Disney - Strike One

[maxsdad18]

Let me start off by saying I am not a big fan of Disney, I have never been to Disney, but decided to take my 4y/o son there for his birthday. I am looking forward to the trip and so is my son.

I have a busy work schedule so tring to find time to do everythig it takes to plan this trip is hard. When I made the resevation, they told me they would be sending me a packet with the magical express info. As of today, no packet. I called and they said it may be too late to resend it but I could still use the service and they gave me a list of things I needed to do, go here, do that ect. I asked them if they could overnite it to me and they said no. *** is up with that! I am speding 2K + for four nights and they can't overnite something they are responsible to do?

I have a feeling I should have stayed with my instincts and told my son that Disney was on the island of St John.

 

[goofy4tink]

When are you leaving?

 

[maxsdad18]

Next Saturday the 15th!

 

[Cool-Beans]

I think that if you put a little work into planning it so that you don't have to wait in lines you will find that you enjoy WDW much more than you think you will.

I rent a car and have never done the ME thing, but some people report that it takes a while. Some don't get their tags ahead of time, some have to wait for the bags. It will save you the cost of a car, but sometimes it is a trade-off. If I were Disney, I'd two-day or overnight the stuff to you...but I'm not them.

I hope you and your son have a great time! If you have questions, post them on the DIS!

 

[tropical depression]

next time...Universal Orlando.

 

[Cool-Beans]

next time...Universal Orlando.

I heard that was a thrill rides - nothing there for little kids.

 

[dannyh23]

Let me start off by saying I am not a big fan of Disney, I have never been to Disney, but decided to take my 4y/o son there for his birthday. I am looking forward to the trip and so is my son.

I have a busy work schedule so tring to find time to do everythig it takes to plan this trip is hard. When I made the resevation, they told me they would be sending me a packet with the magical express info. As of today, no packet. I called and they said it may be too late to resend it but I could still use the service and they gave me a list of things I needed to do, go here, do that ect. I asked them if they could overnite it to me and they said no. *** is up with that! I am speding 2K + for four nights and they can't overnite something they are responsible to do?

I have a feeling I should have stayed with my instincts and told my son that Disney was on the island of St John.

You don't need the tags -- just show up at the Magical Express counter! They will still get your luggage for you and you can still get on the buses without a problem.

 

[CleveRocks]

You don't need the tags -- just show up at the Magical Express counter! They will still get your luggage for you and you can still get on the buses without a problem.

Exactly.

Maxsdad18, you're making it sound like using Disney's Magical Express is like trying to find the "hot toy" on Black Friday at Wal-Mart.

they gave me a list of things I needed to do, go here, do that ect.

I say this in a supportive way, not a nasty way ... relax.

Unless you are able to use astral projection and use the force of your own will to make you and your son and your bags instantly materialize inside your resort room from the airport, you will need to follow some list of procedures or another in order to get yourself from A to B.

With DME, all you really need to know is "Go to the Disney Welcome Center." That's all you need to remember. REALLY!!! Everything else is gravy.

After you get off the plane, everybody using every type of ground transportation needs to walk through the gate area and get to a monorail and take that into the main terminal building. From there, most people will need to find baggage claim, and then need to find whatever ground transportation they're going to use.

With DME, instead of finding baggage claim you find the Disney Welcome Center (colloquially referred to as the "DME counter"). From there, the Cast Members will tell you what you need to know, will ask you what they need to know, and will lead you to or point you towards your bus queue. From there, your driver will escort you to your bus. And then you'll be dropped off at your resort, and your luggage should arrive in your room (whether you're in there or not) about 3 hours after you arrive at your resort.

I have a feeling I should have stayed with my instincts and told my son that Disney was on the island of St John.

For the record, I want to spend my last days at Caneel Bay, I want to beach my sailboat at Honeymoon Beach and I want my ashes spread at Trunk Bay. But I think it would be a dreadfully boring locale for a 4 year old's vacation, from the 4 year old's perspective.

Relax ... enjoy ... your boy will love WDW because a) he'll be at the Happiest Place on Earth; and b) he'll be there with his Daddy. And I speak from experience.

