2:00 am ME pick-up

[MinnieMommy]

What to do? What CAN we do?

We have a 6:00 am departure from MCO.
They'll be picking us up at 2:00 am. (US 3hrs, Canada 4hrs)

Magic Kingdom is open until 1:00 am, which we plan on taking advantage of as it's a really short trip.

Do we really need to have a hotel room booked for that night? Or will ME still take us to the airport.

If we don't have to have a room booked, we were hoping to leave bags with bell services when we head to the parks that day and pick them up before ME pick up time.

If we aren't eligible for ME, and have to get a cab, does anyone know if they will still store our bags that long?

 

[goofy4tink]

Technically, you won't have an active reservation if you don't keep the room for that night. You might be able to call DME and see what they say. It might be nice to go back to the room at some point during the afternoon, early evening, to freshen up or change. I would keep the room, just in case.
I would imagine that your bags would be fine. You are a guest of that resort until midnight...so an extra 90 mins shouldn't be an issue. Unless its a value resort....their baggage people aren't working very much at that time.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Or what you could do if you are not already staying at a value resort I would book a cheap room at the value for that day. SO you will still get to use DME and have a place to freshen up.

 

[MinnieMommy]

Thanks for your replies!
We were considering switching to a value for that last "night" if necessary. Maybe I'll just go ahead and do that so we have a "roof" in case rain or similar cuts our Magic Kingdom night short.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for your replies!
We were considering switching to a value for that last "night" if necessary. Maybe I'll just go ahead and do that so we have a "roof" in case rain or similar cuts our Magic Kingdom night short.

Probably the best idea. One thought? I would take a cab to the value resort, with your bags, first thing in the morning. You said your trip is short. So you won't want to worry about when your bags get to that resort. Get up early, get that cab over, get checked in. Leave the bags with Luggage Assistance if the room isn't ready. Then head to the park.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'd be doing some serious thinking about dropping the room and utilizing a cab to MCO. I have a hard time paying for something I'm not using. At the bare minimum, I'd move to a value resort.

 

[Sugardimples]

What to do? What CAN we do?

We have a 6:00 am departure from MCO.
They'll be picking us up at 2:00 am. (US 3hrs, Canada 4hrs)

Magic Kingdom is open until 1:00 am, which we plan on taking advantage of as it's a really short trip.

Do we really need to have a hotel room booked for that night? Or will ME still take us to the airport.

If we don't have to have a room booked, we were hoping to leave bags with bell services when we head to the parks that day and pick them up before ME pick up time.

If we aren't eligible for ME, and have to get a cab, does anyone know if they will still store our bags that long?

I would call DME before I did anything else. You might not have a problem.

 

[DebbieB]

When it comes to check-in, the "Disney Day" doesn't start until 6:00am so I don't see why you couldn't use DME at 2:00am after your check-out. I would call and ask before booking a room.

 

[seashoreCM]

Baggage storage (and if applicable, parking) at your resort are available to you for your check out day all the way until you get back from a park after its closing.

But, although you do not need to be leaving on a jet plane and you don't have to get out of town by sundown when taking Magical Express back to the airport, DME is not intended to get guests to the airport after checkout and after the last flight for that day has departed.

The normal deadline for making a DME reservation back to the airport is morning of the day before the day you will depart. At that time you will either have (or can make) your 2 AM DME reservation, or you will not. If you cannot get your homebound DME reservation then, then you can hurriedly make a room reservation the same or different resort for an additional night.

If DME says they can make/modify a reservation at or after this deadline but not on the spot, you need to get the written confirmation as soon as it is ready. This may require a mid-day trip back to the resort.

Baggage service will be slower in the wee hours. Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before you must leave for the airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

Baggage storage (and if applicable, parking) at your resort are available to you for your check out day all the way until you get back from a park after its closing.

But, although you do not need to be leaving on a jet plane and you don't have to get out of town by sundown when taking Magical Express back to the airport, DME is not intended to get guests to the airport after checkout and after the last flight for that day has departed.

The normal deadline for making a DME reservation back to the airport is morning of the day before the day you will depart. At that time you will either have (or can make) your 2 AM DME reservation, or you will not. If you cannot get your homebound DME reservation then, then you can hurriedly make a room reservation the same or different resort for an additional night.

If DME says they can make/modify a reservation at or after this deadline but not on the spot, you need to get the written confirmation as soon as it is ready. This may require a mid-day trip back to the resort.

Baggage service will be slower in the wee hours. Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before you must leave for the airport.

I'm not at all sure what you're trying to say. BUT.....DME runs 24/7...as long as there is a need for a guest to get to, or from, MCO. I have seen DME buses picking people up at 2am!!! Always felt badly for those poor people!
In any case, the OP did state that they were leaving the park by 1am, when it closes. If they leave by 12:45, they should have little trouble being at the resort, getting their bags and be out at the DME bus stop for their pickup time.

