What About DME and the RETURN Trip to MCO??

[I♥THEMOUSE]

Our flight doesn't leave MCO until after 5 pm on the day we are leaving. We plan on going to DTD that day and hanging out, but what if we don't make it back to the resort 3 hrs before our flight? Can we just catch another DME bus to MCO?

 

[tjmw2727]

No - if you miss your scheduled pick up time, by accident or otherwise you are on your own. You "may" be able to get on the next bus if it isn't full but then the next bus may not even be for several hours.

Your pick up will be scheduled for about 3 hours prior to your flight and you will receive confirmation under your door the day before. Unlike the arrival you are scheduled for the bus back to MCO.

It is also a good idea to take advantage of every minute you have at MCO, between long lines for luggage and even longer lines for TSA clearance. I waited over 50 minutes to clear security on Tuesday 11/6 and that isn't an unusal incident.

TJ

 

[CleveRocks]

I agree with everything tjmw272 wrote. [SIDE NOTE TO tjmw2727: please consider getting an easier-to-remember screen name! ]

DME buses do not automatically make pick-ups at each resort every 30 minutes. They only come to a resort if there is a ride reservation for that time period. When they do come, they come at set times, such as :10 and :40 after every hour, or :20 and :50 after every hour, and so on.

So let's say you are assigned a 2:10 p.m. DME bus pick-up time, but you miss that bus. There is absolutely no guarantee that there will be a DMe bus sswinging by for pick-ups at 2:40 p.m. It's possible the next pick-up might not be scheduled until 5:10 p.m., for all you know. And there's no way to ask about this at the resort, since they have nothing to do with the DME buses and they have no knowledge about bus dispatching.

Even if a bus does show up at 2:40 p.m., the driver should deny you boarding. If the driver knows there will be room for you (if the bus is not scheduled to be full after all stops are made), he/she may elect to allow you to board.

Basically, you should plan to be on-time. If you aren't, be prepared to pay for a taxi to get back to the airport.

HAVE FUN!

 

[Lewisc]

You could hire a car service to pick you up at DTD. You'd probably have an extra 1.5 to 2 hours.

 

[CleveRocks]

You could hire a car service to pick you up at DTD. You'd probably have an extra 1.5 to 2 hours.

The big problem there would be suitcases (checked luggage) If the OP can use Resort Airline Check-in (if flying on a participating airline) then it could work.

But if the OP is not flying on a RAC-participating airline, then the luggage would be an insurmountable problem. They can't take luggage on a Disney Transport bus to DTD (not to mention what they woukld do with it once at DTD).

 

[goofy4tink]

Will you be checking your bags through RAC at the resort earlier in the day? My suggestion? I would imagine that if your flight leaves at, say 5:15, they will want you back at the resort by 2:30ish, for the DME bus back to the airport. I would leave DTD around 11:30, then grab a bite to eat at the resort, relax for a bit, then be there at the appointed time for the bus.
You can not be sure you would be able to board a different, later bus. Why? The next bus could be full with those guests assigned to it, therefor no room for you. Or, there may not even be a bus scheduled to stop at your resort until later, making it too late for you to make your flight. They plan the buses ahead of time, based on the who needs to be at a particular time.
So...either be there at the appointed time, or make plans to use a cab or a towncar service. That will buy you maybe an hour, but no more than that.

 

[tjmw2727]

I agree with everything tjmw272 wrote. [SIDE NOTE TO tjmw2727: please consider getting an easier-to-remember screen name! ]

Hey - I like my screen name but since you agree with me you can call me just TJ.

Back OT - taking a cab from DTD only works if you use RAC to check your bags. This still leave you dragging any carryon items around DTD though.

TJ

 

[CPTTrips]

You could hire a car service to pick you up at DTD. You'd probably have an extra 1.5 to 2 hours.

Are you saying that you can get from WDW to MCO, check bags, clear security and get to a gate in between 1 and 1.5 hours?

 

[goofy4tink]

Are you saying that you can get from WDW to MCO, check bags, clear security and get to a gate in between 1 and 1.5 hours?

Maybe....if all the planets are aligned just right, there is no traffic, and security at MCO is empty! It takes 30 mins to get from WDW to MCO, sometimes a bit less, sometimes a bit more, depending on traffic. If you have to check bags, that will add about 15 or so minutes, then off to security...that's 20 mins at best. The least time it has ever taken me at MCO is about 12 mins. Then off to the gate..could take close to 10 mins. So...30+20+10=60. So...that's a bit tight, IMHO. I realize that DME requests (okay pretty much demands) you leave close to 3 hrs. before flight departure, but you need almost all that time. You may have to kill an extra 30-40 mins at the gate, but you won't be worrying about missing the flight.

Towncars routinely pick up at the resort about 2 hrs. before flight departure. So, it's doable.

 

[maxiesmom]

Let me add too that even if you are able to get on a later bus, that bus is most likely NOT going directly to the airport. We used DME in October, and we were the first pick up of 4 resorts. It took us over an hour and a half just to get to the airport, let alone get to the proper area, clear security, and find our gate. Another guy on the bus claimed he was going to kiss the ground when he got off, but I didn't stick around to see if he did.

With as full as flights are these days, there is no way I would risk missing my flight to spend an extra hour at Disney World. No way!

What would you do if you did miss your flight?

 

[aprince&princess]

We have used a town car service twice before ME and both times were picked up 2 1/2 hrs before the flight. For the two times that we have used ME we were given times that were 2 hrs 45 mins before the flight. So they weren't that different.