 

[dbriggsq]

We booked a Magical Express for my husband's arrival on our trip a few days ago and the tickets turned up (in the UK) via UPS a couple of days later - but even so we were told that if there was a problem he should just go to the Magical Express desk at MCO and all would be fine.

 

[Mike©]

Let me start off by saying I am not a big fan of Disney, I have never been to Disney, but decided to take my 4y/o son there for his birthday. I am looking forward to the trip and so is my son.

I have a busy work schedule so tring to find time to do everythig it takes to plan this trip is hard. When I made the resevation, they told me they would be sending me a packet with the magical express info. As of today, no packet. I called and they said it may be too late to resend it but I could still use the service and they gave me a list of things I needed to do, go here, do that ect. I asked them if they could overnite it to me and they said no. *** is up with that! I am speding 2K + for four nights and they can't overnite something they are responsible to do?

I have a feeling I should have stayed with my instincts and told my son that Disney was on the island of St John.

For four nights, the heck with ME. Rent a car. Have your luggage with you when you check in . No waisted time waiting for the bus to load ( or empty ). Plus the advantage of having a car if you go to AK ( if your not staying there ) as the bus ride can take a long while

Personally wouldn't stay without a car anymore. Just to handy all around. Alamo & National are RIGHT THERE one floor below baggage pick-up with cars right across from arrivals in the parking lot.

P.S. Interesting poll here

 

[CleveRocks]

For four nights, the heck with ME. Rent a car. Have your luggage with you when you check in . No waisted time waiting for the bus to load ( or empty ). Plus the advantage of having a car if you go to AK ( if your not staying there ) as the bus ride can take a long while

Anecdotal evidence suggests there is no substantial time difference between using DME and renting a car (we've read of parties who've split up and arrived around the same time anyway). Waiting at baggage claim and at the rental counter and at the exit of the rental lot is, evidently, a trade-off with any waiting DME has.

And I'm sure people staying at AKL, CSR and the Al-Stars resorts haven't had very long bus rides to AK!

I'd recommend choosing ground transportation on the type and level of service you want and the price you're willing to pay, rather than on time (since time is about equal any way you slice it).

 

[j_lehr]

When my family went in December and used magical express, we also did not receive on tags on time because of an address mix up. We were still able to use ME with no problem. We opted to pick up our luggage though and then we went to the ME counter. They directed us towards the buses and the CM at the bus loaded our luggage.

After that, I will say it was a slow process. Our flight got in very late because of a delay so it was close to midnight. You wait on the bus for others to load and then there is a bit of a drive to Disney. They do show you a video that is like a big commercial but I was excited by it. =D When you reach Disney, they stop at multiple resorts. Of course, our resort was the last one. By the time we checked in and made it to our room it was 3 am.

I am not sure if it was because it was late, or we were the last stop or because we picked up our own luggage, but our luggage was handed to us as we got off the bus so we never had to wait for it.

Have a happy trip! I would try to plan a bit if you have time so that you don't have to wait in long lines. Use fastpasses and get to the parks early. Have patience, think positive and have a great time!

 

[Orelover]

Anecdotal evidence suggests there is no substantial time difference between using DME and renting a car (we've read of parties who've split up and arrived around the same time anyway). Waiting at baggage claim and at the rental counter and at the exit of the rental lot is, evidently, a trade-off with any waiting DME has.

And I'm sure people staying at AKL, CSR and the Al-Stars resorts haven't had very long bus rides to AK!

I'd recommend choosing ground transportation on the type and level of service you want and the price you're willing to pay, rather than on time (since time is about equal any way you slice it).

Time is a precious thing to some. Just becuase you don't mind waiting around doesn't mean others do. There are times the DME is slow and rental counters are backed up and vice a versa. I personally like to keep track of my luggage and a little team work between mom and dad you can get your luggage and rent the car and get to the rental lot before half the DME riders have given their info th the cm at the DME counter.

 

[CleveRocks]

Time is a precious thing to some. Just becuase you don't mind waiting around doesn't mean others do.

I'm interpreting this as a rude comment towards me.

