Airport to the Parks

[CoachT]

Hey guys trying to get an idea of how long it will take us to get from MCO airport to inside Hollywood Studios. We want to get in as much of that park day as possible so if we can go straight to the park and not stop at the hotel that would be ideal. We will land at 9:50 am 12/16. What would be the best process to get to the parks quickly? Should we just take an Uber to the park and let ME take our bags or ride ME and then go straight to the park?

2nd question would be if we go straight to the park how do we go about activating our magic bands and having our credit card on them?

3rd if we land at 9:50 assuming no delays what is a realistic time we could get into HS?

 

[Bullseye]

Technically you cant just send your luggage via ME without riding ME (see link below). If you do the pre-check in process you don't have to stop in at resort. You can go straight to park and they should text you later when your room is ready. If cost was not a consideration then Uber or taxi would probably be fastest as they can drop you right at the park. But again that wood only be an option if you didn't have luggage consideration. Personally I would just use DME, check in at resort and then head to park. You will only lose about an hour.


http://www.disboards.com/threads/dme-luggage-only-dont-want-to-ride-the-bus.2015788/

 

[maxiesmom]

Remember any carry on you have with you will have to go thru the bag screening. And then you will have to rent a locker or two to stow it in. You also cannot get base Uber to pick you up at the airport. Only the more expensive Uber Black is allowed to do that.

 

[dburg30]

Take DME, leave carry on bags at bell services, get on DHS bus, done...

 

[snoopboop]

According to the photos on my cell phone, we landed at MCO at about 11:25am, boarded DME at 11:45am, arrived at Pop Century at 12:24pm, boarded the bus to DHS at 1:06pm after dropping off our carry-ons and freshening up in the room, and arrived at DHS around 1:20pm.

So..... Almost 2 hours total from landing to park arrival. BUT if you took private transportation right to the park, you'd spend at least 15-20 minutes waiting for luggage, then 25-30 minutes in the car, then 5-10 minutes finding a locker and stowing your bags (that is IF you can find a locker big enough to store everything)..... So, as a previous poster said, taking an Uber or something similar would probably save you an hour MAX and, in my opinion, would NOT be worth the cost or the hassle.

I'd just do DME to the hotel and then the bus to DHS.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You don't activate the magic bands. If you did the online check-in, your credit card should already be linked to your reservation. If you didn't do the online check-in you would have to go to the resort to have the card linked. You'd need to set a PIN number also during the online check-in if you don't have one already.

You will need to arrange private transportation if you want to bypass the resort and go directly to the park (and you have to figure out what to do with carry-on bags). DME will only drop you off at your resort. But once you get to the resort, you can go directly to the park (dropping off any carry-on bags with Bell Services).

 

[kniquy]

3rd if we land at 9:50 assuming no delays what is a realistic time we could get into HS?

Sometimes the timing can vary a bit when the magical express is going to depart, but from our most recent trip we landed around 11am, headed to the ME - we waited maybe 10-15 minutes for others to board before we left the airport. We were at the resort a bit after noon time, maybe 12:30. Because we were up so early we actually just relaxed at the resort (lucky our room was ready) and then we headed to the park in the afternoon. I guess if we had not relaxed we could have possible been at the parks a little after 1:00.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you land on time, it could take you about 15 minutes just to get off the plane, depending on where you are sitting. Then, you will likely want bathroom breaks. Add time for that.

After that it will depend on whether you take DME or whether you get a taxi. With DME you may have to wait for a bus to arrive or for a bus to fill. And I don't know which resort, so there's also the travel from the resort to the park.

Barring delays, a realistic time would be about noon to 12:30.

 

[dburg30]

If you land on time, it could take you about 15 minutes just to get off the plane, depending on where you are sitting. Then, you will likely want bathroom breaks. Add time for that.

After that it will depend on whether you take DME or whether you get a taxi. With DME you may have to wait for a bus to arrive or for a bus to fill. And I don't know which resort, so there's also the travel from the resort to the park.

Barring delays, a realistic time would be about noon to 12:30.

Bolding mine, if you are going to list waits, list them all. You could also, and it's happened to us, walk to DME, walk thru the line, get on the bus, and 2 minutes later it's backing out and on our way... I've NEVER been on a FULL DME bus from MCO.. So you could say "wait for the bus to leave"

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They wait about 20 - 30 minutes, or until the bus is full. Do you know how long the bus was there before you boarded it?

Late at night, they might wait longer, and stop at more resorts.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

We use Dollar Express and pick up the rental vehicle with no waiting. During our last visit in June, we made it to DHS 50 minutes after our plane landed.

 

[dburg30]

No, I have no clue how long it was there.. But we didnt wait, and again, for the last 10 years, with 15 or so trips, I have NEVER, EVER been on a remotely full DME bus from MCO... Heck there were times I dont think we had a 1/2 load.. And even we we did have to wait, we MAY have waited 10-15 minutes..

 

[Accident]

If getting to the park as fast as possible is this important, I think you should consider going taxi or hiring a car with a preplanned pickup and skip DME.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You can board the bus and it will leave immediately, or you can board the bus and wait 20 minutes. If it fills, it will leave when it is full. If it doesn't fill, they will probably wait around 20-30 minutes, possible longer in the later hours. Maybe it will leave earlier, you don't know. You can't know until you get there how long you will have to wait, but you COULD end up waiting a half hour. It does happen. and I've been on plenty of full buses.

and I'm talking a lot more than 15 trips.

 

[goofy4tink]

When we arrived at MCO on Sat, Sept 3, we were at OKW in just about an hour after leaving the gate area. That is probably the best you can do. I've had times of 50 mins but everything lined up perfectly...front of the plane, moved quickly to tram area, which was just arriving. Down to DME, immediately sent to the bus line...got right on a bus with no wait, sat down and the bus left! Our resort was the first resort stop. That kind of timing seldom happens. Figure on....
15 mins from touchdown to gate and off the plane.
15 mins to the DME area.
Between 1-10 mins at the check in podiums.
1-20 mins in the bus line.
1-25 mins waiting on the bus.
25-40 mins to the resort...depends on which stop you are.

A car service will take you about 45 mins, without luggage. Add 20 mins to that time if you wait for checked luggage.

Going directly to a park from MCO? I would figure on about 45 mins. But....you are going to have to deal with your carry on bags somehow. That's a pain.

I think I would just take DME to the resort, drop your carry on bags with Bell Services, and head to the park. For the sake of an addtl hour in a park, it seems like a lot of hassle to go directly to a park.

 

[gmboy95]

I would take the bus to the hotel....if you do online check in..you can step right off the bus and walk right to the disney bus stop and be in the parks in no time.....from airplane to park in a little over an hour