Arriving MCO Late

[Luv_Tink]

We just scored a great deal on United for our family of five but it means that our flight arrives at 12:35 am. We're thinking we'll just get a room at the Hyatt at the airport so we don't have to drag our tired kids around. That way they get a good night sleep before we take DME to our WDW resort in the morning.

We're DME newbies, so can anyone explain to me how this will work with DME. I know we'll need to collect our luggage and schlep it to the Hyatt on our own, that's fine. In the morning do we just show up at DME with our bags when we're ready? Will we still get luggage tags even though we're arriving late and collecting our own bags?

TIA

 

[Laura8880]

My Husband and I have stayed at the MCO Hyatt several times before our Disney trip. We just grab our bags when we land and head for check in. We usually get up early the next morning and grab DME- and we usually have the bus to ourselves. You will have to bring your luggage with you but it's not a big deal they put it on the same bus you are on. Hope that answered your question.

 

[sam_gordon]

We just scored a great deal on United for our family of five but it means that our flight arrives at 12:35 am. We're thinking we'll just get a room at the Hyatt at the airport so we don't have to drag our tired kids around. That way they get a good night sleep before we take DME to our WDW resort in the morning.

We're DME newbies, so can anyone explain to me how this will work with DME. I know we'll need to collect our luggage and schlep it to the Hyatt on our own, that's fine. In the morning do we just show up at DME with our bags when we're ready? Will we still get luggage tags even though we're arriving late and collecting our own bags?

TIA

You've got it...

Get off the plane, collect your bags, check in to the Hyatt, go to sleep.
In the morning, I think you might even be able to get Hyatt baggage services to deliver to DME, but if they don't you can bring the bags with you on the DME bus (plan on tipping the bus driver $1-2 for every bag he puts under the bus).

 

[Luv_Tink]

Thank you both! I'm a little type A when it comes to travel and like to have all my ducks in a row. Especially when I know I'll be dealing with three tired and excited daughters. LOL.

 

[bumbershoot]

I see you are from WA. It's not going to feel that late to you. I would just go straight to wdw.

That next morning, do the jet lag math. Getting up in what is eastern morningtime (western still-sleeping-time) and getting to DME then the resort (where you probably won't have a room for hours) then whatever you are planning on doing is going to be a LOT more painful than keeping the kids up the night before to get to "your" resort.

Been there done that, and being in the room that you will continue in is a whole lot better with the time change involved!

 

[Luv_Tink]

I see you are from WA. It's not going to feel that late to you. I would just go straight to wdw.

That next morning, do the jet lag math. Getting up in what is eastern morningtime (western still-sleeping-time) and getting to DME then the resort (where you probably won't have a room for hours) then whatever you are planning on doing is going to be a LOT more painful than keeping the kids up the night before to get to "your" resort.

Been there done that, and being in the room that you will continue in is a whole lot better with the time change involved!

I appreciate the advice. We did look at all our options before deciding on staying at the Hyatt. Our kids are usually in bed by 9:00 pm and up at 6:00 am our time, so I'm pretty sure they'll be ready for bed when we get in to MCO. We're not going to force anyone to get up before they're ready the next day. We have no set in stone plans or ADRs for our first day at WDW specifically for this reason. Even if we don't have a room when we get there, we're staying at FW Cabins, we plan to just head to the pool if it's warm enough or check out FW. We're not in a hurry to get to any parks.

Plus adding a night at our resort is twice as expensive as staying a night at the Hyatt which would negate the savings on the airfare.

 

[richmo]

The one thing I don't see here is how to set this up with DME. I believe you usually give them flight info, so is there a problem if you don't show up for your DME until the following morning. I understand the carrying the bags part...

Should they pick a dummy flight arriving about the time they'd like to get DME the following morning so the right day/time is on the DME reservation?

 

[wdwrich]

The one thing I don't see here is how to set this up with DME. I believe you usually give them flight info, so is there a problem if you don't show up for your DME until the following morning. I understand the carrying the bags part...

Should they pick a dummy flight arriving about the time they'd like to get DME the following morning so the right day/time is on the DME reservation?

Yes, this is how folks do it all the time when staying at/near the airport on arrival night. It's not scamming the system or anything like that. When staying at a WDW resort, you are entitled to a ride on DME to and from WDW. The DME folks don't really care when you use those rides as long as it falls within your resort reservation dates. It's just helps them for planning purposes to know when people are using the service.
Cheers!

 

[sam_gordon]

The one thing I don't see here is how to set this up with DME. I believe you usually give them flight info, so is there a problem if you don't show up for your DME until the following morning. I understand the carrying the bags part...

Should they pick a dummy flight arriving about the time they'd like to get DME the following morning so the right day/time is on the DME reservation?

You can't take a trip on DME until your check in day. In the OP's case, when I call to reserve DME, I'd just let them know I'm arriving at the airport at 9am (for example). If they press for a flight number, either make something up, or just say you're not arriving by plane.

 

[Luv_Tink]

You can't take a trip on DME until your check in day. In the OP's case, when I call to reserve DME, I'd just let them know I'm arriving at the airport at 9am (for example). If they press for a flight number, either make something up, or just say you're not arriving by plane.

We had our TA set up our DME and she said that to do what we want, she does not need to give them any arrival flight information, real or dummy. We are just to show up at DME, with our luggage, when we're ready in the morning and catch the next bus.

I would venture to guess that DME wants arrival flight information to plan for the luggage transfer that they provide and most people use when arriving during normal hours. Since we will be bringing our luggage with us from the Hyatt, that's not an issue.

 

[bumbershoot]

We had our TA set up our DME and she said that to do what we want, she does not need to give them any arrival flight information, real or dummy. We are just to show up at DME, with our luggage, when we're ready in the morning and catch the next bus.

As long as you KNOW it's set up. When I use this site to arrange DME, I do have to give them a time; but when you're arriving they don't have an issue if you don't hit the exact time you said you would be there. When arriving at MCO it's all very simple. It's the way back that you need to be more exact. But again, you do have to make sure it's set up for that day.

I appreciate the advice. We did look at all our options before deciding on staying at the Hyatt. Our kids are usually in bed by 9:00 pm and up at 6:00 am our time, so I'm pretty sure they'll be ready for bed when we get in to MCO. We're not going to force anyone to get up before they're ready the next day. We have no set in stone plans or ADRs for our first day at WDW specifically for this reason. Even if we don't have a room when we get there, we're staying at FW Cabins, we plan to just head to the pool if it's warm enough or check out FW. We're not in a hurry to get to any parks.

Plus adding a night at our resort is twice as expensive as staying a night at the Hyatt which would negate the savings on the airfare.

As long as you've thought it through!

We've done it both ways, and ultimately we find that getting to OUR room works way better.

If we ever hit a pool on checkin day...someone would fall asleep, someone would turn lobster red (probably because of falling asleep), and who knows where the kiddo would end up...

If the kids are especially seriously tired, you will have to force them to get up, because there's a limit on how long you have the room. Because we're a later rising family at home, those first days at WDW are tough for us. We're rope-droppers, and not that into nighttime entertainment, but doing that the first days is crazy-hard! And it's made especially so if we aren't in the place we intend to be...gotta be out of Hyatt at noon, I believe, which is 9am for our bodies, and that means I'm up BY 7 my body's time (ugh) organizing everyone and getting things going.

When you're a natural early-riser it's better. I'm not.