Anyone fly standby and use DME?

[anicholson75]

DH works for Southwest, so we'll have 8 of us traveling standby in 3 weeks on Southwest. Not knowing if we will make every planned flight, our arrival time and flight may be different from what I have arranged with Magical Express. If things change, do we just go to the DME desk and wait for the next bus? We won't screw up our ME reservations will we?

 

[kaytieeldr]

No, you won't screw up your reservations. There are no "scheduled" buses. You get to the counter, you check in, you go to the waiting line or directly to the bus - depending if one going to your resort is waiting/boarding - and you ride to your resort. Since you don't actually know what time/s you're arriving, it can't hurt to take the DME tollfree number with you and call when you know about what time they should expect you.

 

[anicholson75]

Oh good! That's what I will do then. Thanks for your reply!

 

[seashoreCM]

Give a reasonably worst case delayed time for your ME reservation. There is absolutely no problem if you show up early, they'll just put you on the next bus.

Only after you don'[t succeed in standing by for what yo7u called your worst case plane may you want to call ME (from the airport waiting area) and choose a new worst case time. You don'[t have to use the six dollar a minute Airfone in the plane sseatback.

DIsney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[clkelley]

Now, if you are flying standby for the return trip home, you will need to arrange your pickup for the first flight you are planning on. Your pickup will be approximately 3 hours before that flight. You may have a long day at the Orlando airport.

 

[seashoreCM]

You said there were 8 of you. Have extra copies of the room reservation and ME materials so if you are not all on the same plane each of you can get on Magical Express immediately upon arrival in Orlando and meet up again at Disney.

 

[Lewisc]

Decide in advance how you'll divide up your group if only some of you clear for a given flight. Unless every flight is overbooked I'd just let SW check your luggage through on the first flight. Use the DME tags.

 

[anicholson75]

Good idea about giving everyone their DME vouchers in case we split up; we'll just meet at POR. But...do I use the DME luggage tags since I'm flying Southwest? Will they grab them at baggage claim if we're on a later flight?

 

[clkelley]

It's only your return home where the airline matters. LUGGAGE WITH ALL INCOMING FLIGHTS WITH YELLOW TAGS will get picked up. They will get scanned. Once each person has boarded the bus and their voucher scanned, their bags will then be released for trucks to your resort.

Since you are on Southwest, for the return home, you will have to take your luggage on the bus and check in for your flight at the airport (or online 24 hours ahead of time, then check your luggage).