Can i request an earlier DME pick up time?

[Greenfield1984]

I'll be staying at AoA in a couple of weeks and will be using DME to get back to the airport. We have 3 small kids (5, 1, and 2 months), so I want to have ample time at the airport... I was wondering if its possible to ask for an earlier pick up time than the one they give us. Thanks!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Yes. Since you are in Canada the normal DME pick up time for international flights will be 4 hours before your flight time.

If you want to be at the airport say 5 hours before your real flight you will just need to look for a flight that leaves an hour before your scheduled flight and give the DME reservationist that flight number at flight time. They don't care weather or not you are truely on that flight. Just make sure you look for international flights leaving an hour before your real flight so that they schedule you for a 4 hour pick up time.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I haven't ever asked for an earlier ME time, however the last two trips (including two days ago) we were out waiting 30 minutes early and asked if we could take the ME that had just arrived. It was the 9:25 bus and ours was originally 9:55. The bus driver had room and said no problem.

We always wait until everyone loads that was scheduled first then ask.

Heather

 

[Sandi]

Yes. Since you are in Canada the normal DME pick up time for international flights will be 4 hours before your flight time.

If you want to be at the airport say 5 hours before your real flight you will just need to look for a flight that leaves an hour before your scheduled flight and give the DME reservationist that flight number at flight time. They don't care weather or not you are truely on that flight. Just make sure you look for international flights leaving an hour before your real flight so that they schedule you for a 4 hour pick up time.

You don't need to give a false time to get on an earlier ME bus. Just call and request it. They will honor a request for an earlier pick up, not a later pick up.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[aubriee]

I haven't ever asked for an earlier ME time, however the last two trips (including two days ago) we were out waiting 30 minutes early and asked if we could take the ME that had just arrived. It was the 9:25 bus and ours was originally 9:55. The bus driver had room and said no problem.

We always wait until everyone loads that was scheduled first then ask.

Heather

I've done this more than once. Once a friend of mine here on the DIS was leaving several hours before me. She called me from the airport to say that security was the worst she had ever seen at MCO and lines for security were all the way out to the escalators, so I might want to try to catch an earlier DME bus. I called DME for an earlier pick up time and they told me they couldn't schedule me for an earlier bus, at such short notice, but to ask the driver of the bus I wanted to get on. They said he would know how many passengers he was supposed to have and if he had space, would let me on. It wasn't a problem, so now if I'm back at the resort too early and want to go to the airport I just nicely ask. Most of the time they have space, but a few times they've told me the bus will be too full by their next stop.

 

[Greenfield1984]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll try just calling and asking and if for some reason they won't give me one ill try just showing up at the stop early to see if they have room.

 

[seashoreCM]

The normal deadline for finalizing your Magical Express trip back to the airport is morning of the day before the day you depart. Make sure the desired change is on your confirmation sheet given to you on that morning before. (Making sure that this always-granted request is in place, including talking to multiple people if needed, takes priority over making rope drop) and you're all set for an earlier DME bus.

There are numerous trip reports mentioning running for the plane after stepping off the DME bus at the airport so those wishing to avoid anxiety should feel free to request an earlier-than-normal DME bus.

 

[Lewisc]

There are numerous trip reports mentioning running for the plane after stepping off the DME bus at the airport so those wishing to avoid anxiety should feel free to request an earlier-than-normal DME bus.

There have been relatively few such reports and don't recall any such poster actually missing their flight. Far more posters report having far too much time to kill at MCO. MCO asked Disney to get DME guests to the airport 2 hours before their flight. The 3 hour pickup time accomplishes that.

 

[jayhawk74]

The thing to remember is that your pickup time is not the time you leave Disney World. Last week we had a scheduled pickup time at our Resort that was 2 hours and 50 minutes before our departure time. After picking us up the bus went to 3 more Resorts. By the time we left the last resort it was 2 hours and 10 minutes before our departure. We arrived at MCO 1 hour and 40 minutes before departure.

 

[seashoreCM]

There have been relatively few such reports and don't recall any such poster actually missing their flight. Far more posters report having far too much time to kill at MCO. MCO asked Disney to get DME guests to the airport 2 hours before their flight.

That is why I often suggest skipping your last Disney meal, if that is within a few hours of resort departure, and doing it at the airport, at the little food court inside security.