Advice on best times to be at RAC and ME

[Lucky'sMom]

We leave in just a few days, and I've been reading all of these reports about too full DME buses going back to the airport, people getting bumped to a later bus, long lines for RAC, etc. I would so appreciate your advice on the best amount of time to allow for these. Our return flight is at 1:05pm. Should I get our bags to RAC at 4 hours before our flight, to allow for time spent waiting in a line? How early would you arrive for your DME return? I'm guessing earlier than the time Disney recommends? Thanks for the advice!

 

[seashoreCM]

Shoot to be back at your resort an hour before your magical express bus time which in turn is about 3 hours before your flight. Be at the bus platform -- kids, carry-ons, etc. all ready -- 15 minutes before your scheduled bus.

In your case, with the 1:05 flight, if you leave your resort, your ballpark plan to be back should be for about 9:05 which for most practical purposes means you should not leave your resort that morning.

If you are using resort checked baggage check in (RAC), you must complete it 3 hours in advance of your flight but be aware that being in the RAC line does not count as punctual for your DME bus. If you cut it closer and T-15 arrives with you still in line, then leave the line and schlep the baggage to the bus platform.

Go to the right platform! * Particularly if you arrived by some means other than DME, you should observe DME picking up other sad, departing, guests on a prior day which will also familiarize yourself with the platform location.

While at the bus platform, inquire and verify that every bus pulling in is not yours before sitting back down and waiting some more.

If you are denied boarding your DME bus, within five minutes after it leaves, go in and ask the resort concierge to hire a taxi for you. Among other things, to make more people aware of the problem on that bus run and to put more irons in the fire to solve this problem; even if the bus driver radioed for another bus. Unlike buses leaving the parks at closing time or DME buses going to Disney, if a DME bus back to the airport does not take everyone in line and reserved on it, that is Disney's problem that needs instant solution.

* (OT) Once in an earlier lifetime I got off the metro and went to catch the shuttle bus back to the airport and waited and waited. All of a sudden I remembered that I didn't go down the stairway that I went up when I got off the shuttle earlier in the day to get on the metro. I was at the wrong platform! I raced across the metro station to the other platform and fortunately caught a shuttle in time to make my plane. I'll comment on "get in the right towncar" and "pick up the right gas pump hose" in future threads relevant to those subjects.

 

[clkelley]

Personally for RAC, I would drop your bags first thing in the morning. With a 1:05 pm flight, you won't run into the 12 hour rule, soooo you could check your bags at 5:30 am and still make that early breakfast. Then you would need to be back at the bus stop by 9amish.

 

[goofy4tink]

With a departure time of 1:05pm, your DME pickup time will, most likely, be in the neighborhood of 10am...give or take 15 mins on either side (9:45-10:15). That doesn't really give you enough time to head to a park, so.......get your bags down to the RAC counter as early as you can. I like to get rid of my bags before 7am...not many people there at that time, if any. Then, you have time to grab breakfast and not stress.
Be out at the DME bus stop no less than 15 mins before your appointed pickup time...all ready to go.

If you had been leaving later in the day, I would recommend getting back to your resort about 45 mins before your pickup time since you would most likely have carryon bags stored with Bell Services to get. That can sometimes take 15 mins or so. Then, people need to run to the restrooms one last time and check out the gift shops before leaving.

You really shouldn't have any issues getting on your assigned bus. The buses tend to follow a pretty good schedule. But, I would ask each bus that comes if that one is 'your' bus...just in case. Even if the bus is dropping guests off, the driver should be able to tell you when your bus is coming along. If a bus comes along, and stops at the DME bus stop, and no one gets off, you can safely assume the bus is heading back to MCO. It may be a Mears yellow bus, a DCL bus or a DME bus. Ask the driver in order to be 100% sure.

 

[Mkrop]

Yes make sure you ask all the buses, ours was a cruise line bus and the driver never told anyone that she was our DME bus, people started asking.

 

[Lucky'sMom]

Thank you all so much, this has been very helpful!