Both times the ME service was great. In Oct. we were the last ones picked up and the bus was full. We did have time to stop an eat a pizza in the food court and didn't feel rushed, which was nice. You never know how long the security line will be, so I wouldn't arrive at the airport to close to your flight.

 

[localdriver]

Our flight doesn't leave MCO until after 5 pm on the day we are leaving. We plan on going to DTD that day and hanging out, but what if we don't make it back to the resort 3 hrs before our flight? Can we just catch another DME bus to MCO?

Just a suggestion, MAKE it back. DME is based on reservation ONLY as others have said. If you miss YOUR bus, you are NOT guaranteed a seat on the next bus IF there is one. You are asked to be there 15 min prior to departure, and I might add that includes having ALL your belongings, family, and luggage there as well. I left 2 people today, WHY, they didn't show up until 5 min after my stated departure time ( I was just finishing loading luggage and signing "the book", and still they didn't have their luggage together.Then I waited 2 more minutes, Then, I said NO, you can try and get on the next bus or take a cab, "your gamble" but I have to go, I have 40 people on board that were ONTIME that want to get to the airport ontime. And I left. END of story. If you wish to use the DME system, then follow the guidelines and all will work as intended. A system transporting 14,000 to 27,000 people a day MUST have guidelines that MUST be followed by the DRIVERS AND THE GUESTS. It may not be for everybody, that's for you to decide.

 

[maxiesmom]

Just a suggestion, MAKE it back. DME is based on reservation ONLY as others have said. If you miss YOUR bus, you are NOT guaranteed a seat on the next bus IF there is one. You are asked to be there 15 min prior to departure, and I might add that includes having ALL your belongings, family, and luggage there as well. I left 2 people today, WHY, they didn't show up until 5 min after my stated departure time ( I was just finishing loading luggage and signing "the book", and still they didn't have their luggage together.Then I waited 2 more minutes, Then, I said NO, you can try and get on the next bus or take a cab, "your gamble" but I have to go, I have 40 people on board that were ONTIME that want to get to the airport ontime. And I left. END of story. If you wish to use the DME system, then follow the guidelines and all will work as intended. A system transporting 14,000 to 27,000 people a day MUST have guidelines that MUST be followed by the DRIVERS AND THE GUESTS. It may not be for everybody, that's for you to decide.

I wish you had been our driver! At our 3rd stop, some woman decided to walk off with her refillable mugs as the bus stopped, trying to pick people up. Her husband stayed behind with the bags, but she was still gone after all of their luggage was loaded. Hubby had to run and get her! How can you be so rude and thoughtless, to hold up a whole bus full of people because you decided to fill your mugs at the last possible second? Some people just beg for a good smacking!

 

[bab31]

And one more thing to think of...all the places we took the bus to it was just a matter of 10-15 minutes EXCEPT DTD. I would for sure allow extra extra time to get back or be prepared to pay for a taxi as well. Getting to and from DTD for us took TIME.

I agree with the poster about taking lunch at the resort so you will be prepared, not stressed, happier and calm when it is time to leave. Security is a bear these days.

 

[I♥THEMOUSE]

After reading everyone's responses, I think DD and I will use departure day to hang out at the resort and the pool. I didn't realize that DME was a scheduled thing on the way back.

Thanks again.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Just a suggestion, MAKE it back. DME is based on reservation ONLY as others have said. If you miss YOUR bus, you are NOT guaranteed a seat on the next bus IF there is one. You are asked to be there 15 min prior to departure, and I might add that includes having ALL your belongings, family, and luggage there as well. I left 2 people today, WHY, they didn't show up until 5 min after my stated departure time ( I was just finishing loading luggage and signing "the book", and still they didn't have their luggage together.Then I waited 2 more minutes, Then, I said NO, you can try and get on the next bus or take a cab, "your gamble" but I have to go, I have 40 people on board that were ONTIME that want to get to the airport ontime. And I left. END of story. If you wish to use the DME system, then follow the guidelines and all will work as intended. A system transporting 14,000 to 27,000 people a day MUST have guidelines that MUST be followed by the DRIVERS AND THE GUESTS. It may not be for everybody, that's for you to decide.

Good point worth saying again... be at the bus stop, ready to go, 15 minutes prior. The time listed is the departure time of the motorcoach...

I♥THEMOUSE --You don't neccesarily need to cancel or change your plans... just plan on being back at the resort early, that's all. Although, a day of lounging by the pool and relaxing might really be just the way to end a vacation.

 

[lizziepooh]

If you leave carryon items with Bell Services to be picked prior to departure of ME, allow plenty of time to pick them up. At BCV, there was a line up of people picking up items and only a couple of bell staff working, They had trouble locating our items even though we had the ticket, which took about 10 minutes extra.

 

[seashoreCM]

If you leave carryon items with Bell Services to be picked prior to departure of ME, allow plenty of time to pick them up. At BCV, there was a line up of people picking up items ... [And the bellhops]... had trouble locating our items ... which took about 10 minutes extra.

I'm all for aiming to be back at the resort an hour before bus time. This means exiting the park turnstiles at least an hour and a half before bus time.

 

[I♥THEMOUSE]

I♥THEMOUSE --You don't neccesarily need to cancel or change your plans... just plan on being back at the resort early, that's all. Although, a day of lounging by the pool and relaxing might really be just the way to end a vacation.

I really don't want our last day to end with us being rushed and anxious. We are going to be spending the afternoon of our arrival day at DTD and we can probably make time for more DTD fun on one of our other afternoons. I think a pool day and lunch at the resort will be the best thing for us on our last day.

Thanks to all for the great advice though. I ♥ The Dis!