One suggestion I would make though....when you hand your bags over for storage that morning? Ask how the proceedure for getting them back at 1:30am will be. If they think it will take more than 15 mins, you might want to be back sooner so you don't have to worry about getting the bags.

As someone already said....if you don't think you're going to need an actual room after 11am that day, then have your bags stored and use a cab to get back to MCO....it will cost about $50, but you won't have to pay an addtl night for a room. And you won't have to schlep your bags to a new resort earlier that day.

 

[sam_gordon]

Baggage storage (and if applicable, parking) at your resort are available to you for your check out day all the way until you get back from a park after its closing.

But, although you do not need to be leaving on a jet plane and you don't have to get out of town by sundown when taking Magical Express back to the airport, DME is not intended to get guests to the airport after checkout and after the last flight for that day has departed.

The normal deadline for making a DME reservation back to the airport is morning of the day before the day you will depart. At that time you will either have (or can make) your 2 AM DME reservation, or you will not. If you cannot get your homebound DME reservation then, then you can hurriedly make a room reservation the same or different resort for an additional night.

If DME says they can make/modify a reservation at or after this deadline but not on the spot, you need to get the written confirmation as soon as it is ready. This may require a mid-day trip back to the resort.

Baggage service will be slower in the wee hours. Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before you must leave for the airport.

The bolded (to me) is WAY more complicated than what this needs to be. One question needs to be asked now, and depending on the answer, you have some options.

Call ME (now) and ask if you check out on the 21st (for example), can you take DME at 2am on the 22nd. If the answer is "yes", make the reservation and you're set.

If the answer is "no", you have three options that you need to decide which is the best for your family...

1) Pay to stay another night on property. This could be at the resort you've been staying at or at a value. This gives you access to ME.
2) Arrange for a private transfer at 2am (or whatever time). This can be a cab or one of the many car services.
3) Arrange for a one-way car rental for pickup on the 21st and return on the 22nd. If you choose this option, pick up the car the morning of the 21st, load your luggage, go to the park of your choice, and head to the airport at your leisure (maybe stopping at a 24/7 restaurant).

All three options will require various amounts of $$. Personally, I'd probably do option 3.

 

[JanaDee]

Baggage storage (and if applicable, parking) at your resort are available to you for your check out day all the way until you get back from a park after its closing.

But, although you do not need to be leaving on a jet plane and you don't have to get out of town by sundown when taking Magical Express back to the airport, DME is not intended to get guests to the airport after checkout and after the last flight for that day has departed.

The normal deadline for making a DME reservation back to the airport is morning of the day before the day you will depart. At that time you will either have (or can make) your 2 AM DME reservation, or you will not. If you cannot get your homebound DME reservation then, then you can hurriedly make a room reservation the same or different resort for an additional night.

If DME says they can make/modify a reservation at or after this deadline but not on the spot, you need to get the written confirmation as soon as it is ready. This may require a mid-day trip back to the resort.

Baggage service will be slower in the wee hours. Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before you must leave for the airport.

Forgetting the rest of your post, regarding the bolded, what exactly is the purpose of DME, then? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I've checked out of every single hotel I've ever stayed in before leaving for the airport.

 

[SteveMouse]

You quoted out if context. If you quote the entire sentence--

DME is not intended to get guests to the airport after checkout and after the last flight for that day has departed.

You should see that seashore meant DME should not be used to get to MCO for a flight after 11:59pm on the day a guest checks out.

I'd read it a little differently- that the standard practice is the ride to the airport had to occur no later than the end of the day a guest checked out. The question would be is the "day" a Disney park day (which can go beyond midnight) or a standard calendar day. In either case, I would (based on Disney's attraction line rules about being in line prior to park close) take a position that the ride to the airport would have to start before the end of that "day" or the bus would turn into a pumpkin.

 

[seashoreCM]

The bolded (to me) is WAY more complicated than what this needs to be. One question needs to be asked now, and depending on the answer, you have some options..

Psst! This Magical Express question is one that tends to get different answers each time it is asked.

Nothing prevents you from trying to reserve DME now but the final answer will be in the form of your written confirmation obtained ca the morning of the day before the day you will check out, or the inability to get that.

 

[Lyndarella]

I would really like to know how this turns out!

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I'm Canadian & have used DME on my last 10 trips to WDW. We've never been picked up 4 hours before our departure time at MCO. Most trips (including one on a Friday at evening rush hour) have been in the 3 hour range. Some right on 3 hours, others 10/15 minutes either side of 3.

Last visit in December 2013, we were booked at 5:30pm pick up for a 8:10pm flight.