Can you show up at ME with a hotel reservation and get a ride?

[jtowntoflorida]

You CAN show up without a DME reservation in hand. What happens is that the desk down there will verify your resort reservation, and then make you a DME reservation on the spot. You then proceed to the DME checkin. So it's essentially just like showing up without a DME reservation...the technicality is that they make one for you on the spot, just prior to your checkin.

Bottom line is if you have a resort reservation, they'll take you on the bus, regardless of whether you've made arrangements with DME before your arrival in Orlando.

 

[Lewisc]

You CAN show up without a DME reservation in hand. What happens is that the desk down there will verify your resort reservation, and then make you a DME reservation on the spot. You then proceed to the DME checkin. So it's essentially just like showing up without a DME reservation...the technicality is that they make one for you on the spot, just prior to your checkin.

Bottom line is if you have a resort reservation, they'll take you on the bus, regardless of whether you've made arrangements with DME before your arrival in Orlando.

Disney's original contract with MCO prohibited transporting a guest who didn't make a reservation prior to landing at MCO. I don't doubt your information. I don't know if the contract changed or if Disney/MCO is looking the other way.

Different forms of transportation pay different fees to MCO. The fee is based, in part, on how business is solicited. Permitted taxis are permitted to pick up anyone. Car services can pick up passengers with a reservation but can't solicit business on airport property. Shuttle companies like Mears are allowed to offer shared shuttle service. Any walk up guest who is allowed to take DME is one less customer for a taxi or Mears.

 

[goofy4tink]

Disney's original contract with MCO prohibited transporting a guest who didn't make a reservation prior to landing at MCO. I don't doubt your information. I don't know if the contract changed or if Disney/MCO is looking the other way.

Different forms of transportation pay different fees to MCO. The fee is based, in part, on how business is solicited. Permitted taxis are permitted to pick up anyone. Car services can pick up passengers with a reservation but can't solicit business on airport property. Shuttle companies like Mears are allowed to offer shared shuttle service. Any walk up guest who is allowed to take DME is one less customer for a taxi or Mears.

And this is the point I keep trying to make. Can you just walk up, resort reservation in hand, but no existing DME reservation, and get on a bus? Probably. But, based on the contract Disney/Mears has had with MCO, it isn't supposed to be allowed. And I would really hate to have someone try to do this based on what they read here......it being said that sure, you can do this with no issue whatsoever. So....with that in mind...can you do it? Probably. Is it at all possible that you won't be allowed to do so? Yes, it is possible...so plan accordingly.
I'm still not sure why someone just doesn't make the reservation the day before, or that morning. The reservation would be in the system and they would be good to go. So much easier than worrying about it.

 

[siskaren]

I'm still not sure why someone just doesn't make the reservation the day before, or that morning. The reservation would be in the system and they would be good to go. So much easier than worrying about it.

Seriously. DME is a free service, calling them is free, and there's no penalty for not using it, so there's no reason not to do it.

 

[pigletgirl]

Quick question -- If we have a DME reservation and we are arriving 4 days prior of our Disney vacation, does DME need to know this? Do they need an estimation of when we'll be show up? Or can we just show up, scan our bands and be on our way?

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can't ride DME until the day your resort reservation starts, and as this thread describes, you can't just show up at the counter without having a DME reservation and expect to be transported.

 

[pigletgirl]

You can't ride DME until the day your resort reservation starts, and as this thread describes, you can't just show up at the counter without having a DME reservation and expect to be transported.

Correct. We have a reservation, however we'll be arriving much earlier than what DME is anticipating.

 

[Alesia]

Correct. We have a reservation, however we'll be arriving much earlier than what DME is anticipating.

DME doesn't care when you actually arrive, but they cannot take you before the day your resort reservation starts. For instance, If you are arriving in town on the 16th, but your Disney resort reservation doesn't start until the 17th, you will not be able to use DME on the 16th, regardless of weather you have a reservation or not.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But if you made your DME reservation for 7 PM on the 17th and show up at 9 AM that day, that's fine. What you're asking isn't clear.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Quick question -- If we have a DME reservation and we are arriving 4 days prior of our Disney vacation, does DME need to know this? Do they need an estimation of when we'll be show up? Or can we just show up, scan our bands and be on our way?

No!

You can show up a few hours early but 4 days early won't work. (Where are you thinking they will take you anyway?)

 

[goofy4tink]

If you're asking if DME needs to know a specific time for your arrival at MCO, no, they don't. When you make your DME reservations, just leave the arrival info blank. Or, you can find an arriving flight for that day and use that info. Some feel that DME works better if you put something in those areas, vs leaving them blank.
So, if you are off having a great time, elsewhere in Orlando, for those four days prior to your Disney stay, just arrive at MCO, and head to the DME area. As long as you have a resort reservation in force for that day, you're good to go.

 

[pigletgirl]

No, we won't be arriving to Disney four days prior to our reservations. We'll be at the beach. My question was, we have a DME reservation, and they're expecting us to arrive in the evening. Our plan is to get back to MCO from the beach in the morning. Once we turn the car in, we would like to take DME to our resort.

Goofy answered my question.

Sorry for any confusion.

 

[Lewisc]

And this is the point I keep trying to make. Can you just walk up, resort reservation in hand, but no existing DME reservation, and get on a bus? Probably. But, based on the contract Disney/Mears has had with MCO, it isn't supposed to be allowed. And I would really hate to have someone try to do this based on what they read here......it being said that sure, you can do this with no issue whatsoever. So....with that in mind...can you do it? Probably. Is it at all possible that you won't be allowed to do so? Yes, it is possible...so plan accordingly.
I'm still not sure why someone just doesn't make the reservation the day before, or that morning. The reservation would be in the system and they would be good to go. So much easier than worrying about it.

No question that was in the original contract. The contract was renewed, and changed, at least once. The original contract required a DME desk in both the A and B side, when ridership reached a target level. The level was reached but Disney was able to negotiate. Do we know if the advance reservation requirement was retained?

I have no idea. I think everyone making a resort reservation, excluding locals, should make a DME reservation. Leave the flight information as "pending".