I expressly stated my opinion that the timing is about the same. Therefore, time is important to me. Feel free to disagree with my opinions, but please don't feel free to be rude to me by putting words into my mouth.

 

[maxsdad18]

Thank you for all the replies.

Hey Eric - Now that you brought up Caneel, let me relate a story about Caneel which happened to me this past April. I own a timshare at the Westin on STJ. I was visiting Caneel, going to spend a morning at Honeymoon, when I mistakenly locked my keys in my car. I went down to the front desk there and explained my situation (I even told them I was not a guest of Caneel), and they called my rental car company, and offered me a comp. tour of the grounds while I waited. They took me around in a golf cart and showed me everything, every beach, it was a 1st class tour. Thats customer service! Disney basically markets a product and when they mess up, they do nothing to remedy the situation. This may not be a big deal, but if problems with the processes they have in place whith the "simple" things, what about the more complex details? For the amount of money I am laying out (no free dining here), my expectations are high. Should I lower my expectations so I wont be disappointed?

BTW, I have done quite a bit of planning. I was able to get a couple of ADR's, Chef Mickey's and Crystal Plaace, even though they are hard to get with the free dining plan which was available, and have a solid game plan for the parks. I just feel disapointed already that Disney could hold up to their end of the bargin.

 

[global_mom]

If you are not leaving until the 15th then you should have the ME tags in plenty of time. They typically send them second day delivery via UPS if there are less than 10 days until the guest's arrival date. If you were told by the CM that they dont overnight the ME tags then the CM should have been a bit more specific to let you know that they will second day them and that does not have to be requested.

Of course there are no gaurantees that you will get the tags on time, but as several posters have mentioned you will not have to forgo using ME b/c of a lack of tags. Many folks find it more convenient to only bring rolling carry-on bags for such a short trip and then you dont even have to worry about the checked luggage issue.

I do hope that you have a great trip and I am sure that this will seem like a very minor thing when compared to the great memories that your son will have of being with his dad!

 

[Loriannf]

I have to respectfully disagree with Eric; there's plenty to do in St John for a four year old. And Maxsdad, you probably could have gotten away with telling your child that Disney was St John. Just convince him that Trunk is the Nemo ride, that the North Shore Road drive is Big Thunder and Soarin combined, and that dodging water trucks on Centerline is just like Mission Space.

As a family who owns two weeks at Westin St John (3 bedroom pool villas) and has been taking our child there since she was six months old (now 6), I must say that the Westin and the island are great for families. Our daughter, in fact, wants to go to St John at least twice a year, but only wants Disney every other year. Although we have managed to do both for the last three years.

St John is incomparable; Disney is great, but much more commercialized. They are very different vacations.

Lori

 

[maxsdad18]

Lori, I am with you. Seeing a real Nemo would blow most 4y/o minds! How about a Crush at Maho or Francis! Mr Ray at Cinnamon! He is going with me in April for my 10th STJ trip. I think I should not mention STJ on the Disney boards. The next thing ya know there will be lines at the beaches and no more coral.

 

[SharkyGoddess]

I heard that was a thrill rides - nothing there for little kids.

They've done away with the Dr Suess section? My kids loved that when they were younger, plus there was the jarasic park area and the spiderman ride and back to the future, shrek jimmy nuetron. There's tons really.

 

[CleveRocks]

I have to respectfully disagree with Eric; there's plenty to do in St John for a four year old. And Maxsdad, you probably could have gotten away with telling your child that Disney was St John. Just convince him that Trunk is the Nemo ride, that the North Shore Road drive is Big Thunder and Soarin combined, and that dodging water trucks on Centerline is just like Mission Space.

As a family who owns two weeks at Westin St John (3 bedroom pool villas) and has been taking our child there since she was six months old (now 6), I must say that the Westin and the island are great for families. Our daughter, in fact, wants to go to St John at least twice a year, but only wants Disney every other year. Although we have managed to do both for the last three years.

St John is incomparable; Disney is great, but much more commercialized. They are very different vacations.

Lori

I stand corrected.

Thanks for the education!