3 hrs from DME pick-up to MCO is NOT too long!

[Lyndarella]

On Sat. Oct. 24 we actually SAT ON THE BUS for two hours before reaching the terminal!

I had always grumbled about 3 hours being too long beteen pick-up and flight, like many other people do. We were told this time that the only bus available (from the Contemporary) was 3 1/2 hours ahead, so I was initially disappointed with that timing. As it turned out, we barely had time to get on the plane!

The bus was at least 20 minutes late arriving. (This has always been the norm when I used it before.) We got onto an empty bus, waited, picked up people at the Poly, waited, drove to the Grand FL with a FULL bus, and waited some more. I think the bus was VERY late for the GF pick-up when it arrived there full....and then the driver had to talk to those unfortunate people, and make other arrangements, etc. We had been sitting on the bus more than an hour by the time we left for the airport!

When we arrived at Terminal A (not our terminal) there was another mix-up. It involved luggage that the driver unloaded there, waited, then re-loaded. We sat there and wondered if we should just get off at that terminal and make a run for our gate in Terminal B! It probably would have been faster!

Getting through Security was fast, then of course our gate was the very last one at the far end of B! We arrived just before they started loading passengers!

I'm not against using DME on future trips - I am very frugal that way - but I'll never complain again about the 3 hours they schedule before your flight!

 

[dis_guy]

Wow! Glad you made the flight. Funny how all those little delays add up!

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm glad you made your flight! I would have been freaking out!

My last experience with ME was just a few weeks ago. And the ride back to the airport took quite some time. We were the first stop, and even though the bus arrived 20 minutes early, it was over an hour before we were actually on our way to the airport. Then the bus made 3 more stops after our resort.

I can see how 3 hours seems excessive on paper, but it really is not.

 

[seashoreCM]

We were told this time that the only bus available (from the Contemporary) was 3 1/2 hours ahead, !

If the 3 hour bus was full by the time your reservation was filled, then you might be assigned to the 3-1/2 hour bus instead of have an additional bus (3-1/4 hour?) scheduled for the resort.

Although not proliferous, there are reports of getting to the gate moments before boarding time here and there on The DIS. (Math Ph.D. needed) If leaving 3 hours in advance got you to the gate 5 minutes before flight time then had you left 3-1/2 hours in advance you would have gotten to the gate 35 minutes before flight time. You can always ask (at least a day in advance) for a bus more than 3 hours in advance of your flight and this request will always be granted.

 

[Lyndarella]

They told us there was no bus 3 hours before our flight - just one that was 3 1/2 hours before. How often do they stop at the resorts anyway?

 

[Lewisc]

DME buses normally have a scheduled pickup every 30 minutes. You'll be picked up on the scheduled bus 2:45 -3:14 hours before your flight.

DME might have skipped a bus, not enough passengers.. The bus you normally may have been scheduled for may have already been booked. DME may have wanted to allow more time due to anticipated delays. DME goes by flight numbers, not the guest provided departure time. It's possible there was a change to your flight schedule.

 

[koho]

We also had a problem our return trip this past Oct. Not because the bus was full, but just because the bus was 10-15 minutes late. Then it took 15-20 minutes to load the bus at our stop (Poly) and then 40-45 minutes to load the bus at the GF. By the time we got the gate we had about 2 minutes before boarding.