two of you can communicate by cell phone as to the room number before you get there, then you can just proceed directly to the room when you get to ASMO.

Also, since you are arriving so late, I would recommend having a carryon with what you need to go to bed and get up the next morning. Value Resorts luggage services closes at 11pm, so it will be the next day before your luggage arrives to the room.

[lachancegirl]

My husband and I and our two boys are taking our first family vacation in a few days to Disney World. We have never flown before so I have a quick question. We are flying with Spirit Air, which is not a participating airline. But what is the process to get checked in on our return flight? Are we to check in at bell services to print off our boarding passes or the airport? Does that mean we are checked in? Sorry I am new! Also I heard we had to check in 3 hrs before our departure. But if we have to check in at the airport, how do we get to the airport within that 3 hours? What is the process starting with us getting a notice from our resort the day before what time we are to meet the DME?

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by lachancegirl

My husband and I and our two boys are taking our first family vacation in a few days to Disney World. We have never flown before so I have a quick question. We are flying with Spirit Air, which is not a participating airline. But what is the process to get checked in on our return flight? Are we to check in at bell services to print off our boarding passes or the airport? Does that mean we are checked in? Sorry I am new! Also I heard we had to check in 3 hrs before our departure. But if we have to check in at the airport, how do we get to the airport within that 3 hours? What is the process starting with us getting a notice from our resort the day before what time we are to meet the DME?

Welcome to the DIS boards!!
I'm assuming you have already reserved your ride with DME. This has to be done before reaching MCO, assuming you are riding the DME bus from the airport to your resort.
So....for your return flight, here is the deal....as you know, Spirit is not a participating airline. This means that you will take your bags, both carryon and checked, to the airport with you. The day before you are due to checkout of your resort, you will be left a notice, usually under your resort room door, telling you what time your DME pickup will be the next day. That time will be about 3 hrs before your flight departure time.
For instance...if your flight is due to take-off at 11:00am, your DME pickup time will be in the neighborhood of 8am. You should always plan on being at MCO about 2 hrs before your departure time, so the three hours gives you plenty of time to get to the airport and through security lines.

Now....if your flight isn't until later that day, let's say 7:00 pm, you can leave your bags with Bell Services, and head off and have some last day fun. Your pickup time would be about 4pm, so you would need to be back at your resort by 3pm in order to get your bags out of luggage storage, and then be at the bus stop in time for your bus.

You need to be at the bus stop about 15-20 mins before the time you were given in your notice. The time you were given is the time the bus is scheduled to pull out. Too many people have gotten to the bus stop at their designated time only to find that the bus has left without them. And there may not be another bus scheduled for that resort for a few hours. The buses are scheduled based on the departure times of the guests. If there are no guests at your resort that need to be at the airport within 2-3 hrs. no bus will stop. So, don't plan on just 'catching the next bus'...there may not be a 'next bus' for 2 hrs!!

So....let's say you get picked up by DME at 9am, for a noon flight. You get to the bus stop by 8:40, all your bags ready to go. When the bus arrives, your bags will be stowed underneath the bus, you will hop onboard. When the bus gets to MCO, the driver will make two stops...Side A and Side B. He will tell you which airlines are located on which side. It's a good idea to know this beforehand so you have an idea which side you'll need to get off on.
When the driver announces your side, you will hop off the bus, the driver will take out the luggage and you take your bags up to the checkin area of MCO for your particular airline.

Hope this helps explain a bit. If you have any other questions, just ask!!

[lachancegirl]

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

Welcome to the DIS boards!!
I'm assuming you have already reserved your ride with DME. This has to be done before reaching MCO, assuming you are riding the DME bus from the airport to your resort.
So....for your return flight, here is the deal....as you know, Spirit is not a participating airline. This means that you will take your bags, both carryon and checked, to the airport with you. The day before you are due to checkout of your resort, you will be left a notice, usually under your resort room door, telling you what time your DME pickup will be the next day. That time will be about 3 hrs before your flight departure time.
For instance...if your flight is due to take-off at 11:00am, your DME pickup time will be in the neighborhood of 8am. You should always plan on being at MCO about 2 hrs before your departure time, so the three hours gives you plenty of time to get to the airport and through security lines.

Now....if your flight isn't until later that day, let's say 7:00 pm, you can leave your bags with Bell Services, and head off and have some last day fun. Your pickup time would be about 4pm, so you would need to be back at your resort by 3pm in order to get your bags out of luggage storage, and then be at the bus stop in time for your bus.

You need to be at the bus stop about 15-20 mins before the time you were given in your notice. The time you were given is the time the bus is scheduled to pull out. Too many people have gotten to the bus stop at their designated time only to find that the bus has left without them. And there may not be another bus scheduled for that resort for a few hours. The buses are scheduled based on the departure times of the guests. If there are no guests at your resort that need to be at the airport within 2-3 hrs. no bus will stop. So, don't plan on just 'catching the next bus'...there may not be a 'next bus' for 2 hrs!!

So....let's say you get picked up by DME at 9am, for a noon flight. You get to the bus stop by 8:40, all your bags ready to go. When the bus arrives, your bags will be stowed underneath the bus, you will hop onboard. When the bus gets to MCO, the driver will make two stops...Side A and Side B. He will tell you which airlines are located on which side. It's a good idea to know this beforehand so you have an idea which side you'll need to get off on.
When the driver announces your side, you will hop off the bus, the driver will take out the luggage and you take your bags up to the checkin area of MCO for your particular airline.

Hope this helps explain a bit. If you have any other questions, just ask!!

Dianne,
Thank you so much for your help! We have reservations with DME. We received our yellow tags about 3 weeks ago. i think everything is clear now! Thank you